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Latino male community college students' persistence to transfer
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Latino male community college students' persistence to transfer
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Content
Running head: LATINO MALE PERSISTENCE TO TRANSFER
1
LATINO MALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS’ PERSISTENCE TO TRANSFER
by
Heidi Lizette Parragil
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
December 2015
Copyright 2015 Heidi L. Parragil
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 2
Acknowledgements
This has been an incredible journey that I was able to realize as a result of the encouragement I
received from various individuals. I first want to acknowledge my dissertation chair, Dr. Tracy
Tambascia, for her guidance and support throughout this process. Thank you for your kind words
and for your willingness to meet or talk over the phone to help me find clarity. Additionally, I
want to acknowledge Dr. Kozeracki and Dr. Green for their feedback and unique perspectives
that allowed me to be more in tune with the experiences of community college students. I want to
thank my dissertation cohort for making the dissertation process fun and filled with laughter and
to Dr. Fischer for her constant encouragement. I want to also thank my friends and colleagues
from ARB for their endless love and support.
And last but never least, I want to acknowledge my family. My mother and two sisters
have always been my source of strength and motivation. Additionally, I am grateful for the
encouragement I received from my husband and for making sure that I pushed through no matter
how tired and frustrated I felt. I am truly fortunate to have such an amazing support system.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 3
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements 2
List of Tables 5
List of Figures 6
Abstract 7
Chapter One: Overview of the Study 8
Statement of the Problem 9
Purpose of the Study 10
Significance of the Study 11
Limitations and Delimitations 12
Definition of Terms 13
Organization of the Study 14
Chapter Two: Literature Review 15
The College Completion Agenda 15
History of the Community College System 17
Community College Students Nationally 19
The California Master Plan 20
The California Community College System 21
Latino Students and Higher Education 24
Degree Attainment Among Latinos 26
Latino Males 27
The Transfer Experience 28
Academic Preparation and Advising 29
Supportive Relationships with Faculty and Staff 30
Sense of Belonging 31
Student Perceptions 32
Cultural and Social Influences 32
Social Networks 33
Hispanic Serving Institutions 33
Social Capital 37
Summary 41
Chapter Three: Methodology 43
Population and Sample 43
Instrumentation 45
Data Collection 47
Data Analysis 49
Validity 51
Role of Researcher 52
Summary 52
Chapter Four: Results 53
Participant Background 53
Findings 57
Persistence Factors 57
Access to Knowledge on Four-Year Transfer Process 66
MVCC Faculty and Staff: Providers of Social Capital 70
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 4
Support Services 74
Summary 78
Chapter Five: Discussion And Conclusion 80
Summary of Findings 80
Research Question One 81
Research Question Two 83
Research Question Three 84
Research Question Four 85
Implications and Recommendations for Practice 86
Implication 1 86
Implication 2 87
Implication 3 88
Implication 4 89
Limitations 90
Future Research 90
Conclusion 92
References 93
Appendix A: Email Solicitation 102
Appendix B: Online Participant Recruitment Survey 103
Appendix C: Informed Consent for Non-Medical Research 104
Appendix D: Study Information Sheet 107
Appendix E :Interview Protocol 109
Appendix F: Document Analysis Protocol 111
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 5
List of Tables
Table 1: California Community College Students by Age, 2012-2013 22
Table 2: Participant Demographics 54
Table 3: Participant Referral Network 67
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 6
List of Figures
Figure 1: California Community College Transfers to Four-Year Institutions 22
Figure 2: California Community College Student Ethnicity, 2012-2013 23
Figure 3: California Community College Students by Gender, 2012-2013 23
Figure 4: Latina/o Educational Attainment by Gender and Age Based on 2010 Census Data 27
Figure 5: Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded to Latino Males and Females 28
Figure 6: MVCC Student Enrollment Breakdown by Race/Ethnicity 44
Figure 7: MVCC Overall Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity 45
Figure 8: Summary of Findings 81
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 7
Abstract
This study aims to illustrate the factors that contribute to Latino male community college
students’ persistence to transfer to a four-year university and to examine the role of institutional
agents in contributing to students’ persistence. This study is guided by the following research
questions: (1) What factors contribute to Latino male community college students’ persistence to
transfer to a four-year university? (2) How do Latino male students in community college learn
about the transfer process to a four-year degree granting institution?, (3) What role do
institutional agents play in supporting Latino male students’ decision to transfer? and (4) What
support services do Latino male students utilize to learn about the transfer process? Previous
research indicates that Latino male college students lag behind their female counterparts in
college degree attainment (Fry, 2012). However, there is limited research that focuses only on
the experiences of Latino males (Barajas & Pierce, 2001, Ovink, 2013; Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009;
Saenz & Ponjuan, 2011).
This qualitative study utilized individual interviews and document analysis as the primary
data gathering tools. The data was viewed through a social capital lens and was analyzed using
the constant comparative method. The findings of this study show that parental involvement in
the form of verbal encouragement contributes to Latino male community college students’
persistence to transfer. Additionally, Latino males rely on social capital from institutional agents
and learn about the transfer process through various information channels. Counselors and
faculty provide Latino male community college students with moral encouragement and
motivation through role modeling and connecting them to campus programs.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 8
CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
In recent years, the United States lost its global rank as the nation with the most college
graduates. To regain the United States’ competitive edge on college completion rates and in the
global job market, President Obama proposed an ambitious goal of once again ranking as the
nation with the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020 (Obama, 2009). In
order to reach this targeted goal, specific attention will need to be dedicated to the educational
attainment of all students, including the Latino population which is now the fastest growing
ethnic group in California, yet the least educated.
Latino students fell behind other ethnic groups in college completion rates. In California,
5% of Latinos ages 25 or older completed an Associates degree compared to 9% Whites, 7%
Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 9% African Americans (The Campaign for Higher Education, 2013).
Additionally, only 11% of Latinos ages 25 or older completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher
compared to 39.3% Whites, 47.9% Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 23% African American.
Compared to White students, Latino students were less likely to: (1) enroll at a four-year
institution, (2) attend a selective college, (3) enroll in college full-time, and (4) complete a
bachelor’s degree (Fry & Taylor, 2013). These college attainment gaps between Latino students
and other ethnic groups highlight inequities in educational outcomes and emphasize the need to
focus on increasing college completion rates of Latino students.
Community college is the main access point to a higher education for Latino students.
The majority of Latino first-time freshmen students enrolled in the California Community
College system (The State of Latinos in Higher Education in California, 2013). Although most
Latino community college students intended to transfer, many of them did not transfer or
complete an associate’s degree (Chavez, 2008). Latino students who began their post secondary
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 9
education at a community college were less likely to complete a bachelor’s degree when
compared to students who started their college degree at a four-year institution (Arbona &Nora,
2007; Kane & Rouse, 1999; Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009). Low transfer rates by Latino community
college students display an educational system that has evolved into a gatekeeper to four-year
institutions.
College educational outcomes differed within the Latino population based on gender.
Latino male students were less likely to complete college level degrees compared to their female
peers (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009; Saenz & Ponjuan, 2011). Throughout the years, Latino male
enrollments declined in the higher education landscape (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009). The bachelor’s
degree or higher attainment rates among Latinas almost doubled since 1995 from 8.4% to 14.9%
in 2010. On the other hand, Latino males experienced a smaller increase from 10.1% to 12.9%
(Saenz & Ponjuan, 2011). In 2009, Latinas earned 61.6% of all degrees earned by the Latino
population. Latinas earned 140,080 associate or bachelor’s degrees in 2009, 52,713 more
combined degrees than Latino males. The gap in attainment rates between female and male
students from Latino backgrounds merits attention in order to improve the educational outcomes
of this ethnic population.
Statement of the Problem
Latinos completed college degrees at lower rates than other ethnic groups (Fry & Taylor,
2013). They are disproportionately concentrated in a community college system that did not live
up to its democratic values of providing all students with access to an education that promotes
social mobility. Although a high proportion of Latino community college students intended to
transfer to a four-year university, few of them did transfer (Hagedorn & Cepeda, 2004; Ornelas
& Solorzano, 2004). Additionally, Latino students at a two-year college were less likely to
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 10
complete a four-year degree than their counterparts who went directly into a four-year institution
after high school (Arbona & Nora, 2007; Kane & Rouse, 1999; Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009).
Latino male college students in particular lagged behind their female counterparts in
college degree attainment (Fry, 2012), yet research that focused only on the experiences of
Latino males in college is limited (Barajas & Pierce, 2001, Ovink, 2013; Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009;
Saenz & Ponjuan, 2011). There is minimal research that documents the college choice process
for transfer students (Martinez & Fernandez, 2004).
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of Latino male students in a
community college and their persistence to transfer to a four-year university. This study sought
to understand the role that institutional agents and student services played in Latino male
students’ decision to transfer. The following research questions guided this study:
1. What factors contribute to Latino male community college students’ persistence to
transfer to a four-year university?
a. How do Latino male students in community college learn about the
transfer process to a four-year degree granting institution?
b. What role do institutional agents play in supporting Latino male students’
decision to transfer?
c. What support services do Latino male students utilize to learn about the
transfer process?
This study used qualitative research methods. Rich descriptive data was collected through
semi-structured interviews with twelve Latino male community college students who intended to
transfer to a four-year university. The data provided a glimpse of students’ daily experiences as
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 11
community college students. The study also attempted to understand how students accessed
information on the transfer process that contributed to their persistence to transfer.
The theory that guided this study was Stanton-Salazar’s (2010) institutional agents
framework, which derived from Bourdieu’s (1986) social capital theory. Both Bourdieu’s (1986)
and Coleman’s theories of social capital were briefly reviewed to provide an understanding of
Social Capital. Bourdieu (1986) presented three forms of capital: social cultural, and symbolic
which had the potential to transform into economic capital. Since all forms of social capital were
imbedded in economic capital, individuals with low economic capital also have limited social
capital. Coleman (1988) emphasized the family’s social capital in the development of a child’s
intellect. Latino, first-generation community college students from low-income backgrounds
enter the higher education realm lacking the social capital to navigate the higher education
system. This study will explore how Latino male community college students extend their social
networks and how these connections contribute to their decision to transfer to a four-year
institution. Stanton-Salazar’s institutional agents framework argued that working-class and
minority youth rely on social networks from educational institutions. This study will utilize
Stanton-Salazar’s institutional agents framework to understand how institutional agents assist
Latino male students with their decision to transfer.
Significance of the Study
This study contributed to the literature on male, Latino community college students. The
data found in this study gave voice to the experiences of a student population that is disappearing
from the higher education setting and informed key players within the community college
system, such as administrators, faculty and academic advisors who have the potential to advocate
for Latino male college students.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 12
The findings from this study may help administrators to create, fund or sustain programs
and support services on their college campus that focus on the Latino male college student
population and the transfer process. The information gained from this study will also support
administrators in leadership positions in developing training and preparation for faculty and staff
to equip them with the knowledge on how to improve their approach and interactions with Latino
males.
The results of this study will be particularly important to faculty who work with students
on a regular basis and academic advisors who guide students through their educational journey.
Professors work directly with students and have the potential of making a lasting impact on their
college experience and their decision to transfer. Similarly, academic advisors have the potential
of sharing valuable social capital with Latino male college students that may expand their
educational options. The insights gained from this study may provide faculty and academic
advisors insights on how they can improve or continue to build on their current practices to better
support Latino males.
Limitations and Delimitations
This study had several limitations. First, the quality of the data collected through the
interviews depended on the participants’ responses, and influential factors of which I may not
have been aware, such as their health or mood during the time of the interview. Second, the
participants were male and I am a female, which may have influenced the participants’ comfort
level in divulging personal information. In qualitative research, the researcher is the primary
instrument in the data collection process; therefore, the data was susceptible to my biases, which
will be discussed further in the validity and reliability section in chapter three.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 13
There were delimitations to this study. For instance, this was a qualitative study that was
focused on gathering in-depth data from a small participant sample at one community college
institution. The results of the study were specific to the small sample of participants at the
community college where this study took place, and the findings may only be helpful in
understanding students at similar institutions. Additional delimitations surrounding this study
pertain to gender and students’ educational goals. This study did not intend to contribute to the
existing literature on the general experiences of Latino college students. Instead, this study
acknowledged that students’ college experiences differed based on their ethnic and gender
identity and cultural and gender norms associated to their identity, and attempted to contribute to
the limited research specific to Latino males in community college.
