Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Resistencia Indocumentada: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Higher Education Undocumented Students In The San Diego-Tijuana Border Region, Adan Escobedo Sanchez

Dissertations

Undocumented students face myriad obstacles while attending higher education institutions that would deter them from completing their academic journeys. Furthermore, they are placed with a dual narrative that labels them as either dangerous or exceptional. This study explored the lived experiences of undocumented students in college in the San Diego-Tijuana border region to consider what factors have led to resilience and resistance in their academic journey. By understanding these factors, the research aimed to tackle the dual narrative that burdens undocumented students from the illegality as a master status they possess.

This study used narrative inquiry and a literature review …

"It’S A Lot Of Work To Be Native": Using Storytelling To Examine The Needs Of Native American Students At The University Of San Diego, Kasandra Tong

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The University of San Diego’s (USD) Race/Ethnicity Federal Reports show that for the last 17 years, the percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native students at USD has not risen above 1% (University of San Diego, n.d.). This data requires further disaggregation because the current data only represents students that solely checked American Indian/Alaska Native and does not include students who identify as biracial or multi-racial. The purpose of my research was to identify what efforts are needed to improve the experience of Native American students at USD. My research question was what factors are needed to improve the existing experience of …

Pulling Off The Curtain On The Southeast Asian American Student Experience At Uc San Diego, Kathy Vilaysith

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of my research was to examine the Southeast Asian American (SEAA) identity in connection to performance and sense of belonging at institutions of higher education. The central focus was trying to understand the SEAA experience as opposed to the “model minority” narrative that is typically associated with the Asian American community. My research questions are what is the impact of their SEAA identity on their navigation in higher education? How do these students make meaning of their identity and sense of belonging at UC San Diego? How can I increase the visibility of the Southeast Asian American narrative …

Para La Comunidad: Centralizing Latinx Scholars At An Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution, Valerie Mora

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

This study highlights Latinx student experiences, through storytelling, to identify existing services and resources aiding Latinx academic success at the University of San Diego (USD), while also exploring what additional resources are needed to aid Latinx scholars’ belonging and mattering at a Catholic, predominantly White institution (PWI). Latinx student enrollment rates at colleges and universities have increased nationwide, leading institutions to consider the Hispanic -serving Institution (HSI) federal designation to gain access to discretionary grant opportunities. For HSI designation, institutions must have at least 25% of their student population categorized as Hispanic, and 50% of Hispanic students must be Pell …

Intentional Curriculum Development For An Introductory Leadership Course At The University Of San Diego, Kayla Snow

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to better understand the needs of the Emerging Leaders courses at the University of San Diego. My overarching research question was: how do I utilize previous instructors, students, and campus partners to implement curriculum changes that will enhance classroom inclusivity and educational impact for this undergraduate leadership course? Using McNiff’s cycles of action research as a guiding framework, I explored the intentionality behind developing a curriculum that guides these classes. Reflecting on student feedback, I was able to see an overall satisfaction in the implemented curriculum changes. Ultimately, this work was significant in understanding …

Reshaping What Emerges: Empowering Student Employees To Be Authentic, Amber Williams

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of my study was to understand who my students are authentically and discover what keeps them from being authentic within the workplace. I focused on culturally minoritized students in the context of professional expectations and intersecting identities. The research questions that guided my study are: How do I help students be authentic in their role as culturally minoritized employees at a multicultural center? What does authenticity look like for the students I work with, and where do they find it most difficult to express their most authentic selves within the United Front Multicultural Center? What interventions and/or practices …

Foster Youth Access To Higher Education, Raul Enciso

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

This exploratory qualitative research paper aims to discover how foster youth are able or unable to access to higher education while enrolled in high school. This paper intends to highlight and explore reasons as to why there is a huge gap from high school to college. It will also serve as a foundation that policy makers may refer to when thinking of coming up with new programming to support foster youth in regards to their education. This research paper will examine different factors that led or misled foster youth from obtaining an post-secondary education. This paper is guided by the …