In university bilingual educator preparation programs, we frequently discuss issues across and around language, culture, and teaching. Topics inevitably emerge regarding the dialogue first generation college students have with their family members about maintaining the 'purity' of a language vis-à-vis navigating the waters of a translanguaging…

Many districts across Texas have adopted programs built on the goal of providing more opportunities within their repertoire for servicing traditionally underserved students (AVID, 2023). Friou (2016) reported that 62 districts across Texas have utilized the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, which aimed to bridge the gap in…

This is an exploratory case study that explored service-learning experiences and perceptions among Latinas enrolled in a South Texas university. This study also addresses the challenges and benefits that are associated with Latinas and service-learning in higher education as service providers. This study provides a better understanding of Latina…

Utilizing interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), this study describes how the phenomenon of hope is experienced by six first-generation college students at South Texas Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), how student affairs contributed to that hope, and how these students understood the spaces on a college campus relative to their…

Contrary to the deficit, leaky pipe perspective, this study applied an asset-based framework that argues resilience is a cultural asset that motivates and contributes to success. The purpose of this study was to examine how Latinx students applied resilience contexts toward navigating the medical school pipeline. A qualitative, case study design…

A primary concern in academic institutions is the high frequency of academic dishonesty among students. Concerns surrounding this issue negatively affect the institution's reputation and the acquisition of external funding. The purpose of this research was to explore the increasing prevalence of academic dishonesty at higher education…

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated many communities and exacerbated existing inequities, particularly for Mexican American communities along the South Texas border. During this tumultuous time, many Mexican American college students balanced coursework, work, and familial responsibilities in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), a Texas borderland region…

Despite various initiatives to enhance diversity in STEM disciplines, women and minorities remain underrepresented (Gonzalez et al., 2021, Chapter 5). Higher education institutions can help enhance gender and racial equity in STEM disciplines in the U.S. (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine, 2011). This study's purpose was…

Guided by the theoretical assumption that college life is a culturally situated, symbolic process of interaction between students and various others, this qualitative study attempts to explore how minority students' home culture, which is different from the dominant college culture, helps them make sense of their college experiences. The…

A qualitative study with Latina/o high school students was conducted to understand their experiences obtaining information about going to college. The following themes emerged: students encountered difficulty meeting with the counselors and obtaining information; students had little idea of where to start looking for information about going to…

The purpose of this survey study was to explore the factor structure of a newly adapted survey called the Modified Principles of Adult Learning Scale (MPALS) with students at a 4-year Hispanic Serving Institution. The examination of the factor structure of the new instrument was done in order to analyze student perception of professor's…

The United States (U.S.) is the top destination for foreign individuals who wish to pursue higher education. Because of this trend, the U.S. has seen healthy international student enrollment in its post-secondary education system. The year 2018 however saw a decline in international education enrollment across all degree levels throughout the U.S.…

Long-term effects associated with the use of zero-tolerance policies and lack of restorative discipline strategies used with expelled students in a local Lower Rio Grande Valley school district revealed that students' lives were impacted negatively by educators who practiced a one-size-fits-all approach to school discipline. Marginalization of…

This mixed method study assessed the perceptions of health professional graduate students on a sense of belonging and evaluated the engagement experiences valued most in a graduate program across three domains of belonging, academics and diversity, equity and inclusion. Hispanic students valued building professional relationships with faculty and…

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate how Latino men's conceptions of masculinities influenced their attitudes and behaviors during the transition from community colleges to 4-year institutions. Method: A phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of 34 Latino men across Texas, California, and Florida.…