Siguiendo El Camino/Following the Path: Exploring the Experiences of Latin* Second-Generation College Students
With degrees linked to upward mobility and, thus, a robust economy, college completion has become a central focus of the national higher education agenda. As the largest ethnic population in the United States, Latin* college students are at the center of the completion conversation. While enrolling in more significant numbers, they also have some of the lowest degree attainment rates. Most of these students also enter and exit higher education at the community college level. With research and policy focused on low-income first-generation college students in conversations about completion and upward mobility, second-generation college Latin* students and their first-generation parents who may not experience the upward mobility gains of past generations get left behind. Having a college-graduate parent or guardian does not necessarily equate to having adequate resources or support to compete. This study featured interviews with twenty-three participants from seven California Community Colleges spanning Northern and Southern California. Utilizing Bourdieu’s (1986, 1987) theoretical concepts of Habitus, Capital , and Field , and Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth Model , this phenomenological qualitative study found three major themes emerged. First, participants expressed mixed clarity about first and second-generation college identity. Second, parents, siblings, and peers played pivotal roles in participants’ ability to persist. Finally, participants reported overwhelmingly positive community college experiences, especially related to academic support, student services/resources, and counseling. Moreover, pressure to pursue higher education was exacerbated for second-generation college students. Findings revealed the need to expand the federal definition of what it means to be a first-generation college student by adding eligibility tiers (single parent, Pell-eligible, parent who graduated from college in another country). Recommendations also include clarifying communication about college generation status and existing criteria for support program eligibility, and ways institutions can better support both first and second-generation college students. The results of this study can aid policymakers and practitioners in their efforts to improve Latin* college completion.
Community College, Completion, Hispanic Serving Institution, Latinx/o/a Latin*, Pressure, Second-Generation College Students, Education Policy, Higher Education
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