Definition of Terms
The following definitions will be used in this study:
College Completion Agenda: A national movement to increase college completion rates to 55%
among young adults ages 25 to 34 by 2025 (Hughes, 2012).
Institutional agent: An individual who has the capacity and commitment to negotiate or conduct
resources and opportunities (Staton-Salazar, 1997).
Latino or Hispanic: A person from Mexican, South or Central-American, Puerto Rican, Cuban,
or Spanish origin, regardless of race (Ennis, Vargas, & Albert, 2011).
Social capital: An intangible form of capital that can convert into economic capital or
institutional power (Bourdieu, 1986).
Transfer Agents: Individuals who utilize resources to support low-income students in the college
navigation process and overcoming barriers (Bensimon & Dowd, 2009).
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 14
Transfer Choice Gap: a phenomenon in which community college students who in three years
completed transfer requirements to highly selective universities, elected to attend less selective
four-year institutions (Bensimon & Dowd, 2009).
Transfer Gap: the point between completing transfer eligibility requirements and actually
transferring to a four-year institution (Bensimon & Dowd, 2009).
Organization of the Study
The organization of this dissertation consists of five chapters. Chapter one provides an
introduction to the college completion challenges associated to the Latino community and the
problem focus and significance of this study. Chapter two provides an overview of the college
completion agenda, the historical context of the community college system, and educational
experiences of Latino students. Chapter two also presents social capital as the theory guiding this
study. The chapter introduces social capital as defined by Bourdieu (1986) and Coleman (1988)
and continues with Stanton-Salazar’s (2010) institutional agents framework. Chapter three
details the methodology that will be used throughout this study. Chapter four will describe the
results of this qualitative study. Lastly, chapter five will include a discussion of the implications
for research.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 15
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
This literature review covers research on the educational experiences of Latino male community
college students and their decision to transfer to a four-year university. This section begins by discussing
the college completion agenda initiatives established to help increase degree completion rates. The
chapter follows with an overview of the development of the community college system and its role in
providing students from diverse ethnic and income backgrounds access to an affordable post-secondary
education. Then it continues with an examination of the academic and personal challenges that Latino
students face at the community college with a glimpse into the unique experiences Latino male students
have as a result of their ethnic and gender identity. Also discussed is the federal government’s designation
of Hispanic Serving Institutions. Finally, this chapter addresses the theoretical frameworks shaping this
research project: Bourdieu (1986) and Coleman’s (1988) social capital theory and Stanton-Salazar’s
(2010) institutional agents framework.
The College Completion Agenda
The U.S. is falling behind in global competitiveness as the degree completion rate among
its young adult population remains stagnant while those for the same age group in European and
Asian countries increased (Russell, 2011). Declining college completion rates for students in the
25 to 34 age group prompted greater scrutiny from President Obama’s administration, as the 25
to 34 age group is frequently used in international comparisons of degree completion rates
(United States Department of Education, 2011). To close the gap, President Obama set a goal of
reclaiming the status as the country with the highest proportion of college graduates in the world
by the year 2020 (Obama, 2009).
The Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) showed that,
across member countries, post-secondary, or tertiary, educational attainment increased primarily
due to a growth in post-secondary completion among young adults. Unfortunately, the United
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 16
States fell behind in completion rates for the 25 to 34 year age group. In most countries, more
than 40% of this group earned a post-secondary education (OECD, 2014). Data comparison of
tertiary attainment rates between the 25 to 34 age group and the 55 to 64 age group showed an
over 20 percentage point difference in countries like France, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg,
Poland, and Spain, and, remarkably, Korea experienced a 52 percentage point gap (OECD,
2014). However, in Germany, Israel, and the United States, the gap between the two age groups
is less than 3 percentage points. In the U.S. the Department of Education (2011) estimates that
the number of college graduates will need to increase by 50% by the end of the decade.
Therefore, more attention must be focused on increasing educational opportunities for all
students.
In an attempt to increase the United States’ competitiveness in a global economy,
President Obama’s administration established a goal of ensuring that every child has “access to a
complete and competitive education-from the day they are born to the day they begin a career”
(Obama, 2009). Towards that effort, various organizations joined the national movement for
college completion (Russell, 2011). In 2008, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation committed
to a national goal of doubling the number of low-income students who complete a postsecondary
degree or certificate by the age of 26 by the year 2025 (Russell, 2011). Additionally, the Lumina
Foundation created a strategic plan in 2009 to help ensure that 60% of Americans attain a
postsecondary degree or certificates by 2025, which is referred to as “Goal 2025” (Lumina
Foundation Strategic Plan, 2013). In order to reach Goal 2025, the nation will need to produce 62
million postsecondary credentials. However, considering current completion rates,
approximately 39 million two- and four-year degrees will be awarded by 2025, which still leaves
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 17
a 23 million gap in the number of degrees that will need to be awarded in order to reach Goal
2025.
As each state needs to produce a particular number of college graduates in order for the
U.S. to remain on target with college completion goals, governors and state legislators also
joined the effort. For example, California’s 2009 baseline of college graduates in the 25 to 34
age range was 1,999,839, and the college graduates goal, as of 2020, is between 3,650,000 and
3,880,000 (United States Department of Education, 2011). The community college system
received increasing attention due to President Obama’s call for an additional 5 million
community college graduates by 2020 (Obama, 2009).
Despite these many initiatives, Latino male students continue to trail behind in college
completion when compared to students from other ethnic groups. This study seeks to gain an
understanding of the process that Latino male community college students go through in
deciding to transfer and complete a four-year degree. The following section provides a brief
review of the history of the community college system in the United States to highlight its role in
providing access to a postsecondary education.
History of the Community College System
Before the community college system, public and private universities emphasized a
liberal arts education and training for emerging industries, such as agriculture, did not exist
(Cohen & Brawer, 2003; Sullivan, 2005). The need for training in particular trades, along with
the ideal of making higher education accessible to all, led to the creation of the two-year
community college system. The system traces its origins to the 1862 passage of the Morrill Act,
which granted higher education access to all Americans in an effort to expand preparation in
agricultural, engineering, and military science careers (Sullivan, 2005). Each state was provided
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 18
30,000 acres of federal land to build a public university. Many of these focused on agricultural
and teacher training and were less expensive than private colleges (Cohen & Brawer, 2003).
The mission of most community colleges was to embody a community based
institution that allowed open-access admissions policies and provided a comprehensive
educational program that encouraged lifelong learning (Vaughan, 2006). As community colleges
became more accessible, there was an increased need for more subjects of study and
occupational training (Cohen & Brawer, 2003). After World War II, community colleges
increased vocational programs to accommodate returning servicemen using the GI Bill and
combined vocational instruction with a liberal arts education (Sullivan, 2005).
Community college development was defined by the overall growth of higher
education during the twentieth century. In the early 1900s, secondary institution enrollments
grew rapidly (Cohen & Bawer, 2003). For instance, in 1910, 5% of eighteen-year-olds entered
college, while, in 1960, 45% did so (Cohen & Brawer, 2003). According to Sullivan (2005), in
1921 the American Association of Junior Colleges was established and was later renamed the
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). This name change correlated to a shift
in how these institutions were viewed. The term “junior college” was commonly associated with
the lower-division sectors of private universities and to independent or church-based two-year
colleges. The term “community college” was associated with comprehensive public institutions
that provided liberal arts education and career training (Cohen & Brawer, 2003). By the 1970s,
the term “community college” was commonly applied to both types of institutions (Cohen &
Brawer, 2003).
During the 1960s, community colleges experienced a substantial increase in
enrollment as the Baby Boomer generation contributed to matriculation rates (Sullivan, 2005).
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 19
Additionally, individuals sought the draft deferments granted to full-time students during the
Vietnam War, and campuses expanded their programs to include vocational, transfer, non-credit
courses, and customized training (Sullivan, 2005). Several degree options became available, such
as the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Applied Science (Sullivan,
2005). As a result, the term “community college” came to be defined as any accredited
institution that grants the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree (Cohen & Brawer,
2003).
Community College Students Nationally
The community college system attracts a diverse student population due to its
accessibility (Boggs, 2011). Characteristics unique to community colleges, such as flexible
course schedules, low tuition fees, career training, and proximity to students’ homes make them
a viable option (Sullivan, 2005). The community college student population also consists of high
school students seeking concurrent enrollment programs to help them accelerate their studies. In
addition, foreign students can also begin their higher education at community colleges as they
transition to life in the U.S. (Sullivan, 2005). These campuses also provide access to students
with disabilities and those seeking to advance their learning through credit or non-credit courses
and cultural activities (Sullivan, 2005).
The diversity of students on these campuses is highlighted by their demographics in five
areas: enrollment status, age, gender, generation status, and ethnicity. In the nation’s 1,132
community colleges, 40% of students were enrolled in courses full-time, and 60% in part-time
status during the Fall 2012 term (AACC, 2014). Secondly, traditional college students (those
between the ages of 17 and 21) as well as non-traditional students seek educational opportunities
at these campuses (Sullivan, 2005). The average age of students enrolled in American
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 20
community colleges during the 2011-2012 academic year was 28 (AACC, 2014), but students
under the age of 21 made up 30% of the population students in the 40 or older age group made
up 14% and 22- to 39-year-olds made up the majority of the population at 57%. Overall, women
enrolled in community college at a higher rate than did men 57% and 43%, respectively (AACC,
2014). Students who were the first in their families to attend college (first generation college
students) made up 36% of the population (AACC, 2014). Lastly, the community college
population is also ethnically diverse, with 33% of students identifying as ethnic minorities, and
that figure is expected to rise (Sullivan, 2005). In Fall 2012, the ethnic breakdown at community
colleges was 51% White, 19% Hispanic, 14% Black, 6% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 1% Native
American (AACC, 2014).
The California Master Plan
California created a streamlined approach to increasing access to higher education
through the passage of the Donahoe Higher Education Act in 1960. The Act implemented the
Master Plan, which created a differentiation of functions among the University of California
(UC), the California State University (CSU), and the Community College (CC) systems. The
Master Plan addressed the following: (a) increasing enrollments in California’s higher education
institutions, (b) the future financial position of the state, and (c) the concerns over competitions
and overlap between the University of California (UC) and other state colleges (CA Master Plan
for Higher Education, 2009). The UC system became the primary institution for academic
research while the CSU system was designated as an undergraduate and graduate degree granting
institution that also provides a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership and
additional doctorates through a joint effort with a UC campus. The community college system’s
mission was to offer lower division courses for the first two years of an undergraduate education.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 21
Additionally, the community colleges were approved for remedial education, adult noncredit
courses, work force training, and English as a second language (CA Master Plan for Higher
Education, 2009).
Another important feature of the Master Plan was a differentiation in admissions criteria
as a way to increase choice and access for students. UC campuses were to select students from
the top one-eighth of high school seniors while the CSUs were to select from the top one-third,
and community colleges were to maintain open admissions (CA Master Plan for Higher
Education, 2009). The Master Plan also featured a commitment to providing community college
students who completed lower and upper division courses access to UC and CSU campuses. The
Master Plan was intended to coordinate one coherent system as a “single continuum of
educational opportunity” (CA Master Plan for Higher Education, 2009).
The California Community College System
The
California Community Colleges make up the largest higher education system in the
United States with 112 campuses and 2.1 million students (California Community Colleges
Chancellor’s Office, 2014). The system’s mission is to provide lower division level academic
and vocational instruction (California Education Code Section 66010.4 (b), 1999). During the
2012-2013 school year, the California Community College (CCC) system awarded 5,357
Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees for transfer and 91,502 A.A.
and A.S. degrees (Community College League of California, 2014).
Traditional college-age students represent the age group with the largest percentage of
students enrolled. Table 1 outlines the CCC enrollment percentages for each age group.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 22
Table 1
California Community College Students by Age, 2012-2013
Age Group Percent
19 and under 24.70%
20-24 33.30%
25-29 12.90%
30-34 7.10%
35 and Over 21.70%
Unknown 0.02%
Adapted from the Community College League of California Fast Facts 2014
During the 2011 to 2012 school year, the number of students who transferred to a UC
campus was 16,246, while 51,050 students transferred to a CSU (Community College League of
CA, 2014). Figure 1 presents the numbers of students who transferred between 2011 and 2013
and the types of institutions they selected.
