Students of color continuously persist at a lower rate than their white counterparts in higher education. Particularly for Latinx males, the number is lower than Latinx women. Universities have incorporated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies to focus on their diverse student population and address issues of race, ethnicity, class, and gender. Despite these efforts, low retention rates for Latinx males persist. This study explores how Latinx male undergraduate students navigate a predominantly white institution as well as explore some of the challenges of DEI efforts at that institution. I conducted participant observations at the University of Denver (DU) and interviewed Latinx male students and staff engaged in DEI at DU. My findings showed that students struggled to feel like they belonged due to low representation, racism, and lack of resources. Despite that, they created safe spaces and support groups that helped them persist. Challenges to DEI included lack of communication and collaboration between students, staff, and departments because of the siloed environment at DU.
","abstract_html":"<p>Students of color continuously persist at a lower rate than their white counterparts in higher education. Particularly for Latinx males, the number is lower than Latinx women. Universities have incorporated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies to focus on their diverse student population and address issues of race, ethnicity, class, and gender. Despite these efforts, low retention rates for Latinx males persist. This study explores how Latinx male undergraduate students navigate a predominantly white institution as well as explore some of the challenges of DEI efforts at that institution. I conducted participant observations at the University of Denver (DU) and interviewed Latinx male students and staff engaged in DEI at DU. My findings showed that students struggled to feel like they belonged due to low representation, racism, and lack of resources. Despite that, they created safe spaces and support groups that helped them persist. Challenges to DEI included lack of communication and collaboration between students, staff, and departments because of the siloed environment at DU.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Rodriguez-Oregel, Quisi"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"M.A. in Anthropology","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Alejandro Cerón","Esteban Gomez","Lisa Martinez"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-06-15T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2024-06-15T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:01:48Z","subjects":["Diversity equity and inclusion (DEI)","Latinx","Males","Predominantly white institution (PWI)","Undergraduates","Anthropology","Arts and Humanities","Education","Higher Education","Latina/o Studies","Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Social and Cultural Anthropology"],"languages":["English (eng)"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
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"],"dc:subject":["Diversity equity and inclusion (DEI)","Latinx","Males","Predominantly white institution (PWI)","Undergraduates","Anthropology","Arts and Humanities","Education","Higher Education","Latina/o Studies","Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Social and Cultural Anthropology"],"dc:title":["Navigating University of Denver as a Latinx Male-Identifying Undergraduate Student"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.A. in Anthropology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:01:48Z"}