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The experiences of successful higher education Latino administrators and educational leaders in selected western United States community colleges

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The experiences of successful higher education Latino administrators and educational leaders in selected western United States community colleges

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HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
1

THE
EXPERIENCES
OF
SUCCESSFUL
HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
AND

EDUCATIONAL
LEADERS
IN
SELECTED
WESTERN
UNITED
STATES
COMMUNITY

COLLEGES

by

Ali
Kobaissi

A
Dissertation
Presented
to
the

FACULTY
OF
THE
USC
ROSSIER
SCHOOL
OF
EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY
OF
SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA

In
Partial
Fulfillment
of
the

Requirements
of
the
Degree

DOCTOR
OF
EDUCATION

December
2015

Copyright
2015
Ali
Kobaissi

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
2

Dedication

I
would
like
to
dedicate
this
dissertation
to
my
parents,
Abdullah
Kobaissi
and

Nancy
Kobaissi
for
their
love
and
support,
for
being
there
during
tough
times,
and
for

taking
great
care
of
my
brothers,
my
sister,
all
the
grandchildren,
and
me
for
all
these
years.

My
Mom
and
Dad
gave
us
a
great
foundation,
always
taught
us
to
work
hard,
to
never
give

up,
to
help
others
whenever
possible,
and
to
always
do
the
right
thing.
I
love
them
very

much.

I
would
also
like
to
thank
my
kids
Mohammad
and
Abdullah
for
being
patient
and

understanding
young
gentlemen
when
I
was
out
working.
Finding
time
to
work
on
this

paper
was
difficult,
and
consisted
of
many
late
nights
and
early
mornings
as
I
worked

around
two
jobs
and
health
issues.

I
would
like
to
thank
all
my
family
members,
friends
and
colleagues
who
were

members
of
my
dissertation
support
group.
Included
are
my
brothers
Hassan
and
Nidal,
my

sister
Fatima,
the
members
of
the
2009
USC
doctoral
cohort,
Dr.
Rebecca
Hong,
Dr.
Lina

Safa,
Dr.
Bernadette
Derakhshan,
Dr.
Guadalupe
Garcia
Montano,
Sara
Bitar,
Nuccio
Patti,

Moises
De
Leon,
Maryam
Zolghadr,
Zarrin
Zolghadr,
Ani
Zakinyan,
Harriet
Sasson,
and
the

rest
of
my
friends
and
colleagues
at
Taft
High
School,
Eagle
Rock
High
School,
and
Glendale

College.

Special
thanks
to
my
amazing
friend,
Dr.
Binh
Tran
for
organizing
dissertation
study

nights,
for
motivating
me
to
stay
up
late
when
I
had
no
energy,
and
for
keeping
it
fun.
I
will

miss
our
library,
restaurant,
and
coffee
shop
sleepovers.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
3

Acknowledgements

First
and
foremost,
I
would
like
to
thank
and
acknowledge
my
dissertation
chair
and

research
advisor,
Dr.
Kristan
Venegas.
This
dissertation
would
not
have
been
possible

without
her
belief
in
my
ability
to
complete
this
research
project.
After
my
brain
tumor

surgery,
radiation
therapy,
and
impending
life
events,
I
truly
felt
overwhelmed
and
thought

about
discontinuing
my
research.
Despite
her
unbelievable
workload
and
responsibilities,

Dr.
Venegas
kept
me
motivated
with
periodic
reminders
that
kept
me
on
track,
edited

numerous
revisions
of
each
chapter,
answered
my
late
night
emails,
and
reminded
me
of

the
importance
of
seeing
this
research
project
through.

I
would
also
like
to
acknowledge
my
two
other
committee
members,
Dr.
Patricia

Tobey
and
Dr.
Robert
Mena
for
their
numerous
hours
spent
reading
and
commenting
on

my
dissertation.
Your
advice
was
invaluable.

All
the
advisors
at
the
Rossier
School
of
Education
deserve
a
great
deal
of
thanks,

most
especially
Bami
Andrada,
for
their
dedication,
care
and
for
solving
problems
that

came
up
so
quickly
and
painlessly.

Finally,
I
am
very
thankful
to
the
seven
amazing
administrators
who
sacrificed
their

valuable
time
and
allowed
me
to
enter
their
personal
lives
with
probing
interview

questions.
This
study
would
not
have
been
possible
without
their
generous
participation.

Their
time
and
honesty
helped
me
gather
information
that
I
hope
will
help
improve
the

number
of
Latino
leadership
institutions
of
higher
education

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
4

TABLE
OF
CONTENTS

Dedication
2

Acknowledgements
3

List
of
Tables
6

Abstract
7

Chapter
One:
The
Problem
and
its
Rationale
8

Statement
of
the
Problem
10

Purpose
and
Significance
of
the
Study
11

Methodology
13

Key
Definitions
14

Organization
of
the
Study
16

Chapter
Two:
Literature
Review
17

Latinos
in
Higher
Education
Administration
18

Importance
of
Latino
Administrators
in
Higher
Education
Leadership
19

Latino
Administrators
in
Community
Colleges
20

Personal
Experiences
of
Latino
Leaders
in
Higher
Education
21

Internal
Factors
23

External
Factors
24

College
Organizational
Factors,
Economics,
and
Politics
25

Racism,
Discrimination,
Stereotyping,
and
Oppressive
Environments
26

Chapter
Three:
Methodology
28

Relevant
Framework
Related
to
Method
29

Definition
of
the
Grounded
Approach
from
a
Design
and
Technical
Standpoint
30

Site
Selection
and
Participants
32

Site
Selection
32

Participant
Selection
34

Data
Collection
35

Instrumentation
36

Trustworthiness
of
Data
36

Researcher
Bias
37

Limitations
of
the
Study
38

Conclusion
39

Chapter
Four:
Presentation
and
Discussion
of
Findings
40

Demographics
41

Description
of
Participants
41

Role
of
Mother
in
Preparing
for
College
and
Career
46

Role
of
Father
in
preparing
for
college
and
career
47

Family
and
Cultural
Influence
48

Parental
Expectations
of
Education
50

Other
Career
Influences
50

Parental
Capital
and
Socioeconomic
Level
52

Findings
for
Research
Question
Two
52

Motivation
52

Independence
54

Parental
Characteristics
55

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
5

Family
Influence
56

Findings
for
Research
Question
Three
58

Natural
Leadership
Tendencies
58

Career
Motivators
58

Self-‐Acknowledged
Personality
and
Distinguishing
Characteristics
60

Advice
and
Assistance
by
Non-‐Parents
Influencing
Education
and
Career
Success
61

Seizing
Opportunities
To
Improve
Career
Paths
62

Findings
for
Research
Question
Four
66

Racism,
Discrimination,
Stereotyping,
and
Oppressive
Environments
66

College
Organizational
Factors,
Economics,
and
Politics
67

Discussion
68

Parental
Expectations
of
Education
68

Personal
Values
or
Experiences
71

Strategies
75

Organizational
Scheme
and
Practices
78

Chapter
Five:
Discussion,
Recommendations,
and
Limitations
80

Purpose
and
Significance
of
the
Study
80

Summary
of
Findings
by
Research
Question
81

Implications
for
Practice
86

Increase
Pathways
for
Latino
Students
86

Support
Parental
Outreach
Programs
87

Increase
Opportunities
for
Professional
Networking
and
Mentorships
88

Suggestions
for
Future
Research
89

Conclusion
90

References
93

Appendix
A:
Research
Questions/Interview
Protocol
Grid
99

Appendix
B:
Participant
Invite
Letter
102

Appendix
C:
Formal
Consent
Form
103

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
6

List
of
Tables

Table 1: Demographics of Students Enrolled, Administrators, Faculty, and Staff by
Race/Ethnicity 9

Table 2: Demographics of Each Study Participant 42

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
7

Abstract

Using
Patricia
Gándara’s
“Over
the
Ivy
Walls”
analysis
of
educational
mobility
of

Latino
students
as
a
research
model,
this
study
utilized
the
grounded
theory
methods
to

investigate
and
collect
data
regarding
the
personal,
educational,
and
career
experiences

and
conditions
that
influenced
pathways
taken
by
successful
Latino
higher
educational

leaders
and
administrators.
An
interview
was
conducted
to
collect
data
about
the

background
of
each
subject
in
this
study
to
learn
from
these
Latino
community
college

administrators
about
their
experiences
and
conditions
that
influenced
their
successful

advancement
through
the
career
path
into
their
current
administrative
role.
These

experiences
included
educational
backgrounds,
family
choices
related
to
education,

socioeconomic
status,
motivation,
and
both
social
and
parental
capital.
Findings
from
this

study
suggest
that
institutions
of
higher
education
need
to
increase
the
pathways
for
Latino

students
to
become
higher
education
administrators
with
programs
that
offer
social
capital

and
financial
assistance.
They
also
should
support
community
outreach
programs
to

educate
and
empower
families
to
support
their
children’s
education.
Finally,
they
need
to

increase
opportunities
for
professional
networking
and
mentorships.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
8

CHAPTER
ONE:
THE
PROBLEM
AND
ITS
RATIONALE

Background
of
the
Problem

Haro
and
Lara
(2003)
found
that
although
there
have
been
some
gains
in
the

numbers
of
Latino
higher
education
administrators,
most
gains
were
made
in
2-‐year

colleges.
Up
until
2003,
only
two
Latinos
had
served
as
presidents
of
4-‐year
universities

(Haro
&
Lara,
2003).
There
is
a
need
to
examine
the
experiences
of
Latino
college

administrators
because
Latino
role
models
in
community
colleges
may
play
a
vital
role
in

Latino
students’
retention
and
degree
attainment:
students
with
Latino
mentors
tend
to
do

better
in
school
than
students
with
non-‐Latino
mentors
(Reyes,
2003;
Santos
&
Reigadas,

2002;
Castellanos,
2007).

Nonetheless,
there
is
a
disproportion
between
the
number
of
Latino
students
who

utilize
the
community
college
system
and
the
number
of
Latino
staff
members
at
these

campuses
(CCCCO,
2009).
Among
the
major
ethnic
groups
in
California,
Latinos
have
the

lowest
staff-‐to-‐student
ratio,
as
there
are
only
0.508
Latino
staff
members
per
Latino

student
as
compared
to
a
ratio
of
1.38:1
for
Blacks,
0.518:1
for
Asians/Pacific
Islanders,

and
1.78:1
for
Whites.
The
proportion
of
Latino
administrators
is
also
low
compared
to
the

student
population
by
race/ethnicity,
as
69%
of
administrators
are
White,
8%
are
Black,

4%
are
Asian/Pacific
Islander,
and
17%
are
Latino
(EdSource,
2007).
Table
1
presents
the

demographics
at
California
community
colleges
in
terms
of
administrator-‐to-‐student
ratios.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
9

Table
1

Demographics
of
Students
Enrolled,
Administrators,
Faculty,
and
Staff
by
Race/Ethnicity

Race/

Ethnicity

2011-‐
2012

Total

Enrollmen
t

Administrators
Faculty/

Staff

Admin:Student

Ratio

Latino
731,778

313
2331
1:2338

White
628,942

1167
11,395
1:538

Black
161,753

193
1068
1:838

Asian
240,953

120
1326.8
1:2008

Source:
Datamart,
CCCCO,
2012

Table
1
shows
the
difference
between
the
proportion
of
Latino
administrators
and

the
number
of
Latino
students
enrolled
in
community
colleges,
which
may
represent
an

educational
pipeline
issue
in
that
Latinos
may
either
not
enter
college
or
be
retained
long

enough
to
become
educational
leaders.
There
are
also
pertinent
questions
regarding
why

Latinos
who
earn
advanced
degrees
do
not
opt
for
administrative
positions
at
community

colleges.
Therefore,
it
is
important
to
learn
of
the
characteristics
of
existing
administrators

and
the
reasons
behind
their
decisions
to
enter
higher
education
administration.
This
study

sought
to
address
these
issues
in
an
effort
to
help
develop
undergraduate
programs
to

mediate
or
resolve
issues
that
discourage
Latinos
from
choosing
higher
education

administration
as
a
career
path.
The
findings
of
this
study
may
help
fill
the
gap
among

higher
education
administrators
and
increase
the
number
of
Latino
role
models
and

mentors
for
younger
Latinos
who,
in
turn,
may
follow
in
current
administrators’
footsteps

(Bonner,
Pacino,
&
Stanford,
2011;
Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002).

Given
that
statistics
show
Latinos
are
less
likely
to
graduate
and
have
lower
college

persistence
and
retention
rates
than
do
other
ethnic
groups
(Kelly,
2010),
it
is
important
to

identify
factors
that
lead
to
this
population’s
college
success.
Unfortunately,
as
Table
1

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
10

shows,
the
ratio
of
Latino
administrators
to
students
of
similar
backgrounds
is
lower
than

that
of
other
ethnic
groups
even
though
Latinos
comprise
the
largest
segment
of
the

student
body
in
California’s
community
college
system
(CCCO,
2012).
Therefore,
this
study

focused
on
Latino
administrators
and
the
keys
to
their
success
as
measured
by
the

attainment
of
an
administrative
position
as
dean
or
higher
at
a
postsecondary
institution.

Statement
of
the
Problem

Because
research
shows
Latino
students
in
community
colleges
need
more
role

models
(Crosnoe,
2005;
Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002),
analysis
of
Latino
individuals
who

overcame
social
and
economic
barriers
is
a
worthy
topic
for
a
grounded
study.
Such
a
study

may
increase
understanding
of
the
key
factors
and
personal
characteristics
that
helped

Latino
administrators
reach
success
by
comparing
their
life
experiences
as
they
navigated

through
college
and
career.
Examination
of
the
experiences
of
Latinos
currently
in

administrative
roles
may
shed
light
on
developmental
differences
and
personal

characteristics
that
lead
to
success.
This
knowledge
may
allow
for
institutional
changes

along
the
educational
pipeline
to
increase
the
numbers
of
Latino
educational
leaders
in

postsecondary
institutions.

There
is
a
gap
in
the
research
regarding
Latino
community
college
leadership
and

how
some
Latinos
overcome
existing
obstacles
to
attain
advanced
degrees
and
higher

education
administrative
positions.
The
primary
purpose
of
this
research
was
to
learn
from

Latino
community
college
administrators
about
the
personal
characteristics,
experiences

and
conditions
that
influenced
their
advancement
into
their
current
administrative
roles.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
11

Purpose
and
Significance
of
the
Study

The
purpose
of
this
qualitative
study
was
to
take
an
in-‐depth
look
at
the
career

paths
of
Latino
administrators
in
western
United
States
community
colleges
to
understand

both
internal
and
external
elements
that
led
to
their
success.
This
study
proposed
to
study

why
Latino
administrators
in
community
colleges
succeed
and
recommend
strategies
to

replicate
that
success.
Data
from
a
grounded
qualitative
study
of
the
Latino
career
path
in

education
may
lead
to
a
better
understanding
of
what
helps
successful
Latino
students

navigate
through
the
educational
pipeline
and
increase
the
number
of
Latino

administrators
in
higher
education
institutions.
Results
may
inform
and
guide
programs,

policies
and
practices
to
empower
and
motivate
future
Latino
students
to
take
on
these

leadership
roles.

Examining
the
experiences
of
successful
Latino
administrators
in
western
United

States
community
college
systems
in
a
grounded
study
format
may
shed
some
light
on
the

mechanism
of
their
success.
The
outcome
of
this
data
can
be
further
investigated,
studied,

and
expanded
upon
for
future
implementation
of
effective
Latino
educational
leadership

programs.
Such
programs
may
help
improve
the
present
conditions
that
are
plaguing
the

Latino
educational
workforce,
and
help
in
the
reduction
of
disparities
between
Latino

administrators
and
their
student
counterparts.

Toward
that
end,
current
Latino
higher
education
administrators
were
interviewed

and
observed
for
this
study.

In
addition,
data
gained
from
relevant
documents
and

questionnaires
were
analyzed
to
address
the
study’s
research
questions.
In
all,
the

overarching
purpose
of
this
study
was
to
understand
the
experiences
that
influenced
the

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
12

career
path
of
Latino
administrators
into
higher
education
leadership
positions.
To
gain

that
understanding,
four
research
questions
guided
this
study:

1.
What
are
the
influences
that
community
college
administrators
identify
as
being

the
most
influential
on
their
personal
success
in
their
careers?

2.
What
are
the
personal
and
family
experiences
that
Latino
community
college

administrators
felt
had
the
most
impact
on
their
career
success
in
terms
of
drive,

motivation
and
persistence?

3.
What
strategies
did
Latino
community
college
administrators
use
to
overcome

obstacles
as
they
navigated
through
the
educational
pipeline
and
career
paths?

4.
Does
the
organizational
scheme
of
the
community
college
system
and
its
practices

support
or
hinder
Latinos
or
Latinas?

A
second
purpose
of
this
study
was
to
expand
on
previous
research
on
Latino

administrators,
with
emphasis
on
the
Western
region
of
the
U.S.
due
to
its
large
Latino

population.
Further
research
on
Latino
administrators
may
yield
recommendations

regarding
institutional
change
to
increase
the
numbers
of
Latinos
in
administrative

positions.

Because
Latino
leaders
may
play
a
role
in
both
the
retention
of
Latino
students
in

college
and
the
recruitment
of
future
Latino
administrators
(Castaneda
&
Katsinas,
2002;

Goldsmith,
2004),
this
study
sought
to
identify
the
characteristics
and
qualities
that

allowed
Latino
college
administrators
to
navigate
their
career
paths
successfully
so
these

can
be
nurtured
in
Latino
students
and
the
external.

It
also
sought
to
gain
insight
on
the

barriers
encountered
as
Latinos
navigated
their
career
path
and
how
their
personal

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
13

experiences
helped
them
overcome
these
barriers
so
aspiring
Latino
leaders
can
benefit

from
the
information.

Methodology

This
study
used
Patricia
Gandara’s
(1995)
Over
the
Ivy
Walls
analysis
of
educational

mobility
of
Latino
students
as
a
research
model,
utilizing
grounded
theory
methods
to

collect
data
regarding
the
personal
qualities
and
educational
and
career
pathways
of
Latino

higher
educational
leaders
and
administrators.
In
that
study,
50
Chicano
scholars
were

examined
for
academic
success
as
measured
by
attainment
of
a
Ph.D.,
M.D,
or
J.D.
degree

from
a
highly
regarded
American
University
of
National
Stature
(Gandara,
1995).
For
the

present
study,
Latinos
in
a
position
of
associate
dean
or
higher
at
an
accredited
public

community
college
were
considered
successful
educational
leaders
in
higher
education.

Gandara
(1995)
identified
key
qualities,
characteristics,
social,
and
parental
capital

connected
to
educational
success.

Among
these
were
issues
related
to
most
influential

parent,
parental
support
for
education,
literacy
at
home,
neighborhood,
personal

characteristics,
college
attendance
information,
and
GPA
(Gandara,
1995).
Therefore,
this

study
sought
to
identify
similar
qualities
and/or
influences
among
respondents.

The

background
of
each
respondent
in
this
study
was
crucial
towards
identifying
the
sources
of

his/her
success,
which
were
missing
among
their
unsuccessful
counterparts.

This
study
utilized
the
grounded
theory
approach,
or
a
qualitative,
deductive

research
approach
that
focuses
on
the
process
of
generating
theory
instead
of
testing
a

theory
(Denzin,
1997).
This
study
included
in-‐depth
interviews,
questionnaires,
document

analysis,
and
professional
observations
of
seven
Latino
administrators
holding
the
position

of
associate
dean,
dean,
vice
president,
and/or
president/superintendent
from
six
public

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
14

two-‐year
community
colleges
in
the
western
United
States.
All
colleges
and
respondents

were
given
pseudonyms
to
protect
their
privacy.

Using
Gandara’s
(1995)
analysis
of
Latino
student
educational
mobility
as
a

research
model,
the
grounded
theory
approach
was
applied
to
discover
implicit
theories
in

the
data.
A
process
of
interviews,
note
taking,
coding,
and
memoing
were
used
to
examine

commonalities
among
several
higher
education
administrators
in
certain
categories.
These

categories
or
demographics
were
personal
qualities,
educational
backgrounds,
family

choices
related
to
education,
socioeconomic
status,
motivation,
and
social
and
parental

capital.
This
study
sought
to
assist
in
institutionalizing
changes
along
the
educational

pipeline
to
increase
the
number
of
Latino
leaders
within
higher
education.

This
study
used
grounded
theory
to
investigate
the
developmental,
educational
and

career
path
of
Latino
administrators
in
public
two-‐year
community
colleges,
analyzing

their
background
and
how
their
experiences
helped
them
become
successful
higher

education
administrators
(Glauser
&
Strauss,
1967).
This
study
may
have
an
impact
on
the

types
of
programs
needed
to
help
improve
the
number
of
Latino
educational
leaders.
It

may
also
help
identify
resources
and
paths
that
families
and
parents
need
to
take
to
be

more
effective
resources
for
their
children.
Lastly,
this
study
may
suggest
ways
Latinos
and

Latinas
can
benefit
from
professional
networking
in
higher
education
administration
and

related
educational
fields.

Key
Definitions

Community
college:
The
community
colleges
or
junior
colleges
are
institutions
of

higher
education
that
offer
2-‐year
associate
degrees
and
occupational
certificates,
but
also

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
15

allow
students
wishing
to
transfer
to
four-‐year
universities
to
complete
their
lower

division
undergraduate
requirements.

Latino:
A
standardized
term,
often
interchanged
with
the
ethnic
minority
term

Hispanic,
which
identifies
group
of
Americans
who
originate
from
Latin
American

countries,
80%
of
whom
speak
Spanish
(Gonzalez-‐Barrera
&
Lopez,
2013).
They
refer
to
a

group
of
Americans
who
share
a
language,
culture,
but
come
from
diverse
nations
(Brown,

Santiago,
&
Lopez,
2010)

Higher
education:
Refers
to
education
sought
in
an
accredited
institution
beyond
a

high
school
diploma.
For
this
study,
the
focus
is
on
2-‐year
public
community
colleges
in
the

Western
area.
Therefore,
any
reference
to
higher
education
focuses
on
the
community

college
level
(Ashby,
1973).

Grounded
theory:
A
theory
proposed
by
Glaser
(1998)
and
Straus
and
Corbin

(1990).
It
is
an
objective
emergent
research
method
suitable
for
research
involving
data

comparisons
among
individuals
(Glaser,
1998).
It
is
assumed
that
there
is
a
theory
hidden

within
the
body
of
the
data
that
must
be
discovered
by
the
researcher.
Grounded
theory
is

essentially
the
search
for
categorical
data
that
emerges
from
the
individuals
interviewed

and
that
ties
them
together.
Grounded
theory
is
explicitly
emergent
and
sets
out

immediately
to
find
a
theory
that
fits
the
research
situation.

Memoing:
The
continuous
process
undertaken
by
the
researcher,
involving
note

taking
about
ideas
and
questions
that
emerge
during
data
collection
(Glaser,
1992).
Memos

are
used
to
make
the
researcher’s
preexisting
assumptions
explicit
or
open
for

examination,
to
record
decisions
regarding
the
conduct
of
the
study
in
a
procedural

fashion,
and
to
hypothesize
on
and
scrutinize
the
data
(Glaser,
1978;
Straus,
1987)

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
16

Organization
of
the
Study

This
study
is
organized
in
five
chapters.

The
first
presents
the
background
and

statement
of
the
problem
along
with
the
research
questions
and
definition
of
relevant

terms.

The
second
provides
a
review
of
the
literature
most
pertinent
to
this
study.

