Pathways to the Professoriate: The Experiences of First-Generation Latino Undergraduate Students at Hispanic Serving Institutions Applying to Doctoral Programs

Abstract

Despite representing the largest ethnic minority group in the United States, Latinos remain underrepresented in the professoriate. Although Latinos are increasingly attending college, fewer graduate and even fewer continue to pursue graduate school. Prior research has explained the challenges that first-generation college students encounter in post-secondary contexts. Given that Latino college students are likely to be first-generation, understanding the experiences of first-generation Latino undergraduate students who aspire to be professors and are applying to graduate school can help illuminate what factors help support this underrepresented group in pursuing a career in the academy. Using qualitative approaches, this study describes the experiences of 15 first-generation undergraduate Latino students in a grant funded academic program that provides them with a plethora of resources to help prepare them for graduate school applications. The findings suggest how early exposure to information about applying to graduate school, access to role models, familial support and understanding of an academic career and having a community of peers with similar ambitions can help cultivate an environment where first-generation, Latino students remain inspired and committed to pursuing graduate school in efforts to become a professor.

¡Pertenecemos y tenemos importancia aquí! Exploring Sense of Belonging and Mattering for First-Generation and Continuing-Generation Latinx Undergraduates

“…The literature consistently touts the importance of Latinx students' involvement for success (Delgado-Romero & Hernandez, 2002;Delgado-Romero et al, 2004), yet students' values fit and motivations also warrant consideration. For example, based on a Latinx student's espousal of or need for familismo (value of collective family processes), advisors can consider how an academic certificate or student organization might provide family-like and relational interactions (Martinez, 2018). As "cultural navigators" (p. 59), advisors need to know and name the values to help manage incongruities and find ways to serve as "translators, coaches, and guides (p. 59) for students to have a sense of belonging (Strayhorn, 2015).…”

“…Next, with specific focus on the role of student affiliations (social dimension), we assessed differences by academic certificate and student organization affiliation. Given the influence of social connections and student affiliations on Latinx students' success (Delgado-Guerrero & Gloria, 2013;Delgado-Romero & Hernandez, 2002;Kim et al, 2014;Martinez, 2018), differences were expected such that first-generation college, lower division, and those not part of the academic certificate or student organization would report lower motivation, belonging, congruity, and mattering.…”

“…As Latinx first-generation college students experience more educational challenges than their continuing-generation peers (Murphy & Murphy, 2018;Reyes & Nora, 2012), we expected that college generation would moderate the relationships of motivation and congruity with mattering. Given the key role of formalized university connections (Delgado-Romero & Hernandez, 2002;Martinez, 2018), in particular with similar-person/like-interest individuals for Latinx students (Nuñez, 2011;Von Robertson et al, 2016), it was anticipated that academic certificate and student organization status would similarly moderate the relationships.…”

“…The range and type of student organizations reported by the Latinx undergraduates, some of which were classified as student diversity programs versus student organizations, may have limited the study's findings. As some of the academic diversity programs used a cohort model to emphasize relationships and connections, a process aligned with academic programs that support Latinx students' success (Martinez, 2018), students may have identified academic programs as student organizations. Also, the majority of students reported affiliation with multiple organizations and assessing students' time availability, based on work schedules, family responsibilities, or commuting to campus, that might more fully inform Latinx students' ability to engage in academic programs, activities, and student organizations.…”

“…2002), to name a few. It is in the context of person-environment processes that scholars have explored how comfort (Cavazos et al, 2010;Gloria et al, 2017) and connection within the university context (Bordes & Arredondo, 2005;Kim et al, 2014;Martinez, 2018) inform Latinx students' sense of mattering to others in their educational setting (Dueñas & Gloria, 2017;France & Finney, 2009;Huerta & Fishman, 2014). Thus, the study's purpose assesses how motivation, belonging, and congruity inform mattering for Latinx undergraduates with varied academic and social affiliations.…”