Adapted from the Community College League of California Fast Facts, 2014
Figure 1. California Community College Transfers to Four-Year Institutions
The student population at CCC system is very diverse, but the largest ethnic group is Hispanic.
During the 2012-2013 school year, 38.9% of students identified as Hispanic. That year, female
students made up 53.6% of the student population (Community College League of California
16,246
15,663
51,050
44,236
19,886
13,897
21,000
14,691
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
2011-2012 2012-2013
UC
CSU
In-State Private
Out-of-State
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 23
Fast Facts, 2014). Figure 2 provides a breakdown of student ethnic groups, and Figure 3
illustrates enrollment percentages by gender.
Adapted from the Community College League of California Fast Facts 2014
Figure 2. California Community College Student Ethnicity, 2012-2013
Adapted from the Community College League of California Fast Facts 2014
Figure 3. California Community College Students by Gender, 2012-2013
The above figures illustrate the diversity of background and experience found within the
community college system in California. The demographic data demonstrate a gap between
male and female college completion rates. The following section addresses this gap among the
Hispanic/Latino population.
12%
1%
18%
5%
63%
1%
African-American
Native American
Asian
Pilipino
Hispanic
Pacific Islander
54%
45%
1%
Female
Male
Unknown
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 24
Latino Students and Higher Education
In 2000, Latinos became the largest minority group in the U.S. at 14% of the population.
The 2010 Census defined Hispanic or Latino as “a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican,
South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race” (Ennis, Vargas,
& Albert, 2011). According to the 2010 U.S. Census Brief, based on the 2010 Census, 16% of
the American population was Hispanic or Latino (Ennis, Vargas, & Albert, 2011). The increase
in the Hispanic population between 2000 and 2010 accounted for more than half of the growth in
the total U.S population (Ennis, Vargas, & Albert, 2011). The population of individuals from
Mexican descent increased 54% between 2000 and 2010 and had the largest growth among
Hispanic groups (Ennis, Vargas, & Albert, 2011).
In the state of California, 38% of the population in 2012 was Latino and that percentage
is projected to increase (The State of Latinos in Higher Education in California, 2013).
Additionally, 61% of the population of Mexican descent in the U.S. resided in the state. Based on
the 2010 Census, over half of the Hispanic population in the U.S. lived in California, Texas, and
Florida.
The demographic shift is also reflected in the higher education system. In 1990, President
George H.W. Bush established the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for
Hispanics, which addressed the continuing educational disparities experienced by the Hispanic
community. In 2010, President Obama renewed the initiative through Executive Order 13555.
The initiative recognized Hispanics as the fastest growing group in the U.S., but also the least
educated. Hispanics are expected to represent 60% of U.S. population growth between 2005 and
2050, yet, Hispanics have the lowest levels of educational attainment. The future of the United
States is linked to the future of the Hispanic community living in the United States (U.S.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 25
Department of Education & White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanics,
2011). The initiative aimed at reestablishing the nation as a global educational leader by
increasing both access to higher education and the educational outcomes of Hispanic students
from early childhood through adulthood. The experiences of Latino students in higher education
merit additional research to contribute to the existing literature on Latino students.
Latino students now complete high school at higher rates than before. An analysis of
Hispanic students ages 18 to 24 demonstrated that 76.3% of them had earned a high school
diploma or General Educational Development (GED) in 2011, which was up from 72.8% in 2010
(Fry, 2012). Of the 2012 Hispanic high school graduates, 69% enrolled in college by the
following October. Additionally, Hispanics between the ages of 18 to 24 years who enrolled in
college during the 2011 year made up 16.5% of all college enrollments and represented the
highest share of college enrollments ever in the U.S. (Fry, 2012). The college access gap among
Latino students is steadily closing. Yet, despite the increase in college enrollment, Latino
students tend to enroll at community colleges as opposed to four-year campuses, and their degree
completion rates are lower than those of other ethnic groups. According to data from October
2011, only 56% of Hispanic college students aged 18 to 24 were enrolled at four-year colleges or
universities, compared to 72% of White students (Fry & Taylor, 2013). Also, Latino students in
the 18 to 24 age range were less likely to enroll full time: only 78% were enrolled full time as
compared to 85% of White students (Fry & Taylor, 2013). Significant for this study, the
Hispanic 18 to 24 age group made up 25.2% of the students enrolled in two-year colleges (Fry,
2012).
The two-year community college system is the main gateway into post-secondary
institutions for Latino students (Fry, 2002; Laden, 2004; Martinez-Wenzl & Marquez, 2012,
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 26
Ornelas, 2002; Ornelas & Solorzano, 2004; Solorzano, Villalpando, & Oseguera, 2005). One
explanation for the over representation of Latino students in community colleges was presented
by Person and Rosenbaum’s (2006) who examined Latino student’s access to college
information and enrollment decisions at two-year colleges through the lens of chain migration
theory. When applying the chain migration concept to college choice process of Latino students,
the researchers determined that students enrolled at a college along with someone they knew,
they chose a college where someone they knew preceded them, or they sought out contacts once
they enrolled. An over representation occurs at the community college level when Latino
students follow others students they know at the community college.
Degree Attainment Among Latinos
Although community colleges are the main access point for many Latino students and
enrollments of Latino students have increased, too few complete their degree goals or transfer to
a four-year university (Monaghan & Attewell, 2014). In 2010, Latino students made up 13.2% of
associate’s degree recipients and 8.5% of bachelor’s degree recipients. Additionally, the
probability of their attaining a four-year degree diminished depending on the type of institution
in which they enrolled. Latino students who attended a two-year institution rather than a four-
year institution were less likely to complete a bachelor’s degree (Kane & Rouse, 1999; Saenz &
Ponjuan, 2009).
Latino students were more likely to transfer to four-year institutions and attain a
bachelor’s degree if they participated in rigorous academic coursework in high school and had
higher aspirations to complete a bachelor’s degree (Arbona & Nora, 2007; Crisp & Nora, 2009;
Lee & Frank, 1990; Nunez & Kim, 2012). Additionally, only 60% of students who intended to
complete a B.A. degree actually completed 60 units at a community college to transfer to a four-
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 27
year institution (Monaghan & Attewell, 2014). Thus, specific attention is required at the
community college level to increase transfer rates among the Latino student population.
Latino Males
The number of Latino males in the higher education pipeline is very low, which
contributes to a growing gender gap (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009; Saenz & Ponjuan, 2011). While
more recent enrollment rates in secondary and post-secondary institutions demonstrate an
increase in access among Latino students, a more detailed view of gender shows stark
differences in completion rates. Figure 4 is based on 2010 census data that presents the
educational attainment rates of Latinos by gender and age and shows that the four-year degree
completion rates declined among the Latino 18-24 age group.
Adapted from Saenz and Ponjuan (2011)
Figure 4. Latina/o Educational Attainment by Gender and Age Based on 2010 Census Data
Latino male students attained a college degree at lower rates than did their female
counterparts (Cerna, Perez, & Saenz, 2009). In addition, a review of CIRP Freshman survey
trends data from 1975-2006 demonstrated a decline of Latino males entering four-year
institutions from 57.4% to 39% (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009). Also, a review of bachelor’s degrees
awarded to Latino males and females from 1977 to 2009 indicated a growing gender gap in four-
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 28
year degree completion rates. In 1977, no differences existed in the number of bachelor’s
degrees awarded to Latino males and females (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2011). Over the years, the
gender gap increased such that females earned 62% of bachelor’s degree awarded to Latinos.
Figure 5 displays the gender disparity in four-year completion rates among Latino males and
females from 1977 to 2009.
Adapted from Saenz & Ponjuan (2011)
Figure 5. Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded to Latino Males and Females
The growing gap in four-year degree completion rates between Latino males and females
requires additional attention, particularly at California Community Colleges, where the majority
of students are Latino. There is a limited body of research that focuses specifically on the college
experiences of Latino male students (Barajas & Pierce, 2001; Saenz & Ponjuan, 2008), and this
study is intended to address some of that gap.
The Transfer Experience
Although the three-tier California college system was intended to provide all students
with equal access to a post-secondary institution, community college enrollment patterns
demonstrate that Latino student enrollments are increasing, yet transfer and completion rates
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 29
continue to be low. Various factors contribute to the educational experiences of Latino students
at the community college level. To explore these, the following section reviews challenges that
Latino students face that impede their transferring and completion of a four-year degree.
Academic Preparation and Advising
A frequently recognized reason for Latino student’s enrollment in community colleges
was a lack of academic preparation, as many Latino students attended over-populated and under-
served K-12 schools, leading to a lack of college preparatory counseling and low academic
preparation (Fry, 2002; Hagedorn & Cepeda, 2004; Ornelas & Solorzano, 2004; Solorzano,
Villalpando, & Osequera, 2005). Nonetheless, students who demonstrated academic preparation
in high school were more likely to succeed at a community college and transfer to a four-year
university (Crisp & Nora, 2009; Porchea, Allen, Robbins, & Phelps, 2010). For example, a
higher grade point average and higher standardized exam scores increased the probability of
transfer (Porchea et al., 2010). The academic preparation that students received at the high
school level had an impact on their community college course programming.
Once enrolled in community college, Latinos’ probability of transferring depends on their
academic preparation. Low academic skills lead to remedial coursework and to the inability to
complete the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC), which are
courses required to satisfy transfer requirements (Hagedorn & Lester, 2006). Community college
students are more likely to take remedial courses than students who entered a four-year
institution directly after high school (Managhan & Attewell, 2014), thus increasing the number
of courses needed to fulfill transfer requirements.
Additionally, an absence of information or misinformation shared by community college
faculty, staff, and students affects Latino students’ understanding of the transfer process
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 30
(Bensimon & Dowd, 2009; Hagedorn & Lester, 2006; Ornelas & Solorzano, 2004; Solorzano,
Villalpando, & Oseguera, 2005). In 2011, only 60% of degree-seeking students who completed
60 units transferred to a four-year institution (Monaghan & Attewell, 2014). Articulation
agreements alone did not improve transfer rates; they had to be accompanied by counseling and
advising services that informed students of the transfer process (Anderson, Sun, & Alfonso,
2006). Students expressed a desire to transfer, yet they were not completing the necessary
requirements. Findings suggested that counselors at the community college must take proactive
steps in monitoring students’ academic progress and reach out to students with academic
difficulties (Hagedorn & Lester, 2006).
Supportive Relationships with Faculty and Staff
Higher education practitioners play a significant role in students’ success (Bensimon,
2007; Sandoval-Lucero et al., 2014). Although Latino students faced many academic, financial,
and personal challenges at the community college level, the staff and faculty who worked with
them contributed to their ability to persist towards their four-year degree. The accessibility of
instructors to provide tutoring and motivational support also contributed to student success
(Sandoval-Lucero et al., 2014). A common factor among community college students who
transferred to selective four-year institutions was relationships with institutional agents who
genuinely supported them in the transfer process and instilled in them a sense of confidence and
affirmation (Barnett, 2011; Bensimon, 2007). Academic advisors, particularly, were integral in
educating students on the transfer process and helping them design a plan to achieve their goal.
Students who received academic advising increased their opportunities for success, especially if
they had academic deficiencies (Bahr, 2008; Chacon, 2012; Zell, 2010).
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 31
Sense of Belonging
Feeling a sense of belonging to a college campus was also an important part of Latino
students’ collegiate experience. The difficulties they experienced were related to networking,
perseverance, and feelings of individual differences and isolation rather than to academic-related
difficulties (Garcia & Figueroa, 2002). Latino students felt a stronger sense of belonging to the
college campus if they were involved in activities at their college campus (Hurtado & Carter,
1997; Ingram & Gonzalez, 2013; Sandoval- Lucero et al., 2014). The relationship between time
spent at the university and sense of belonging emphasized the importance of providing
meaningful connections in the first year of college (Gloria et al., 2009; Hurtado & Carter, 1997;
Ingram & Gonzalez, 2013; Sandoval-Lucero et al., 2014).