The

third
provides
the
methodology
used
to
answer
the
research
questions.

The
fourth
and

fifth
chapters
present
the
results
of
data
collection
and
the
findings
gleaned
from
that
data,

respectively.

The
fifth
chapter
presents
recommendations
for
researchers
and

practitioners
regarding
Latino
leaders
within
higher
education.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
17

CHAPTER
TWO:
LITERATURE
REVIEW

This
study
was
an
attempt
to
gain
insight
about
successful
higher
education
Latino

administrators,
as
the
literature
shows
there
is
a
disproportionate
number
of
Latinos
in

higher
education
administration
compared
to
other
major
ethnic
groups
in
the
Southern

California
area
(CCCCO,
2009).
A
question
that
has
not
been
adequately
addressed
in
the

literature
pertains
to
the
experiences
that
influence
the
career
path
of
Latinos
and
the

successful
attainment
of
higher
education
leadership
positions.

The
literature
review

consists
of
an
overview
of
the
research
on
Latinos
in
higher
education
from
a
perspective
of

the
changing
student
demographics
and
the
reasons
behind
the
failure
of
educational

institutions
to
deal
with
the
low
graduation
rates,
retention,
and
persistence
of
Latinos.
The

second
part
of
literature
review
consists
of
a
summary
of
the
research
on
the
importance
of

Latino
administrators
in
higher
education
as
role
models
and
their
effect
on
persistence

and
retention.
The
third
part
will
focus
on
research
already
conducted
on
Latinos
in

educational
leadership
positions
including
internal
characteristics
such
as
motivational

factors,
family
values,
and
influence
of
culture
as
well
as
external
factors
that
affected
their

career
paths.
Examples
of
external
factors
are
community
college
organizational
factors,

socio-‐economic
factors,
and
oppressive
environments
and
barriers.
Current
research

predicts
that
Latino
leadership
at
colleges
and
universities
will
increase
as
Latino

enrollment
in
American
higher
education
institutions
rises
(Gutierrez,
et
al.,
2002)
unlike

in
previous
decades
when
barriers
such
as
prejudice
and
discrimination
restricted

minorities
from
access
to
power
and
privilege
within
educational
institutions
(Fullan,

2007;
Rodriguez,
et
al.,
2000).
This
may
be
why
there
is
large
disparity
between
Latino

leadership
in
education
and
Latino
students
on
college
campuses
(Santiago,
1996).
The

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
18

doctoral
experiences
of
Latinos
and
the
factors
that
affected
their
success
can
be
related
to

the
experiences
of
Latino
Administrators.
What
little
is
known
about
doctoral
experiences

of
Latinos
comes
from
limited
research
by
a
few
scholars,
such
as
Patricia
Gandara’s
(1979)

dissertation
on
the
familial
lives
of
50
Latino
PhDs,
JDs
and
MDs;
Aida
Morales
(1988)

dissertation
on
100
Latino
doctoral
students;
and
Gloria
Cuadraz’s
(1993)
dissertation
on

the
lives
of
17
Chicanas
and
23
Chicano
doctoral
students
investigating
the
barriers
to
their

doctoral
path.
Additionally,
Daniel
Solorzano’s
(1993)
study
looks
at
the
experiences
of
66

Latino
doctoral
students
who
faced
career
paths
blocked
by
sexism
and
racism.
In
addition,

Raymond
Padilla
and
Rudolfo
Chavez
(1995)
studied
the
career
paths
of
Latino
professors

and
administrators
(Solorzano,
2010).

Latinos
in
Higher
Education
Administration

Latino
administrators
are
important
for
the
retention
of
Latino/a
college
students

because
they
serve
as
role
models
and
can
motivate
these
students
to
gain
these
positions

themselves
if
they
are
academically
successful
(Verdugo,
1995;
Hernandez,
2000,
&
Jones
&

Castellanos,
2003).
Very
little
research
has
been
conducted
on
the
pathways
of
the
current

educational
leaders
of
Latino
heritage
that
can
provide
insight
on
how
they
successfully

navigated
the
system.
Additionally,
very
little
research
has
been
done
on
recruiting
and

retaining
Latino
administrators,
although
they
make
up
about
three
percent
of
all

administrators
in
the
nation
(Castellanos
&
Jones,
2003).
Not
only
are
they
important
to
the

retention
of
Latino
students
as
role
models
and
mentors,
but
they
are
also
important
to

maintaining
diversity
at
the
top
so
that
fresh
ideas
and
perspectives
can
be
sustained
(Leon

&
Nevarez,
2007).
One
study
about
the
experiences
of
Latino
leaders
in
higher
education

affirmed
Haro’s
(2005)
finding
regarding
the
importance
of
Latino’s
in
higher
education.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
19

That
same
study
also
found
that
networking
was
important,
as
having
advocates
on

governing
boards,
screening
committees,
and
search
firms
(Savala,
2014).

Importance
of
Latino
Administrators
in
Higher
Education
Leadership

Latinos
in
higher
education
leadership
positions
are
important
not
only
for
the
sake

of
representation
in
the
population,
equity,
and
fairness.
They
are
also
important
because

there
is
evidence
that
having
Latinos
in
administrative
roles
helps
improve
feelings
of

support
and
better
adjustment
among
the
student
body,
especially
because
they
serve
as

mentors
to
those
with
the
same
ethnic
background
(Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002).
Santos
and

Reigadas
(2002)
tested
32
Latino
students
through
a
Faculty
Mentorship
Program
and

showed
that
student
adjustment
to
college
and
retention
rates
both
improved
as
a
result
of

mentorship
participation.
The
findings
showed
that
students
experienced
greater
self-‐
efficacy
and
a
better
grasp
of
their
academic
goals
by
participating
in
that
faculty-‐
mentoring
program.
Furthermore,
the
researchers
found
that
students
who
shared
a

common
ethnicity
with
their
mentor
perceived
said
mentor
as
being
more
supportive
and

effective
in
advancing
their
personal
and
career
development
than
did
students
with

mentors
of
different
ethnic
backgrounds.
They
also
reported
a
higher
level
of
satisfaction
in

the
program
than
those
who
had
mismatched
mentors.

In
addition,
frequency
of
contact
with
their
mentors
had
a
positive
correlation
with

student
adjustment
to
college
(Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002).
Frequency
of
contact
was

identified
as
a
key
factor
in
the
development
of
an
effective
mentor-‐mentee
relationship

that
led
to
social
satisfaction
(Levin
&
Levin,
1991).
Mentors
provided
emotional
support

and
improved
student
access
to
resources
and
information.
This
is
not
to
say
that
non-‐
Latino
mentors
were
not
affective.
Overall,
implementing
formal
mentoring
programs

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
20

promotes
and
accelerates
student
success
(Castellanos,
2007).
However,
to
be
most

effective,
the
faculty
needs
to
engage
in
Latino
value-‐centered
interactions
so
that

interpersonal
exchanges
are
grounded
in
the
Latino
student’s
values
(Castellanos,
2007).

The
Santos
and
Reigadas
study
established
the
importance
of
Latino
mentors
for
Latino

students
because
they
are
more
effective.
Latino
mentors,
by
default,
are
equipped
with

values
that
Latino
students
can
relate
to;
students
feel
more
respected
and
develop
a
sense

of
having
an
academic
“padrino”
or
godfather
(Castellanos,
2007).
Having
Latinos
in

leadership
roles
appears
to
be
crucial
for
the
availability
of
effective
role
models
for
Latinos

who
aspire
to
successfully
navigate
through
the
pipeline
and
become
educational
leaders

themselves
(Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002).
The
creation
of
leadership
programs
is
needed
to

expand
the
administrative
pipeline
for
Latinos
(Martinez,
1999).

Latino
Administrators
in
Community
Colleges

There
is
a
need
to
increase
the
number
of
Latinos
in
higher
educational
institutions,

as
the
Latino
population
is
shaping
and
impacting
these
institutions
on
many
levels

(Martinez,
1999).
The
need
for
Latino
Administrators
in
the
community
colleges
is
a
real

concern
for
student
retention.
Current
research
shows
that
more
needs
to
be
done
to

increase
the
pool
of
credentialed
and
experientially
prepared
Latinos
who
can
take
on

leadership
positions
(Gutierrez
et
al,
2002).

Unfortunately,
the
number
of
doctorate

degrees
in
education
awarded
to
Latinos
declined
between
1987
and
1996
(Gutierrez
et
al,

2002).
This
may
explain
why
there
are
fewer
Latino
administrators
at
the
community

college
level
as
compared
to
their
White
or
Asian
counterparts.
Yet,
research
shows
that

Latino
faculty
and
staff
are
important
for
Latino
student
achievement.
The
recruitment
and

retention
of
Latino
faculty
members
is
crucial
to
the
development
of
Latino
students

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
21

because
they
can
model
intellectual
achievement
for
them
(Brown,
Santiago,
&
Lopez,

2010).
As
discussed
earlier,
role
models
and
mentors
have
been
found
to
be
effective
for

the
retention
and
matriculation
of
Latino
students
in
community
colleges
and
universities

(Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002).
Having
more
Latino(a)
role
models
who
share
cultural
values

and
backgrounds
with
students
is
crucial
to
their
success
(Castellanos,
2007).

Personal
Experiences
of
Latino
Leaders
in
Higher
Education

Family
background,
cognitive
skills,
personality
traits,
and
years
of
schooling
were

four
personal
characteristics
identified
in
a
study
aiming
to
determine
which
individuals

will
achieve
economic
success
(Jencks
et.
al,
1979).
As
stated
earlier
in
this
chapter,
the

number
of
Latino
administrators
is
far
below
that
of
other
ethnic
and
racial
groups.
In

another
study
on
Latinos
in
higher
education,
research
also
shows
that
Latino
College

presidents
are
held
to
higher
standard
than
their
White
colleagues
(Martinez,
1999).

Therefore,
examining
leadership
characteristics
of
successful
Latino
administrators
for

commonalities
may
shed
some
light
on
how
they
got
to
those
positions
(Clark
&
Estes,

2002).

Personal
characteristics
are
defined
as
the
personal
qualities
or
traits
that
affect
an

individual’s
leadership
abilities
(Mendez-‐Morse,
1992).

Individual
traits
such
as

intelligence,
birth
order,
socioeconomic
status,
and
how
they
were
raised
were
investigated

(Mendez-‐Morse,
1992).
Other
personal
factors
associated
with
leadership
were
identified

as
capacity,
achievement,
responsibility,
participation,
status,
and
situation
(Stogdill,
1974).

That
study
concluded
however
that
a
person
does
not
become
a
leader
by
having
a
certain

combination
of
traits,
nor
can
you
distinguish
leaders
from
non-‐leaders
based
on
any

certain
trait
(Stogdill,
1974).
Therefore,
there
must
be
another
factor
along
with

characteristics
that
helped
these
leaders
become
successful.
Research
on
knowledge
and

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
22

skills
has
shown
that
they
are
required
for
successful
job
performance
(Clark
&
Estes,

2002).
Leadership
skills
such
as
intelligence,
toughness,
determination,
vision,
emotional

intelligence,
self-‐awareness,
motivation,
empathy,
and
social
skills
are
required
for

effective
leadership
(Goleman,
2004).

Very
little
research
has
been
published
on
the
influence
of
individual
characteristics,

qualities,
or
experiences
of
Latino
administrators
in
higher
education
and
how
these

personal
factors
affected
their
ability
to
be
successful.
However,
many
studies
have
been

done
on
the
characteristics
and
qualities
of
successful
Latino
students
that
separate
them

from
non-‐successful
ones.
Studies
on
student
resilience
examined
why
students
with

similar
social
and
economic
backgrounds
can
be
successful
while
others
where
not

(Waxman
et
al.,
2003).
In
other
studies
on
experiences,
supporting
factors
were
identified

as
ones
promoting
academic
success,
such
as
having
a
strong
supportive
family
and
school

personnel
who
were
supportive,
providing
them
with
financial
aid
information
(Zalaquett,

2005).
Some
studies
found
a
positive
link
between
hope
and
the
mother’s
educational
level

with
academic
success
(Lerma
et
al.,
2014).
A
similar
study
found
that
hope
and
a
search

for
meaning
in
life
were
significant
in
predicting
psychological
grit
(perseverance
and

passion),
a
positive
factor
in
academic
performance
(Vela
et
al.,
2015).
Coping
strategies

utilized
by
Latino
students
to
overcome
perceived
barriers
in
higher
education
were
also

identified
(Cavazos,
Johnson,
and
Sparrow,
2010).
Although
there
may
be
some
overlap

between
factors
that
led
to
success
among
students
and
factors
that
led
to
the
success
of

higher
education
administrators,
there
is
a
gap
in
the
body
of
research
that
directly

addresses
the
success
of
Latino(a)
administrators.
This
study
focuses
on
the
internal
and

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
23

external
factors
that
have
influenced
current
Latino
leaders
in
California
community

colleges,
which
possibly
helped
them
become
successful.

Internal
Factors

Motivation.

Motivation
is
an
internal
state
that
arouses,
directs,
and
maintains

behavior
(Woolfolk-‐Hoy
&Hoy,
2006).
Although
knowledge
tells
us
how
to
do
something

based
on
our
education
and
experience,
motivation
keeps
us
going,
working,
and
focuses

our
effort
on
accomplishing
a
task
(Clark
&
Estes,
2002).
Motivation
is
needed
for
learning

or
performance
to
take
place
(McCollum
&
Kajs,
2007).
Three
facets
of
motivated

performance
are
involved
in
not
meeting
a
goal:
active
choice,
persistence,
and
mental

effort
(Clark
&
Estes,
2002).
When
people
make
a
choice
to
pursue
a
work
goal,
they
are

more
likely
to
achieve
their
goal
than
if
they
had
failed
to
choose.
Secondly,
too
many
goals

and
distractions
reduce
their
persistence,
allowing
less
important
goals
to
take
priority.

Finally,
distractions
a
person
experiences
from
daily
life
may
reduce
the
amount
of
mental

effort
they
put
in
towards
achieving
this
goal
(Clark
&
Estes,
2002).

Studies
on
motivational
deficits
link
a
lack
of
motivation
to
Latino
dropout
rates
and

lower
academic
achievement
(Nunez,
2009,
Rodriguez,
1999),
but
the
reverse
may
be
true

as
well
because
motivational
sources
can
have
a
positive
effect
on
the
emergence
of

educational
leaders
(McCollum
&Kajs,
2007).
However,
very
little
research
exists
on
the

personal
characteristics
of
Latinos
that
motivated
them
to
choose
professional
careers
as

higher
education
administrators.

Nonetheless,
internal
characteristics
such
as
leadership
skills,
persistence,

emotional
stability,
educational
qualification
and
experience
may
be
completely
irrelevant

for
administrative
applicants
(Abi-‐Nader,
1990).
For
example,
Hu-‐DeHart
claims
that
White

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
24

men
would
rather
appoint
White
women
to
leadership
roles
before
choosing
a
minority

candidate.
Additionally,
research
shows
that
some
White
women
would
rather
appoint

Latino
females
over
Latino
males
(Haro,
1995).
For
reasons
similar
to
those,
Latinos
are
not

well
represented
in
the
powerful
elite
circles
of
American
society.
Aspiring
Latino

administrators
and
future
Latino
leaders
do
not
have
adequate
choices
of
mentors
who
can

show
them
the
way
or
provide
them
with
social
capital
(Castellanos,
2007;
Santos
&

Reigadas,
2002).

External
Factors

External
characteristics
of
leadership
are
identified
as
inspiration,
influence,
ability

to
be
change
agents,
helping
others
develop,
ability
to
deal
with
conflicts,
and
ability
to

work
in
teams
(Bolman
&
Deal,
2008).
To
be
effective,
leaders
must
be
perceived
by
others

as
capable
and
effective.

A
prospective
leader
within
higher
education
must
gain
the

confidence
and
respect
of
other
administrators,
the
board,
and
the
faculty.
Having

advanced
degrees
and
degrees
from
elite
universities
helps
build
that
confidence
and

respect
in
the
eyes
of
their
colleagues
(Gandara,
1995).
But
Latinos
face
more
than
just
the

need
to
prove
their
qualifications.
Latinos
aspiring
to
become
administrators
feel
that
there

is
a
lot
of
bias
against
them
within
their
institutions
(Guitierez,
Castaneda,
&
Katsinas,

2010).
Latinos
may
experience
direct
acts
of
racism,
or
feel
a
great
deal
of
bias
during

hiring
and
promotional
practices
in
the
institutions
that
employ
them
(Santiago,
1996).

The
belief
by
some
that
Latinos
are
not
capable
of
being
successful
contributors
to

academia,
or
are
incapable
of
being
good
educational
leaders
is
the
result
of
the
racism
and

prejudice
that
exists
in
some
higher
education
institutions
(Canul,
2003).

Some
Latinos
feel

that,
in
order
to
obtain
a
higher
education
administrator
position,
they
have
to
be

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
25

overqualified
as
compared
to
their
White
counterparts
(Lopez
&
Schultz,
1980).
These
are

external
barriers
that
Latino
administrators
had
to
overcome
to
obtain
their
positions
and

keep
them.

College
Organizational
Factors,
Economics,
and
Politics

As
students,
Latinos
experienced
barriers
in
their
career
as
students.
Latinos
not

only
had
to
prove
themselves
in
their
work
environment
more
so
than
other
groups,
but

they
had
to
do
so
in
the
academic
environment
as
well
(Santiago,
1996).
As
students,
they

struggled
to
manage
both
their
academic
and
financial
responsibilities
as
they
navigated

the
educational
pipeline.
There
are
many
factors
at
play
that
affected
the
retention
and

success
of
Latino(a)
students,
particularly
having
to
do
with
politics,
economics,
and
the

organization
of
higher
educational
institutions.
Financial
aid
for
example,
has
been
found
to

be
directly
related
to
the
success
of
all
students
(Ishitani
&
DesJardins,
2002).
First
of
all,

students
who
have
to
be
employed
while
trying
to
get
an
education
may
be
at
a
greater
risk

of
dropping
out
than
those
who
are
more
financially
secure
(Lotkowski,
Robbins,
&
Noeth,

2004).
Financial
aid
plays
a
strong
role
in
the
recruitment,
retention,
and
graduation
of

minority
students
(Seidman,
2005)
and
Latino
community
college
students
who
receive

higher
financial
aid
awards
stay
enrolled
longer,
earn
some
form
of
a
credential,
and
have
a

higher
GPA
than
those
who
did
not
receive
aid
(Nora,
1990).

A
study
on
the
perceptions
of

Latino
educators,
recipients
of
the
Weingart
Scholar
Program,
found
that
the
program
had

a
long-‐term
effect
on
their
personal,
educational,
and
professional
life
(Bonner
&
Pacino,

2011).
The
program
offered
financial
support
as
well
as
academic
and
social
assistance
to

help
them
become
leaders.
As
a
result,
most
participants
became
leaders
in
their
schools

and
role
models
for
Latino
students
(Bonner
&
Pacino,
2011).
An
additional
powerful

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
26

contributor
to
student’s
success
in
schools
was
a
combination
of
the
parent’s
educational

and
occupational
status
(Gandara,
1995;
Jencks
et
al.,
1972).

As
professionals,
Latinos
also
faced
barriers
within
the
existing
college

organizational
and
political
structures.
The
politics
within
higher
education
organizations

can
play
a
major
role
in
the
recruitment
and
retention
of
Latino
faculty
members.
The

disparity
between
Latino
administrators
and
their
other
ethnic
counterparts
is
not
caused

by
lack
of
interest,
but
instead
by
their
inability
to
navigate
the
educational
pipeline

(Delgado-‐Romero,
Manlove,
&
Hernandez,
2007).
The
Latinos
who
were
able
to
become

professors
had
to
get
over
barriers
such
as
discrimination,
low
numbers
of
existing

Latino(a)
faculty,
which
lead
to
feelings
of
isolation
and
tokenization,
and
lack
of
power

which
prevented
them
from
being
good
role
models
for
Latino
students
(Verdugo,
2003).

Major
challenges
facing
Latinos
in
education
continue
to
be
centered
on
access,
persistence,

and
graduation
(Aguirre
&
Martinez,
1993).

Racism,
Discrimination,
Stereotyping,
and
Oppressive
Environments

The
pathway
to
executive
positions
in
higher
education
is
marked
by
many
external

factors
such
as
discrimination,
college
institutional
factors,
socioeconomic
factors,
politics,

peer
competition,
the
board
of
trustees,
and
other
barriers
to
Latino
upward
mobility.
The

low
number
of
Latino
administrators
is
attributed
to
racial
stratification
caused
by

alienation,
stereotyping,
marginalization,
tokenism,
and
lack
of
confidence
in
Latino

administrators
(Canul,
2003;
Verdugo,
1995).
Lastly,
Critical
Race
Theory
was
used
to

define
the
racism
that
Latino
educators
faced
in
both
their
student
and
professional
careers

(Solorzano,
2010).

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
27

The
Latino
leadership
pipeline
is
different
than
that
of
the
majority
group.
Most

Latino
college
presidents
had
been
full-‐time
faculty
members,
whereas
other
did
not
have

to
be
full-‐time
faculty
to
attain
such
a
high
position
(Ross,
Green,
&
Henderson,
1993).
It
is

clear
that
colleges
are
not
good
models
of
diversity
and
multiculturalism.
As
mentioned

earlier,
there
are
many
factors
that
affect
levels
of
diversity
within
higher
education

systems.
Latinos
who
were
able
to
navigate
through
the
educational
pipeline
become

important
subjects
of
interest,
making
Gandara’s
study
the
perfect
model
for
this
research.

Both
the
Gandara
study
and
grounded
theory
will
be
discussed
in
Chapter
Three
for
their

relevance
and
appropriateness
towards
addressing
the
research
questions
posed
in

Chapter
One.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
28

CHAPTER
THREE:
METHODOLOGY

This
chapter
outlines
the
methodology
of
the
current
study
on
the
experiences
that

influenced
successful
Latino
administrators
to
achieve
their
positions
and
climb
the
career

ladder.

First,
the
framework
related
to
the
methodology
is
reviewed
and
discussed.

Second,
selection
of
the
study’s
site
and
participants
is
discussed
along
with
the

instrumentation.
After
that,
the
reliability
of
the
data,
researcher
bias,
and
the
limitations
of

the
study
are
examined.
The
purpose
of
this
study
was
to
understand
that
which
influenced

Latino
administrators
as
they
entered
higher
education
leadership
positions.
This
study

utilized
interviews
with
seven
respondents
who
answered
questions
developed
to
collect

data
relevant
to
each
of
the
four
research
questions.
The
data
was
collected
by
recording

each
of
the
subject’s
responses
during
the
interviews,
and
subsequently
producing

transcripts.
All
information
that
was
collected
for
this
study
was
kept
confidential,
and
the

data
was
password
protected
to
insure
confidentiality.
The
transcripts
were
analyzed

through
the
grounded
theory
method.

This
study
used
Gandara’s
(1995)
Over
the
Ivy
Walls
as
a
research
model
and
was

conducted
at
four
public
community
colleges
in
the
Western
United
States,
as
these
schools

serve
a
large
population
of
the
Latino
community.
Purposeful
sampling
was
conducted
for

the
strategic
selection
of
Latino
administrators
at
each
of
these
colleges.
This
type
of

sampling
helped
the
researcher
gain
insight
about
the
specific
experiences
and
pathways
of

each
of
the
Latino
administrators.
Since
the
number
of
Latino
administrators
in
high-‐level

positions
was
limited,
data
analysis
depended
heavily
on
the
quality
of
interviews
and

observations.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
29

Relevant
Framework
Related
to
Method

Gandara’s
(1995)
study
of
low-‐income
Chicanos’
educational
mobility
was
the
main

influence
on
the
methodology
of
this
study.
This
study
used
Gandara’s
(1995)
Over
the
Ivy

Walls
analysis
of
Latino
students’
educational
mobility
as
a
research
model,
utilizing

grounded
theory
methods
to
investigate
the
personal
qualities
along
with
the
educational

and
career
pathways
taken
by
successful
Latino
higher
educational
leaders/administrators.

