My progress is our progress: Latinx students pursuing their educational goals at North Carolina community colleges

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Isai Robledo (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Silvia Bettez

Abstract: My Progress is Our Progress is a qualitative study that examines how first generation Latinx students navigate their experiences at three North Carolina community colleges. The Latinx population has significantly increased in North Carolina but that has not translated into an increase in Latinx student enrollment in higher education. The 2019 Equity Report by the North Carolina Community College System Office indicated that Latinx community college students make up only 11% of their total, curriculum enrollment. This study incorporated the LatCrit framework to analyze the institutional aspects of students’ experiences while also using the Community Cultural Wealth framework to understand the impact that family and community members had on their academic progress. Evidence from this study suggests that Latinx students relied much more heavily on off-campus resources than those found on their campuses. Specifically, students' personal and familial aspirations contributed to their resilience as they generated their own resources to achieve their educational goals. Students encountered external challenges as they entered their academic programs and their careers and while they were often discouraged, they were not deterred. Their experiences depict an approach to higher education where familial and communal implications outweigh individual benefits to pursuing and obtaining college degrees.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2021
Keywords
Community College, Community Cultural Wealth, LatCrit, Latinx, North Carolina
Subjects
Hispanic American community college students $z North Carolina
First-generation college students $z North Carolina
Community colleges $z North Carolina

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