Latino males experience more difficulties navigating the college system when compared
to females (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009). Their experiences were uniquely constructed according to
their experiences based on race and gender, two factors that affect students’ college success
(Barrajas & Pierce, 2001; Saenz, Bukoski, Lu, & Rodriguez, 2013). Males have less positive
self-perceptions of race and ethnicity and are less likely to create networks and relationships that
help them construct and maintain a positive outlook of their racial and ethnic identity (Barrajas
& Pierce, 2001). Uncertain feelings, combined with a lack of social support and shared
understanding of their differences as ethnic/racial minorities, had a negative impact on their
psychological well-being (Barrajas & Pierce, 2001). Identifying, valuing, and nurturing
differences associated to culture and gender provides opportunities to increase their perception of
self and psychological well-being (Castellanos, Scull, & Villegas, 2009), as creating trust and a
sense of community supports Latino first-generation students in their college experience (Gloria
et al., 2009; Saunders & Serna, 2004). Students who create new networks and maintain old
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 32
networks persist towards their degree (Baker & Velez, 1996; Hurtado & Carter, 1997; Saunders
& Serna, 2004). Additionally, when Latino students identified with others from the same
cultural/ethnic group, they perceived a higher sense of belonging and comfort (Garcia &
Figueroa, 2002). Keeping relationships with people with similar interests and values creates a
sense of meaning and community (Cerna et al., 2009).
Student Perceptions
Validation from institutional agents positively contributes to the college experience of
Latino students, as students who receive affirmations develop both a positive college student
identity and academic integration (Barnett, 2011; Dowd et al., 2013). Institutional agents with a
physical space available, such as a transfer program office, provide students with a psychological
and physical base where they experience a sense of comfort and support (Dowd et. al, 2013). In
addition, institutional agents provide students with emotional support that allows them to
develop a sense of comfort (Bensimon & Dowd, 2009; Stanton-Salazar, 2011).
Cultural and Social Influences
Community college students’ family background contributes to their educational
outcomes. Family income and the education level of parents are predictors of community college
students’ transfer to a four-year university (Crisp & Nora, 2009; Porchea et al., 2010).
Additionally, first generation college students were more likely to drop out of college than
students with a parent who earned a four-year degree (Porchea et al, 2010).
Cultural values, such as the sense of familism, defined gender roles and expectations to
place the family’s needs before the individual’s. Familism includes a “strong identification and
attachment to the immediate and extended family” (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009, p.62). A sense of
loyalty, responsibility, and unity within the Latino family were values associated to familism
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 33
(Suarez-Orozco & Suarez- Orozco, 1995), which assists in the process of defining gender roles
and expectations placed on each family member. These roles and expectations commonly result
in placing the needs of the family before the individual member’s needs (Saenz & Ponjuan,
2009). Traditional gender roles and family expectations assigned to Latino males, such as being
family oriented, brave, hardworking, strong, and family contributors, manifested in Latino
males’ decision to join the workforce earlier when compared to their female peers and to
foregoing a post-secondary education (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009). However, familism was not
perceived as a negative influence on the educational attainment of Latino males. On the contrary,
familism served as a form of social capital that encouraged educational accomplishments
(Sandoval-Lucero et al., 2014; Suarez-Orozco & Suarez, Orozco, 1995; Valenzuela, 1999). The
family often provided support to Latino students in the form of moral support or encouragement
to focus on academics (Sandoval-Lucero et al., 2014).
Social Networks
Strong social networks contributed to positive college experiences for Latino males given
that they found success after understanding the importance of networking (Garcia & Figueroa,
2002). Mentors who provide support in cultivating positive ethnic identity perceptions
significantly contributed to Latino males’ self-perceptions and, ultimately, their college
experience (Barrajas & Pierce, 2001). The ability to establish strong social networks that provide
the social capital to navigate the college system increased their chances to reach their educational
goals.
Hispanic Serving Institutions
The Hispanic student population in higher education captured the attention of federal,
state, and institutional leaders in the 1980s as institutional leaders saw large enrollments of
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 34
Latino students at specific institutions. In 1983, “Hispanic Institutions” were discussed at
Congressional hearings in Texas, Illinois, and Puerto Rico, that concentrated on issues related to
higher education access and the lack of funding for institutions with predominantly Latino
student enrollment (Santiago, 2006). The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
(HACU) was formed to unite and represent institutions with large Hispanic enrollments in an
effort to improve access to higher education (Santiago, 2006).
The term “Hispanic-Serving Institution” was introduced during the first HACU
conference in 1986. It became evident at the state level that institutions with large Hispanic
enrollments did not receive sufficient funds to improve the educational quality and services. This
resulted in a class-action lawsuit filed by the League of United Latin America Citizens (LULAC)
in 1987 against the state of Texas, which contended the method used to fund and approve
programs at higher education institutions in Texas discriminated against low-income and Latino
students. LULAC argued that the state discriminated against Hispanics along the Texas and
Mexican border. The Texas Supreme Court did not find the state guilty of discrimination, but it
did highlight the state’s inability to provide a “first class” system of institutions in geographic
parts of the state with a high concentration of Hispanic students. The findings case influenced
the Hispanic-Serving Institutions of Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1989. However, it was not
until 1992 that federal legislation recognized Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) with the
reauthorization of the HEA under Title III of the HEA Developing Institution Programs.
In the 1998 reauthorization of the HEA, the “Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions”
program was relocated to the Title V “Developing Institutions” section of the HEA. Based on the
Higher Education Act of 1965 Title V, as amended in 2008, the legal definition for an HSI is a
nonprofit public or private accredited and degree-granting institution with 25 percent or more
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 35
total undergraduate Hispanic students with full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment and with high
financial need. The phrase “high financial need” refers to at least 50% of students receiving
need-based financial assistance and a substantial percentage receiving Federal Pell Grants
(Higher Education Act, 2008).
The term Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is a fairly new classification in education
that is defined differently by various entities (Laden, 2004). HEA’s definition of HSI is the most
restricting definition because of the financial need criteria. Definitions established by the
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and the White House Initiative on
Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans provide a more flexible definition, as mentioned
above. HACU’s definition of HSI does not include criteria based on financial need of the
students enrolled.
Hispanic Serving Institutions are unlike other Minority Serving Institutions, such as
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities
(TCUs), which have existed for decades. HBCUs were introduced in the 1880s to educate the
freed slave population while TCUs emerged in the 1960s to meet the cultural and educational
needs of American Indians (Laden, 2004). HSIs, on the other hand, emerged swiftly, without
mission statements or obvious institutional commitment to improve the educational outcomes of
Hispanic students (Benitez & DeAro, 2004; Santiago, 2006).
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) maintains a list of HSIs using data from the Integrated
Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), which gathers information from universities,
colleges, and vocational and technical institutions that participate in federal financial aid
programs. The IPEDS data system uses the federal definition to identify HSIs, including for-
profit institutions. No official HSI definition exits. The U.S. Department of Education’s
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 36
definition is used by the federal government only if institutions are approved by the Department
of Education for Title V funding (Santiago, 2006).
As the Hispanic population continues to grow, so does the number of Hispanic Serving
Institutions, particularly in geographical areas where Hispanic students are concentrated. The
demographic shift in the Southwest region of the United States is reflected in the number of
community colleges that have been designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions. Between 2003
and 2013, the number of HSIs grew from 242 to 370 (Excelencia in Education, 2014). In the
2012-2013 academic year, there were 370 HSIs, which was 11% of all higher education
institutions (Excelencia in Education, 2014). California had the most HSIs followed by Texas,
New Mexico, and New York (Excelencia in Education, 2014; Laden, 2004).
Public, two-year institutions are the most common type of HSI (Benitez, 1998). Benitez
and DeAro (2004) found that 80% of HSIs community colleges were in urban locations, and
60% of HSI community colleges were in Texas and California. Residents in these two states
account for almost 50% of the Hispanic population in the U.S. Similarly, Latino students who
planned to enroll at a two-year institutions were more than twice as likely to enroll in a two-year
HSI instead of a two-year non-HSI (Nunez, Sparks, & Hernandez, 2011). Latino students at
HSIs, rely on social and cultural capital from peers attending these institutions and are therefore
more likely to enroll.
Once on a community college campus, transfer to a four-year institution is crucial to the
educational attainment of Hispanic students. Laden (2004) conducted content analyses of HSI
data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S. Bureau of the Census, and
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and found that the institutions with
the highest transfer rates were HSIs. Perrakis and Hagedorn (2010) interviewed students, one
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 37
faculty member, one counselor and two administrators at a HSI community college in the Los
Angeles Community College District. The community college was distinguished as the
community college that awarded the most Associate of Arts degrees to Hispanic in Los Angeles.
Students focused on issues dealing with social atmosphere and linguistics, such as the need to
having more Spanish-speaking counselors.
Social Capital
This study seeks to understand the experiences of Latino males at a two-year community
college and their decision-making process to transfer to a four-year university. The theoretical
framework lens that was used to view these experiences was Stanton-Salazar’s (1997) work on
institutional agents. Bourdieu’s (1986) and Coleman’s (1988) theories of social capital are
discussed in this section to provide a background to Stanton-Salazar’s institutional agents
framework.
Bourdieu introduced social capital as a way of accessing institutional resources (Dika &
Singh, 2002). Social capital is defined by Bourdieu (1986) as “the aggregate of the actual or
potential resources which are linked to possession of a durable network of more or less
institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition-or in other words, to
membership in a group- which provides each of its members with the backing of the collectively-
owned capital, a ‘credential’ which entitles them to credit, in the various senses of the word” (p.
21). Bourdieu (1986) argued that capital exists in forms other than the one recognized in
economic theory as a commercial exchange for the purpose of maximizing profit. According to
Bourdieu (1986), capital can appear in three forms: as economic capital that directly converts
into money; as cultural capital that, under specific conditions, can convert to economic capital or
it can be institutionalized as educational qualifications; and, lastly, as social capital which
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 38
consists of social obligations that in particular conditions, may convert in to economic capital or
may be institutionalized as a position of power. Additionally, Bourdieu (1986) noted that all
forms of capital are rooted in economic capital; therefore, individuals with low economic capital
will have limited social capital.
The extent to which social capital is deemed as beneficial depends on the group
membership (Bourdieu, 1986). For example, membership in a high-status group from the
dominant society will render social capital that will continue one’s access to a high-status
position. The same applies to a low-status group, which will only have access to social capital
that will be beneficial within the low-status realm. The social capital gained through membership
of a low-status group is not valued by the dominant group and leaves individuals from the low-
status group at a disadvantage. This, in turn, leads to a reproduction of the dominant class
(Bourdieu, 1986). Thus, social capital can be exclusionary by reproducing social class
inequalities.
While Bourdieu argued that social capital reproduces social structures that benefit the
dominant class, Coleman viewed social capital as a resource to all communities, including the
non-dominant groups (Coleman, 1988). Coleman claimed that social capital was “defined by its
function. It is not a single entity but a variety of different entities, with two elements in common:
they all consist of some aspect of social structures and they facilitate certain actions of actors-
whether persons or corporate actors-within the structure” (p. S98). Unlike physical capital, social
capital is intangible and results from the relationships established among individuals (Coleman,
1988). Through social capital, resources can be combined to produce a different outcome for
individuals.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 39
Social capital has three forms: (1) information channels, (2) trust, and (3) norms and
effective sanctions (Coleman, 1988). Coleman (1988) refers to information channels as the
information that is inherently exchanged through social relations. The value in the exchange of
information is not based on obligation or trust; it is merely based on information that is provided
as a result of the social relations. Social capital is also found in social structures where people
depend on each other. This type of social capital depends on trustworthiness of the social
environment and the extent of obligations. The third form of social capital that Coleman (1988)
discussed consists of existing norms and effective sanctions that have been established by the
surrounding community. Coleman (1988) viewed social capital as the responsibility of the family
and the surrounding community to establish norms that will help their children advance.