Gandara
(1995)
located
her
subjects
using
membership
lists
from
professional

organizations
comprised
of
national
rosters
of
Chicano
faculty
and
researchers
and
medical

and
law
schools.
Some
of
those
people
also
referred
other
Chicanos
who
were
not
on
the

list
to
generate
a
list
of
potential
subject
candidates.
Therefore,
the
sample
was
not

random.
However,
since
of
her
the
subjects
grew
up
all
over
the
United
States
and

volunteered
to
participate,
it
was
reasonable
for
the
researcher
to
assume
they
were

representative
samples
of
Chicanos
in
terms
of
background
characteristics.
The
subjects

were
selected
because
they
met
the
criteria
for
inclusion
in
the
study.
The
criteria
were

that
they
were
Chicano,
of
low
SES,
and
had
proven
both
their
academic
success
and
that

they
were
the
most
educationally
ambitious
of
their
peers
by
completing
a
doctorate

degree.
The
data
were
first
analyzed
quantitatively
by
subgroups
(males
and
females;

degree
type),
which
allowed
for
descriptions
of
differences
and
similarities
among
each

group.
Qualitative
analysis
of
interviews
was
conducted
as
well.
Detailed
analysis
of

comments
and
characteristics,
such
as
changes
in
the
tones
of
their
voices,
facial
gestures,

and
body
language,
filled
in
the
gaps
in
each
area
of
investigation.
The
data
was
finally

juxtaposed
to
the
existing
research
to
detect
similarities
and
differences
(Gandara,
1995).

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
30

The
criteria
for
inclusion
in
this
study
were
not
as
stringent
as
that
Gandara’s

(1995)
study.
The
term
Chicano
is
limited
to
Mexican
Americans
(Alcoff,
2011),
so
this

study
used
the
term
Latino.
This
includes
anyone
of
Latin
origin
who
speaks
Spanish
as
a

second
language
at
home.
This
includes
individuals
from
Mexico,
Cuba,
Puerto
Rico,
Central

America,
and
South
America.
The
second
and
most
crucial
criterion
for
inclusion
was
the

administrative
position
held
at
a
community
college.
In
order
to
qualify
for
this
study,

individuals
were
required
to
hold
a
position
of
associate
dean,
dean,
administrative
dean,

vice
president,
or
president/superintendent.

Definition
of
the
Grounded
Approach
from
a
Design
and
Technical
Standpoint

Grounded
theory
research
focuses
on
gaining
an
understanding
about
how
a
group

of
people
defines
their
reality
through
their
social
interaction
(Munhall,
2001).

Grounded

theory
is
a
systematic
generation
of
theory
from
data
grouped
by
codes
assigned
by

concepts
(Glaser,
1992).
These
concepts
are
grouped
into
categories,
which
can
used
to

formulate
a
hypothesis
or
theory
(Glaser,
1992).
Since
there
are
many
variables
to
analyze

in
order
to
understand
the
possible
cause
of
the
disparity
in
the
number
of
Latinos
in

higher
education
administration,
grounded
theory
is
most
useful
because
allows
each

individual
to
tell
his/her
own
story,
and
data
were
collected
from
them
as
they
described

their
career
path,
their
thoughts,
decisions,
reasoning,
fears,
anxieties,
motivation,
and

where
they
found
strength
and
capital
along
the
way.
The
methods
of
the
grounded
theory

allow
the
researcher
to
see
the
data
in
a
fresh
way
and
can
help
direct,
manage,
and

streamline
the
data
collection
process.
The
purpose
of
grounded
theory
methods
is
to

construct
an
original
analysis
of
the
data
collected
(Charmaz,
2006).

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
31

Grounded
theory
methods
consist
of
a
system
of
guidelines
for
collecting
and

analyzing
qualitative
data
to
construct
theories
grounded
in
the
data
itself
(Atkinson,

Coffey,
&
Delamount,
2003;
Charmaz,
2006).
Grounded
theorists
separate,
sort,
and

synthesize
early
data
through
a
qualitative
process
called
coding.
This
involves
attaching

labels
to
parts
of
the
data
that
describe
the
topic
of
those
parts
so
that
the
data
can
be

filtered
and
more
easily
compared.
This
process
emphasizes
data
gathered
from

interviews,
which
can
easily
be
compared
to
another
data
set
(Charmaz,
2006).
As
more
of

the
data
is
coded,
the
researcher
must
begin
to
make
analytical
notes,
called
memos,
to

explain
comparisons,
ideas,
and
thoughts
about
these
codes
that
begin
to
make
sense
of
the

data.
Through
this
process
of
studying
and
comparing
data
and
writing
memos,
the

researcher
can
define
ideas
and
interpret
data
as
analytic
categories
(Charmaz,
2006).

When
gaps
in
the
data
appear,
the
researcher
must
return
to
the
subject
and
ask
more

questions
to
try
to
fill
the
gaps
and
strengthen
the
analytic
categories.
The
researcher

interprets
the
data
to
strengthen
the
analytic
categories,
and
these
become
more

theoretical
as
the
levels
of
analysis
become
more
abstract
and
higher
in
succession.
In
the

end,
the
work
culminates
into
a
grounded
theory
or
an
abstract
theoretical
understanding

of
the
studied
experience
(Charmaz,
2006;
Glaser,
2001;
Straus
and
Corbin
1998).

Grounded
theory
research
is
conducted
using
data
gathering
techniques
similar
to

field
research
(Munhall,
2001).
First,
the
researcher
must
choose
the
setting
and
group
for

the
study.
Then,
both
verbal
and
non-‐verbal
behavior
can
be
observed,
and
analysis
of
the

observations
should
include
the
subjects’
self-‐definitions
and
shared
meanings
of
their

behaviors
(Munhal,
2001).
The
grounded
theorist
must
continuously
look
for
contradictory

data
by
investigating
unusual
circumstances
and
issues,
while
data
must
be
continuously

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
32

compared
to
check
for
validity
(Glaser,
1978).
Since
a
theory
is
modifiable
in
this
method,

variables
can
be
accounted
for
by
modifying
the
theory
as
changes
emerge
(Strauss,
1987).

The
discovery
of
a
core
variable
is
the
basic
requirement
for
a
strong
grounded
theory

approach.
Analytical
thinking
on
the
part
of
the
researcher,
as
well
as
continuous
reference

to
the
data
will
lead
to
the
development
of
a
core
variable
(Glaser,
1978).
A
core
variable

possesses
six
basic
principles:
it
comes
up
frequently
in
the
data,
it
links
data
together,
it

explains
the
variation
in
the
data
due
to
its
centrality,
it
has
implications
for
a
more
formal

theory,
it
moves
forward
as
it
becomes
more
detailed,
and
it
allows
for
the
most
variation

in
analysis
(Glaser,
1978;
Strauss,
1987).
The
grounded
theory
method
served
the
purpose

of
this
study
because
this
is
a
qualitative
study
that
utilized
in-‐depth
interviews
of
several

subjects
who
have
only
a
career
and
their
ethnicity
in
common,
in
an
attempt
to
discover

core
variables
that
can
lead
to
the
development
of
a
grounded
theory
that
explains
the

mechanism
of
their
success.

Site
Selection
and
Participants

Site
Selection

The
community
colleges
were
selected
because
they
serve
Latino
students
in
their

community,
and
they
have
Latino
educational
leaders
that
qualify
to
participate
in
this

study.
Hilltop
Community
College
(a
pseudonym)
is
a
two-‐year
public
college
and
is

academically
competitive
in
its
rate
of
students
transferring
four-‐year
universities.
It
was

founded
in
the
early
1920s
to
serve
the
needs
of
the
people
in
its
surrounding
community.

Hilltop
Community
College
was
selected
because
of
its
diverse
background,
its
competitive

academic
reputation,
its
diverse
student
body,
and
because
two
of
its
high
level

administrators
are
Latino.
The
student
enrollment
demographics
breakdown
is

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
33

approximately
47%
White,
14%
Black,
19%
Latino,
10%
Asian,
and
about
5%
Native

American.

Seaside
Community
College
is
a
public
two-‐year
college
considered
to
be
one
of
the

top
transfer
colleges
in
the
California.
According
to
its
reported
statistics
in
2011,
the

student
demographics
at
Seaside
Community
College
are
comprised
of
approximately
19%

Asian,
31%
Latino,
31%
are
White,
and
10%
are
Black.
Although
Seaside
had
a
much
higher

number
of
Latino
students
attending,
it
was
not
evident
that
there
were
more
Latinos
in
the

administration.
Seaside
Community
College
was
selected
because
of
it
serves
a
large
Latino

student
population,
and
because
five
of
its
high
level
administrators
are
Latino.

Flat
Community
College
serves
over
29,000
students
and
offers
over
59
areas
of

study,
including
career
and
technical
programs.
According
to
2000
US
Census
statistics,
the

demographics
reported
by
Flat
College
consist
of
34%
Latino,
26%
Asian,
18%
White,
and

5%
Black.
They
have
only
two
Latino
administrators
who
qualify
for
this
study,
with
only

one
of
them
agreeing
to
participate.

Media
Community
College
is
the
last
of
the
community
colleges
included
in
this

study.
According
to
the
Media
Community
College
District
Office
of
Institutional
Research

and
Information
(2007),
the
student
demographics
at
Media
Community
College
are

comprised
of
40%
Latino,
24%
White,
11%
Black,
and
22%
Asian.
The
striking
statistic
at

this
college
that
separates
it
from
the
other
colleges
in
this
study
is
that
its
student
body

has
the
highest
percentage
of
Latinos.
It
only
has
one
qualifying
Latino
administrator
who

can
participate
in
tis
study.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
34

Participant
Selection

Hilltop
College
has
only
two
out
of
a
total
of
23
administrators
who
qualify
as

subjects
for
this
study.
The
first
is
an
administrative
dean
in
the
Continuing
and

Community
Education
program
who
has
been
there
for
a
little
over
four
years.
The
second

is
the
vice
president
of
student
services
who
has
been
in
that
position
for
the
past
seven

years.
All
subjects
were
contacted,
verified
to
be
of
Latino
heritage,
and
agreed
to

participate
in
this
study.

Seaside
Community
College
has
only
five
out
of
32
administrators
who
qualified
as

subjects
for
this
study.
The
first
subject
is
the
vice
president
of
enrollment
development.

She
has
held
a
position
of
dean
or
higher
for
the
past
six
years.

The
second
subject
is
a

dean
of
workforce
development
who
has
had
that
position
for
over
two
years.
The
third

subject
is
an
associate
dean
of
student
success
initiatives
who
has
held
that
position
for

over
two
years.
The
fourth
subject
is
an
associate
dean
of
outreach
and
recruitment
who

has
had
that
position
for
over
three
years.
The
fifth
subject
is
the
dean
of
campus
safety
and

health,
and
has
held
that
position
for
over
three
years.
All
subjects
were
contacted,
verified

to
be
of
Latino
heritage,
and
agreed
to
participate
in
this
study.

Flat
Community
College
also
has
only
one
person,
its
top
administrator,
who

qualifies
to
be
considered
as
a
subject
for
this
study.
This
person
has
served
as
the

president/superintendent
of
Flat
Community
College
since
2010.
He
is
also
the
co-‐chair
of

a
Latino
advisory
committee
of
that
college,
dedicated
to
the
enhancement
of
educational

success
of
Latino
students.
The
subject
was
identified
as
Latino,
and
agreed
to
participate

in
this
study.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
35

Media
Community
College
has
only
two
administrators
out
of
twelve
who
qualify
to

be
considered
for
this
study.
The
first
subject
currently
serves
as
interim
president.
The

second
subject
is
the
dean
of
admissions
and
records
and
has
held
that
position
for
an

undetermined
amount
of
time.
The
subjects
were
identified
as
Latinos
willing
to
participate

in
this
study.

Data
Collection

The
first
step
of
the
interview
process
was
to
confirm
the
participation
of
each

administrator.
The
next
step
was
to
set
up
a
time
to
conduct
individual
in-‐depth
interviews

of
each
subject
at
their
campus.
All
interviews
were
conducted
on
campus,
in
the

participants’
office,
a
conference
room,
or
a
vacant
classroom.
The
goal
was
to
meet
with

them
where
they
felt
the
most
comfortable
so
they
would
be
willing
to
open
up,
and
the

grounded
theory
method
would
work
best.
However,
the
subjects
were
concerned
about

their
privacy,
and
were
more
willing
to
be
open
and
forthcoming
about
their
history
if
they

were
assured
the
conversation
was
private
and
confidential.
The
ideal
interview
location

was
a
basic
room
with
a
door,
so
the
meetings
were
scheduled
in
their
respective
offices

privacy
could
best
be
ensured.

Each
interview
was
scheduled
for
60
minutes,
and
two
follow
up
interviews
were

requested
in
advance
in
the
event
they
proved
necessary.
I
advised
the
subjects
that
each

interview
would
be
audio
taped
for
the
purpose
of
note-‐taking
only.
At
the
end
of
each

interview,
I
asked
the
subject
to
complete
a
questionnaire
and
an
additional
follow-‐up
form

by
email.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
36

Instrumentation

An
interview
questionnaire
was
developed
to
interview
the
subjects
and
collect
data

that
could
address
the
research
questions
posed
in
this
study.
The
questions
were
created

specifically
to
address
each
the
four
research
questions
introduced
in
chapter
one

(Appendix
A).
Fourteen
questions
were
developed
to
obtain
data
about
personal
influences

that
community
college
administrators
identify
as
being
the
most
influential
on
their

personal
success.
For
the
second
research
question,
twenty-‐nine
questions
were
developed

to
obtain
data
about
personal
characteristics
and
family
values
that
they
felt
impacted
their

career
success
the
most.
Characteristics
such
as
drive,
persistence,
and
motivation
were

targeted.
Sixteen
questions
were
developed
to
address
strategies
Latino
administrators

used
to
overcome
obstacles
in
the
educational
pipeline
and
their
careers
that
addressed
the

third
research
question.
Finally,
nine
questions
were
developed
to
collect
data
that

addressed
the
forth
research
question,
specifically
the
system
in
which
they
work
in
and
its

practices.
The
interviews
were
conducted
privately
in
the
subject’s
respective
offices,
and

took
approximately
two
hours
per
interview.

Trustworthiness
of
Data

Concerns
emerge
with
regard
to
the
trustworthiness
of
the
data
collected
in
any

type
of
research
study
involving
subjects
of
varying
backgrounds
and
uncontrolled

variables.
This
study
took
multiple
approaches
to
ensure
that
the
data
accurately

represented
the
experiences
of
each
subject
and
represented
the
intended
goals
of
this

study.
First,
data
was
collected
from
subjects
who
are
high-‐level
administrators
at
four

different
community
colleges
across
the
western
United
States.
The
trustworthiness
of
this

data
was
tested
using
analytical
triangulation.
In
this
process,
those
studied
could
review

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
37

the
findings,
which
allowed
the
researcher
to
learn
about
the
accuracy,
completeness,

fairness,
and
perceived
validity
of
the
data
analysis
(Patton,
2002).

Additionally,
observations
and
questionnaires
are
other
forms
of
data
collection
that

allow
for
multiple
sources
and
a
clearer
image
of
the
phenomenon
studied.
After
each

interview,
notes
were
reviewed
and
compared
to
the
recorded
transcripts
to
check
for

accuracy.
Necessary
changes
or
additions
were
made
to
ensure
the
accuracy
of
final
notes,

the
summarizing
the
findings
of
each
interview,
a
reflection
on
each
interview,
and
then
the

taking
of
what
Patton
(2002)
calls
reflexive
notes.
This
process
helps
ensure
the
validity

and
accuracy
of
the
data
collected
is
at
its
highest
because
the
researcher
takes
reasonable

steps
to
secure
it
(Patton,
2002).
Finally,
all
interviews
took
place
in
a
secure,
private,
and

comfortable
location.

Researcher
Bias

The
most
important
aspect
of
qualitative
research
is
to
understand
that
bias
is

created
when
objectivity
is
replaced
by
subjectivity
of
the
researcher
(Denzin
&
Lincoln,

2003;
Patton,
2002).
As
a
male
of
a
minority
background
myself,
I
understand
that
I
bring
a

wide
range
of
values,
beliefs,
ideas,
and
cultural
norms
that
will
make
objectivity
a

challenge
as
a
researcher.
In
many
ways,
however,
I
am
similar
to
the
subjects
I
am

studying
because
I
am
bilingual,
come
from
a
low
socioeconomic
background
and
had
to

work
through
college,
was
a
first-‐generation
college
graduate,
and
belong
to
a
non-‐
mainstream
culture.
In
some
ways,
this
may
have
been
an
advantage
that
may
have
helped

me
understand
the
data
in
a
deeper
way
and
may
have
affected
the
analysis
of
the
data
in
a

more
fruitful
way.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
38

My
background
in
education
should
be
an
asset
to
my
research
and
data
collection

because
I
have
experience
on
multiple
levels
of
the
educational
spectrum.
I
have
over
15

years
of
teaching
experience
in
the
public
secondary
school
system,
as
well
as
over
12

years
at
the
community
college
level,
three
of
those
years
as
an
administrator.
I
understand

that
this
experience
can
potentially
influence
my
interpretation
of
the
data
in
this
present

study.
However,
I
remained
committed
to
adhering
to
the
inductive
process
of
qualitative

research
and
the
inherent
objectivity
of
the
grounded
theory
approach.
The
use
of
the

reflexive
field
notes
to
both
maintain
accuracy
and
validity,
and
the
use
of
analytical

triangulation
to
ensure
the
accuracy,
completeness,
fairness,
and
perceived
validity
of
my

data
analysis
(Patton,
2002)
helped
reduce
the
chances
of
bias.

Limitations
of
the
Study

Various
limitations
to
this
study
should
be
recognized.
The
first
limitation
was
the

small
number
of
participants.
Although
the
life
experiences
and
history
of
the
respondents

did
provide
a
thorough
understanding
of
the
experiences
and
struggles
of
Latinos
as
they

made
their
way
to
higher
education
administration,
this
study
would
have
been
further

enriched
by
a
larger
number
of
participants.
Another
limitation
is
that
the
participants

were
all
from
community
colleges
in
Southern
California.
The
study
would
have
benefitted

from
the
participation
of
Latino
administrators
in
community
colleges
from
other
states
so

that
Latino
educational
leaders’
experiences
can
be
compared
to
those
in
other
states,

enabling
the
examination
of
any
significant
differences
in
those
educational
and
career

pipelines
that
may
have
been
more
successful
in
producing
Latino
leaders.

Another
limitation
was
purposeful
sampling
(Patton,
2002).
Because
subjects
had
to

be
Latino,
those
of
other
races
or
ethnicities
were
automatically
excluded.
This
made
it

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
39

impossible
to
draw
conclusions
about
other
ethnicities
or
races
or
to
compare
background

data
to
see
if
any
phenomenon
or
theory
might
also
be
applied
to
other
groups.

Additionally,
this
study
combined
the
experiences
of
both
male
and
female
administrators,

so
the
findings
will
not
be
gender
specific.
Finally,
the
study
was
limited
because
only

Latino
community
college
administrators
were
included.
The
study
would
have
been

enhanced
by
the
participation
of
respondents
at
the
university
level
in
both
the
public
and

private
sector,
and
of
multiple
ethnicities,
races,
and
genders
to
determine
if
other
cultures

show
same
patterns
of
success.

Conclusion

This
chapter
provided
a
detailed
outline
of
the
methodology
of
this
study.
It
outlined

the
framework
related
to
the
method
used,
and
detailed
the
site
selection,
subject
selection,

and
types
of
data
collection
procedures.
It
also
covered
the
reliability
of
the
data,

researcher
bias,
and
the
limitations
of
the
study.
The
methods
presented
in
this
chapter

allow
for
the
collection
and
analysis
of
data
related
to
the
research
questions,
and
provide

greater
insight
into
the
career
path
of
successful
Latino
administrators.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
40

CHAPTER
FOUR:
PRESENTATION
AND
DISCUSSION
OF
FINDINGS

This
chapter
focuses
on
the
presentation
of
data
collected
through
interviews.
This

qualitative
study
was
completed
to
gain
insight
about
higher
education
Latino

administrators,
the
keys
to
their
success,
and
to
look
at
how
they
overcame
social
and

economic
barriers.
The
primary
purpose
of
this
study
was
to
learn
about
the
experiences

and
conditions
of
Latino
community
college
administrators
from
four
Southern
California

community
colleges
that
influenced
their
advancement
to
an
administrative
role.
This

study
provides
insight
towards
answering
the
main
research
question
and
the
four

research
questions
posed
in
chapter
one.
A
discussion
of
these
questions
concludes
this

chapter.

The
main
research
question
asked
about
the
experiences
that
influenced
the
career

path
of
Latino
Administrators
into
higher
education
leadership
positions.
This
question

was
further
broken
down
into
four
specific
sub-‐questions
outlined
below.

1.
What
are
the
influences
that
community
college
administrators
identify
as
being

the
most
influential
on
their
personal
success
in
their
careers?

2.
What
are
the
personal
and
family
experiences
that
Latino
community
college

administrators
felt
had
the
most
impact
on
their
career
success
in
terms
of
drive,

motivation
and
persistence?

3.
What
strategies
did
Latino
community
college
administrators
use
to
overcome

obstacles
as
they
navigated
through
the
educational
pipeline
and
career
path?

4.
Does
the
organizational
scheme
of
the
community
college
system
and
its
practices

support
or
hinder
Latinos
or
Latinas?

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
41

In-‐depth
qualitative
interviews
were
conducted
to
collect
data,
which
were
analyzed

through
grounded
theory
methodology
to
determine
commonalities
among
the

participants
in
terms
of
experiences
and
conditions
that
contributed
to
their
successful

attainment
of
these
positions.

Demographics

Seven
Latino
administrators,
representing
four
community
colleges
in
the
Western

area,
participated
in
the
interviews:
four
were
male,
and
three
were
female.
All
participants

were
over
the
age
of
forty
and
were
college
administrators,
ranging
in
rank
from
dean
to

president/superintendent.
All
interviews
were
conducted
during
the
Spring
and
Summer

sessions
in
the
privacy
of
the
respondents’
offices
on
their
respective
campuses.
Each

interview
was
tape-‐recorded,
transcribed,
and
analyzed
using
grounded
theory
methods.

Their
schools’
demographics
ranged
from
lower
to
middle
and
middle
to
upper
class.
As

students,
most
of
the
respondents
reported
attending
schools
with
middle
class

being
the

dominant
socioeconomic
group.
Only
two
of
the
respondents
reported
attending
schools

that
were
below
middle
class

Description
of
Participants

Each
qualifying
participant
was
invited
through
a
personal
email
request
(Appendix

B).
All
administrators
who
met
the
research
respondent
criteria
were
asked
to
participate

in
a
one-‐on-‐one
interview.
Each
participant
received
the
interview
questions
in
advance

(Appendix
A),
and
an
informed
consent
form
was
signed
before
the
interview
(Appendix
C).

