There is a steady decline in Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) graduation rates, especially from two-year institutions. These institutions have been an integral part of U.S. higher education system, and access for underrepresented groups has been a top priority in recent decades with the passing of specific legislation. Despite growing efforts to…

This research explores the experiences of Latina mothers residing in San Antonio, Texas, using testimonios as a form of data collection; asynchronous interviews were completed to obtain the participants' experiences as they journeyed through their respective doctoral programs. Through this qualitative study, the research provided an in-depth…

Although an increasing number of Latinx students are enrolling in higher education, only a small percentage graduate from two and four-year universities compared to their counterparts. This study explored the relationship between demographic variables and grit scores among undergraduate students. Grit, defined as the perseverance and passion for…

Hispanic female students are the minority population when it comes to taking higher level classes in the Science Technology Engineering and Math fields. According to Hinojosa, Rapaport, Jaciw, and Zacamy (2016), "STEM fields are defined here as majors in computer and information sciences, engineering and engineering technologies, biological…

California Community Colleges (CCC) are the largest post-secondary higher education systems in the nation, with an enrollment of over 2 million at a given year. They are also the most affordable and accessible for students after completing K-12 education. With California having the largest Latinx residents (39%), they overwhelmingly makeup 45% of…

This dissertation explored the career aspirations of Black and Latinx undergraduates in underrepresented health fields, crucial due to health disparities and social determinants. Using data from the 2015-2019 Higher Education Research Institute, the research analyzed factors impacting students' pursuit of healthcare careers through logistic…

In 2021 the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) jointly published recommendations for higher educational professionals on the future of fraternity and sorority life. Among these recommendations was a focus on the communication between campus leaders and students…

Despite being among the fastest growing ethnic minority groups in the United States (Pew Research Center, 2020), Latinx continue to lag behind their White counterparts in almost all aspects of postsecondary academic attainment, including degrees conferred (Castellanos & Gloria, 2007; NCES, 2021a, 2021c). As a result of the stunted pipeline of…

While significant advancements in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are at the forefront of society, there continues to be a considerable gender and racial gap in the advancement of women of color in these fields (Espinosa, 2011; Ong et al., 2011; Shein, 2018). Low completion rates are even greater when looking at Black and…

The purpose of this mixed method study was to examine the influence of reading motivation on African American and Latinx high school students' reading perceptions across grade levels and between genders. This study included a review of data from the "Motivations to Read Questionnaire," and conversational interviews using scripted…

Purpose: The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the primary reasons that students are assigned exclusionary discipline consequences. Another purpose involves ascertaining the degree to which differential consequences are present by student ethnicity/race in the discipline consequence assigned for the same misbehavior.…

This causal comparative designed study examined perceptions Black students have of White teachers and if these perceptions have any impact on the student-teacher relationship. The theoretical framework is a combination of Milner's deficit thinking theory and critical race theory. The participants were Black students categorized as African American…

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the 9th grade state assessment test scores for Disadvantaged Hispanic students who are taking the English I State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness End-of-Course exam. The group analyzed was comprised of the 2016-2017 cohort students from a South Texas High School. [The…

For many years graduate and professional education programs for the health professions have sought to increase the diversity of their student body to include students from a wider variety of backgrounds. Increasing the diversity of healthcare providers is an essential component of addressing inequities in healthcare. However, despite initiatives…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether English as a Second Language (ESL) Hispanic students, attendance at Title I or Non-Title I schools, and percentage of Bilingual/ESL teachers on campus impacted academic performance as measured by standardized tests. With a rapidly expanding Hispanic population in Texas, it was prudent…