Coleman (1988) distinguished human capital from social capital. Human capital is gained
through changes individuals make that result in new skills that allow them to act in new ways
while social capital is created as a result of changes in the individuals’ relations with people who
facilitate action (Coleman, 1988). The existence of social capital in both a family and in a
community contributes to the creation of human capital in the future generation (Coleman,
1988). Coleman (1988) stressed the importance of a family’s social capital on the development
of a child’s intellect. However, the family members must share their human capital through their
relations with the child, in other words, the family’s social capital. Coleman (1988) further
discussed that the physical presence of adults in the family and the attention those adults provide
children will determine the social capital that exists within the family. Educational outcomes,
such as dropping-out of high school, are affected by a lack of social capital in the family.
Stanton-Salazar (1997) proposed a framework on social capital derived from Bourdieu
and Coleman’s work. Stanton-Salazar’s work addressed the importance of social capital shared
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 40
through institutional support to minority children and adolescents. Working-class youth have
significantly less access to social capital as compared to middle class youth (Stanton-Salazar,
1995), and structural problems that are institutionalized in society make it problematic for the
development of working-class youth (Stanton-Salazar, 1997). Stanton-Salazar (1997) asserted
that some individuals attain the privileges, resources, and support to maintain or advance their
economic and political position in society as a result of relationships established with
institutional agents.
Supportive relations with institutional agents are necessary for engagement and
progression in the educational system, particularly for working-class and minority youth
(Stanton-Salazar, 1995). Stanton-Salazar (1997) termed institutional agents as “individuals who
have the capacity and commitment to transmit directly, or negotiate the transmission of,
institutional resources and opportunities” (p. 6). These agents occupy positions of authority or
high status, and they use their status to provide students from low social status with access to
high-status opportunities and resources (Stanton-Salazar, 2011). Social capital was described by
Stanton-Salazar (1997) as “instrumental or supportive relationships with institutional agents” (p.
7). The provision of resources, privileges, and services that allow students to effectively
participate in mainstream institutions is referred to as institutional support (Stanton-Salazar,
2011). There were six forms of institutional support: (1) sharing knowledge related to ascension;
(2) bridging between social networks, gatekeepers, or institutions; (3) advocacy; (4) role
modeling; (5) providing emotional and moral support; and (6) providing evaluative feedback,
advice, and guidance (Stanton-Salazar, 1997). Low-status adolescents who were able to
overcome the odds were a part of a network of institutional agents who were connected to
services and resources that focused on empowering youth (Stanton-Salazar, 2011).
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 41
The relationships that Latino students establish at the community college level contribute
to their educational experience. Research found that institutional agents play a crucial role in
providing the social capital necessary to navigate the transfer process (Bensimon & Dowd, 2009;
Dowd, Pak, & Bensimon, 2013). Bensimon and Dowd (2009) studied students who fell into a
“transfer choice gap,” a term that refers to a phenomenon in which students complete transfer
requirements for highly selective universities but elect to attend less selective campuses.
Bensimon and Dowd (2009) drew on Stanton Salazar’s (1997) work to refer to “transfer agents”
who utilize available resources to help low-income students navigate the college system and
overcome barriers (Bensimon & Dowd, 2009). They found that the existing structure and culture
worked best for students with the social and academic skills to be successful (Bensimon &
Dowd, 2009). Additionally, they found that students who transferred developed relationships
with transfer agents by chance, and these relationships played a significant role in their decision
to transfer. However, Bensimon and Dowd (2009) found an absence of agents who could have
provided students with a better understanding of transfer options and of the benefits of receiving
a degree from elite institutions. The researchers attributed this lack of awareness among students
to a lack of awareness among counselors and instructors who do not possess the funds of
knowledge to be institutional agents. The findings suggest that “expert transfer agents” were
required to increase transfers and transfer choices, particularly among racial and ethnic minority
students. In this study, social capital provides a framework for understanding the role that
institutional agents and student services play in Latino male students’ decision to transfer.
Summary
This study focused on Latino male community college students and their persistence to
transfer to a four-year university. The literature reviewed in this chapter provided a background
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 42
on the community college system and the experiences of Latino students in higher education.
The community college transfer process may be complex to students from low-income
backgrounds who have limited social capital. However, social capital has the potential to
facilitate their navigation of the transfer process. Therefore, a social capital framework guided
this study that sought to understand how relationships with institutional agents and support
networks assisted Latino males in their persistence to transfer to a four-year university. Because
the research on Latino males in the college environment is limited (Barajas and Pierce, 2001,
Ovink, 2014; Saenz and Ponjuan, 2008; Saenz and Ponjuan, 2011), there is a need for more focus
on the different postsecondary pathways available to male and female Hispanic students based
on their gender (Ovink, 2014). Due to the growing gender gap and increased enrollment of
Latino students at community colleges, additional research that focuses on the unique
experiences of Latino males is particularly required. This study was necessary to gain a deeper
understanding of the experiences of Latino male community college students and their
persistence to transfer to a four-year institution.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 43
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how Latino male
community college students persisted through their post-secondary education from a two-year
community college to a four-year institution. This study contributed to a better understanding of
how to support male Latino students’ persistence to transfer and the role of institutional agents
and student services. The study took place at Mountain View Community College (MVCC),
which was an institution in the Los Angeles Community College system.
The following research question guided this research study:
1. What factors contribute to Latino male community college students’ persistence to
transfer to a four-year university?
a. How do Latino male students in community college learn about the transfer
process to a four-year degree granting institution?
b. What role do institutional agents play in supporting Latino male’s decision to
transfer?
c. What support services do Latino male students utilize to learn about the transfer
process?
Based on the nature of the research questions, a qualitative research approach was
appropriate for this study. Qualitative research attempted to gain a deeper understanding, or the
meaning of a particular phenomenon based on the perspectives of the participants (Merriam,
2009).
Population and Sample
Mountain View Community College was located in an urban and ethnically diverse
community. According to the Carnegie Classification of institutions of higher education, MVCC
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 44
is a two-year public institution that provided an Associate ’s degree program, as well as non-
degree educational opportunities. It had an undergraduate student population of 36,606 and a
student-to-faculty ration of 48 to 1(NCES, 2013). Enrollment in the fall semester of 2013
consisted of 81% of students enrolled part-time and 19% enrolled full-time. Students ages 24 and
under made up 49% of the undergraduate population and ages 25 and over were 51% of the
population. That year, 52.6% of students were men and, 47.4% were women. Latino students
comprised the majority of the student population at 63% (NCES, 2013). Figure 1 illustrates the
Hispanic/Latino student population as the largest ethnic group enrolled at MVCC.
Adapted from National Center for Education Statistics (2013)
Figure 6. MVCC Student Enrollment Breakdown by Race/Ethnicity
Graduation rates and transfer-out rates for students who began their studies in the Fall
2010 was 28% and 5% respectively (NCES, 2013). A breakdown of graduation rates by gender
showed that 27% of males and 29% of females who were first-time and full-time students in the
fall of 2010 graduated in three years (NCES, 2013). Only 19% of Latino students who were full-
time and first-time students in the fall 2010 graduated in three years (NCES, 2013). Although
Hispanic/Latino students had the highest enrollment rates on this community college campus,
their graduation rates were among the lowest as shown in figure 2.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 45
Adapted from National Center of Educational Statistics (2013)
Figure 7. MVCC Overall Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity
The majority of the student population at MVCC consisted of Latino students, however,
graduation rates were low for that student population. Transfer rates were also dismal among this
student population. During the 2007 to 2008 school year, the Hispanic student cohort had one of
the lowest three-year-to-transfer rates (7.8%) in comparison to other ethnic groups (NCES,
2013).
Instrumentation
The primary method of gathering data depends on the type of information required for the
project (Merriam, 2009). In qualitative studies, interviews are the most common form of data
collection (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007; Merriam, 2009). DeMarrais (2004) defined an interview as a
conversation between a researcher and participant that is purposefully focused on questions
related to a research study. Through the interview process I collected descriptive data directly
from the participants and gained an understanding on how the participants interpreted their
experience in a particular phenomenon (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007). The direct quotes from
participants provided me with an awareness of the participants ’ knowledge, feelings, opinions,
and experiences (Merriam, 2009). Data collection included the use of an interview protocol and
document analysis protocol.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 46
The interview protocol consisted of predetermined, open-ended interview questions that
elicited rich and descriptive data. A mixture of more and less structured open-ended questions
was included to allow the participants to define responses in their own way (Merriam, 2009).
The questions were worded in a way that was easy to understand by the interviewees. The
interview protocol contained several questions that mirrored Patton’s (2002) six types of
questions which included questions that related to (1) experience and behavior, (2) opinions and
values, (3) feelings, (4) knowledge, (5) sensory, and (6) background/demographics. All protocol
questions were aligned to this study’s research questions as demonstrated by Appendix E (See
Appendix E for the Interview Protocol). Merriam (2009) suggests the use of sociodemographic-
type questions at the beginning of the interview protocol to get the interview started. Thus,
Questions 1 through 3 were designed to elicit sociodemographic and background information
about the students in an effort to ease their way into the conversation. Questions 4 through 6
attempted to draw on the participants’ experience and behavior as community college students
while questions 7 through 13 gathered information on what participants knew about the transfer
process and how they gained that information. The remaining questions 14 through 27 elicited
responses from the participants on their perceptions of the roles of institutional agents and
support services from the institution. According to Stanton-Salazar (2011), the roles of
institutional agents manifest through specific actions such as direct support, integrative support,
system development, and system linkage and networking support. Questions 28 through 32 were
designed based on direct support actions and system linkage and network support actions
associated to the roles of institutional agents.
In addition to interviews, document analysis was utilized as a second form of gathering
data for this research study. External communication documents such as brochures, pamphlets
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 47
and newsletters were analyzed to gather qualitative data for this study (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007).
Document analysis of external communication materials provided insight on the information that
students received regarding the transfer process. The following documents were reviewed: (1)
Transfer to a Four-Year College or University pamphlet, (2) Transfer Center Services handout
(3) California State University General Education Certification 2014-2015 handout, (4)
Associate Degree- General Education Requirements Plan A 2014-2015 handout, and (5) CCCP
Scholars Program 2015-2016 handout. Additionally, electronic communication materials such as
MVCC Transfer Center’s website was reviewed. A document analysis protocol was created
(Appendix F). The protocol included a series of questions that allowed me to determine the
authenticity and accuracy of the documents (Merriam, 2009). For example, questions 1 through 4
of the protocol attempted to understand the history and the purpose of the document.
Additionally, the remaining questions 5 through 9 sought to determine how the institution made
information on the transfer process available to students. An analysis of documents found that
MVCC has information on the transfer process available, however, some information on the
website was outdated. More information will be discussed in chapter four.
Data Collection
After receiving Internal Review Board (IRB) approval at my home university, I sought
approval from Mountain View Community College’s IRB to conduct this study. Once I received
the approval, I contacted the transfer center at MVCC to recruit students. I requested that the
transfer center send an email on my behalf to students on their email list (See Appendix A for the
Email Solicitation). The email introduced the researcher and the purpose of the study, as well as,
detailed information about the study and the level of participation required. Included in the email
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 48
was a pre-survey link for prospective participants to complete in order for me to identify
participants for the study.
Purposeful sampling was used to identify participants for this study. Merriam (2009)
suggested that purposeful sampling should be used to identify individuals who have an
understanding of the research topic. Purposeful sampling focused on gathering rich data by
studying a specific sample that rendered a deeper understanding of the issues related to the
purpose of the inquiry (Patton, 2002). Additionally, I recruited participants through snowball
sampling. Snowball sampling, also known as chain or network sampling, is one of the most
common methods of purposeful sampling (Merriam, 2009). Through snowball sampling, the
participants selected based on their survey responses were asked to refer any individual that they
knew, who fit the participant criteria for the study. I also posted fliers on the college campus and
made announcements in classrooms to identify potential participants.
Once eligible participants were identified, I contacted them to schedule an interview.
Interviews for this research study were semi structured. This research study captured data from
twelve person-to-person interviews with Mountain View Community College students. I
conducted a 40 to 60 minute interview with each participant. I met with participants at a private
location on the MVCC campus or the local community library. Each participant was provided
with a study Information Sheet that included an introduction to my role as the researcher in the
study and the purpose of this study (See Appendix C for the Study Information Sheet).