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
42

Table
2

Demographics
of
Each
Study
Participant

Respondent

Gender

Pseudonym

College

Name

Position

1.
Male
Rico
Hilltop
Vice
President

2.

Male
Fredo
Hilltop
Administrative
Dean

3.

Female
Tammy
Seaside
Vice
President

4.

Female
Gayle
Seaside
Dean

5.

Male
Alberto
Seaside
Associate
Dean

6.

Male
Paulo
Flat
President/Superintendent

7.
Female
Rocia
Media
Dean

Rico
is
a
54-‐year-‐old
male
and
one
of
three
vice
presidents
at
Hilltop
College.
Raised

by
a
father
who
was
a
sheet
metal
worker,
and
a
mother
who
was
a
garment
worker
in

downtown
Los
Angeles,
he
was
very
competitive
and
felt
the
need
to
prove
himself.
He
was

the
oldest
of
seven
children
and
the
only
one
to
go
into
the
field
of
education.
He
possesses

a
doctoral
degree
in
education.
In
his
home,
Rico
spoke
Spanish
to
his
mother,
both
English

and
Spanish
to
his
father,
and
only
English
with
his
siblings.
His
mother
was
an

authoritarian
type
parent
who
wasn't
afraid
to
use
the
belt,
while
his
father
was

authoritative
and
let
his
mom
do
all
the
discipline
in
the
household.
His
parent’s
definition

of
success
was
to
get
good
grades,
get
married,
and
have
a
good
job.
He
describes
his
family

life
as
uneasy,
and
family
cultural
activities
were
limited
only
to
piñatas
at
birthday
parties.

He
attended
schools
in
areas
he
described
as
mostly
White.

Fredo
is
a
47-‐year-‐old
male
and
serves
as
an
administrative
dean
at
Hilltop
College.

The
son
of
a
railroad
worker
and
a
seamstress/sewing
machine
operator,
he
believes
that

independence
and
being
a
harsh
critic
of
himself
made
him
successful.
He
was
the
youngest

of
four
siblings
and
the
only
one
in
his
family
to
go
into
the
field
of
education.
He
is
in
the

process
of
completing
his
doctorate
degree
in
education.
In
his
home,
Fredo
spoke
only

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
43

Spanish
to
his
parents,
but
spoke
English
with
his
siblings.
His
parents
were
described
as

being
authoritarian,
and
defined
success
by
one’s
level
of
happiness
and
comfort
instead
of

how
much
a
person
earns
in
their
life.

Fredo
stated
that
his
family
was
very
Americanized,

with
almost
no
cultural
activities
at
home.
His
home
life
was
very
stable,
and
he
attended

schools
that
were
mostly
Hispanic,
with
some
Asians.
As
he
recalls,
there
were
very
few

White
people.

Tammy
is
a
49-‐
year-‐old
female
and
a
vice
president
at
Seaside
College.
She
is
two

and
a
half
years
younger
than
her
brother,
who
holds
an
MD.
She
believes
that
high

parental
expectations
and
tenacity
were
crucial
to
her
success.
She
is
completing
her

doctoral
degree
in
education.
At
home,
Tammy
stated
that
she
spoke
both
Spanish
and

English,
with
the
predominant
language
being
Spanish.
Her
father
was
authoritarian,
and

she
knew
that
if
she
was
wrong,
she
had
to
accept
her
punishment.
Her
mother
was

permissive
in
some
cases,
but
authoritarian
most
of
the
times.
She
was
also
the
primary

disciplinarian
in
the
family.
Success
was
defined
by
her
mother
as
living
in
a
big
house,
and

to
not
live
in
poverty.
Their
cultural
activities
included
going
to
concerts
and
museums,
but

these
activities
were
not
limited
to
“Latino”
cultural
events.
Her
home
life
was
very
stable,

with
very
little
stress.
Her
distinguishing
characteristic
was
self
reported
as
tenacity,
and

she
attended
schools
with
predominantly
Latino
students.

Gayle
is
a
47-‐year-‐old
female
and
is
a
dean
at
Seaside
College.
She
is
the
youngest
of

five
children
in
her
family
and
was
raised
by
a
single
mother
with
two
brothers
who
were

gang
members.
She
believes
that
confidence,
self-‐assurance,
and
strength
helped
her

become
successful.
She
is
currently
working
on
completing
her
doctoral
degree
in

education.
At
home,
Gayle
spoke
only
English.
Her
older
siblings
spoke
only
Spanish
to

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
44

their
mother.
Although
her
father
was
an
absentee
dad
due
to
an
early
divorce,
her
mother

taught
her
to
stand
up
for
herself,
and
pushed
her
towards
college
as
means
of
avoiding

poverty,
along
with
her
Godfather.

Her
brothers
were
all
gang
members
despite
the

authoritative
parenting
style
of
her
mother,
who
had
to
work
to
support
her
kids
and

forced
to
leave
them
alone
while
at
work.
Her
mother’s
definition
of
success
was
to
do
your

best,
and
be
good
at
what
you
do.
Growing
up
in
the
70’s
art
scene
in
a
large
city
in

California,
she
credits
her
cultural
knowledge
to
her
environment,
and
her
strength
from

her
mother.
Her
school
demographics
however
were
only
25%
Latino,
most
of
which
were

Mexican.
She
had
an
equal
remaining
number
of
Black,
White,
and
Japanese.

Alberto
is
a
45-‐year-‐old
male
and
is
an
associate
dean
at
Seaside
College.
He
is
the

oldest
of
three,
and
the
only
one
among
his
siblings
with
a
leadership
position.
He
believes

that
his
ambition,
passion,
and
motivation
made
him
successful.
He
is
currently
working
on

his
Doctorate
Degree
in
Education.
Alberto’s
home
life
consisted
of
speaking
Spanish
at
first

with
his
parents,
and
later
answered
them
in
English
after
middle
school.
Both
of
his

parents
were
blue-‐collar
workers,
and
his
father
had
never
gone
to
school.
His
mother

taught
the
kids
to
stand
up
for
themselves,
and
was
considered
to
have
a
partly
permissive

and
authoritative.
The
father
was
too,
but
he
was
rarely
home
due
to
his
work
schedule.

Their
definition
of
success
was
to
not
be
in
debt,
support
your
family,
and
live
the
American

dream.

Paulo
is
a
60-‐year-‐old
male,
and
is
the
president
of
Flat
College.
His
mother
was
a

stay-‐at-‐home
housewife,
and
his
father
was
a
marketing
executive
with
a
business
degree.

While
both
his
parents
strongly
influenced
him
to
get
an
education,
two
college
instructors

had
the
most
influence
on
his
career
choice.
Being
the
oldest
of
three
who
all
earned
college

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
45

degrees,
he
earned
a
doctoral
degree
in
education,
the
highest
degree
among
his
peers.
He

believes
that
his
determination
to
succeed
and
satisfy
his
family
were
the
distinguishing

characteristics
that
made
him
successful.

At
home,
Paulo
reported
that
his
parents
were

very
strict
with
him,
more
so
than
with
his
siblings.
His
parents
were
very
authoritarian,

and
the
primary
disciplinarian
was
his
mother.
He
stated
that
her
honesty
and
integrity

stood
out
the
most
in
the
family’s
home,
and
there
was
no
participation
in
a
Latino
cultural

activities.
His
distinguishing
characteristic
was
to
avoid
failure,
and
always
succeed
at
what

he
was
doing.
He
grew
up
in
the
Bronx,
among
a
mixture
of
Blacks,
Hispanics,
and
Jews.

When
his
family
moved
to
Philadelphia,
he
attended
schools
that
were
predominantly

White.

Rocia
is
a
female
in
her
mid-‐forties,
and
is
a
dean
at
Media
College.
Having
a
father

who
worked
as
a
cement
finisher
and
a
stay-‐at-‐home
mother,
she
was
expected
to
be
a

traditional
Latina
by
her
mother.
According
to
her,
that
meant
taking
care
of
the
house.
Her

father
wanted
her
to
get
an
education
and
follow
in
the
footsteps
of
her
uncle
who
was
a

respected
school
administrator
in
Mexico.
As
the
oldest
of
three
children
who
all
earned
a

college
degree,
she
believes
that
her
confidence,
tenacity
and
stubbornness
led
to
her

success.
She
currently
holds
a
JD.
Rocia
describes
her
home
life
as
harmonious
and
happy.

She
spoke
mostly
Spanish
at
home
with
her
parents,
and
later
on
English
with
her
siblings.

Her
father
was
a
marketing
executive,
and
her
mother
was
a
full
time
housewife.
Both

parents
were
permissive,
as
respect
and
trust
were
very
important
in
their
relationship

according
to
Rocia.
Both
parents
were
education
supporters,
and
she
recalls
her
father

encouraged
her
specifically
to
never
rely
on
anyone,
especially
since
she
was
a
woman.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
46

Mexican
cultural
activities
were
very
important
to
her
family,
as
she
reported
participating

in
concerts,
theater,
and
family
parties
on
holidays.

Findings
for
Research
Question
One

The
first
research
question
asked,
“What
are
the
influences
that
community
college

administrators
identify
as
being
the
most
influential
on
their
personal
success
in
their

careers?”

Role
of
Mother
in
Preparing
for
College
and
Career

Among
the
respondents,
the
mother
played
a
significant
role
in
raising
the
children

and
spent
more
time
with
them.
In
this
study,
it
was
observed
that
four
mothers
were
stay-‐
at-‐home
mothers/housewives.
The
three
mothers
who
worked
were
two
blue-‐collar

workers
and
a
white-‐collar
professional.
Based
on
the
responses
of
the
study
participants,

mothers
had
a
great
influence
overall.
Four
out
of
seven
stated
that
their
mothers
were

their
primary
educational
influence,
and
two
out
of
seven
said
both
parents
were.
Although

the
second
most
frequent
response
was
parents,
the
mother
was
mentioned
consistently
as

the
most
influential
parent.

The
educational
“policy”
of
the
parents
in
this
study
was
focuses
squarely
on
college

going.
Respondents
report
that
their
mothers
most
especially
were
responsible
for
making

sure
that
their
children
were
in
position
to
earn
a
bachelor’s
degree.
With
the
exception
of

one,
most
respondents
had
mothers
who
valued
education,
viewed
it
as
a
way
out
of

achieving
a
better
life,
and
a
way
out
of
poverty.

Although
Rocia’s
mother
felt
that
her

education
may
jeopardize
her
ability
to
take
care
of
her
home
like
a
traditional
housewife,

as
all
of
the
other
mothers
in
this
survey,
she
taught
her
to
stand
up
for
herself
and
be

empowered.
Almost
all
of
the
parents
had
an
expectation
of
academic
excellence,
so
they

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
47

allowed
their
kids
to
skip
their
chores
if
they
were
studying.
All
of
the
parents
in
this
study

encouraged
their
children
to
be
independent,
by
telling
the
respondents
to
get
a
job
so
that

they
could
raise
their
level
of
responsibility.
Rico’s
parents,
although
poor,
specifically
told

him
that
they
did
not
want
him
to
stay
home
and
work;
rather
encouraged
him
to
venture

out
and
live
on
campus.
Four
out
of
the
seven
respondents
stated
that
their
mothers

advocated
reading,
and
encouraged
their
children
to
read.
Finally,
six
out
of
seven
mothers

were
mentioned
as
having
influence
over
the
respective
respondent’s
education.

Regarding
his
mother’s
influence
on
education
and
career
choices,
Paulo
stated,

My
mother
was
the
one
who
constantly
pushed.
She
was
the
one
that
just
pushed,

forced
and
would
oversee.
She
was
the
one
that
had
the
duty
to
make
sure
that
I

went
to
school,
that
I
got
good
grades,
I
did
what
I
needed
to
do.
She
was
the
law.

Fredo
credits
his
mother
as
having
the
most
educational
influence
on
him
when
he
states,

“My
mom
influenced
my
educational
goals.
Not
my
specific
goals
but
my
education
in

general.
She
encouraged
us
to
get
an
education
above
all
else.”

Alberto
also
chose
his

mother
as
the
parent
who
influenced
him
the
most,
and
stated,

It
would
have
to
be
my
mother.
There
was
always
an
expectation
of
doing
well
in

school,
and
that
her
children
would
go
to
college.
Not
a
roadmap
of
how
to
get
there,

but
it
was
definitely
my
mother.

The
impact
of
the
mother’s
role
and
influence
will
be
addressed
below
in
the
discussion

section.

Role
of
Father
in
preparing
for
college
and
career

Father
also
shared
in
the
educational
goals
of
the
family.
They
too
shared
in
the

educational
“policy”
setting
in
the
household,
but
they
often
supported
this
goal
in
ways

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
48

that
were
different
that
the
respondent’s
mothers.
Study
participants
recalled
their
fathers

as
models
of
a
good
work
ethic,
who
showed
the
merits
of
hard
work.
Five
out
of
seven

fathers
were
reported
to
be
blue-‐collar
workers,
holding
jobs
such
as
cement
finishers
and

welders.
One
of
the
fathers,
a
white-‐collar
employee,
was
a
marketing
executive.
Most

fathers
reportedly
did
not
actively
participate
in
school
activities
or
express
emotion

towards
education.

Six
out
of
seven
of
the
fathers
supported
their
child’s
education,
and

that
one
father
was
not
present
in
the
respondent’s
life.

Fredo
exemplifies
the
father’s
educational
support
when
he
states,
“My
father
didn't

want
me
to
go
into
hard
labor
work.
He
believed
education
would
be
the
best
way
to
avoid

hard
labor.”
However,
only
one
out
of
seven
said
that
the
father
was
the
primary
influence

in
educational
career
choices.

Regarding
career
and
educational
influences,
Paulo
reports,

My
father
was
probably
a
little
more
actively
involved.
He
was
going
to
night
school.

He
would
work
in
the
day
and
go
to
school
at
night
and
sit
there
at
the
kitchen
table

and
study.
So,
growing
up,
he
would
talk
to
me
about
what
he
was
doing
and
what

he
was
studying.
So,
that
became
a
bond
for
us.

The
implications
of
this
data
are
addressed
in
the
discussion
section.

Family
and
Cultural
Influence

Family
and
cultural
influence
on
work
ethics
and
the
drive
to
succeed
was
reported

as
a
major
influence
in
the
participants’
professional
and
educational
lives.
The
participants

reported
having
a
high
degree
of
family
and
cultural
influence
that
also
affected
their
work

ethic,
drive,
and
motivation
to
succeed.
Six
reported
having
family
influence
on
their

personality
or
lifestyle.
The
only
one
who
did
not
still
reported
a
high
degree
of
motivation

and
drive
to
get
work
done
instilled
by
parents.
A
good
example
of
the
family’s
influence
on

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
49

drive,
motivation
and
confidence
comes
from
Rocia
when
she
talks
about
how
her
father

taught
her
to
be
herself,
take
risks,
be
confident,
and
to
stand
up
for
what
she
believed
in.

She
describes
an
incident
that
took
place
at
her
father’s
work
when
he
stood
up
for
himself

and
was
fired.
She
attributes
her
success
to
the
principles
she
learned
from
that
situation.

She
states,

So,
the
man
fired
him
on
the
spot.
My
father
said,
okay,
this
is
one
company
in
one

city
in
one
state
of
the
whole
United
States.
I’m
a
good
worker,
I
can
find
a
job

anywhere.
So,
he
went
to
tell
the
owner
of
the
company
that
he
was
coming
to
pick

up
his
paycheck
because
so
and
so
fired
him.
The
owner
said
that
he
could
not

afford
to
lose
him.
So
that’s
what
I
come
from,
it’s
knowing
that
it’s
my
father
that

didn’t
know
how
to
speak
the
language,
who
was
not
educated.
They
made
that
man

apologize,
and
my
father
kept
his
job.
That’s
my
makeup.
Maybe
it’s
being
gullible,

maybe
it’s
the
confidence,
but
I
know
that
I
have
worked
hard.
I
have
the

credentials,
so
I
know,
if
one
door
closes,
that’s
okay
because
ten
will
open.

Clearly,
family
and
culture
have
a
strong
influence
on
personal
characteristics
such
as

motivation,
responsibility,
and
drive.
Paulo
illustrates
this
very
well
when
he
states,

I
think
the
biggest
one
was
that
sense
of
responsibility.
What
my
father
drummed

into
me
that
I
have
to
set
the
example.
There
are
many
times
when
I
have
found
it

difficult,
but
I’ve
just
kept
going.

As
educational
leaders,
responsibility
is
a
trait
that
is
both
valued
and
desired
for
the

profession.
Administrators
are
role
models,
and
the
institution
depends
on
them
to

perform
their
duties
diligently
and
effectively.
All
respondents
credit
their
sense
of

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
50

responsibility
to
their
family
and
culture,
as
this
characteristic
was
reported
as
being

valued
by
their
family
and
their
cultural
surroundings.

Parental
Expectations
of
Education

All
participants
reported
their
parents
expected
them
to
graduate
from
college.
Six

out
of
seven
parents
had
hoped
for
at
least
a
bachelor’s
degree,
and
one
parent
had
hoped

for
a
doctorate.
As
Paulo
stated
about
her
parents,
“They
were
on
the
same
page.
He
said,

‘look
you
get
your
bachelor’s
degree.
We’re
gonna
do
the
best
we
can
to
contribute.
You
get

your
Bachelor’s
degree,
you’re
done.’”
The
other
six
respondents
experienced
similar

parental
expectations
regarding
educational
achievement.
When
subject
Gayle
was
asked

his
father’s
educational
expectations,
he
stated
“College.
He
expected
me
to
graduate
from

college.”
Subject
Fredo
stated
about
his
mother,

I
think
she
didn’t
expect
me
to
continue
on
like
I
am
(doctorate),
but
she
always

expected
me
to
keep
learning
and
graduate
from
college.
I
don’t
think
she
expects

anyone
to
finish,
even
she
keeps
learning
today.

The
fact
that
all
of
the
subjects
interviewed
had
at
least
one
or
parents
who
not
only

expected
them
to
graduate
from
college,
but
also
encouraged
them
to
do
so
is
a
very

important
commonality.
Clearly,
parental
influence
has
a
strong
effect
on
student
behavior

and
achievement.

Other
Career
Influences

Educators
such
as
counselors,
teachers,
and
administrators
were
reported
as
having

the
most
influence
on
the
respondents’
career
choices.
Three
out
of
the
seven
respondents

reported
that
someone
in
the
field
of
education
motivated
them
to
choose
their
current

career
path.
Tammy
describes
a
unique
situation,
which
illustrates
the
importance
of

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
51

Latinos
in
higher
education
administrative
positions.
She
describes
the
advice
given
to
her

by
a
Spanish-‐speaking
university
president
she
had
bumped
into
while
trying
to
get
her

master’s
degree.
She
states,

He
said
to
me,
‘Are
you
planning
on
teaching?’
I
said,
‘No,
I
had
liked
doing
this
kind

of
work’.
So,
he
said,
‘Get
your
Master’s
in
business
or
public
policy.
If
you’re
going

to
move
up
administrative
ranks,
most
of
these
educators
don’t
have
the
MBA.
They

can’t
make
good
financial
decisions.
They
can’t
do
all
these
other
things
or
the
policy

decisions
that
go
with
them’.
Best
advice
I
had
ever
gotten.

Subject
Paulo
reports
similar
information
about
employment
goals.
He
states,

Well,
it
was
probably
a
combination
of
a
couple
of
teachers
in
high
school
and
a

couple
of
teachers
in
college.
I’d
say
teachers.
‘You
ought
to
go
into
English,
you

ought
to
go
into
writing,
you
ought
to
be
a
teacher.’
So,
the
only
goal
I
had
when
I

went
into
college
was
to
be
an
English
teacher.

Subject
Paulo
became
an
English
teacher,
and
was
influenced
by
his
high
school
teacher.

Subject
Tammy
was
influenced
by
a
college
president.
The
research
on
role
models

discussed
earlier
illustrated
the
effectiveness
of
Latino
administrators
for
the
retention
of

Latino
college
students
because
they
can
motivate
these
students
to
want
to
gain
similar

positions
(Hernandez,
2000;
Jones
&
Castellanos,
2003;
Verdugo,
1995),
help
students

adjust
to
college
(Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002),
and
directly
and
indirectly
recruit
more

Latinos
into
the
profession
(Castaneda
&
Katsinas,
2002;
Goldsmith,
2004).

This
type
of

influence
can
be
very
helpful
when
parental
capital
is
insufficient,
the
next
topic
discussed

in
this
chapter.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
52

Parental
Capital
and
Socioeconomic
Level

The
socioeconomic
level
of
the
family
was
determined
primarily
by
the
parents’

employment
and
by
the
socioeconomic
level
of
each
participant’s
school
and
respective

neighborhoods.
One
respondent
had
a
self-‐employed
father
and
a
white-‐collar
mother,
two

had
blue-‐collar
fathers
and
blue-‐collared
mothers,
one
had
a
father
who
was
a
blue-‐collar

supervisor
and
a
blue-‐collar
mother,
one
had
a
father
with
an
executive
white
collar

position
and
a
stay-‐at-‐home
mother,
and
the
remaining
two
participants
had
blue
collar

fathers
and
stay-‐at-‐home
mothers.
Some
lived
in
areas
that
were
considered
middle
class

white
neighborhoods
while
others
lived
in
mostly
low
socioeconomic
Black
and
Latino

neighborhoods.

Two
reported
growing
up
in
middle
class
areas
while
four
reported
living

in
poor
neighborhoods.

Findings
for
Research
Question
Two

The
second
research
question
asked,
“What
are
the
personal
and
family
experiences

that
Latino
community
college
administrators
felt
had
the
most
impact
on
their
career

success
in
terms
of
drive,
motivation
and
persistence?”

Motivation

Motivational
characteristics
were
reported
by
all
respondents
as
a
distinguishing

characteristic.
Motivation
is
defined
as
the
reasons
for
acting
or
behaving
in
a
certain
way

(Clark
&
Estes,
2002).
Factors
that
affect
the
way
a
person
acts
or
behaves,
such
as
being

self-‐critical,
the
level
of
competition
they
perceive,
and
the
amount
of
family
support
are

motivational
factors
of
behavior.
The
subjects
reported
characteristics
such
as
being
self-‐
critical,
competing
with
others,
having
support
from
mother/family
towards
education,
and

being
confident.
Some
respondents
also
stated
that
one
has
to
find
something
one
is

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
53

passionate
about
if
one
wants
to
be
successful.
All
participants
seemed
to
have
a
strong

sense
of
self-‐motivation,
whether
it
was
passion,
competitive
drive,
the
need
to
excel,
or

just
the
fear
of
failure.

As
far
as
educational
leadership
was
concerned,
not
all
had
a
strong
motivation
to

enter
that
career.
Some
found
themselves
in
their
positions
because
of
life’s
circumstances.

These
accidental
occurrences
or
opportunities
are
not
necessarily
telling
about
the

individual’s
determination
level
or
work
ethic.
Three
participants
reported
their
career

choice
happened
by
accident.
Two
reported
they
wanted
to
work
with
students
to
make
a

difference
in
other
people’s
lives.
The
remaining
two
stated
that
friends
in
the
field
and/or

a
friendly
counselor
or
administrator
pushed
them
in
that
direction.
Respondent
Paulo
said

it
best
when
he
summarized
the
personal
experiences
that
motivated
him
to
succeed
by

stating,

Well
I
do
(have
drive),
but,
truthfully,
it
was
much
stronger
when
I
was
younger.
I’ll

be
sixty
next
month.
So,
fifteen,
twenty
years
ago,
had
a
drive
wanting
to
succeed,

wanting
to
support
my
family.
I
want
to
provide
the
family
with
all
the
things.
I
have

two
sons,
my
oldest
son
just
graduated
college.
I
always
had
this
sense
of
idealism,

the
sense
that
you
can
make
a
difference.
Where
I’ve
been,
even
here,
I’ve
been

driven
by
the
idea
of
building
a
great
school.
That’s
still
a
compelling
idea
to
me

even
though
I
know
I’ll
probably
ultimately
fail
at
it,
but
that
keeps
me
going.

