This chapter highlights the factors that hinder or contribute to the success of Latino and Latina students at predominantly White institutions. The Culturally Engaging Campus Environments (CECE) Model is offered as a framework from which to create environments for Latino/a students to thrive in college.

Background/Context Although millions of undocumented students are enrolled in and guaranteed free public K—12 education, their postsecondary education opportunities are stifled. Some of the barriers encountered by undocumented students include discriminatory public policies, limited availability of information and insensitive college choice processes, and fear of immigration status disclosure. Research Question The research question that guided this study was: How, if at all, do undocumented students experience microaggressions during their college choice process ? Research Participants A total of 15 undocumented immigrants were interviewed and consisted of 10 females and 5 males. Twelve identified as Latina/o and 3 as Asian. Two participants never enrolled in postsecondary education. Of the 13 participants who enrolled in postsecondary education, 12 enrolled in a New York State public institution (one attended a public out-of-state university). Nine of the interviewees initially attended a four-year college, and 4 originally enrolled in a two-year institution. Research Design This qualitative phenomenological study included in-depth semistructured interviews with 15 undocumented students who attended New York City high schools. Findings The findings identify nine themes in the area of microaggressions that research participants faced during their college choice process: discriminatory financial aid policies, restricted college choice information, constrained life opportunities, denial of college opportunities, insensitive behaviors, insensitive college choice processes, narrowed college expectations, fear of coming out, and undocumented immigrant blindness. Every respondent who participated in our study encountered multiple episodes of these microaggressions in their college choice process. We found that the participants faced cumulative and negative messages, behaviors, and environmental cues that pervaded their college choice process. Also, seemingly well-intentioned institutional agents often delivered many of the microaggressions encountered by students. Conclusions The authors conclude the need to eliminate discriminatory postsecondary education policies that shape the educational journeys of undocumented students. Also, they challenge education institutional agents to create environments and processes that better address undocumented students’ college access needs.

Conceptualizations of servingness must include an understanding of how racial ideologies shape Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Three Latinx scholars offer testimonios on our experiences as students, faculty, and researchers at teaching and research-intensive HSIs. From our testimonios, we found that practices of Blanqueamiento (Whitening of a population) and Mestizaje (racial mixture) operate at HSIs to flatten our understanding of Hispanics in U.S. society. To make sense of our testimonios within these HSI contexts and constraints, we applied an intersectional consciousness perspective on racialized organizations. Findings include Whiteness operating as a credential, legitimizing unequal resources, diminishing agency among minoritized groups, and continued use of Mestizaje (disguised as Hispanic) as a prevailing ideology. We provide considerations for HSI leaders, researchers, and administrators to elevate their intersectional consciousness and disrupt how HSIs contribute to essentialist notions of Latinxs.

The Illescas Center at Esmeraldas College was considered by some students, faculty, and administrators as a "Black space," "radical space," and "community center." While the perception of MSIs elicits a more welcoming image to communities of color because they serve more students of color, this research shows that Black spaces are still necessary for MSIs to consider in their quest to better serve students of color. Respondents were aware however, that this particular Black space, while a source of support for Black students and other stakeholders, caused conflicting feelings for others, and more specifically, administrators. While this conflict ultimately ended in the demise of the Illescas Center, it is a contradiction that must be explored to ensure that MSIs are held to the "serving" part of their designation.

Every year about 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools. A major obstacle to their attending college is not being eligible for in-state tuition. Today, nine states permit it while four prohibit it. Even if the federal DREAM Act passes, state policy decisions will continue to strongly shape college opportunities for undocumented students. This situation makes the contrasting policies of Texas and Arizona—one permits in-state tuition eligibility; the other prohibits it—highly instructive. To analyze the political origins of their divergent responses, we draw on the advocacy coalition framework and policy entrepreneurship theory of policymaking.