Participants were informed that they could refuse to answer any questions and that they had the
right to end their participation in this study at any point. I assured each participant that
information about their identity would be kept anonymous through the use of pseudonyms.
Participants were asked to sign an informed consent form indicating their approval to participate
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 49
in this study (See Appendix D for the Informed Consent for Non-Medical Research form). The
participants were given a gift card at the end of the interview.
Prior to beginning the interview, I verbally requested consent from the participants to
audio-record the interview. Upon receiving approval to audio-record the interview, I began the
interview by restating the role of the researcher and the purpose of the study. I used the interview
protocol as a guide for the interview. I took written notes during the interview to capture my
reactions to something the participant said or to jot down my observations on data that the audio
recording was not able to capture, such as the participant’s body language. At the conclusion of
the interview, each interviewee was presented with a gift card as a gesture of gratitude for his
participation. Immediately following the interview I recorded post-interview notes that included
my reflection on the interview process and initial analysis of the information gathered through
the interview. The audio-recordings were professionally transcribed. In an additional effort to
maintain anonymity, all data was kept secure through the use of a password-protected laptop.
Data Analysis
Grounded theory guided the methodology of this research study. Grounded theory
embraces an inductive approach, which seeks to generate a theory that emerges from the data
(Merriam, 2009). As the researcher, I was the primary instrument in the data collection and
analysis process. I analyzed the data using the constant comparative method of data analysis. The
process of analyzing data is a way of “making sense out of the data” by reducing, consolidating,
and interpreting the information the researcher has read, seen, or heard (Merriam, 2009, p. 175).
To make sense of the data, I utilized the constant comparative method of data analysis proposed
by Glaser and Strauss (1967) as a process to developing grounded theory. Grounded theory
utilizes “categories, properties, and hypotheses that are the conceptual links between and among
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 50
the categories and properties” to make sense of the data (Merriam, 2009). Through this inductive
and comparative data analysis approach, I uncovered themes or findings to this study’s research
questions.
The data from all audio recordings from the interviews were professionally transcribed.
The researcher read all pieces of data and identify segments, or units of data, that resulted as
potential answers to the research questions or part of the research questions (Merriam, 2009). As
a study guided by grounded theory, I identified categories, along with three other elements: (a)
properties, (b) core categories, and (c) hypotheses (Merriam, 2009). Properties are concepts that
describe a category, while a core category is a central defining aspect of the phenomenon
(Merriam, 2009). The hypotheses are the proposed connections between categories and
properties (Merriam, 2009). In order to determine these different elements, all data pieces were
analyzed through a three phase open coding process (Corbin & Strauss, 2008). The three phases
of open coding- open, axial, and selective facilitated the development of a grounded theory
(Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Merriam, 2009). The open coding began by identifying units of data
that were relevant to this study’s research questions. The following phase, open axial coding,
took place by creating links between categories and properties. In the final phase, selective
coding, a core category, proposition, or hypotheses was developed. Each interview and
observation was reviewed through the same process and compared to each other through a
comparative analysis approach (Corbin & Strauss, 2008). Lists and charts were created to
support the organization of data and facilitate the process of identifying patterns and
comparisons from the data sources (Merriam 2009; Maxwell, 2013). All data was interpreted
through the lens of Bourdieu’s social capital theory and Stanton-Salazar’s theoretical framework.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 51
Validity
Maxwell (2005) posits that reality can never be really captured “Validity is a goal rather
than a product: it is never something that can be proven or taken for granted. Validity is also
relative: It has to be assessed in relationship to the purposes and circumstances of the research,
rather than being a context-independent property of methods or conclusions” (p.105). In
qualitative research, reality is multidimensional, holistic and ever-changing, thus, qualitative
research attempts to investigate people’s constructions of reality, their understanding of the
world (Merriam, 2009). Strategies to strengthen internal validity were used to ensure the
credibility and trustworthiness of this study.
Internal validity strategies included triangulation of data from interviews and document
analysis, member checks, and peer review. Practicing triangulation using multiple sources of
data as a strategy required me to cross-check all data collected from interviews and documents
(Maxwell, 2012; Merriam, 2009). I also ensured internal validity through member checks.
Through member checks, I solicited feedback on emerging findings from the participants that
were interviewed, in an attempt to limit the possibility of misinterpreting or misunderstanding
the data (Maxwell, 2012; Merriam, 2009).
Lastly, peer review was a strategy used for internal validity. The peer review process was
similar to the peer review process that takes place for an article in which peers who are
knowledgeable of the topic and methodology reviewed the recommended publication (Merriam,
2009). The peer review process took place with colleagues and dissertation committee members
who conducted a review of the dissertation.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 52
Role of Researcher
Researcher bias was considered throughout the study. The human instrument in
qualitative research consists of biases that might impact the study. Rather than attempting to
eliminate biases or subjectivities, it was necessary to identify them and monitor how they are
influencing the conduct and conclusion of the study (Maxwell 2012; Merriam, 2009). I identify
as a first-generation Latina college graduate from a low-income background. I attended a four-
year institution directly after high school. Although I had no personal or professional experience
at the community college level, I am a professional high school counselor who works with
graduating seniors who continue their post-secondary education at a local community college.
Throughout the years I have developed preconceived notions about the needs and characteristics
of transfer students through the experiences of family members, friends, and former students
who took the community college transfer route.
Summary
This chapter proposed the methodology for this study. I presented the design for the study
and details of the setting, participants, data collection and data analysis processes. This chapter
included validity strategies that I utilized to ensure the credibility and trustworthiness of data
collection and analysis. Lastly, the chapter concluded with identification of my role as the
researcher and the biases that I brought to this study. Chapter four will present the data and
findings of this study. Lastly, chapter five will provide a discussion of the findings, a conclusion
grounded on the literature review, and implications for future research.
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CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS
The aim of this chapter is to present the findings that emerged from interviews with
Latino male students who attend community college in the Los Angeles area. The chapter begins
with a brief overview of the study’s purpose and research questions. An introduction of each
participant’s background follows. The study’s findings are organized and presented by research
question.
This study was designed to understand the experiences of Latino male community college
students as they persist towards transferring to a four-year degree granting institution. This is a
qualitative study that used interviews and document analysis as the primary tools for data
collection. The research questions that led this study were the following:
1. What factors contribute to Latino male community college students’ persistence to
transfer to a four-year university?
a. How do Latino male students in community college learn about the transfer process
to a four-year degree granting institution?
b. What role do institutional agents play in supporting Latino male students’ decision to
transfer?
c. What support services do Latino male students utilize to learn about the transfer
process?
Participant Background
Twelve students from Mountain View Community College participated in this study. The
participants were selected based on their responses to an online pre-survey. All twelve
participants identified as males from Latino backgrounds, have completed at least 30 transferable
units and expressed intent to transfer to a four-year degree granting institution. All participants
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 54
were first-generation college students. Eleven participants were enrolled in community college
on a full-time status and one participant was enrolled part-time. Pseudonyms were assigned to
students to protect their identities. Table 1 provides an overview of the participants’ demographic
information.
Table 2
Participant Demographics
Name Ethnicity College Generation Enrollment Status Major
Juan Mexican First Generation Full-time
Mechanical
Engineering
Erick Hispanic First Generation Full-time
Mechanical
Engineering
Jorge Mexican First Generation Full-time Mathematics
Manuel Mexican/American First Generation Full-time Sociology
Joseph
Chicano
(Mexican American) First Generation Full-time
Computer Science
Information
Technology
Carlos Hispanic First Generation Full-time
Environmental
Engineering
Alex Latino First Generation Full-time Psychology
Miguel Latino First Generation Full-time
Mechanical
Engineering
Javier Mexican-American First Generation Full-time
Mechanical
Engineering
Jose Chicano First Generation Part-time Sociology
Luis Mexican First Generation Full-time Child Development
Marco Hispanic First Generation Full-time
Chemical
Engineering
Juan was the first in his family to pursue a college education. He graduated from high
school with an above average Grade Point Average (GPA) and joined the workforce immediately
after graduating from high school. While working at a manual labor-type job, he experienced
several injuries and decided to return to school. He initially attended community college on a
part-time status until he was eligible for state financial aid. At the time of the interview, Juan was
in the process of applying to four-year universities. He was in his early 20s and had one child.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 55
Erick was the first in his family to go to college. He graduated from high school and
planned to attend a four-year university, but his admission was denied at the end of the summer
prior to starting classes. He was able to enroll in community college instead. Erick has attended
community college on a full-time basis except during his first semester. At the time of the
interview, he had not applied to four-year universities but planned on applying in the fall. He was
in his early 20s and had no children.
Jorge was a first generation college student. He did not graduate from high school. He
was incarcerated throughout his youth and adulthood years. He decided to turn his life around
and earned his Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) as an adult. Previously, he was enrolled
part-time but decided to enroll full-time this past school year in an attempt to complete his
transfer requirement courses. He applied to a CSU and a UC and was waiting to receive a
response. He was in his early 40s and had 2 children.
Manuel was the first in his family to go to college. He graduated from high school but did
poorly in school and had no intention of going to college. He started working immediately after
high school at a factory where he was unhappy, so he decided to pursue community college on a
part-time basis. However, this school, year he attended full-time and was eligible to apply to a
part-time job on campus. He applied to UC and CSU campuses and was in the process of finding
out his admissions status and financial aid options. He was in his early 20s and had no children.
Joseph was a first-generation college student. He had two older siblings who attended
college. He graduated from high school with a GPA above 4.0 and initially attended a four-year
university but left the institution after three years to enroll in community college. Joseph
attended MVCC on a full-time basis and was currently waiting to hear back from four-year
universities regarding his transfer application. He applied to the CSU, UC, and private
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 56
universities and received some acceptances. At the time of the interview, he was strongly
considering attending a CSU campus in the fall. He was in his late 20s and had no children.
Carlos was the first in his family to go to college. He graduated from high school with
above average grades but had no intention of attending college. Instead, he was employed in the
banking industry for 6 years but lost his job during the recession, which was one of the reasons
he decided to enroll in community college. He applied to UC and CSU campuses and was
waiting to receive admissions notifications. He was in his late 20s and had 2 children.
Alex was the first in his family to go to college. He graduated from high school with
above average grades and enrolled in community college immediately after high school. Alex
did not qualify for state or federal aid and had to work at a manual labor and low-paying job. In
recent years, he qualified for state financial aid. He attended school full-time and worked part-
time on campus. Alex was in his early 20s and had no children.
Miguel was a first generation college student. He graduated from high school with
average grades and was admitted to a CSU. However, he left the university in the first year and
joined the workforce. He attended community college intermittently, but, in recent years, he
attended consistently on a full-time basis. He applied to the CSU, UC, and private universities.
As of the day of interview, he had received admissions letters from CSU campuses. He was in
his early 40s and had no children.
Javier was the first in his family to go to college. He graduated from high school with a
below average GPA and started working. He enrolled in community college a year after high
school graduation. Javier attended full-time and qualified for state and federal aid. He applied to
CSU campuses and received acceptances. He was in his early 20s and had no children.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 57
Luis was the first in his family to attend college. He dropped out of high school in the
eleventh grade and returned for his GED in his early 20s. He worked until he realized his
unhappiness with his employment as an insurance salesman. He enrolled in community college
and attended full-time. At the time of the interview Luis had not applied to four-year institutions
but planned on applying in the fall. He was in his early 30s and had no children.
Marco was the first in his family to attend college. He graduated from high school with
average grades and immediately started working. He decided to enroll in community college
three years ago and attended on a full-time status. He did not apply for financial aid in his first
year but has since applied and received state and federal aid. At the time of the interview he had
not applied to four-year colleges but planned on doing so in the fall. Marco was in his early 20s
and had no children.
Jose was the first in his family to pursue a college education. He did not graduate from
high school, but he did earn a GED. He worked and attended community college sporadically.
During his most recent return, he attended on a full-time basis. He received federal and state
financial aid. At the time of the interview, Jose had not applied to four-year universities but
planned on applying in the fall. He was in his late 20s and had no children.
Findings
This section synthesizes the common themes that emerged from participants’ responses
to interview questions and from the researcher’s document analysis. The findings are presented
by research question.