The
respondents
were
all
motivated
to
be
successful
providers
for
their
family,
and

possessed
self
reported
characteristics
such
as
being
self-‐critical,
competing
with
others,

having
support
from
mother/family
towards
education,
and
being
confident.
They
also

reported
being
passionate
about
what
they
did,
although
only
two
of
the
seven
subjects

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
54

originally
had
the
desire
to
work
with
students.
Whether
they
were
pushed
into
the

educational
field
by
someone,
fell
upon
this
career
by
accident,
or
had
intentionally
worked

towards
a
career
in
educational
leadership,
they
all
had
the
skills
and
motivation
required

to
become
successful
educational
leaders.
In
the
paragraphs
that
follow,
other
personal
and

family
experiences
and
characteristics
will
be
examined.

Independence

The
desire
to
have
a
job
and
rely
less
on
one’s
parents
for
financial
support
are
good

indicators
of
the
desire
to
be
independent
(Clark
&
Estes,
2002).
Independence
was

reported
as
among
of
the
characteristics
most
valued
by
parents.
Rocia
stated,

Well,
I’ll
tell
you
the
story
of
when
my
father
took
us
to
Stanford,
when
he
said
that

we
all
needed
to
get
an
education.
Then,
he
looked
at
me
specifically
and
said,
“And

more
so
you
because
you’re
a
woman,
and
I
don’t
want
you
to
feel
like
you
depend

on
anyone.”
And,
now
that
I
look
back
on
it,
I’m
thinking,
wow,
that
was
really
very

empowering
to
just
go
out
there
and
just
do
what
I
needed
to
do.
To
be
this
strong

independent
woman.

Six
reported
having
parents
who
encouraged
independence
and
employment,
and
six

reported
working
at
least
18
hours
per
week
while
in
high
school.
All
reported
working
at

least
part
time
(twenty
to
twenty-‐five
hours/week)
while
attending
college.
Two
worked

full
time
when
their
school
was
not
in
session.
Gayle
modeled
an
example
of
this
type
of

independence.
She
played
a
sport,
yet
found
time
to
work.
She
stated,

I
worked
at
the
mall
in
retail
jobs
after
school
and
weekends
when
I
did
not
have

practice
throughout
HS.
In
college
I
waitressed
while
taking
classes
at
a
popular

bar/restaurant.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
55

Five
participants
reported
that
being
independent
was
extremely
important
to
them.
One

respondent
(Tammy),
who
was
a
latch
key
child
with
an
absent
father,
stated
that

independence
was
a
defining
characteristic
in
her
life.
She
states
about
independence,

I
can't
stress
how
important
it
was.
It
probably
is
one
of
my
defining
characteristics,

independence.
We
were
latchkey
kids,
so
my
mother
worked
till
five…we
had
to

come
home,
do
our
homework,
take
care
of
the
house,
you
know,
not
set
the
house

on
fire,
whatever
that
was.
Before
she
got
home,
at
five.

Additionally,
six
interviewees
reported
having
parents
who
encouraged
independence.

Only
one
parent
wanted
the
participant
to
stay
home
and
help
with
the
bills
while
the
other

parents
encouraged
their
children
to
depend
on
themselves,
be
responsible,
and
be
on
their

own.

Parental
Characteristics

Parental
characteristics
such
as
parenting
style,
influence,
and
encouragement
were

important
factors
in
the
participants’
success.
The
parental
characteristics
that
were
most

valued
by
participants
were
that
their
parent’s
value
of
honesty,
strong
work
ethic,

perseverance,
independence,
strength,
behavior,
friendliness,
and
support
of
the
family.

Among
these
characteristics,
it
was
mentioned
earlier
that
parents
of
the
study
subjects

were
also
reported
to
have
modeled
and
encouraged
independence,
held
their
children
to
a

higher
standard
than
their
peers,
and
expected
their
kids
to
graduate
from
college.
They

were
also
encouraged
to
work
on
something
worthwhile:
either
a
job
or
community

activities.

Parenting
styles
differed
between
the
mothers
and
the
fathers.
The
interviewees’

parenting
arrangement
consisted
of
six
living
with
both
parents,
while
one
lived
with
mom

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
56

only
due
to
a
divorce,
which
may
have
influenced
the
parenting
styles
they
adopted
with

their
children.
The
mothers’
education
levels
were
such
that
three
had
at
least
a
6
th

grade

education,
one
had
almost
no
schooling,
two
reached
high
school,
and
one
earned
an
AA

degree.
The
fathers’
parenting
styles
showed
three
of
the
fathers
were
authoritarian,
one

was
authoritative,
two
were
permissive,
and
one
was
not
present
in
the
respondent’s
life.

The
mothers’
parenting
styles
also
varied:
four
mothers
were
authoritarian,
two
were

authoritative,
and
one
was
a
mix
of
authoritative
and
permissive.
Most
reported
their

mothers
were
the
primary
disciplinarians.
Fredo
gave
a
typical
response
when
asked
about

his
mother’s
parenting
style.
He
stated,
“My
mom
was
a
little
meaner
(than
dad)
when
I

was
younger.
My
mom
was
the
enforcer”.
Rico
echoed
that
sentiment
when
describing
his

mother’s
parenting
style,
stating,
“My
mother
whipped
us
hard
and
did
not
let
one
bad

behavior
go
unpunished.
Yet,
she
made
sure
we
were
fed,
clothed,
had
money,
books,

etcetera
every
day.”
This
was
a
theme
among
all
responses.

Family
Influence

The
family
was
reported
as
being
very
influential
in
the
lives
of
the
study
subjects.

All
interviewees
reported
being
held
to
higher
standards
by
their
parents
as
compared
to

their
peers.
Their
parents
were
stricter
on
them
as
compared
to
their
cousins’
and
friends’

parents.
One
interviewee
stated
that
parents
were
stricter
with
him
compared
to
his
own

siblings.
Gayle
stated
how
strong
her
family
life
was,
“Family
life
was
good.
Yes,
ate
dinner

as
family
every
night,
and
talked
about
our
day.
Vacations
together.”
However,
what
was

more
telling
was
the
level
of
confidence
she
developed
because
of
her
family.
She
describes

that
confidence
when
she
states,

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
57

Difficult
to
say
in
a
word…
Confidence,
being
a
positive
person,
having
resiliency
to

go
on
when
things
were
tough,
and
the
NEED
to
do
something
significant
with
my

life.
I
think
that
these
stemmed
from
my
feelings
of
being
loved
and
feeling
very

loved
and
protected
by
my
family.
Not
sure
what
the
word
is
that
would
encompass

that
variable.

Six
respondents
reported
that
their
family
influenced
their
personality
or
lifestyle.

They
reported
a
high
parental
and
family
influence
that
motivated
them
to
have
a
strong

work
ethic
and
drive
to
succeed.
As
Rico
puts
it,
his
culture
was
taught
to
him
through
his

family
values.
He
stated,
“Our
family
values
was
education
and
getting
good
grades”.
Rocia

stated
that
he
was
proud
of
his
background,
but
his
family
values
were
the
most
important.

He
states,

I’m
very
comfortable
in
my
own
skin,
so
maybe
it’s
those
stories,
maybe
it’s
being

given
leadership
skills
very
young
that
build
my
confidence,
maybe
my
parents

telling
me
that
I
can
do
whatever,
seeing
the
background
and
where
I
came
from,

and
that
they
were
able
to
build
a
home
in
a
country
that
is
so
foreign
to
them.

Only
one
out
of
the
seven
respondents
(Alberto)
reported
not
having
family
influence
on

their
lifestyle
and
personality.
However,
that
subject
reported
a
high
degree
of
motivation

and
drive
to
get
work
done
by
his
parents.
Indirectly
there
had
to
be
a
family
influence
on

the
subject’s
work
ethic
and
drive
to
succeed.
Latino
cultural
values
dealing
with
spiritual

beliefs,
importance
of
family,
gender
relations,
and
work
ethic
such
as
obedience,

achievement,
generosity,
hard
work,
and
strong
ties
to
family
are
evident
(Belgrave,
1994).

All
subjects
therefore
had
a
high
degree
of
Latino
family
values
that
affected
their
work

ethic,
drive,
motivation,
and
desire
to
be
successful.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
58

Findings
for
Research
Question
Three

The
third
research
question
asked,
“What
strategies
did
Latino
community
college

administrators
use
to
overcome
obstacles
as
they
navigated
through
the
educational

pipeline
and
career
paths?”

Natural
Leadership
Tendencies

Six
interviewees
participated
in
school
leadership
activities
in
school.
One
stated
he

volunteered
for
school
leadership
activities
only
in
high
school
and
college.
Three
reported

participating
in
activities
such
as
athletics.
Subject
Paulo
stated,
“I
played
everything.
I

played
to
be
on
the
team.
I
played
football,
baseball,
basketball.”
He
also
participated
in
the

Journalism
and
Theater
Club.
One
participated
in
an
academic
club,
and
the
last
two

reported
they
participated
in
social
clubs.
Fredo
stated,
“I
was
doing
a
college
organization

program.
The
counseling
program.
I
ended
up
being
the
president.”
Only
one
subject

reported
not
participating
in
school
leadership
activities
at
any
level
while
attending

school.

Career
Motivators

Three
interviewees
stated
their
career
choice
happened
by
accident.
Two
reported

they
wanted
to
work
with
students
to
make
a
difference
in
people’s
lives.
The
remaining

two
stated
that
friends
in
the
field
and/or
a
friendly
counselor
or
administrator
pushed

them
in
that
direction.
For
example,
Paulo
became
an
administrator
by
what
he
describes

an
accident:

It
was
kind
of
accidental
in
it.
When
I
got
out
of
graduate
school
and
went
to
Cal

State
X
(pseudonym),
and
I
was
given
the
opportunity
to
be
an
associate
dean.
There

was
the
dean
of
my
college
at
the
time,
Dean
J,
who
I
think
is
still
there.
Great
guy.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
59

He
was
a
mentor
to
me.
He
kind
of
was
the
one
who
started
me.
Probably
my
first

mentor
was
Dean
J,
who
is
Latino.
The
other
mentors
that
I
had
are
Dr.
E,
who
hired

me
as
president
of
a
college,
which
was
my
first
community
college
job.
When
I
went

back
to
the
local
community
college
district,
JL
was
my
president,
so
it’s
interesting

too,
come
to
think
of
it,
that
my
mentors
and
people
that
have
given
me
support

were
mostly
other
Latino
men
that
had
followed
the
same
path.

The
key
point
in
this
finding
is
that
not
all
respondents
began
with
a
strong

motivation
to
be
educational
leaders.
Some
found
themselves
in
their
positions
because
of

life’s
circumstances.
These
accidental
or
chance
occurrences
are
not
necessarily
very
telling

about
the
individual’s
determination
level
or
work
ethic.

Fredo
attributes
his
success
to
chance
alone.
He
states,

I
think
just
the
circumstances.
I
mean,
it
just
worked
out
where
I
was
at
the
right

place
at
the
right
time,
doing
the
right
thing.
When
I
first
started
to
go
back
to

college,
I
was
headed
towards
the
possibility
of
working
where
I
was
studying
and

going
that
route
of
being
a
professor,
educator,
and
instructor.

Echoing
that
idea,
Rico
states,

I
fell
into
it
by
accident.

I
was
planning
on
working
as
a
city
government
official,
but,

in
my
senior
year
at
UCLA,
I
landed
a
job
in
undergraduate
admissions
and
relations

with
schools
representing
UCLA
at
south
central
and
east
LA
high
schools.

Before

graduation,
UCLA
offered
me
a
full-‐time
position
to
represent
UCLA
recruiting

students
of
color.

The
two
participants
who
reported
wanting
to
work
with
students
had
the
intention

to
help
them.
Rocia
states
“Because
I
always
thought
that
as
an
attorney,
I
could
help

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
60

someone
with
one
particular
case,
if
I
get
into
education
and
provide
opportunities
for
just

one
student,
his
or
her
life
would
change
and
impact
more
than
just
that
individual.”

Self-‐Acknowledged
Personality
and
Distinguishing
Characteristics

The
survey
elicited
comments
about
the
participants’
self-‐acknowledged
personality

characteristics.
Two
reported
independence,
three
identified
tenacity/resiliency,
two

reported
ambition,
and
one
reported
being
a
harsh
self-‐critic.
They
reported
being
self-‐
critical,
feeling
competitive
with
others,
and
confidence.
One
participant
stated
that
one
has

to
find
something
one
is
passionate
about.
Rocia
described
a
personal
characteristic
she
felt

was
crucial
to
her
career
success.
She
states,
“I
think
that
one
of
the
things
is
that
I’m
very

tenacious,
or
stubborn.
If
people
say
‘no
you
can’t
do
it’,
it’s
more
of
a
motivating
factor
too.

Like
an
‘oh
really?’
kind
of
thing.”

Tammy
shared
that
sentiment
when
she
describes
her
tenacity:

Tenacity,
I
think
that
was
a
big
one.
There
was
a
sense
of
(pause).
I
have
a
need
to

(pause).
I
don’t
know
how
else
to
say
it,
but
to
succeed.
I
don’t
care
what's
in
front
of

me,
I
will
find
a
way
around
it,
over
it,
under
it,
some
way.
Even
if
it’s
something
like

a
computer
thing,
people
are
like
“Oh,
call
somebody”
and
I’m
like
“No,
I
will
not
let

myself
be
conquered
by
a
piece
of
equipment.”
I
think
that’s
why
I
gravitated
toward

accounting,
and
finance.
I
spent
however
much
time
I
needed
to
find
a
penny.
So,

there
was
just
that
drive
to
get
it
right
and
that
kind
of
things,
there
was
also
this

sense
of
impermanence
that
I
grew
up
with.
That
nothing
lasts
forever,
and
nothing

is
promised.

All
respondents
seemed
to
have
a
strong
sense
of
self-‐motivation,
whether
it
was
passion,

competitive
drive,
the
need
to
excel,
or
just
the
fear
of
failure.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
61

Advice
and
Assistance
by
Non-‐Parents
Influencing
Education
and
Career
Success

Educators
such
as
a
teacher,
counselor,
or
professor
were
responses
provided
by

four
interviewees.
For
example,
Tammy
describes
how
teachers
helped
guide
her
along
the

way,

You
know,
there
were
teachers
along
the
way.
I’m
the
kind
of
person
that
gets
bored

very
easily,
so
at
one
point,
I
did
drop
out
of
high
school.
I
remember
being
pulled

aside
by
my
English
teacher
and
being
told,
what
the
heck
are
you
doing?
And
I
will

never
forget
her.
It
wasn’t
that
we
were
best
friends
or
anything
like
that,
but
I

remember
that
conversation
that
we
had.
So
there
were
people
along
the
way
that

did
influence
me
whether
directly
or
indirectly.
I
would
say
primarily
the
teachers;

the
counselors
were
all
irrelevant
at
best,
and
annoying
more
often
than
not.
But

there
were
a
few
teachers
along
the
way
that
had
some
level
of
influence.

The
other
three
interviewees
reported
getting
advice
from
other
relatives
such
as
older

siblings,
a
godfather
and
an
uncle
that
proved
influential
in
their
educational
lives.
Fredo

stated,

My
siblings
always
pushed.
Since
I
was
the
youngest
one
my
sister
was
about
ten

years
older
and
she
was
always
hoping
that
I
would
move
ahead,
and
my
brother

was
always
hoping
that
I
would
move
ahead.
And
my
brothers
pushed
me
to

continue
on.
My
siblings
were
the
ones
that
pushed
me
to
continue
on
with
college

and
get
a
good
job.

All
of
the
study
subjects
had
somebody
other
than
one
of
their
parents
giving
them
career

and
school
advice,
positive
reinforcement,
motivation,
and
support.
Having
social
capital

and
its
importance
is
evident
in
these
cases,
based
on
the
observations
collected
from
the

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
62

study
participants.
In
some
cases,
certain
talents
can
be
identified
and
nurtured
by

educators,
friends,
and
family
members.
They
can
also
cultivate
success
by
pushing

individuals
to
the
necessary
steps
and
put
out
that
extra
effort
needed
to
achieve
goals,
as

was
the
case
with
these
study
participants.

Seizing
Opportunities
To
Improve
Career
Paths

In
six
of
seven
cases,
the
participants
happened
to
be
at
the
right
time
and
place
or

knew
somebody
who
gave
them
access
that
directly
led
to
a
position
in
an
educational

institution
and
eventually
led
to
a
teaching,
counseling
or
administrative
position.
Roberta

Espinoza
calls
these
events
“pivotal
moments”
that
helped
Latina
and
African
American

women
overcome
racial,
ethnic,
and
social
disadvantages
in
school
so
that
they
were
able

to
advance
successfully
through
the
educational
pipeline
(Espinoza,
2007).

Here,
Fredo

described
his
decision
to
seize
an
opportunity
to
improve:

We
were
having
cutbacks
at
the
college.
I
was
a
classified
employee.
I
was
going
to

get
the
axe
because
I
was
new,
so
the
opportunity
came
up
to
save
my
position
and

raise
it
to
management
level.
The
question
to
me
was
would
it
be
okay
that
I
was
not

working
with
students
anymore.
I
decided
to
go
for
the
management
position,
and
I

got
it.
It’s
been
good
ever
since.

Paulo
describes
the
moment
he
seized
his
opportunity
to
improve
as
a
turnaround.
He

stated,

Well,
the
turnaround
for
me
was
when
I
went
to
Cal
State
Y
(pseudonym),
and
I
was

teaching
and
going
to
school
at
night
to
get
my
master’s,
just
taking
one
course
at
a

time.
I
just
enjoyed
it
so
much.
I
was
just
hanging
out.
I
didn’t
have
any
driving

ambition
there.
The
real
opportunity
was
that
there
were
a
couple
of
faculty

HIGHER
EDUCATION
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ADMINISTRATORS
63

members,
[in]
particular,
one
that
said,
“Wow,
you’re
pretty
good
at
this”.
There
was

this
opportunity
to
go
to
University
C
(pseudonym).
It
was
a
fellowship
program,

and
he
pushed
me
to
apply,
and
it
never
occurred
to
me
to
get
my
doctoral
degree.
I

had
very
little
idea
of
what
it
involved
and
so
on,
but
I
did
and
it
was
one
of
those

thunderbolts
where
USC
came
back
and
gave
me
a
full
tuition
fellowship
and
a
job.
I

had
a
job
teaching
freshman
English.
I
was
really
floored
by
it.
I
had
the
opportunity

to
make
the
choice.
Was
I
going
to
stop
working
because
I
had
the
opportunity
to
go

full
time
as
a
graduate
student?
That
was
the
moment.
That
was
the
right
decision

for
me.
I
would
not
be
here.

Rico
left
a
good
job
at
University
F
(pseudonym)
for
a
promise
made
to
him:

I
was
offered
an
opportunity
to
work
at
CSU
ZZ
(pseudonym)
part-‐time
with
the

promise
of
getting
a
full-‐time
job.

Against
my
parents’
wishes
and
that
of
my
future

wife,
I
took
the
job
at
CSU
ZZ.

It
paid
great
dividends,
as
I
increased
my
salary,
went

full-‐time
and
within
two
years
became
the
director
of
Outreach
and
Information

Services.

Gayle
describes
how
her
networking
helped
her
get
a
better
job:

Being
asked
in1999
by
my
old
counselor
who
was
a
VP
of
Student
Services
to
get
my

master’s
degree
so
that
I
could
get
paid
for
what
I
was
doing
volunteering
(that
is

activities
to
get
more
Latinas
into
higher
ed).
Then,
being
hired
by
the
president
to

work
a
few
hours
counseling.
From
there,
I
was
given
unique
opportunities
not

desired
by
other
counselors.
Succeeding
in
all
opportunities
given.
Being
asked
to

become
an
administrator
of
an
entrepreneur
center
at
the
college.
Not
many
had
the

experience
I
did.
So,
in
essence,
leaving
student
services/academic
affairs
and
going

HIGHER
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LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
64

into
workforce
and
economic
development,
referred
to
as
the
revenue
generating

and
resource
development
wing
of
the
college.

In
her
case,
the
opportunistic
event
was
a
large
stepping-‐stone
in
her
life.
Beginning
as
a

volunteer,
improving
her
skills
as
a
counselor
for
Latino
students
and
creating

opportunities
for
others
put
her
in
the
spotlight,
eventually
landing
her
a
position
as
an

entrepreneur
center
administrator.
Finally,
Tammy
describes
how
an
insignificant

conference
opened
her
eyes
to
new
opportunities.
She
states,

I
come
to
a
conference
and
I
don’t
even
remember
what
the
conference
was,
but
it

was
hosted
at
University
C.
I
spent
the
week
at
the
conference,
and
I
decided
at
the

end
of
that
week,
that
it
was
time
to
move
on.
I
looked
around
the
university
which

was
very
isolated,
it
was
five
hours
to
the
next
university
(pause)
well
it
was
a

community
college.
I
was
like,
alright,
if
I’m
gonna
move
on,
I’m
gonna
move
on.
I
get

back
to
my
desk,
there
is
a
stack
of
mail.
Right
on
the
top
there
is
an
announcement

for
a
job
at
Cal
State
M
(pseudonym).
It
was
a
very
similar
type
position
to
mine.
I

think
it
was
student
affirmative
action,
or
something
along
those
lines.
So
I
apply
for

the
job,
they
fly
me
down,
I
interviewed.
I
come
back,
and
I
get
the
call
that
I
didn’t

get
the
job,
but
they
liked
me
so
much
that
they
wanted
to
see
if
they
could
throw

me
in
the
ring
for
something
else.
The
other
position
was
outreach
recruitment,
new

orientation
programs,
that
kind
of
thing.
So
I
said
“sure,
why
not.
Send
me
the
job

description
I’ll
think
about
it.”
They
flew
me
down
and
I
was
doing
a
lot
for
the
same

types
of
things
for
a
specialized
population
and
this
is
for
the
masses.
So
I
was

offered
the
job,
I
moved
down
there,
Cal
State
M
was
in
its
second
year
operation
so,

I’m
building
programs.
I’m
twenty-‐five
years
old,
I
have
all
this
freedom
to
create
all

HIGHER
EDUCATION
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ADMINISTRATORS
65

these
things.
There
is
no
public
information
officer,
there
is
no
marketing
director,

none
of
these
positions
existed.
So
I
was
doing
it
all.
So
if
you
wanna
talk
about
a

fortuitous
situation,
first
of
all
it
was
something
that
was
outside
of
what
I
was

already
doing,
which
was
easy
to
learn
some
new
things,
that
in
and
out
of
itself
was

a
plus.
The
fact
that
it
was
a
start-‐up
organization
without
all
of
the
resources
that

we
all
rely
on
so
much,
forced
me
to
(pause).
I
did
the
first
brochure
they
ever
had,
I

literally
typeset
the
entire
thing.
I
person
hired
was
a
photographer.
I
was
in
front
of

the
media
constantly,
I
was
in
front
of
the
PR.
So
it
was
a
thrown
into
the
fire
kind
of

things,
but
it
forced
me
to
do
so
many
things….
So
I
think
that
opportunity,
even

though
it
wasn’t
what
I
expected
it
to
be,
gave
me
so
much
experience
in
the
eight

years
I
was
there
that
I
had
probably
wouldn’t
have
gotten
if
I
had
spent
twenty

years
in
Humboldt
State.
So
this
little
conference
that
I
went
to,
that
had
nothing
to

do
with
what
are
you
going
to
do
with
the
rest
of
your
life,
was
the
impetus
to
get

me
to
think
outside
of
my
university
to
say
I
need
to
go
elsewhere,
because
looking

around
here,
there
is
nowhere
else
to
go,
nobody
is
going
to
retire
in
the
next
ten

years
and
I
can’t
just
do
the
same
thing
for
the
rest
of
my
life.

