According to the National Academy of Sciences (2007a), "Without the participation of individuals of all racial/ethnic backgrounds and genders, the increasing demand for workers in STEM fields will not be met, potentially compromising the position of the United States as a global leader" (p. 1). Increasing the participation and…

This qualitative case study uses comparative case study methodology with discourse analysis to compare Arizona and New Jersey regulations, policies, procedures, and practices influencing high school graduation rates for Hispanic and Native American youth. National and state reports (NCES, 2019) indicated a gap between high school graduation rates…

This dissertation addresses the unequal incarceration of African-Americans and Mexican Americans in the United States. It examines the historical foundations of the construction of race to create criminality toward African-Americans. The legacy of the prison industrial complex perpetuating and prolonging further criminalization to enslave people…

Research shows that, despite the population growth rate of Latino/Hispanic communities across the U.S., they remain largely under-represented in professional and leadership roles across the country (Cruz & Blancero, 2016, p. 500). This underrepresentation is compounded when intersected with the gender wage gap. A study conducted by the…

At the southernmost tip of Texas, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) opened its doors on August 31, 2015 as a 'bilingual, bicultural, and biliterate' campus--the only one of its kind and at a scale never before attempted in the United States. This is a categorical achievement in the near 200 year-long quest for the educational…

Access to higher education has increased within the last decades, particularly within historically underserved communities, but the challenges of navigating college for first-generation Latino/a/x students still show up in the disproportionate rates of retention, persistence, and graduation for this group (National Center for Education Statistics,…

This study analyzed student perceptions of diversity climate factors in a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). The climate of respect, perceived value of diversity on campus, and interracial interactions with faculty and staff were explored to determine their effects on institutional affiliation/pride and intentions to remain and graduate. Results…

On May 6, 1993, students of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona [CPP]) protested what they believed was a lack of diversity on campus. Over 25 years later, this qualitative study explores the identity development of undergraduate students who led that movement, which resulted in the founding of five cultural centers at…

At first glance, the Latino male condition may seem impervious to notions of blackness. Critical scrutiny of My Brother's Keeper and the popular documentary "Gang Wars: Oakland" reveals otherwise. This theoretical article unveils how blackness is infused in the interpretation of Latino males via education policy and, in turn, how Latino…

This study looked at the experiences of six participants and their feelings of guilt. The findings revealed that guilt was caused when the participants put their needs before the needs of their family and attended college. Institutions of higher education may not know or understand the importance family plays for these students and may not foster…

Research suggests that the likelihood of students entering into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers can be increased by promoting and maintaining students' interest in STEM during middle school years, a critical developmental stage when students' interests begin to solidify. One way to attract students to STEM is…

While there has been significant media coverage on Trump and his administration's stance on LGBTQ and Latina/o communities, there has been limited empirical research on the matter. In this qualitative study, I employed racist nativism and queer critical theory to examine the lives of gay Latino men in college, with a focus on their race/ethnicity…

Latinx undergraduate students on academic probation after their first semester of community college risk further course failure and dropping out. As the largest minority on college campuses, it is important to understand Latinx college students' experiences with academic probation during freshman year to develop strategies that can support them in…

Background: Despite the diverse student population in the USA, the labor force in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) does not reflect this reality. While restrictive messages about who belongs in STEM likely discourage students, particularly female and minoritized students, from entering these fields, extant research on this…

Racial and ethnic disparities in the use of nine common autism-related services among Medicaid-enrolled children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were examined, distinguishing between school and other community-based outpatient settings. Using 2012 Medicaid Analytic Extract data, we identified 117,848 continuously enrolled children with ASD.…