Persistence Factors
The first research question sought to understand the factors that contributed to Latino
male community college students’ persistence to transfer to a four-year university. Three
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 58
common themes emerged from participants’ responses. The first was an expectation for males to
contribute financially to the family’s household. The second theme underlined the challenge of
balancing time between work and school responsibilities. The third theme had to do with the
involvement of the participants’ family in college related decision-making and guidance. The
documents reviewed did not yield any data that supported these findings.
Theme: Expectation to contribute financially. All twelve participants stated that Latino
male students were expected to financially contribute to their family’s household because that is
a role commonly associated with the males by Latino families. For instance, Juan described one
of the challenges that Latino male community college students face: the expectation of males’
having to earn money to contribute to the family, while the females were only expected to focus
on their academics:
I guess the pressure from family members that they say that you have to provide for your
family and you have to help. I talk to my classmates, the females usually go to school and
don’t have to work for their house, but, then, a lot of my male friends, they work as well
and go to college. They (parents) kind of expect it - to contribute to the household.
Javier discussed the impact of his parents’ expectations of him as a provider. Conflicts between
his parents and him led to his moving out of their home. His parents did not understand the time
commitment that was required to do well on his academics nor the significance of his education
as a form of investment for a future career and financial stability. Because of their lack of
understanding, they expected him to work and provide a more immediate financial contribution
to the household:
Latino male. First is always family. Always being first generation. That’s always a
problem because you have to explain that, even though they see this as school, for a
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 59
Latino family … Latino, Latina family, school is always just something you go to when
you’re a kid. That next step when it’s no longer a must, but now it’s a privilege, that’s not
understood. Hey, I’m a full-time student. That’s the same as being a full-time worker at a
job. They don’t get that because, if it doesn’t make money, it’s not a job. They don’t see
the long investment that you have to put into it. I always fought with my mom. I fought
with my stepfather. I was, like, you know what I can’t work anymore. I got to do this. I
left my mom after that. She’s basically saying, if you don’t … But I got lucky. My aunt
and my uncle, they understand. Because, even though my mom had never taken anyone
to college here, they already had kids that went to college. So they … Even though they
didn’t understand what I was learning, they understood the investment that I had to put
into it. That’s one of the main difficulties of being Latino and going to school: it’s having
your family understand.
Although not all of the students’ families explicitly told them that they needed to contribute
financially, it was a notion that Latino males learn from observing their family. Jose discussed
the gender differences that he observed growing up between his mother and father, which
manifested into different expectations of Latina females and Latino males. He continued by
explaining that, in his current relationship, he attempted to disassociate from the traditional
gender roles that he internalized growing up:
I learned it from seeing it. I wasn’t taught it. No one taught me it. I know that I would see
my dad go to work and that’s where I learned the equality thing was mostly from my dad
and my mom. They both worked. My mom had more of an education than my dad. That’s
what it looked like to me. The man works, and the woman goes to school. That’s how I
saw it growing up. Yeah, I try to incorporate that even in my relationship. Not necessarily
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 60
that the man works, but it should be both working, both going to school, trying to succeed
together, not just one being pushed into working where you can’t even get an education,
you’re just slaving every day.
Luis also shared the same sentiment about Latino males regarded as providers and added what he
perceived as the reason why most Latino males did not transfer to four-year institutions and,
instead, chose short-term career programs:
They (family) can expect a lot of you but some of them is more like, you know what, I
don’t know. It can be a single mother or a single father or, you know, sometimes it’s just,
like, you need to work. I need you to help us with this. Yeah, so, sometimes, I see and
that’s why some of the males I meet, or my friends, they don’t really want to be here and
they don’t think much about transferring. They mostly [think about] short careers, so they
can go and get a job. Yes, start working right away. It’s because of that necessity they
have in their house. They don’t see themselves as able to transfer plus the
discouragement, plus the lack of motivation. All of that comes together, and you’re kind
of like, you’re here, but you’re kind of like ... You’re here in school, but it’s kind of like
you don’t even know what you’re doing, you don’t even know what you want.
Joseph similarly subscribed to the expectation of having to contribute financially to his family,
even though his family did not ask him for a financial contribution. Unlike the rest of the
participants, Joseph did not have a need to work and preferred to utilize all of his time for his
studies. However, even he experienced personal feelings of inadequacy because he did not have
the need or the expectation to provide:
I think there’s a lot of, maybe, pressure. I know that, for a lot of men or young men, or
I’m not sure if it’s Latino men, I think they feel a lot of pressure to provide for
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 61
themselves, to make some money. I think their self-image and their worth is tied to a little
bit more to how much money they make, not really how much they’ve studied or
anything. I think I felt like a pull that I should be working while I study. To my
knowledge, I’m the only person who doesn’t work while he studies. I feel like I’m a bit
different than everybody else. I don’t know if that’s true. I feel like I’ve become maybe a
little anti-social. The friends that I make are usually just for the semester, and then I kind
of don’t talk to them anymore because I’m not too proud that I don’t work and make a
living. Some of them, even though they might have minimum-wage jobs, they work lots
of hours. I think that a lot of them feel that they need to do that. It’s my opinion. I think
that that’s sort of a strain that I didn’t want to put on myself. My parents are helping me.
Since they can just barely afford that I do not work during this time, I’m taking advantage
of that. I don’t like telling people that. I feel like it is a big issue, so I’m just kind of
vague about that. I just don’t tell them that I don’t work. I don’t know why, but I think
that that’s a big issue. I feel like I’m not like a complete person if I’m not making any
money.
All of the participants expressed feeling like it was expected of them to work and
contribute financially to their home environment even though they were attending community
college. Some participants were told by their parents that they were expected to contribute while
others felt it was an expectation that they personally internalized growing up.
Theme: Balance between college and work. The following theme that emerged among
participants’ responses related to the balance between being a college student and an employee.
Out of the twelve participants, eleven were employed part-time. The eleven participants referred
to challenges with balancing their time between schoolwork and employment responsibilities.
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For example, Carlos mentioned that he relied heavily on financial aid to offset the scheduling
challenges associated with balancing work and school:
Scholarships and financial aid is what gets me through. Because the income I make for
the part time jobs I have here. I had other jobs, like 24 Hour Fitness, in terms of customer
service stuff like that, is little. But it (working part-time) conflicts with my schedule.
Unlike Carlos, Juan initially did not qualify for state or federal aid to cover his tuition, thus he
found himself having to work more hours to earn enough to pay for his tuition. However, his
grades were not reflecting his academic potential. The combination of working additional hours
to pay for school and producing unsatisfactory outcomes contributed to an added sense of
pressure. It was only until he was eligible for state financial aid that he was able to cover the
majority of school-related costs, thus decreasing the need to work full-time:
That was another reason why I was coming to school part-time because it was really
expensive. I remember one semester I took 8 units and I paid around $400 so it was a lot
of pressure to pay that money and then not get the results that I was expecting because I
had to work. Until 2013, when I got the fee waiver, that’s when I started taking full-time
classes.
Similarly, Jorge discussed his dissatisfaction with his grades as a result of having to work while
going to school and not being able to dedicate adequate time to his studies. He also pointed out
the stress associated to balancing both:
It’s very stressful though. Sometimes I wasn’t like ... That’s why my GPA’s a three point
... What is it? A three point four. It could have been way higher, but at that time, I was
getting not the grades that I wanted because I was working, didn’t have enough time.
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Javier also highlighted the impact of working while attending college on his ability to
concentrate on school as a result of his concern over finances:
I know, for me, that had just recently happened. The school, they didn’t pay us for over a
month. They gave us an emergency check. Even though I had class that whole week, I
was more worried about can I pay my bills on time. Because they decided to not pay us
and at a horrible time. It was a whole month. Make sure your finances are in check,
especially if you’re about to transfer.
The majority of participants mentioned that they found it difficult to balance work and
school. The time that they spent on studying or completing schoolwork was limited due to their
added responsibility of having to work. They also touched on feeling a sense of pressure or stress
as a result of worrying about their financial situation while trying to focus on their academics.
Theme: Family involvement. The next theme that emerged from participants’ responses
related to their parent’s involvement with students’ college education. Ten out of the twelve
respondents mentioned that their parents’ involvement with college related decisions, such as
transferring and college choice, was limited. For example, Erick attributed his parents’ limited
involvement to their not pursuing their own college education. Instead, his parents provided
verbal encouragement to continue with his studies, and he had to rely on an individual from the
college for guidance.
Well, my parents, since they’re…I think they stopped at grade school or middle school,
so they didn’t really have an impact (on going to college). I kind of did it on my own.
They just would tell me to go to school and stuff, but they really didn’t guide me. So I
kind of had to…like my counselor was the one that guided me.
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Similarly, Manuel mentioned that his parents’ involvement was limited to verbal encouragement.
He also explained that, although they encouraged him to do well, they did not fully understand
the extent of commitment required to studying and doing homework, which often required
students to focus on school work rather than on working or participating in family gathering
events.
They always tell you, “Go to school. That’s your way out. Go to school, so you don’t
work like us.” They don’t understand ... My major requires a lot of dedication, a lot of
time. Sometimes my mom’s like ... She doesn’t understand that I have to study and she’s
like, “You’re studying all day,” and I’m like, “I have to study.” I just feel like they don’t
understand because they don’t have a college...Well, their education is very- my mom’s
education, I don’t even think she finished elementary. My dad, I think, it’s middle school.
They don’t understand that this is your job, this is your full time job. I would say it’s just
lack of understanding. It’s not that they want to be mean or, “Why are you studying?
Why are you spending all your time?” They don’t understand the commitment that you
have to take.
Carlos also discussed his parents’ encouragement. However, he also added that it was difficult
for him to persist in spite of his parents’ motivation because he had no modeling of what it was
like to be a college student, so he did not know how to be a college student.
Their advice was always there, but it was more oral. It was more verbal. They would tell
me “do it” when I was younger, but, since I didn’t see it, first-hand experience, I didn’t
even know how to do it myself. So, the will wasn’t there. I think education or obtaining
those separate degrees, if your will’s not there, your heart’s not, and you’re not gonna do
it. At that time in my life, I didn’t care for it.
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Similarly, Alex explained that his family provided him with the encouragement to go to college,
but, other than that, they did not provide him guidance regarding his college education. Alex
stated:
I want to say they don’t play a role (decision to go to college) because I don’t usually
discuss this with them. I think it’s very much my own thing, not a family thing. They
appreciate that I’m actually going to college because most of my cousins and family
don’t go. They’re working jobs, low-paying jobs, and such. And for me it’s looking good.
So they support me, but in terms of the decisions, I don’t think they play a big part in it.
Overall, students expressed an expectation of having to work to financially contribute to
their family or home environment. Some of the participants were responsible for providing for
their family and for paying their tuition and fees. The expectation of having to provide led the
majority of them to work and attend school, which became a challenge because their time to
focus on academic work was limited.
For some of the students, changes in fee eligibility allowed them to decrease their work
hours and increase the time they spent on academics. The one participate who did not work at all
during his time in community college mentioned that his parents provided him financial support,
though his father made indirect comments that questioned how much longer he will need to
complete his studies and start working.
Most participants expressed that their parents’ involvement was related to verbal or
emotional support rather than to providing college information or guidance. However, although
parents encouraged the participants to go to college and do well, most parents continued to
expect participants to work and financially contribute to the household. The participants’
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attributed their parents’ limited involvement in college decisions to their limited understanding
of the college process and the time commitment required outside of the classroom.
Access to Knowledge on Four-Year Transfer Process
This study also attempted to understand how Latino male community college students
learned about the transfer process to four-year institutions. A review of the Transfer Center’s
website and documents collected from the Transfer Center showed that ample information on the
transfer process or transfer support programs was available to anyone who was seeking the
information. However, some information on the Transfer Center website was outdated such as
event flyers, University visits, and workshop materials like Power Point presentations. Although
students at MVCC were required to meet with a general counselor when they began their
education, the majority of students stated they learned about the transfer process from someone
other than a general counselor. Participants learned about the transfer process through informal
information channels, which was a theme that emerged from participants’ responses.