That
conference
not
only
opened
Tammy’s
eyes
to
new
opportunities,
but
it
also
increased

her
network
contacts,
which
ended
up
paying
off
and
helped
her
advance
in
her
career.

Opportunities
to
improve
were
crucial
to
the
success
of
most
of
the
subjects

interviewed
in
this
study.
The
subjects
created
strong
networking
environments
with
high

level
personnel
with
hard
work,
dedication,
and
passion.
They
improved
their
skill
set
by

trying
different
positions
and
jobs,
and
took
chances
to
try
new
opportunities
that
led
to

growth
opportunities.
Most
importantly,
they
were
able
to
utilize
their
network
by

HIGHER
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ADMINISTRATORS
66

impressing
individuals
in
the
network
with
hard
work,
responsibility,
reliability,
and

effectiveness.

Findings
for
Research
Question
Four

The
fourth
research
question
asked,
“Does
the
organizational
scheme
of
the

community
college
system
and
its
practices
support
or
hinder
Latinos
or
Latinas?”

Racism,
Discrimination,
Stereotyping,
and
Oppressive
Environments

Most
interviewees
reported
the
majority
of
their
colleagues
were
white
males.
Two

reported
there
were
a
variety
of
Asians,
Whites,
Blacks,
and
Latinos.
In
all
but
two
cases

however,
Latinos
were
reported
as
the
minority
at
their
first
job
as
administrators.
Tammy

describes
her
first
and
current
workplace
in
the
following
way:

To
be
honest,
in
a
community
that
is
in
a
Hispanic-‐serving
institution
and
has
large

numbers
of
Latino
students
and
serves
the
community
that
is
living
and
working,

when
you
look
at
the
administrative
level
positions,
it
is
very
underrepresented
in

terms
of
Latinos.
I
am
currently
the
highest-‐ranking
Latino
on
campus
and
have

been
for
a
very
long
time.
In
terms
of
the
faculty,
it’s
a
bit
better.
While
the
diversity

is
getting
better,
it
is
still
very
traditional,
heavy
male,
heavy
Caucasian.
Amongst
the

classified
ranks
there
is
a
little
bit
more
diversity,
but
it’s
interesting
as
to
what
kind

of
positions
they
hold.

Clearly,
Latinos
are
more
represented
in
classified
positions
and
lower
management.
They

are
minorities
in
administrative
positions,
with
White
males
comprising
the
majority
of

administrators
at
the
educational
institutions
of
the
respondents.
The
reasons
for
the

observed
disparities
are
beyond
the
scope
of
this
study.
However,
five
participants

reported
that
they
were
often
mistakenly
identified
as
White
or
Middle
Eastern,
which
has

HIGHER
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ADMINISTRATORS
67

implications
of
a
possible
glass
ceiling
created
by
possible
bias
and
prejudice
within
the

organizational
structures
of
their
respective
educational
institutions

College
Organizational
Factors,
Economics,
and
Politics

Most
interviewees
reported
they
could
not
identify
any
factors
at
the
organizational

level
of
the
institution
they
worked
in
that
either
hindered
or
supported
Latinos.
Five

participants
reported
they
did
not
feel
they
had
to
adapt
Anglo
values,
because
their
own

values
did
not
differ
enough
to
cause
any
rift
that
would
hinder
their
progress.
Two
of
the

subjects
felt
they
grew
up
bi-‐culturally
and
did
not
even
consider
themselves
to
be

minorities.
Tammy
stated,

I
don’t
feel
that
I
had
to
adapt
the
cultural
values.
The
reality
is
that
I
grew
up
in
this

country,
and
I
have
a
sense
of
biculturalism.
I
have
a
lot
of
pride
and
commitment
to,

and
connection
to,
the
culture
of
my
birth,
but
I
was
raised
here
and
I
don’t
speak

with
an
accent,
which
made
things
easier
because
that's
a
whole
other
level
of

assumptions
people
make
on
you.
I
consider
myself
Cuban
first
and
foremost,
but
I

also
consider
myself
American.
I’m
really
proud
of
the
opportunity
this
place
has

given
me.
And
I
embrace
the
general
culture
as
well,
but
there
is
a
little
bit
of
all
of

us
in
the
culture
of
the
US
as
well.

Two
other
interviewees
stated
they
were
not
connected
to
the
Latino
culture
and
desired

acceptance
by
the
other
races.
This
is
evident
in
the
following
description,
when
Subject

Fredo
stated,

I
don’t
think
we
grew
up
as
culturally
tied
to
my
past
as
other
groups.
My
parent’s

friends
were
pretty
much
the
same,
first
generation
Hispanic,
they
were
totally

different
than
what
we
were.
The
religion,
the
dancing,
the
music
as
not
something

HIGHER
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ADMINISTRATORS
68

we
ascribed
to.
I
always
saw
that
as
always
keeping
us
apart
from
our
culture.

Number
one
I
don’t
think
it
gave
me
a
culture
to
hold
onto.
to
say
oh
this
is
the
way

we
are,
we’re
brown
and
proud
and
all
that.

Subject
Rico
stated
that
he
wanted
to
gain
acceptance
of
his
predominately
white
peers,
so

picked
up
on
Rock
and
Roll
and
grew
long
hair.
None
of
them
reported
any
organizational

barriers
at
the
college
they
are
employed
at,
or
nor
did
they
mention
any
incidences

pertaining
to
race
or
ethnicity
in
their
professional
life.
All
but
two
reported
being

mistaken
often
as
White
or
Middle
Eastern,
so
they
got
to
where
they
are
being
themselves,

being
identified
as
Latino,
and
did
not
feel
they
had
to
change
to
get
accepted
or
even

promoted.

Discussion

The
first
research
question
asked,
“What
are
the
influences
that
community
college

administrators
identify
as
being
the
most
influential
on
their
personal
success
in
their

careers?”

Parental
Expectations
of
Education

Both
parents
played
an
important
role
in
the
educational
success
of
the

respondents.
They
not
only
met
their
parent’s
expectations,
but
managed
to
exceed
or
their

parent’s
hopes
for
their
education.
However,
there
was
an
observed
difference
in
the
roles

that
the
fathers
and
mothers
played
for
the
participants
as
discussed
below.

Role
of
Mother.
In
most
Latino
families,
the
mother
plays
a
significant
role
in
child

rearing.
Since
most
of
the
Latino
families
in
this
study
were
paternal
where
the
father

works
and
the
mother
is
a
housewife,
the
mother
spent
more
time
with
the
children.
She

not
only
helped
them
form
habits
that
affect
their
scheduling
and
work
ethic,
but
also

HIGHER
EDUCATION
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ADMINISTRATORS
69

influenced
their
choices
when
it
came
to
educational
or
employment
decisions.
Most
of
the

mothers
valued
education
as
a
way
to
get
out
of
poverty
and
achieve
a
better
life,
and
they

motivated
their
children
to
stay
in
school
and
get
a
degree.
Although
both
parents

supported
education,
most
of
the
mothers
put
policy
into
practice
by
allowing
the

respective
respondents
time
to
do
their
homework,
pushed
them
to
get
involved
in
school

activities,
supported
and
nurtured
independence,
and
motivated
them
to
stay
persistent
in

their
drive
to
achieve
a
college
degree.
Motivation
is
needed
for
learning,
and
to
get

individuals
to
perform,
and
complete
goals
to
achieve
success
(McCollum
&
Kajs,
2007).

The
two
mothers
from
lower
socioeconomic
neighborhoods
did
not
understand
the

importance
of
education
for
their
daughters
and
expected
housework
to
be
done
instead

homework.
According
to
the
respondents,
they
feared
that
their
daughters
would
lose
their

traditional
social
roles,
ruining
their
chance
at
having
a
family.
However,
when
they

realized
their
daughters
had
the
potential
to
succeed
in
school,
they
became
much
more

supportive
and
actually
pushed
their
daughters
to
get
a
college
degree.
Rocia
stated
that

when
she
got
into
law
school,
her
mother
was
very
proud,
and
told
her
how
proud
she
was

of
the
powerful
woman
she
had
become.

Role
of
Father.
Although
most
of
the
interviewees’
fathers
did
not
have
as
much
of

a
hands-‐on
approach
as
their
mothers,
they
modeled
what
hard
work
and
dedication
could

do
for
one’s
success.
They
also
wanted
their
children
to
have
a
better
life
through

educational
achievement
and
degree
attainment.
Latino
students
who
are
motivated
to

attend
school
have
a
much
higher
graduation
rate,
have
a
higher
self-‐image,
and
higher

success
rates
(Abi-‐Nader,
1990).
The
fathers
provided
motivation
and
support,
not
in
so

many
words,
but,
rather,
through
modeling
and
constant
subtle
messages
about
the

HIGHER
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ADMINISTRATORS
70

importance
of
an
education.
Rocia’s
father,
although
a
cement
finisher
with
no
education,

made
it
a
point
to
take
her
on
a
tour
to
Stanford
University.
His
objective
was
to
encourage

her
to
finish
her
education
since
she
was
a
woman,
advising
her
not
to
ever
rely
on
anyone.

Family
Influence.

All
respondents
felt
their
family
helped
influence
their
drive,

motivation
to
succeed,
and
their
strong
work
ethic.
They
also
credit
their
family
for

instilling
in
them
qualities
such
as
being
responsible
and
confident
in
their
abilities.

Learning
information
and
acquiring
knowledge
can
give
a
person
the
skills
to
complete
a

task,
but
having
support
to
continue
working
helps
that
person
focus
efforts
on

accomplishing
a
task
(Clark
&
Estes,
2002).
Respondents
were
successful
because
their

family
values
helped
them
maintain
their
persistence
and
desire
to
achieve
that
success.

Other
Career
Influences.

Educators
such
as
counselors,
teachers,
and

administrators
had
the
most
influence
on
the
participants’
career
choices.
The
experience

and
knowledge
they
possessed
exceeded
the
parental
capital
that
these
participants
had,

making
the
information
they
provided
very
valuable.
These
mentors
were
crucial
to
the

interviewees’
career
success
because
they
offered
advice
to
help
navigate
the
educational

and
career
pipeline.
Early
mentoring
given
to
aspiring
Latino
educational
leaders
from

among
Latino
faculty
members
had
a
positive
effect
on
attainment
of
educational

administration
positions
(Reyes,
2003).
Additionally,
these
professionals
served
as
role

models
for
the
interviewees.
Latino
administrators
were
important
for
the
retention
of

Latino
college
students
because
they
serve
as
role
models
and
can
motivate
these
students

to
want
to
gain
similar
positions
(Hernandez,
2000;
Jones
&
Castellanos,
2003;
Verdugo,

1995).
This
was
shown
effective
in
other
studies,
such
as
that
regarding
the
Faculty

Mentorship
Program,
which
showed
adjustment
to
college
improved
as
a
result
of

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
71

mentorship
(Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002).
Finally,
these
counselors,
teachers,
and

administrators
helped
to
directly
and
indirectly
recruit
more
Latinos
into
the
profession
by

making
recommendations
and
suggestions
(Castaneda
&
Katsinas,
2002;
Goldsmith,
2004).

Latino
mentors
were
important
because
students
who
had
mentors
of
the
same
ethnic

background
perceived
them
to
be
more
helpful
and
supportive
in
furthering
their
careers

and
personal
development
than
did
students
with
mentors
of
different
ethnic
backgrounds

(Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002).

Parental
Capital
and
Socioeconomic
Level.

Parental
capital
impact
has
been

measured
for
its
transmittal
from
one
generation
to
another
(De
Graf
&
De
Graff,
1988).

Cultural
lifestyle
elements
such
as
attending
theater
performances,
museums,
classical

music
concerts,
exhibitions,
art
galleries,
and
reading
are
shown
to
transfer
from
one

generation
to
another
(De
Graf
&
De
Graff,
2000).
Almost
all
interviewees
came
from
poor

backgrounds
and
had
little
parental
capital
regarding
education
and
career.
If
parental

capital
and
socioeconomics
played
a
major
role
in
their
success,
then
observations
would

show
a
difference
in
each
administrator’s
achievements
based
on
socioeconomic

background.
In
this
study,
parents’
occupations
were
categorized
into
blue-‐collar,
white

collar,
and
self-‐employed.
There
were
no
significant
differences
in
achievement
due
to

socioeconomic
factors.

Personal
Values
or
Experiences

The
second
research
question
asked,
“What
are
the
personal
and
family
experiences

that
Latino
community
college
administrators
felt
had
the
most
impact
on
their
career

success
in
terms
of
drive,
motivation
and
persistence?”

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
72

Motivation.

Motivation
is
an
internal
state
that
arouses,
directs,
and
maintains

behavior
(Woolfolk-‐Hoy
&Hoy,
2006).
Motivation
from
parents
and
educational
leaders

was
discussed
in
the
earlier
sections
of
this
discussion.
In
this
section,
the
focus
is
on
the

internal
motivation
of
each
interviewee
and
its
effect
on
their
personal
career
and

educational
success.
Six
respondents
were
employed
while
attending
college,
and
all

subjects
reported
working
at
least
20
hours
per
week.
One
of
the
subjects
reported

dropping
out
of
school
to
work
full-‐time
because
of
marriage,
but
returned
later
to
finish

his
degree
requirements.
Six
out
of
those
seven
participated
in
school
leadership
activities

in
high
school
or
college.
All
seven
subjects
described
themselves
using
adjectives
such
as

tenacious,
stubborn,
drive
to
succeed,
passionate,
enthusiastic,
and
competitive
when
it

came
to
earning
their
degree.
This
shows
a
higher
level
of
motivation
to
succeed,
by
being

responsible
for
ones
own
goals,
independent
and
competent.
Latinos
make
up
over
10

percent
of
the
population
of
the
US,
but
less
than
6
percent
of
the
total
number
of
students

in
higher
education
institutions
(Santiago,
1996).
In
California,
that
number
is
much
higher,

but
there
is
still
a
large
Latino
population
disparity
in
educational
institutions.
Although
the

amount
that
motivation
plays
in
the
ability
of
Latinos
to
earn
a
degree
is
beyond
the
scope

of
this
study,
the
participants
showed
a
high
degree
of
internal
motivation.
Research
shows

that
Latino
students
who
are
motivated
to
attend
school
have
a
much
higher
graduation

rate,
have
a
higher
self-‐image,
and
higher
success
rates
(Abi-‐Nader,
1990).
Characteristics

such
as
being
self-‐critical,
competitiveness,
self-‐motivation
and
confidence
were
traits
and

characteristics
reported
to
be
possessed
by
the
respondents
that
attributed
to
their

success.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
73

Independence.
Much
of
the
research
on
Latino
success
focuses
on
motivation,
but

there
was
nothing
specifically
identifying
independence
as
a
critical
trait
for
success.
For

example,
current
research
on
student
success
identified
that
failure
to
meet
goals
revolves

around
making
an
active
choice,
being
persistent,
and
putting
out
mental
effort
as
the
three

facets
of
motivated
performance
(Clark
&
Estes,
2002).
Motivation
to
be
independent
was

reported
by
all
of
the
study
participants,
and
evident
by
their
level
of
motivation
to
be

independent
as
discussed
above.
Almost
all
of
them
reported
that
being
independent
was

very
important.
One
of
the
subjects,
who
was
a
latch
key
child
with
an
absent
father,
stated

that
independence
was
a
defining
characteristic
in
her
life.
Almost
all
the
interviewees
had

a
job
while
in
high
school
and
college
and
were
expected
to
pay
for
things
they
needed

rather
than
ask
their
parents.
Although
economic
necessity
could
have
been
a
reason
to

work
rather
than
independence,
none
of
the
study
subjects
reported
that
they
needed
to

work
to
help
their
parents.
Rather,
most
of
them
wanted
to
work
because
they
didn’t
like
to

ask
for
things
from
their
parents.
Additionally,
all
of
them
had
parents
who
were
gainfully

employed,
and
reported
that
they
had
responsibilities
at
home
since
their
parents
worked.

Again,
independence
was
cited
as
being
one
of
the
most
important
characteristic
and
the

respondents
clearly
felt
that
they
were
independent,
and
identified
it
as
an
important

factor
for
their
success.

Parental
Influence.

Interviewees
were
selected
because
of
their
success
in
their

careers,
as
measured
by
the
achievement
of
higher-‐level
educational
leadership
positions.

Since
there
is
a
disproportion
between
the
numbers
of
Latino
students
who
utilize
the

community
college
system
compared
to
the
number
of
Latino
staff
members
working
at

that
level
(CCCCO,
2009),
and
since
these
Latino
respondents
were
the
successful
ones,
we

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
74

examined
their
personal
experiences
and
values

for
emerging
themes
that
were
shared

among
the
participants.
Parental
levels
of
support
and
encouragement,
and
parental

influence
on
educational
and
career
pathways
were
observed
among
the
possible

important
factors
in
respondents’
success.
Having
supportive
parents
present
in
their
lives

helped
the
study
subjects
learn
and
develop
characteristics
that
helped
them
become

successful,
such
as
honesty,
hard
work
ethic,
perseverance,
independence,
strength,

behavior,
and
friendliness.

As
for
the
perceived
definition
of
success
by
their
parents’,
the
respondents

reported
more
than
one
factor
that
defined
success.
The
interviewees
felt
that
their
parents

valued
and
instilled
specific
values
they
believed
to
be
indicators
of
success.
These
values

are
happiness/comfort,
marriage,
living
in
largest
home
that
one
can
afford
and
maintain,

being
a
good
supportive
family
member,
and
being
good
at
one’s
profession.
None
of
the

parents
ever
mentioned
money
to
the
respondents
as
a
gauge
for
success.
Rather,
job

security
seemed
more
important
for
the
development
of
a
strong,
supportive,
and
happy

family.
This
could
be
the
reason
participants
not
only
chose
the
field
of
education
but
also

worked
harder
than
their
non-‐Latino
colleagues
to
achieve
leadership
roles
that
offered

better
pay,
greater
respect,
more
authority,
and
more
job
security.
As
Latinos,
they
had
to

navigate
through
a
leadership
pipeline,
which
was
different
than
that
of
the
majority
group.

For
example,
statistics
show
that
most
Latino
college
presidents
had
to
be
full-‐time
faculty

members
before
becoming
presidents,
while
other
non-‐Latinos
did
not
have
to
be
full-‐time

faculty
to
attain
such
a
high
position
(Ross,
Green,
&
Henderson,
1993).
Overcoming
such

barriers
and
achieving
such
a
high
leadership
position
required
the
study
subjects
to
have
a

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
75

clearly
defined
perception
of
success,
and
their
perception
of
what
their
parents
believed

was
successful
could
have
been
a
motivating
factor.

Family
Influence.

Research
regarding
family
influence
on
the
success
of
Latinos
in

navigating
the
educational
pipeline
is
inadequate
(Vela,
2014).
In
this
study,
respondents

felt
they
were
held
to
higher
standards
by
their
parents
and
family
members
than
were

their
friends
and
sometimes
siblings.
They
also
reported
a
high
degree
of
family
influence

that
improved
their
drive,
work
ethic
and
motivation.
They
were
expected
to
get
good

grades
in
school,
so
they
did
it.
Although
knowledge
tells
us
how
to
do
something
based
on

our
education
and
experience,
motivation
keeps
us
going,
working,
and
focuses
our
effort

on
accomplishing
a
task
(Clark
&
Estes,
2002).
The
motivation
to
succeed
was
inspired
by

family,
mainly
parents,
and
values
such
as
honesty,
hard
work
ethic,
perseverance,

independence,
strength,
behavior,
and
friendliness.
These
values
directly
contributed
to

their
drive,
work
ethic,
and
motivational
level.

Strategies

The
third
research
question
asked,
“What
strategies
did
Latino
community
college

administrators
use
to
overcome
obstacles
as
they
navigated
through
the
educational

pipeline
and
career
path?”

The
educational
pipeline
is
made
up
of
complex
organizational
dynamics
(Ovando
&

Collier,
1998).
The
data
uncovered
a
significant
degree
of
fortune
and
good
timing
played
a

role
in
the
respondents’
career
attainment.
Additionally,
networking
was
a
vital
component

of
getting
hired
and
promoted.
Having
access
and
contact
with
these
mentors
and
members

of
their
network
gave
them
a
higher
perception
of
self-‐efficacy,
better
academic
goals,
and

greater
success
(Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002).

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
76

Natural
Leadership
Tendencies.

Internal
and
external
personal
qualities
of

leadership
were
identified
and
analyzed
by
Bolman
and
Deal
(1991).

There
was
no

evidence
in
this
study
that
any
respondent
possessed
natural
leadership
tendencies
or

talent
in
that
area.
There
was
no
indication
that
any
of
them
had
ever
taken
leadership

roles
while
in
high
school
or
college.
Although
six
participated
in
extra-‐curricular
activities,

there
was
no
mention
that
they
assumed
responsibility
for
directing
or
running
any
of

these.

Career
Motivators.

A
career
motivator
is
a
person
responsible
for
motivating
a

respondent
to
choose
educational
leadership
as
a
career
path.
One
of
the
goals
of
this

research
was
to
determine
if
these
respondents
had
a
Latino
educator
who
motivated

them.
The
literature
shows
Latino
leaders
may
play
a
role
in
both
the
retention
of
Latino

students
in
college
and
the
recruitment
of
future
Latino
administrators
(Castaneda
&

Katsinas,
2002;
Goldsmith,
2004).
Also,
having
Latinos
in
administrative
roles
helps

improve
students’
feelings
of
support
and
better
adjustment,
especially
when
they
have

mentors
of
the
same
ethnic
background
(Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002).

With
the
exception
of
one,
not
all
respondents
in
this
study
reported
that
they
had

motivators
who
were
Latino
and
who
motivated
them
to
go
down
this
career
path.
Three

stated
their
career
happened
by
accident
while
two
stated
that
friends
in
the
field
or
an

educator
started
them
in
the
field.
Only
two
stated
that
they
wanted
to
get
into
the
field
to

help
students
and
make
a
difference
in
their
lives.
The
data
did
not
show
any
common,

consistent
or
unifying
motivators
could
have
lead
them
down
their
current
career
pathway.

Advice
and
Assistance
by
Non-‐Parents.

All
interviewees
received
advice
from

people
other
than
their
parents
that
lead
them
to
successfully
achieve
their
education.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
77

Some
had
older
siblings
while
others
had
a
teacher
or
professor.
However,
they
all

attribute
a
portion
of
their
success
in
navigating
the
educational
pipeline
to
people
other

than
their
parents.
This
is
a
significant
finding
because
perhaps
parents
with
little
capital

did
not
possess
the
motivational
aptitude
or
ability
to
help
their
children
become

successful.
Research
shows
that
greater
levels
of
contact
with
mentors
gave
students
a

higher
perception
of
self-‐efficacy,
better
academic
goals,
and
greater
success
(Santos
&

Reigadas,
2002).
These
other
mentors
were
close
to
the
respondents
and
saw
them
on
a

daily
basis.
The
participants
trusted
these
people
and
listened
to
them.

