Latinx student enrollment in higher education institutions has increased over the years. Despite their increased number of enrollments, there is also an increase of Latinx first-generation students dropping out of higher education. Not only are they not earning a degree, but they are leaving these institutions with debt. This is a concern because students dropping out affects the institution's overall graduation rates. This qualitative study examined factors that contributed to ten first-generation Latinx students’ persistence and success at a predominantly White, private institution. The study used grounded theory methodology and methods to develop an initial exploratory theory. The dissertation study was part of a larger study examining the experiences of first-generation students at a predominantly White private institution in southern California. For the dissertation, the experiences of ten first-generation Latinx students were examined. The study found that the participants developed and transformed through personal growth, critical awareness, and resistance. The transformation and growth that occurred in their academic journey informed the participant's practice that leads to service for other first-generation Latinx students at the institution.
","abstract_html":"<p>Latinx student enrollment in higher education institutions has increased over the years. Despite their increased number of enrollments, there is also an increase of Latinx first-generation students dropping out of higher education. Not only are they not earning a degree, but they are leaving these institutions with debt. This is a concern because students dropping out affects the institution's overall graduation rates. This qualitative study examined factors that contributed to ten first-generation Latinx students’ persistence and success at a predominantly White, private institution. The study used grounded theory methodology and methods to develop an initial exploratory theory. The dissertation study was part of a larger study examining the experiences of first-generation students at a predominantly White private institution in southern California. For the dissertation, the experiences of ten first-generation Latinx students were examined. The study found that the participants developed and transformed through personal growth, critical awareness, and resistance. The transformation and growth that occurred in their academic journey informed the participant's practice that leads to service for other first-generation Latinx students at the institution.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Aparicio, Jacqueline"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Kris De Pedro, Ph.D.","Michael Hass, Ph.D.","John Hernandez, Ph.D.","Carlos Lopez, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2021,"date_issued":"2021-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2021-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:38:16Z","subjects":["Latinx","Latino","Latina","First-Generation","Persistence","Resilience","Higher Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/education_dissertations/33","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Kris De Pedro, Ph.D.","Michael Hass, Ph.D.","John Hernandez, Ph.D.","Carlos Lopez, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Aparicio, Jacqueline"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Latinx","Latino","Latina","First-Generation","Persistence","Resilience","Higher Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/education_dissertations/33"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Latinx student enrollment in higher education institutions has increased over the years. Despite their increased number of enrollments, there is also an increase of Latinx first-generation students dropping out of higher education. Not only are they not earning a degree, but they are leaving these institutions with debt. This is a concern because students dropping out affects the institution's overall graduation rates. This qualitative study examined factors that contributed to ten first-generation Latinx students’ persistence and success at a predominantly White, private institution. The study used grounded theory methodology and methods to develop an initial exploratory theory. The dissertation study was part of a larger study examining the experiences of first-generation students at a predominantly White private institution in southern California. For the dissertation, the experiences of ten first-generation Latinx students were examined. The study found that the participants developed and transformed through personal growth, critical awareness, and resistance. The transformation and growth that occurred in their academic journey informed the participant's practice that leads to service for other first-generation Latinx students at the institution.
"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Aparicio, J. (2021). Understanding first-generation Latinx students' experiences in a predominantly white private institution: A grounded theory study [Doctoral dissertation, Chapman University]. Chapman University Digital Commons. https://doi.org/10.36837/chapman.000262"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Understanding First-Generation Latinx Students' Experiences in a Predominantly White Private Institution: A Grounded Theory Study"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Kris De Pedro, Ph.D.","Michael Hass, Ph.D.","John Hernandez, Ph.D.","Carlos Lopez, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Aparicio, Jacqueline"],"dc:description.abstract":["Latinx student enrollment in higher education institutions has increased over the years. Despite their increased number of enrollments, there is also an increase of Latinx first-generation students dropping out of higher education. Not only are they not earning a degree, but they are leaving these institutions with debt. This is a concern because students dropping out affects the institution's overall graduation rates. This qualitative study examined factors that contributed to ten first-generation Latinx students’ persistence and success at a predominantly White, private institution. The study used grounded theory methodology and methods to develop an initial exploratory theory. The dissertation study was part of a larger study examining the experiences of first-generation students at a predominantly White private institution in southern California. For the dissertation, the experiences of ten first-generation Latinx students were examined. The study found that the participants developed and transformed through personal growth, critical awareness, and resistance. The transformation and growth that occurred in their academic journey informed the participant's practice that leads to service for other first-generation Latinx students at the institution.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/education_dissertations/33"],"dc:source":["Aparicio, J. (2021). Understanding first-generation Latinx students' experiences in a predominantly white private institution: A grounded theory study [Doctoral dissertation, Chapman University]. Chapman University Digital Commons. https://doi.org/10.36837/chapman.000262"],"dc:subject":["Latinx","Latino","Latina","First-Generation","Persistence","Resilience","Higher Education"],"dc:title":["Understanding First-Generation Latinx Students' Experiences in a Predominantly White Private Institution: A Grounded Theory Study"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:38:16Z"}