The purpose of this action research study was to build a community of support through mentorship for Latino male students. This work aimed to build on existing research around ways to support the disappearing men impacting the higher education system. The study focused on building a community of students and alumni from a state university, with…

Latina students exhibit high levels of academic resilience evidenced by increased rates of educational attainment despite social, cultural, and structural barriers. Although research has identified factors that positively and negatively impact their academic resilience, little attention has been given to the influence of identity. To address this…

This study aims to analyze the factors that keep economically disadvantaged Hispanic students motivated when attaining their higher education degree. This study included 10 Hispanic students who have completed at least two academic years at an accredited four-year university in central or north New Jersey and were currently enrolled in one.…

This study explored the lived experiences of Latina/o/e students with academic libraries, using a phenomenological approach to understand Latina/o/e students' assets and abilities that they bring to college libraries. This study used the theoretical and conceptual frameworks of critical race theory (CRT), Latina/o critical race theory (LatCrit),…

First-born Latina daughters of immigrant parents are raised take on responsibilities within their household and are also expected to obtain a good education. These roles can often conflict with each other due to their different demands. This research aimed to understand the experiences of first-born Latina daughters of immigrant parents who were…

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to describe the personal experiences of Latina women who excelled in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) despite challenges amidst overlapping systems of discrimination. This study highlights the experiences of 10 Latina women who have attained or were in…

Background: Considerable research has examined how stress is associated with college drinking, but limited theory-driven published reports examine whether these effects generalize to Latino/a/x students. Although Latino/a/x students typically make up a small percentage of students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs; e.g., 6-8%),…

This study is an exploration of experiences of Chicanx butch lesbian students who are navigating higher education environments in San Antonio, TX. Focused on the intersection of race, gender, and sexual identities, the testimonios in this study highlight how Chicanx butch lesbian students subvert and challenge dominant heteronormative and…

This study uses secondary data to explore the relationship between the percentage of Latinos enrolled in a postsecondary institution and two educational outcomes: graduating within six years and total amount in student loan debt. Research on the concentration of Latino students in higher education have mostly focused on Hispanic Serving…

While racially minoritized students are gaining access and enrolling in post-secondary institutions at higher rates, institutionalized oppression and exclusionary practices impact students' experience and success. Colleges and universities have an obligation to create environments that are welcoming, just, and fair for all students who choose to…

For decades Latinas have been mobilizing their communities to call out and address the injustices they have encountered as women and as students of color (Garcia & Marquez, 2011). Latinas are becoming the fastest-growing minority group in California, and projections indicate this trend is expected to continue (American Association of…

Limited research currently exists on the lived experiences of Latina/o students with dis/abilities within secondary and postsecondary education. While the number of Latina/o students with dis/abilities enrolling in college has continued to rise, their graduation rates are still lower than those of their counterparts without dis/abilities.…

Situated at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), this postcritical ethnographic and photovoice study sought to explore how Latinx students define and practice civic engagement. Theoretically framed by Latino Cultural Citizenship (LCC), the study explored how current Latinx student civic engagement practices inform a Hispanic-Serving Institutions'…

Over the last several decades, nontraditional students have increasingly enrolled in postsecondary institutions (Ellis, 2019). This diverse population has altered perceptions of the traditional college student. Nontraditional students drive higher education institutions to reexamine their mission, purpose, sources of support, and delivery…

This dissertation examines how education and migration policies negatively shape access to and opportunities within post-secondary education for Latinx students in mixed-status families. To do so, I develop the concept of deficit policies, or policies that presume deficits in the targeted population and then produce those deficits. Engaging a…