Seizing
Opportunities
to
Improve
Career
Pathway.

A
rare
event
that
became
a

significant
opportunity
that
benefitted
the
respondents’
career
success
is
discussed
in
this

section.
These
opportunities
were
found
to
play
the
most
significant
role
in
the
attainment

of
an
educational
leadership
position,
as
described
by
Espinoza
(2007)
towards

educational
success.
This
was
one
of
the
most
important
findings
of
this
study
because
it
is

neither
something
that
can
be
taught
nor
a
genetic
trait.
It
is
a
third
and
separate
quality

that
can
be
very
elusive.
Fortune
or
luck
cannot
be
empirically
measured,
but
often
play
a

significant
role
in
the
successful
attainment
of
an
educational
leadership
career
or
any
top

position.
This
makes
the
creation
of
mentorship
programs,
intervention
programs,
or
any

programs
that
can
bridge
the
gaps
and
offer
networking
opportunities
vital
to
the
success

of
upstart
Latinos.
Research
on
bridging
the
gap
required
government
intervention
at
all

levels
as
programs
such
as
Headstart
(Hess,
Shipman,
1965;
Valentine,
1968),
AVID
and

EOPS.
Bilingual
education
proved
to
be
an
important
educational
reform
for
many
non-‐
English
speaking
minority
groups,
especially
Latinos
(Fernandez
&
Neilsen,
1986;
Merino,

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
78

1991).
The
success
of
these
interviewees
seemed
dependent
upon
meeting
such
individuals

at
the
right
time
and
in
the
right
place.

Organizational
Scheme
and
Practices

The
fourth
research
question
asked,
“Does
the
organizational
scheme
of
the

community
college
system
and
its
practices
support
or
hinder
Latinos
or
Latinas”

Racism,
discrimination,
stereotyping,
and
oppressive
environments.

No

respondent
reported
any
significant
events
of
racism,
discrimination,
or
stereotyping
that

hindered
their
success.
The
literature
shows
there
is
a
belief
that
Latinos
are
not
capable
of

being
successful
academics
or
educational
leaders,
and
this
is
fueled
by
racism
and

prejudice
among
the
educated
elite
(Canul,
2003).
Some
of
the
research
suggests
the
low

number
of
Latinos
in
higher
education
is
due
to
racial
stratification
caused
by
alienation,

stereotyping,
marginalization,
tokenism,
and
lack
of
confidence
in
Latino
administrators

(Canul,
2003;
Verdugo,
1995).
There
was
no
evidence
to
indicate
these
factors
played
any

role
in
hindering
the
advancement
of
the
respondents
in
this
study.

College
Organizational
Factors,
Economics,
and
Politics.
The
literature
indicates

that
there
is
bias
that
exists
within
college
administrative
structures.
White
men
would

rather
appoint
white
women
to
leadership
roles
before
choosing
a
minority
candidate,
and

some
white
women
would
rather
appoint
Latino
females
over
Latino
males
(Haro,
1995).

The
literature
also
indicated
that
most
Latino
college
presidents
had
to
work
harder,
and

be
full-‐time
faculty
members
before
becoming
presidents,
while
other
non-‐Latinos
did
not

have
to
be
full-‐time
faculty
to
attain
such
a
high
position
(Ross,
Green,
&
Henderson,
1993).

However,
none
of
the
respondents
who
were
interviewed
in
this
study
reported
they
could

identify
any
factors
at
their
institution’s
organizational
level
that
indicated
discrimination

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
79

or
bias.
When
subject
Paulo
was
asked
if
he
had
to
adapt
to
Anglo
values
to
survive
at
his

academic
institution,
he
responded,

Well,
I
never
felt
that
I
had
to
adapt
to
Anglo
values
to
survive,
because
I
never

thought
of
Whites
as
my
enemy,
I
never
thought
of
myself
as
a
minority.

Subject
S1
stated
that
he
didn't
feel
he
had
to
give
up
anything
when
interacting
with
his

white
counterparts
at
work
either.
Subject
Alberto
stated,

Not
really.
I
think
the
values
that
I
have
in
terms
of
family,
they
all
kind
of

synchronized.
I
don’t
think
I’ve
ever
worked
at
an
institution
that
they’ve
forced
me

to
choose
work
values
over
family,
I
don’t
think
that’s
been
an
issue.

Subject
Tammy
stated
she
had
pride
in
her
Latino
heritage.
When
asked
that
question,
she

stated,

“No,
I’ve
got
a
great
sense
of
pride
because
of
who
I
am
and
where
I
came
from,
and

all
the
rest
of
that.”
The
rest
of
the
subjects
had
similar
comments.
The
data
collected
did

not
indicate
that
these
respondents
felt
that
prejudice
or
bias
were
organizational
factors

that
affected
their
advancement.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
80

CHAPTER
FIVE:
DISCUSSION,
RECOMMENDATIONS,
AND
LIMITATIONS

This
study
examined
the
experiences
of
seven
higher
education
administrators
to

determine
what
helped
them
successfully
navigate
through
the
educational
pipeline
as

students
and
educators.
The
goal
of
this
qualitative
study
was
to
take
an
in-‐depth
look
at

the
career
paths,
and
experiences
of
Latino
administrators
in
Western
area
community

colleges.
This
examination
sought
to
understand
which
internal
and
external

characteristics
contribute
to
advancement
through
career
path
and
the
attainment
of

leadership
positions.

Purpose
and
Significance
of
the
Study

Using
Gandara’s
(1995)
analysis
as
a
research
model,
the
grounded
theory
approach

was
applied
to
find
implicit
theories
within
the
data.
Data
pertaining
to
each
of
the
research

questions
were
examined
in
the
first
four
chapters
of
this
study.
The
previous
chapter

included
the
data
presentation
and
specific
samples
organized
by
the
study’s
research

questions
and
their
applicable
themes
regarding
characteristics
and
qualities
of
Latino

higher
education
administrators.

These
were
created
using
data
analysis
under
the

grounded
theory
guidelines
of
extracting
themes
by
a
process
called
coding
and
memoing.

This
chapter
provides
recommendations,
implications
for
practice,
limitations
of
the
study

and
suggestions
for
further
research.

Although
research
on
various
aspects
of
Latinos
in
higher
education
has
been

explored,
there
is
very
little
on
the
topic
of
this
study.
Very
little
is
known
about
the

reasons
successful
Latinos
made
it
through
the
pipeline.
For
this
reason,
the
findings
will

be
helpful
for
educators
who
seek
to
become
leaders
in
higher
education
institutions.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
81

Summary
of
Findings
by
Research
Question

In
terms
of
the
first
research
question,
the
personal
influences
identified
as
being

most
influential
on
individual
success
are
summarized
below.

The
mother
was
very

important
in
that
she
was
most
influential
in
terms
of
motivating
interviewees
toward

educational
and
career
success.
As
Fredo
had
mentioned,
he
credits
his
mother
as
having

the
most
educational
influence
on
him
when
he
stated,
“My
mom
influenced
my

educational
goals.
Not
my
specific
goals
but
my
education
in
general.
She
encouraged
us
to

get
an
education
above
all
else.”

A
strong
mother
with
positive
values
and
goals
for
her

children
produced
a
strong
goal-‐oriented
and
successful
individual
based
on
the
findings
in

this
study.
Although
the
fathers
did
not
play
as
much
of
a
hands-‐on
role,
they
served
as

important
role
models
of
a
hard-‐working
and
determined
individual.
As
subject
Fredo
had

stated,
“My
father
didn't
want
me
to
go
into
hard
labor
work.
He
believed
education
would

be
the
best
way
to
avoid
hard
labor”.
Family
and
culture
influenced
the
participants
by

affecting
their
work
ethic,
drive,
and
motivation
to
be
successful.
Results
revealed

interviewee’s
parents
all
expected
them
to
attend
college,
a
significant
commonality
shared

by
the
subjects
in
this
study.

Individuals
other
than
parents
also
played
a
significant
role
in
the
success
of
these

study
subjects.
Educators
had
a
large
influence
on
the
respondents’
career
choices.
These

experts
in
the
field
of
education
were
crucial
to
the
respondents’
career
success
because

they
offered
social
capital
that
helped
them
successfully
navigate
through
the
educational

pipeline.
These
educators
identified
skills
and
talents
that
the
study
subjects
possessed,

and
pushed
them
to
choose
majors
and
careers
that
they
may
not
have
discovered
on
their

own.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
82

In
terms
of
career
choices,
Latino
individuals
in
each
of
the
subject’s
network
pool

played
significant
roles
in
their
success
by
acting
as
mentors.
Most
of
the
study
participants

had
Latino
professionals
who
recognized
their
talents
and
abilities,
and
offered
them
key

opportunities
that
helped
them
advance
and
eventually
become
successful
educational

leaders
themselves.
Mentoring
and
mentorship
programs
are
shown
to
be
highly
effective

and
required
to
help
Latino
students
adjust
to
college,
improve
their
retention,
and
offer

them
role
models
they
trust
and
accept
(Hernandez,
2000;
Jones
&
Castellanos,
2003;

Reyes,
2003;
Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002;
Verdugo,
1995).

In
summary,
the
most
important
personal
experiences
that
influenced
their

individual
success
were
identified
above.
A
strong
mother,
who
taught
positive
values
and

goals
to
her
children,
to
produce
a
strong
goal-‐oriented
and
successful
individual
was

important.
Also,
having
a
supportive
and
hardworking
father,
serving
as
a
role
model
for
a

good
work
ethic
and
resilience
was
also
important.
Additionally,
supportive
family

members
(non-‐parents)
who
offered
motivation
support,
and
advice
educational
and

career
choices
that
helped
them
become
successful
were
very
important.
Educators
were

also
important
influences
on
their
success,
because
they
were
able
to
identify
skills
and

talents
possessed
by
the
subjects,
and
had
the
knowledge
and
professional
skills
to
point

them
in
the
right
direction.
They
offered
them
capital
beyond
the
reach
of
their
parents
and

friends.
Finally,
Latino
mentors
were
important
to
the
success
of
these
individuals
because

they
offered
them
social
capital
beyond
the
scope
of
the
abilities
of
their
respective
parents.

To
address
the
second
research
question,
motivation,
independence,
and
parental

influence
were
important
elements
in
Latino
leaders’
success.

The
respondents
possessed

internal
characteristics
such
as
being
self-‐critical,
competitiveness,
self-‐motivation,

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
83

independence
and
confidence,
which
led
them
to
be
persistent
and
successful.
They

showed
a
high
degree
of
motivation
to
succeed.
Independence
appears
to
be
a
trait
critical

for
the
success
of
Latino
students,
but
has
not
been
the
topic
of
much
research.
The

interviewees
all
valued
their
independence,
and
their
parents
reinforced
independence.

Independence
may
have
given
these
participants
the
opportunity
to
find
valuable
capital

from
individuals
other
than
their
parents
and
they
learned
how
to
network
for
future

opportunities.
Part
of
being
independent
is
to
make
positive
active
choices,
being

persistent,
and
putting
out
a
mental
effort
are
three
facets
necessary
for
motivated

performance
(Clark
&
Estes,
2002).

Regarding
the
third
research
question,
leadership
qualities,
career
motivators,

personality
traits
and
distinguishing
characteristics
have
an
effect
on
success.
Internal
and

external
leadership
qualities
identified
by
Bolman
and
Deal
(1991),
career
motivators
and

personality
characteristics
(independence,
tenacity/resiliency,
ambition,
and
self-‐
criticism),
did
not
have
much
to
do
with
the
respondents’
ability
to
gain
an
excellent

leadership
position.
Instead,
an
individual’s
ability
to
make
friends
and
form
networks
had

a
greater
effect
on
their
getting
their
current
leadership
position
than
any
of
the

aforementioned
factors.
Subject
Paulo
got
his
start
from
faculty
members
in
college
who

admired
him,
Rico
was
offered
a
part-‐time
job
by
faculty
at
a
CSU,
and
Gayle
was
asked
to

get
a
MA
degree
by
the
VP
of
student
services
at
her
university
so
that
she
could
be
given

an
administrator
position.
As
the
saying
goes,
it’s
not
what
you
know
but
more
of
who
you

know.

Advice
from
non-‐parents,
and
opportunities
to
improve
had
more
of
an
affect
on
the

success
of
these
subjects
than
any
personality
traits
or
any
distinguishing
characteristic

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
84

they
may
have
possessed.
There
was
no
evidence
that
any
self-‐acknowledged
personality

or
distinguishing
characteristic
had
an
effect
on
the
interviewees’
success.
None
of
the

findings
indicated
any
characteristics
all
interviewees
had
in
common,
linked
clearly
to

success,
or
were
associated
with
individuals
who
did
not
achieve
success.

Seizing
opportunities
to
improve
played
a
large
role
in
the
respondents’
career

attainment.
Developing
strong
networks
and
connections
is
important
in
these
cases,
as

working
with
mentors
in
education
and
networking
proved
to
be
very
valuable.
Knowing

the
right
people,
being
guided
or
counseled
on
what
education
to
pursue
for
certain

positions,
being
recommended
for
specific
positions,
and
being
hired
by
people
within
that

network
were
key
reasons
for
respondents’
success.
This
includes
success
in
navigating

through
the
educational
pipeline
for
degree
attainment
as
well
as
by
successfully

navigating
the
career
pipeline
in
institutions
of
higher
education.
Seizing
these

opportunities
to
improve
were
equally
as
important
as
any
of
the
factors
described
earlier.

As
stated
earlier
in
chapter
4,
and
based
on
the
data
collected
from
the
study
subjects,

almost
all
of
the
subjects
had
experienced
an
event
that
put
them
in
the
right
environment

for
success
or
it
introduced
them
to
the
right
person.
That
opportunity
to
improve
ended

up
being
a
key
experience
that
directly
led
to
their
success.
Whether
it
was
attending
a

conference,
volunteering
in
the
right
place,
or
being
recognized
for
their
abilities
by
an

important
member
within
their
network
pool,
these
subjects
admitted
that
without
those

events,
they
would
not
have
made
it
to
where
they
are
today.

To
answer
the
fourth
research
question,
there
were
no
clear
or
evident

organizational
schemes
that
hindered
or
specifically
support
Latinos
within
the
scope
of

this
research.
Although
some
of
the
subjects
did
benefit
from
knowing
certain
personnel
at

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
85

their
higher
education
institution
because
of
friendships
or
relationships
that
were
forged

through
networking,
and
some
programs
such
as
EOPS
that
helped
Latinos,
there
was
no

evidence
to
suggest
that
organizational
scheme
of
the
community
college
system
was

designed
to
encourage
prejudice
or
hinder
Latino
advancement
specifically.
Discrimination,

college
organizational
factors,
socioeconomic
statuses,
and
political
aspects
were
examined

for
their
role
or
effect
on
the
successful
attainment
of
educational
leadership
positions.

Although
outwardly,
it
would
appear
that
they
were
found
to
be
insignificant
factors,
in

that
they
neither
inhibited
nor
benefitted
the
respondents
in
their
achievements.
Almost
all

of
the
respondents
indicated
that
they
were
not
very
connected
to
the
Latino
culture,
nor

did
they
speak
Spanish
with
their
siblings.
Although
they
did
not
try
to
act
Anglo,
they
were

often
mistaken
for
being
non-‐Latino
and
did
work
hard
to
fit
in
with
their
surroundings.

Fredo
made
a
comment
that
although
he
didn’t
feel
that
connected
to
the
Latino
culture,
he

did
state
that
he
made
sure
to
use
good
grammar
at
work.

Though
none
of
the
respondents

mentioned
race
or
ethnicity
as
being
factors
when
answering
questions
that
addressed

research
question
number
four,
perhaps
they
were
aware
of
these
issues
and
chose
instead

to
just
ignore
it.
They
all
discuss
having
traits
such
as
tenacity
and
persistence,
all
evidence

that
a
silent
struggle
existed
that
they
had
to
overcome.
And
there
is
evidence
that
the

respondents
cared
about
how
people
perceived
them.
Gayle
stated
the
importance
of

outward
appearance
when
she
stated,

Yes.
As
distasteful
as
it
sounds,
there
is
some
value
in
being
physically
attractive,

dressing
well
and
being
fit.
But
that
is
NOT
enough
to
not
to
be
successful.
I’ve
still

had
to
perform.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
86

Fredo
discusses
his
demeanor
and
appearance
stating,

I
think
it
does
help,
you
know,
‘don’t
judge
a
book
by
it’s
cover’,
but
if
the
covers

nice,
you
may
read
it
anyway.
So
I
think
that
I’ve
always
tried
to
carry
myself

professionally
and
having
that,
coming
in
with
a
smile
on
my
face
has
a
lot
more

feeling
than
not
having
that.

There
was
no
indication
from
any
of
the
respondents
that
being
Latino
harmed
or
helped

them
from
a
social
standpoint.
When
asked
about
their
physical
appearance
and
whether

or
not
they
felt
it
was
a
factor
in
their
success,
most
replied
with
answers
about
their

height,
their
level
of
attractiveness,
or
the
way
they
dressed
and
presented
themselves.
At

the
outset,
there
was
an
expectation
that
discrimination
would
be
reported
by
participants

based
on
the
wealth
of
research
regarding
discrimination,
prejudice,
and
bias
against

Latinos
and
other
communities
of
color
in
the
educational
pipeline.
It
was
quite
surprising

to
find
out
that
the
respondents
were
not
consciously
aware
of
existing
discrimination
that

surrounded
them.

Implications
for
Practice

The
data
gathered
has
implications,
discussed
below,
for
practice
in
the
higher

education
setting
that
can
benefit
aspiring
Latinos
to
reach
their
educational
and
career

goals.
The
implications
presented
here
will
help
inform
and
guide
programs,
policies
and

practices
that
may
assist
in
empowering
and
motivating
future
Latino
students
to
take
on

challenging
leadership
roles
in
educational
institutions.

Increase
Pathways
for
Latino
Students

There
is
a
need
for
more
programs
such
as
Headstart,
EOPS,
and
AVID
that
level
the

playing
field
as
well
as
offer
students
of
minority
and
low
socioeconomic
backgrounds
the

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
87

social
and
financial
capital
they
need
to
keep
advancing
through
the
pipeline
(Hess,

Shipman,
1965;
Valentine,
1968)
and
Fernandez
&
Neilsen,
1986;
Merino,
1991).

Supporting
the
creation
of
mentorship
programs
that
help
Latinos
gain
access
to
higher

education
leadership
roles
is
necessary
to
increase
the
number
of
Latino
administrators.

Latinos
comprised
only
3%
of
all
full-‐time
administrators
in
1999,
and
still
remain
vastly

underrepresented
today
(CCCCO,
2012;
Harvey,
2002).

Answers
to
these
questions
may
help
develop
undergraduate
programs
that
can

mediate
or
resolve
some
of
the
issues
that
discourage
Latinos
from
choosing
higher

education
administration
as
a
career.
By
studying
successful
Latinos
and
improving

networking
opportunities,
we
would
be
able
to
train
Latinos
who
possess
leadership
skills,

the
desire
to
be
higher
education
administration,
the
social
capital
needed
to
be
successful,

and
the
motivation
to
succeed.
Then,
more
young
Latinos
can
have
the
opportunity
to

navigate
successfully
through
the
higher
education
and
career
pipeline.
Increasing
the

number
of
Latinos
in
higher
education
leadership
will
help
fill
the
gap
in
higher
education

leadership
positions,
reduce
the
disparity
of
Latinos
in
those
positions,
and
in
turn
improve

the
availability
of
Latino
role
models
who
will
act
as
mentors
for
younger
Latinos
(Bonner,

Pacino,
&
Stanford,
2011;
Santos
&
Reigadas,
2002;).

Support
Parental
Outreach
Programs

Parents
are
the
keys
to
the
success
of
any
student.
In
this
study,
parents
of
these

Latinos,
specifically
the
mother,
had
the
most
influence.
Although
they
supported
their

child’s
education,
they
were
uneducated
and
mostly
employed
in
blue
collar
jobs.
The

parents
came
from
low
socioeconomic
backgrounds,
and
lacked
the
capital
to
help
their

children
in
school
related
activities.
Although
the
data
clearly
showed
that
mothers
were

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
88

influential,
they
all
lacked
the
knowledge
and
experience
necessary
to
help
their
children

make
informed
decisions
about
education
and
career
pathways.
All
the
parents
had
to
offer

was
motivation
to
get
an
education,
but
they
could
not
offer
the
support
needed
to
navigate

through
the
pipeline.
An
outreach
program
needs
to
be
implemented
at
the
high
school

freshman
level,
perhaps
by
Latino
administrators,
counselors,
and
educators
that
can
offer

tutoring,
support,
and
education
about
colleges
and
financial
aid.

It
is
vital
that
these
outreach
programs
be
created
and
be
highly
accessible
to
Latino

parents
and
their
students
to
educate
them
about
available
opportunities
in
the
field
of

education.
Outreach
initiatives
need
to
educate
Latino
families
about
the
specifics
of
college

majors
and
corresponding
career
choices.
They
should
also
assist
Latino
families
in

completing
applications
for
college,
choosing
majors
that
can
lead
to
educational

leadership
opportunities,
and
scholarships,
grants,
and
financial
aid
to
help
them
finance

their
educational
expenses
so
they
don't
have
to
work
and
study.
Some
Latino
families
may

need
help
from
existing
retention
and
matriculation
programs
designed
specifically
to
help

minorities
such
as
Latinos
navigate
successfully
through
the
educational
and
career

pipeline.
These
programs
will
offer
the
social
capital
they
may
be
lacking,
but
is
necessary

for
their
success.

Increase
Opportunities
for
Professional
Networking
and
Mentorships

Professional
networking
is
a
critical
component
in
producing
successful
Latino

administrators
in
higher
education
institutions.
Latino
administrators
are
vitally
important

for
the
retention
of
Latino
college
students
because
they
serve
as
role
models
and
can

motivate
these
students
to
want
to
gain
these
positions
(Verdugo,
1995,
Hernandez,
2000,

&
Jones
&
Castellanos,
2003).
Successful
networking
opportunities
must
be
more
than
just

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
89

inviting
Latino
business
owners
and
professionals
to
participate
in
career
expos
for
Latino

students.
They
should
be
programs
that
link
Latino
students
with
business
professionals
in

their
field,
such
as
internships
that
provide
them
with
real
world
experience,
exposure
to

new
opportunities
and
more
networking.
They
key
factor
is
that
those
students
who
have

low
levels
of
parental
and
social
capital,
can
now
get
that
extra
push
from
the
community,

giving
Latino
students
a
vision
and
needed
guidance
to
help
them
achieve
their
goals

through
motivation
and
confidence.

Creating
mentorships
is
another
critical
component
for
producing
successful
Latino

administrators
and
leaders
in
higher
education
institutions.

Studies
show
that
student

adjustment
to
college
improves
as
a
result
of
the
mentorship
participation
(Santos
&

Reigadas,
2002).
Although
mentors
of
any
background
would
be
helpful,
it
would
be

preferable
if
they
were
Latinos,
as
students
have
more
in
common
with
them
and
can
relate

more
to
them.
Additionally,
Latino
students
with
Latino
mentors
tended
to
do
much
better

in
school
than
students
with
non-‐Latino
mentors
(Reyes,
2003).

