Chicana/o Studies Commons^™

Shades Of Justice: Exploring Colorism In The Hispanic Community And Its Legal Battle For Equity, Christel A. Infante

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis focuses on the racial disparity within the Hispanic and Latinx communities as injustices exist within the community and the workplace. Racial disparities in the United States have been a persistent and deeply rooted issue that has plagued the nation for centuries. Despite significant progress in civil rights and anti-discrimination legislation, disparities in areas such as education, employment, and criminal justice persist. Understanding the factors contributing to these disparities is essential for addressing systemic inequalities and fostering a more just society. The analysis of this thesis primarily focuses on the cases and ramifications of Hispanic persons within the workplace, …

Margaret Cantu-Sanchez, Megan Angelo, Elizabeth Perez

Latinx Civil Rights

Dr. Margaret Cantu-Sanchez discusses her experience with education starting as early as elementary school all the way up until she received her Ph.D. in English from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She describes the obstacles she faced throughout this experience and acknowledges the privileges that helped her along the way. Dr. Cantu-Sanchez offers a unique perspective on higher education for Latinx communities as she is now a professor at her alma mater, St. Mary’s University, which is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). She also plays an important role in cultivating the Mexican American Studies program at this university and …

Virginia Ibarra, Arthur Reyes

Latinx Civil Rights

Virginia discusses events of her childhood such as crossing the U.S.-Mexico border at Laredo, Texas and working as a babysitter. She also explains how she moved to Houston to work in a sheet metal factory and finally settled in the San Antonio area. Virginia recalls the processes of gaining residency and citizenship while pursuing her education.

Etiem Rivera Gonzalez, Megan Angelo, Elizabeth Perez

Latinx Civil Rights

Etiem Rivera Gonzalez discussed her hardships as a DACA student and her parents’ lack of education and their traditional values. She prioritized gaining higher education by communicating with her high school professors and counselor to find financial assistance. She explains her experience working part-time and participating in school activities. Rivera Gonzalez talks about her career path and gives advice to students struggling with the immigration system.

Challenges And Motivations Experienced By 1st Generation Latina/O Students In Higher Education, Ereisa G. Morales

2018 Symposium

As of 2014, Latinx have accounted for more than half of the United States population. Additionally, the number of Latinx students pursuing higher education is increasing across the country, yet these students have also shown to be the highest in not completing their degrees. Currently, there is much research on the challenges that Latinx first-generation students face in pursuing higher education but limited on the motivation to pursue and stay in college. This work explores what keeps Latinx driven to continue their education despite the challenges experienced. Factors such as college knowledge and adjustment to college will be addressed in …

Retention Of Chicano Students In College, Everardo Moreno Garcia

2018 Symposium

This study will be reviewing the reasons why Chicano/a students have a high entry rate in post high school education and why graduation rates are so low. The following factors will be considered gender, culture, financial support, emotional support, network building and self image of Chicano/a students. From 1996 to 2012 colleges have had the number of Hispanic students increase on average 240% (Fry, 2008). This paper will discuss research done by researchers who are experts in their fields and have been peer reviewed for validity. The parameters used by researchers were students had to finished high school and attended …

Llevo Resilencia En La Frente: The Influence Of Community On The Thriving Of Latinas In College, Clarisse Salazar

Scripps Senior Theses

Latinas in college are systematically disadvantaged and face many unique stressors and adversities such as race-related discrimination and family stress; however, perceived availability of social support has been shown to have positive effects on students, such as positively influencing adjustment and academic persistence. In an effort to determine what factors help Latinas thrive in college, an experimental study with a 2x2 factorial design is proposed to investigate if in the face of adversity, does peer support/community preserve the thriving of Latinas in college. Community is defined by sense of membership and validation, and both will be manipulated in the in-lab …

Revelation, Tanya Diaz

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

There can sometimes be a gap between first-gen students and parents who have not experienced the stress of higher education. Children may believe this stress to be a necessary sacrifice for their future wellness; however, they often cannot feel their parents' sacrifices, just as their parents cannot feel their child's mental strain. Diaz creates this poem in an effort to examine her relationship with her mother from an outsider's point of view, in the end realizing that although her parents cannot always understand her experiences, they care and will support her decisions.

The Shortcomings Of A "Diverse" College Campus, Chelsea E. Broe

SURGE

“What is the diversity like at Gettysburg College?” As a tour guide, I get asked this question a lot. It’s a tricky question to answer: On one hand, I know that this is probably the family’s way of inquiring about race on campus without having to use such a taboo word, but on the other, my Diversity Peer Educator training chimes in and I want to challenge my questioner’s assumptions about what diversity even means. [excerpt]

College Latino Students: Cultural Integration, Retention, And Successful Completion, Robert Hernandez

Staff Publications & Research

The purpose of this study was to examine and gain a deeper understanding of Latino College students' sub-cultures and how their cultural integration can affect their retention and completion of a baccalaureate degree. Also, this study sought to understand the cultural factors that influenced student retention. The participants were given a survey to complete for demographic information, and then were interviewed to capture each of their stories and experiences.

Twenty participants were involved in the study. All of the participants were self-identified as Latinos and came from several different, four-year, residential universities. There were nine men and eleven women. Of …