Suggestions
for
Future
Research

This
section
provides
suggestions
for
further
research
on
Latinos
in
higher

education
administration.
This
study
would
have
been
more
in-‐depth
if
it
were
a

longitudinal
study
with
a
control
group.
The
control
group
would
be
comprised
of
Latinos

who
received
little
or
no
assistance
or
intervention.
The
experimental
group
would
be

comprised
of
Latinos
who
received
the
interventions
discussed
in
the
implications
section.

Those
Latino
students
would
participate
in
mentorship
and
equity
and
access
programs

that
offered
them
guidance
counseling
as
they
navigated
the
education
and
career
pipeline,

belong
to
networking
organizations
that
placed
them
in
internships,
and
have
parents
who

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
90

utilized
outreach
programs
that
offered
social
capital.
As
stated
in
the
limitations
section,

this
study
merits
replication
at
a
four-‐year
university
level
at
both
private
and
public

institutions
of
higher
education
to
gain
knowledge
about
the
pathways
of
Latino

administrators
at
that
level,
what
they
did
to
become
successful,
and
to
determine
if
there

are
any
significant
differences
between
them
and
their
college
counterparts.

Conclusion

This
study
provides
understanding
about
the
struggles
and
obstacles
Latinos
face

navigating
the
educational
pipeline,
the
personal
characteristics
and
family
attributes
of

successful
Latino
administrators,
and
the
situational
factors
that
helped
them
become

successful.
This
is
important
since
Latinos
are
the
largest
minority
group
in
the
United

States
but
make
up
the
fewest
administrators
in
higher
education
(Edsource,
2007;

Santiago,
1996).
The
research
clearly
indicates
that
Latino
educators
are
more
effective
at

mentoring
Latino
students,
making
the
need
to
create
new
Latino
educational
leaders
a

legitimate
and
vital
goal.

The
purpose
of
this
study
was
to
learn
from
Latino
community
college

administrators
about
the
experiences
and
conditions
that
influenced
their
advancement

into
their
current
administrative
role.
Suggestions
were
made
in
the
implications
section

that
should
improve
success
rates
and
increase
the
number
of
Latinos
who
can
successfully

navigate
the
education
pipeline
and
become
educational
leaders.
This
qualitative
study

provided
a
new
understanding
of
the
experiences
of
Latino
administrators
and
a
look
into

their
personality
characteristics
and
values
(motivation,
independence,
tenacity/resiliency,

ambition,
self-‐criticism),
family
values,
and
influences
that
gave
them
the
edge
to
achieve

success.
It
took
an
in-‐depth
look
at
the
career
paths,
and
personal
experiences
of
several

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
91

Latino
administrators
in
Western
area
community
colleges
to
understand
which
internal

and
external
elements
led
to
their
success.
The
interviews
served
to
discover
implicit

theories
in
the
data
using
grounded
theory
methods.
Using
this
knowledge,
suggestions

were
made
to
create
programs
to
institutionalize
intelligent
and
effective
changes
along
the

educational
pipeline
to
bridge
the
gap
between
Latinos
and
other
groups
and
increase
the

number
of
Latino
educational
leaders
who
will
become
role
models
of
higher
education
in

their
communities.
Parents
are
major
influences
in
the
success
of
students,
particularly

Latinos.

The
most
important
personal
experiences
that
influenced
their
individual
success

included
a
strong
mother
who
taught
positive
values
and
goals
to
her
children,
producing

strong
goal-‐oriented
and
successful
individual.
A
supportive
and
hardworking
father

served
as
a
role
model
for
a
good
work
ethic
and
resilience.
Supportive
family
members

(non-‐parents)
who
offered
motivation
support,
and
advice
enabled
the
subjects
make
good

educational
and
career
choices
that
helped
them
become
successful.

In
the
same
way,
educators
were
equally
important
to
their
success
because
they

identified
skills
and
talents
possessed
by
the
subjects,
but
had
specific
knowledge
and

experience
in
the
field,
offering
them
capital
beyond
the
scope
of
their
parents
and
friends.

Having
successful
and
accomplished
educational
leaders
as
part
of
their
professional

networks
was
important
because
they
offered
advice,
job
opportunities
that
helped
them

advance
in
their
careers.

Finally,
opportunities
to
improve
were
crucial
to
the
success
almost
all
of
the
study

participants.
They
were
just
as
important,
if
not
the
most
important
reasons
behind
the

successful
attainment
of
leadership
positions
because
they
propelled
them
significantly

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
92

into
positions
of
leadership.
These
events
not
only
allowed
them
to
gain
the
skills
and

experience
they
needed
to
qualify
for
the
higher
educational
leadership
positions
they
have

today,
but
also
placed
them
in
positions
to
have
those
opportunities.

As
stated
earlier,
more
opportunities
for
parent
involvement
and
education
should

be
made
available
so
that
they
can
support
their
students.
Additionally,
mentorships
and

networking
seemed
to
be
very
important
to
the
study
participants,
particularly
for

increasing
their
social
capital
and
for
the
successful
navigation
through
the
educational

pipeline.
A
vast
network
of
important
people
in
education
created
more
“opportunities
to

improve”
to
occur
and
placed
individuals
in
positions
where
they
can
advance.
Although

more
research
needs
to
be
done
on
the
ever-‐growing
Latino
population
to
properly

understand
the
science
behind
observations,
it
is
the
responsibility
of
higher
education

institutions
to
do
what
they
can
with
what
is
already
known,
so
that
the
initiation
of

success
for
Latino
students
can
be
more
of
a
reality
in
the
present,
rather
than
just
the

future.

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
93

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EDUCATION
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HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
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99

Appendix
A

Research
Questions/Interview
Protocol
Grid

Research
Question
#
1

What
personal
influences
that
community
college
administrators
identify
as
being
the
most

influential
on
their
personal
success
in
their
careers?

Protocol
Questions:

1. What
did
your
father
do
for
a
living
while
you
were
growing
up?

2. What
did
your
mother
do
for
a
living
while
you
were
growing
up?

3. If
you
did
not
live
with
your
parents,
whom
did
you
live
with
while
growing
up?

4. What
did
that
person(s)
do
for
a
living?

5. What
was
the
highest
grade
completed
by
mom
in
school?

6. What
was
the
highest
grade
completed
by
your
dad
in
school?

7. Which
person(s)
influenced
you
the
most
in
setting
your
educational
goals?

8. Which
person(s)
influenced
you
the
most
in
setting
your
employment
goals?

9. Which
of
your
parents
or
guardians
had
the
most
influence
on
the
development
of

your
educational
and
career
goals?

10. What
were
your
mother’s
(female
guardian’s)
attitudes
toward
the
value
of

education?

11. What
were
your
father’s
(male
guardian’s)
attitudes
toward
the
value
of
education?

12. What
were
any
other
influential
person’s
attitudes
in
your
life
toward
the
value
of

education?
(Name?)

11.Did
either
of
your
parents
or
guardians
advocate
standing
up
for
your
rights
or
were

they
passive?

12.
Did
you
think
the
standards
your
parents
or
guardians
set
for
you
were
higher
or

lower
than
those
that
were
set
for
your
peers?

Research
Question
#
2

What
are
the
personal
and
family
experiences
that
Latino
community
college

administrators
felt
had
the
most
impact
on
their
career
success
in
terms
of
drive,

motivation
and
persistence?
(Note:
Terms
“female
guardian”
and
“male
guardian”
to
be

substituted
for
“mother”
and
“father”
respectively
where
appropriate)

Protocol
Questions:

1. How
many
siblings
do
you
have?
What
are
their
respective
ages,
gender,
current

occupation
and
level
of
schooling?

2. What
is
your
birth
order
with
respect
to
your
siblings?

3. What
Language(s)
were
spoken
in
the
home
while
growing
up
with
your
(a)

mother?
(b)
father?
(c)
guardian?
(d)
grandparent?
(e)
siblings?

(f)
others?

4. What
was
the
discipline
style
used
by
your
father
(authoritative,
authoritarian,
or

permissive)?

5. What
was
the
discipline
style
used
by
your
mother
(authoritative,
authoritarian,
or

permissive)?

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
100

6. What
were
the
characteristics
that
your
mother
valued
most
in
her
children?

7. What
was
the
amount
of
education
that
your
mother
hoped
you
would
finish?

8. What
was
the
amount
of
education
that
your
mother
expected
you
to
finish?

9. What
characteristics
did
your
father
(male
guardian)
value
most
in
his
children?

10. What
amount
of
education
did
your
father
(male
guardian)
hope
you
would
finish?

11. What
amount
of
education
did
your
father
(male
guardian)
expect
you
to
finish?

12. What
did
your
mother
define
as
successful?

13. What
did
your
father
(male
guardian)
define
as
successful?

14. What
types
of
occupations
were
suggested
to
you
by
your
mother?

15. What
types
of
occupations
were
suggested
to
you
by
your
father?

16. How
important
was
independence
to
you?

17. In
what
ways
did
your
parents
encourage
your
independence?

18. In
what
ways
did
your
parents
encourage
your
leadership?

19. How
important
were
work
responsibilities
in
elementary
school/high
school
to
you?

20. What
are
special
hobbies
of
either
of
your
parents
or
guardians?

21. What
cultural
activities
did
either
of
your
parents
or
guardians
participate
in
such
as

music,
dance,
art,
literature,
etc.?

22. Did
your
family
read?
If
so,
what
kinds
of
things
did
they
read?

23. Describe
life
in
your
home/house.
(harmonious,
uneasy,
confrontational,
abusive,

stable,
etc.)?

24. How
was
your
family
life?
(Did
family
do
things
together?)

25. What
were
personal
characteristics
you
possessed
that
were
crucial
for
your
career

success?

26. What
were
the
differences
in
your
background
and
experiences
that
you
feel

distinguish
you
from
other
less
academically
and
professionally
successful
Latino

Americans?

27. What
was
the
single
“critical
variable”
in
your
academic
and
career
success
(internal

or
external
loci)?

28. What
significant
events
played
a
crucial
role
in
your
career
success
(including
rare

opportunities
offered
or
fortunate
events)?

29. How
much
did
peer
competition
motivate
your
performance?

Research
Question
#
3

What
are
the
strategies
that
Latino
community
college
administrators
have
used
to

overcome
obstacles
as
they
navigated
through
the
educational
pipeline
and
career
paths?

Protocol
Questions:

1. What
was
your
age
at
entry
of
school?

2. How
were
your
grades
in
school
at
each
grade
level?
Do
you
remember
your
grades

ever
falling
below
a
C
average
at
any
level?

3. How
was
your
behavior
in
school?
Did
you
ever
remember
any
teacher
complaining

about
your
behavior
at
any
grade
level?

4. What
was
the
racial/ethnic
composition
of
your
school?

5. What
was
the
socioeconomic
composition
of
your
school?

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
101

6. Were
there
any
educators
who
were
especially
significant
to
the
your
education

either
in
a
positive
or
negative
way?

7. Were
you
ever
tracked
into
a
curriculum
(accelerated,
remedial,
bilingual,
college

prep,
vocational)?

8. At
what
grade
level
did
you
first
get
a
report
card
with
good
grades?

9. When
did
you
first
remember
deciding
to
go
to
college?

10. Were
you
a
leader
in
elementary
school/high
school/college?

11. Were
you
popular
in
elementary
school/high
school/college?
(You
asked
for

literature
to
support
why
important?-‐
It
was
a
question
asked
by
Gandara
in
her

interview,
Its
a
personality
characteristic
related
to
charisma.
Can
I
leave
in?)

12. Did
you
belong
to
any
clubs
in
high
school/college?

13. Did
your
parents/guardians
encourage
your
involvement
in
these
clubs
at
high

school/college
level?

14. Did
you
volunteer
in
any
organizations
outside
of
school?

15. Did
you
participate
in
any
paid/unpaid
mentorships
or
internships?

16. Were
you
employed
during
your
high
school/college
years?
If
so,
where
and
for
how

many
hours/week?

Research
Question
#
4

Does
the
organizational
scheme
of
the
community
college
system
and
its
practices
support

or
hinder
Latinos
or
Latinas?

Protocol
Questions:

1. What
was
the
racial/ethnic
composition
of
staff
where
respondent
began
career
in

community
college
education?

2. Who
or
what
made
you
choose
this
profession
the
most?

3. Have
you
ever
been
mistaken
for
something
other
than
Latino?

4. How
has
being
a
minority
helped
you
to
reach
your
position?

5. What
is
socioeconomic
composition
of
the
neighborhood
where
your
college
is

located?

6. Do
you
feel
that
physical
appearance
has
ever
been
a
factor
in
educational
or

professional
success?
If
so,
what
type
of
appearance
do
you
feel
has
helped
you

achieve
success?

7. What
type
of
family/cultural
values
do
you
feel
have
helped
you
survive

academically
and
have
led
to
your
professional
success?

8. Have
you
ever
had
to
reject
family/cultural
values
to
survive
academically
or

professionally?
If
so,
what
values?

9. Did
you
ever
feel
you
had
to
adopt
Anglo
values
to
survive
academically?
If
so,
what

kinds
of
values?

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
102

Appendix
B

Participant
Invite
Letter

TAG
1:

Latino's
in
Higher
Ed
Administration:
USC
Research
Study-‐Please
Respond

TAG
2:

Latino's
in
Higher
Ed
Administration:
USC
Study-‐REPLY
REQUESTED
PLEASE

BODY:

Dear
Dr.
(

)

You
have
been
invited
to
participate
in
a
research
study
conducted
by
Ali
Kobaissi,
the
principal

investigator,
and
Dr.
Kristan
Venegas,
Committee
Chairperson
at
the
University
of
California

Rossier
School
of
Education.
The
title
of
my
study
is
“The
Characteristics
and
Personal
Qualities
of

Successful
Higher
Education
Latino
Administrators
and
Educational
Leaders
in
the
western
Area

Community
Colleges”.
You
were
selected
because
you
are
a
higher
education
administrator
in
a

position
of
Dean
or
higher
in
a
western
community
college,
and
you
are
of
Latino(a)
descent.

Although
your
participation
is
voluntary,
I
am
hoping
you
will
donate
your
valuable
time
to
help
me

collect
the
data
I
need
to
complete
my
research.
Research
on
educational
demographics
has

uncovered
a
disproportion
between
Latinos
who
comprise
30%
of
the
community
college
student

body,
and
Latino
administrators
who
represent
only17%
of
the
total
number
of
educational
leaders

in
the
community
college
system.
Much
research
has
been
done
on
Latinos
in
community
colleges

in
terms
of
the
student
body
and
the
faculty,
but
not
much
has
been
done
specifically
on
Latino

administrators.

Your
commitment
to
this
research
will
require
only
your
valuable
time
to
answer
63

questions,
conducted
during
an
interview
in
a
location
that
is
most
comfortable
and

accommodating
to
you.
Before
the
study
is
completed,
you
will
have
full
access
to
the
data
and
full-‐
transcribed
conversation
that
took
place
between
us
so
that
you
may
edit
or
change
anything
that

you
may
feel
was
written
in
error.
This
entire
process
should
take
anywhere
between
45-‐60

minutes,
depending
upon
your
responses.

I
thank
you
in
advance
for
your
time
and
commitment
to
this
research
topic,
for
your

contributions
to
USC
and
the
body
of
educational
research,
particularly
for
your
contributions

towards
the
area
of
Latino
leadership
in
higher
education,
and
for
assisting
me
in
collecting
the

necessary
data
to
complete
my
Doctoral
dissertational
study.

Please
contact
me
and
let
me
know
when
it
will
be
convenient
for
us
to
meet.
I
can
be
reached

by
telephone
at
818-‐943-‐7396,
by
responding
to
this
email,
or
at
my
alternate
email
address

alik@glendale.edu.
Thanks
again,
and
I’m
looking
forward
to
hearing
from
you
soon.

Sincerely,

Ali
Kobaissi

Principal
Investigator

USC
Ed.D.
Candidate

Class
of
2013

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
103

Appendix
C

Formal
Consent
Form

University
of
Southern
California

Rossier
School
of
Education

INFORMED
CONSENT
FOR
NON-‐MEDICAL
RESEARCH

THE
CHARACTERISTICS
AND
PERSONAL
QUALITIES
OF
SUCCESSFUL
HIGHER
EDUCATION

LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
AND
EDUCATIONAL
LEADERS
IN
THE
LOS
ANGELES
AREA

COMMUNITY
COLLEGES

You
are
invited
to
participate
in
a
research
study
conducted
by
Ali
Kobaissi,
principal

investigator,
with
Dr.
Kristan
Venegas,
(Committee
Chairperson)
at
the
University
of

Southern
California
because
you
are
a
higher
education
administrator
in
a
position
of
Dean

or
higher
in
a
western
community
college
and
you
are
of
Latino(a)
descent.
Your

participation
is
voluntary.
You
should
read
the
information
below,
and
ask
questions
about

anything
you
do
not
understand,
before
deciding
whether
to
participate.
Please
take
as

much
time
as
you
need
to
read
the
consent
form.
You
may
also
decide
to
discuss

participation
with
your
family
or
friends.
If
you
decide
to
participate,
you
will
be
asked
to

sign
this
form.
You
will
be
given
a
copy
of
this
form.

PURPOSE
OF
THE
STUDY

To
learn
from
Latino
community
college
administrators
about
the
personal
characteristics,

experiences
and
conditions
that
influenced
their
advancement
through
their
career
path

into
their
current
administrative
role.

STUDY
PROCEDURES

If
you
volunteer
to
participate
in
this
study,
you
will
be
asked
to
answer
63
questions

during
a
formal
interview
that
will
take
place
in
a
private
location,
and
will
be
tape

recorded
for
the
sake
of
accuracy
and
efficiency
of
data
collection
so
that
the
dialogue
can

be
transcribed
at
a
later
date.
Your
identity
and
information
will
remain
confidential
and

anonymous.

POTENTIAL
RISKS
AND
DISCOMFORTS

There
are
no
anticipated
risks

POTENTIAL
BENEFITS
TO
PARTICIPANTS
AND/OR
TO
SOCIETY

Latino
leaders
may
play
a
role
in
both
the
retention
of
Latino
students
in
college
and
the

recruitment
of
future
Latino
administrators.
Qualitative
research
analyzing
the
elements

leading
to
successful
attainment
of
educational
leadership
by
Latinos
is
needed
to
fill
the

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
104

vacuum
of
knowledge
about
the
individual
personal
qualities
and
motivational
elements

that
these
leaders
posses
that
has
helped
them
reach
their
positions.
There
is
a
need
to

diversify
educational
leaders
in
the
United
States
as
we
continue
to
address
social

inequities,
and
racial
prejudices
that
can
reduce
diversity
as
well
as
the
quality
of

education.
Diversity
improves
educational
quality
by
encouraging
speculation,

experimentation,
and
creativity.
Latino
administrators
are
vitally
important
for
the

retention
of
Latino/a
college
students
because
they
serve
as
role
models,
and
can
motivate

these
students
to
want
to
gain
these
positions
of
power
and
social
influence
that
are

available
to
them
if
they
are
academically
successful.
The
need
for
Latino
role
models
in

higher
education
becomes
more
crucial
as
these
numbers
increase,
making
Latino

administrators
an
important
topic
of
educational
research.
The
goal
the
current
study
will

be
to
fill
the
gaps
in
the
research
regarding
how
these
leaders
were
able
to
overcome
the

odds
and
achieve
their
success
to
attain
their
positions,
so
that
future
Latinos
and
Latinas

can
follow
in
their
footsteps.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION
FOR
PARTICIPATION

You
will
not
be
paid
for
participating
in
this
research
study.

CONFIDENTIALITY

We
will
keep
your
records
for
this
study
confidential
as
far
as
permitted
by
law.
However,
if

we
are
required
to
do
so
by
law,
we
will
disclose
confidential
information
about
you.
The

members
of
the
research
team,
the
funding
agency
and
the
University
of
Southern

California’s
Human
Subjects
Protection
Program
(HSPP)
may
access
the
data.
The
HSPP

reviews
and
monitors
research
studies
to
protect
the
rights
and
welfare
of
research

subjects.

The
recording
data
will
be
stored
on
a
hard
drive
that
is
protected
by
a
password.
You
will

have
access
to
the
transcribed
interview
to
check
for
accuracy,
if
you
wish
to
so
at
any
time

during
the
study
to
review
or
edit
the
material.
The
audio
recordings
will
be
used
for

educational
purposes,
and
personal
identities
will
be
shielded/disguised
with
codes
to

keep
your
identity
anonymous.
The
audio
recordings
will
be
erased
approximately
3
years

after
the
conclusion
of
this
study.
All
information
will
be
stored
on
the
principal

investigator’s
laptop
hard
drive,
which
is
protected
by
a
password
and
guarded
against

theft
by
being
locked
up
at
all
times
when
not
in
use.

PARTICIPATION
AND
WITHDRAWAL

Your
participation
is
voluntary.
You
may
withdraw
your
consent
at
any
time
and

discontinue
participation
at
any
time.
You
are
not
waiving
any
legal
claims
or
rights

because
of
your
participation
in
this
research
study.

INVESTIGATOR’S
CONTACT
INFORMATION

If
you
have
any
questions
or
concerns
about
the
research,
please
feel
free
to
contact
the

principal
investigator
Ali
Kobaissi
at
818-‐943-‐7396,
akobaiss@usc.edu,
and/or
the
Faculty

Sponsor,
Kristan
Venegas
at
(213)
740-‐0507
or
kristanv@usc.edu.

RIGHTS
OF
RESEARCH
PARTICIPANT
–
IRB
CONTACT
INFORMATION

HIGHER
EDUCATION
LATINO
ADMINISTRATORS
105

If
you
have
questions,
concerns,
or
complaints
about
your
rights
as
a
research
participant

or
the
research
in
general
and
are
unable
to
contact
the
research
team,
or
if
you
want
to

talk
to
someone
independent
of
the
research
team,
please
contact
the
University
Park

Institutional
Review
Board
(UPIRB),
3720
South
Flower
Street
#301,
Los
Angeles,

CA

90089-‐0702,
(213)
821-‐5272
or
upirb@usc.edu

SIGNATURE
OF
RESEARCH
PARTICIPANT

I
have
read
the
information
provided
above.

I
have
been
given
a
chance
to
ask
questions.

My
questions
have
been
answered
to
my
satisfaction,
and
I
agree
to
participate
in
this

study.

I
have
been
given
a
copy
of
this
form.

AUDIO

□
I
agree
to
be
audio
recorded

□
I
do
not
want
to
be
audio
recorded

Name
of
Participant

Signature
of
Participant

Date

SIGNATURE
OF
INVESTIGATOR

I
have
explained
the
research
to
the
participant
and
answered
all
of
his/her
questions.

I

believe
that
he/she
understands
the
information
described
in
this
document
and
freely

consents
to
participate.

Name
of
Person
Obtaining
Consent

Signature
of
Person
Obtaining
Consent

Date

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Using Patricia Gándara’s “Over the Ivy Walls” analysis of educational mobility of Latino students as a research model, this study utilized the grounded theory methods to investigate and collect data regarding the personal, educational, and career experiences and conditions that influenced pathways taken by successful Latino higher educational leaders and administrators. An interview was conducted to collect data about the background of each subject in this study to learn from these Latino community college administrators about their experiences and conditions that influenced their successful advancement through the career path into their current administrative role. These experiences included educational backgrounds, family choices related to education, socioeconomic status, motivation, and both social and parental capital. Findings from this study suggest that institutions of higher education need to increase the pathways for Latino students to become higher education administrators with programs that offer social capital and financial assistance. They also should support community outreach programs to educate and empower families to support their children’s education. Finally, they need to increase opportunities for professional networking and mentorships.

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