Theme: Informal information channels. Eleven of the participants learned about the
transfer process from an individual or program from MVCC, and one participant learned about
the transfer process through his own research. Three students mentioned they learned about the
transfer process from their high school counselor. Three students stated they learned about the
transfer process from one of their community college peers. Two said they learned about it from
a faculty or staff member, and two others learned about it from a religious group. One student
learned about it from a general counselor, and one was encouraged to look up information about
the transfer process by his mother. Table 3 provides an overview of the participants’ referral
network.
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Table 3
Participant Referral Network
Name Connection 1 Connection 2 Connection 3
Luis Bible Study Club Ascending Lights & EOPS
Ascending Lights
Mentor
Javier Church info event Urban Teacher Fellowship TRIO STEM & EOPS
Jorge Faculty/ Financial Aid Transfer Center
Manuel Faculty Mentor Transfer Center MESA & CCCP
Carlos CC General Counselor Transfer Center
EOPS
Miguel CC Peer CDWFI & Transfer C.
Marco CC Peer EOPS and MESA
Jose CC Peer EOPS and CCCP
Juan High School Counselor Transfer Center
MESA & PUENTE
Erick High School Counselor CC General Counselor MESA
Alex High School Counselor Summer Bridge Program
MESA & EOPS
Joseph Mother’ encouragement Research by student Transfer Center
After learning about the transfer process from a specific individual or group, students,
then, were linked to a program or office on campus that provided more detailed information
about the transfer process. Juan stated:
I kind of just started looking around, and I asked one of my high school teachers. She’s like
an activist, I guess you could say, and she is the one who got me connected with the
transfer center with assist.org, with this other club called La Puente on campus. They help
students transfer. That’s how I found out about it. From there, I started more research on it.
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Erick also learned about transferring from an individual at his high school:
Well, when I first started, my high school counselor, he told me about it. This is what you
need, do this, and so far…He didn’t really tell me specifically because he isn’t really a
college counselor but he kind of gave me the, like, an intro to the beginning stuff. And
then as time went on, my, the college counselors here, they were the ones suggesting it.
Jose, Marco, and Miguel found out about transferring from a peer at MVCC. For example,
Miguel discussed that, when he returned the community college, he did not meet with a
counselor and simply enrolled in child development courses. It was a peer from one of those
courses that informed him of the Child Development Work Initiative Program that provides a
counselor who guides students with the transfer process. He stated:
Once I got into that program, the road was paved for me. I have never seen such a clear
view to a finish line ever in my life. I had my goals already, but they actually showed me
the way.
Some students learned about transfer information from their peers. Marco learned about
transferring from his friend who is further ahead with his studies, but Marco had not yet visited
the transfer center or began looking into the actual transfer requirements. Jose similarly learned
from his fiancée, who also attended MVCC and recently received admission to a UC. His fiancée
was the individual who guided him and introduced him to other programs on campus that
focused on transfer students.
For other students, finding out about the transfer process was something that they
happened to find out through conversation with a faculty or staff member at MVCC. For
instance, Jorge explained:
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I don’t remember what we were talking about. I was trying to find financial aid. For some
reason I told those in the financial office. I go, my counselor has told me something, but I
really need to get more info. No, he was the one that goes, I mean your counselor is
informing you, but you’ll find that you get to the nitty gritty about exactly what you need
to transfer. You get it from the transfer center. It was the financial aid office. It was just a
spur of the moment conversation I had with him.
Similarly, Javier initially became aware about the transfer process through a program that was
recruiting at his friend’s church. After attending an information session, Javier decided to join
the program and return to the community college system. It was during a scavenger hunt activity
during his orientation day that he found out about other programs that provided more information
on transfer requirements. He joined the Trio Scholars program where he was paired with a
counselor who guided him with the transfer requirements:
My counselor. She helped me out a lot. Even though I wasn’t one of her students, there
was a mix-up with the application for that program, but she always helped me out. She
took me … She paid for my flight and two more students, and we went to this thing called
Berkeley Freshmen Experience where they actually help you through the application
process to apply to Berkeley.
All of the participants expressed that they happened to learn about transferring to a four-
year university through random conversations with their former high school educators, current
community college peers, or through institutional agents at MVCC. The participants either
sought out the information or by chance gained the information through conversation with other
individuals.
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MVCC Faculty and Staff: Providers of Social Capital
The third question’s target was to identify the role that institutional agents played in
Latino male students’ persistence to transfer. Three themes emerged from students’ responses:
institutional agents as a source of motivation through role modeling, professors and counselors as
bridges to institutions’ programs, and professors and counselors as emotional and moral
encouragement.
Theme: Faculty and staff as a source of motivation through role modeling. All
twelve participants stated that they felt motivated by a counselor or faculty member at MVCC to
continue pursuing their degree goals. For instance, Erick explained that his counselor from the
MESA program followed up with him occasionally on his academic progress, which motivated
him to do well so that he had a positive update for her. Erick stated:
I feel, maybe, the fact that she checks up on me. Like, every now and then, she checks on
me and how I’m doing in my classes. She will send you an email. It’s kind of motivating,
so I wanted to do good so that, if she sent me an email, I was able to say that I was doing
fine.
Similarly, Luis mentioned that his professor motivated him by talking about her research
interests and current research from conferences and encouraged students to attend a university
where they, too, could conduct research. He said:
She’s always also talking about research that she has done for her PhD and the things that
she learned. It’s very interesting. Yeah, sometimes, she’s talking about she has come back
from New York, so some type of Psychology Professors Conference and how much she
learned. She’s like, “You know I learned this new stuff that came out and the statistics like
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 71
this and that.” Students are like, “How do you learn that? Where you got to go?” “In the
university, you’re going to learn more and research.” Stuff like that, you know.
Marco explained that his English professor motivated him by sharing with him information about
his personal life and the challenges he had to overcome to achieve his educational goal. Marco
stated:
He started talking to me because I saw him after like, oh, I need help in this, and he would
tell me that ... He would tell me his story that he reached Berkley and all that. Like, he had
obstacles like me. It’s pretty much like, I guess, what he was telling me, his obstacles,
pretty much same as mine. First of all, he’s the kind of the teacher that tries to inspire
everybody, the whole class. Towards that way, he started talking about where he grew up
and his struggles. That’s what caught me.
The participants mentioned feeling a sense of wanting to get to know their professors
because they liked their teaching style or related personally to the individual. They then felt
comfortable attending their professors’ office hours or their counselor’s office for advice.
Although students knew that they wanted to transfer, having institutional agents as role models
motivated them to persist past a four-year degree and earn a graduate level degree.
Theme: Links to programs. The second theme that emerged highlighted the role of
professors or counselors as links between students and programs. Javier missed an important
deadline that may have jeopardized his admission to a four-year university. However, it was
through the relationship that he had with one of the university’s representatives that he was able
to submit his transcripts late without jeopardizing his status. His access to social capital allowed
him a second opportunity to turn in important documents for admissions purposes. He explained:
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Before I got the acceptance letter today, I had missed one of the deadlines to submit my
transcripts to the child development department. I contacted her and she told me, “Well
you know what? I’m really good friends with them. I am going to go talk to them.” She
went. She made an appointment for me. I went over there. I took my transcripts. The lady
in the office she was, “Well, it’s too late,” and she handed it back to me and I was like, oh,
okay. I left and then Jessica called me later. She e-mailed me later on that night and she
was like, “You know what? That was unacceptable.” I talked to the chair herself. Yes, go
back and turn in your transcripts.
Juan also explained that his math professor was able to get to know him on a personal level,
which allowed them to develop a mentor and mentee relationship. He mentioned that his
professor informed him about internship or scholarship opportunities and encouraged him to
apply. It was through his relationship with the professor that the student had access to learning
opportunities outside of the classroom environment:
It’s been a really close relationship over time. When I took him, I went to office hours a
lot, so I developed a good relationships with him. He has written a good recommendation
letter for a scholarship. Whenever he gets opportunities for interns and stuff like that, he
lets me know because I built a good relationship with him and he helped me build my
math skills and he recommends me to stuff like scholarships and internships.
Similarly, Manuel was informed by his math professor about CCCP, a program that worked
directly with MVCC students with helping them prepare for transfer eligibility to UCLA. The
professor facilitated Manuel’s application to the program. Manuel explained:
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My math professor mentor told me about that program (UCLA CCCP), too. Actually, he
told me, “I think you should apply to this program.” He gave me the link to the application.
I went on there and filled out the application. He gave me a letter of recommendation.
Participants mentioned gaining access to a program, internship, scholarship, or job
opportunity as a result of gaining knowledge about it from an institutional agent. In most cases,
the institutional agent contributed to the students’ access by writing a letter of recommendation
or advocating on their behalf.
Theme: Emotional and moral encouragement. The third theme that emerged was
participants’ sense of emotional or moral support from a professor or counselor as a result of the
individual’s effort to get to know the student on a personal level. Erick explained that his
experience with the MESA counselor was more personalized in comparison to his experience
with a general counselor. He felt that the MESA counselor made an effort to get to know about
his life outside of the classroom. Erick stated:
I guess because she was the MESA counselor. So, she has only a certain amount of
students, so she was able to talk to you more one-on-one and kind of know who you are,
not just like a random…like the counselors who are at the counseling office.
Manuel talked about his relationship with his math professor. He explained that the professor
was open to learning about his personal challenges and encouraged him to persist. Manuel said:
I would say it’s a very close relationship (with the math professor) because he pretty much
knows me more. Well, I have been his student, but he knows me more at a personal level.
He knows the certain barriers I’ve had to overcome. He has seen me rock bottom, at my
worst. He was always there to tell me, “Okay. Well, you fell down. Now, you’ve got to get
up.” Pretty much, he just told me don’t ever quit, don’t ever give up, just keep on going.
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Similarly, Carlos talked about his relationship with his professor that started when Carlos
attended the professors’ office hours for help on class assignments. Carlos mentioned that the
professor asked him questions about his personal goals. He perceived the professor as
approachable and open to listening to his personal challenges. Carlos explained that he felt a
sense of comfort in discussing his personal life with his professor:
When there was times that I had some questions regarding the prompt or didn’t know how
to approach an essay, I would ask him about that. Somehow, we were able to always talk
about personal things. He was just very open, and very helpful, and he would just
understand ... Hear me out, my situation, he would tell me, well, what are you trying to do?
What is it that you’re trying to be? I would tell him my struggles and my obstacles, and he
would be somewhat amazed. He’d be like, hey, that’s very courageous of you to try and do
it. Most people around my age are more like, meh, I’m already too old. Or it’s too hard, it’s
gonna take too long, and they’ll just work. He was just very approachable, and he allowed
me to get pretty personal with … I guess he felt comfortable with me and vice versa.
Participants felt a sense of emotional or moral support when professors or counselors
were willing to take the time to listen to their personal challenges. These individuals provided
participants with advice or encouragement to overcome their challenges.
Support Services
The final question attempted to identify the support services that students utilized at the
community college institution. There were an array of support services that students mentioned
they utilized at MVCC, such as the math and writing lab, the career and transfer centers, and
EOPS. Participants identified transfer support programs. Participants also mentioned a lack of
awareness of transfer information among students, counselors, and family. A review of the
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Transfer Center’s website and documents collected from the Transfer Center demonstrated that there was
sufficient information available on the transfer process and requirements.
Transfer support programs. Nine of the twelve participants were involved in a program
that provided specific transfer support services. Three most commonly mentioned programs by
participants were Extended Opportunities Programs and Services (EOPS), the Transfer Center,
and Math Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA). EOPS works with low-income and
educationally disadvantaged students in helping them succeed in college. MESA also works with
educationally disadvantaged students in providing academic enrichment opportunities to students
in math, engineering, and science disciplines. The Transfer Center provides students with various
resources, services, and programs that focus on assisting students with the transfer process.
Alex explained that he was a member of the MESA program which supports
educationally disadvantaged students complete a four-year degree in math, engineering, science,
or computer science. As a member of MESA, Alex participated in career speaker presentations
hosted by the program. Hearing the experiences of the speakers gave Alex insight on the various
career options and they motivated him to persist with his studies. Alex stated:
They (MESA) have guest speakers. Every once in a while they bring in guest speakers to
help us, to encourage us to keep working our studies. There are a lot of fields. It gives
you a sense where you could work, where you could move, where you could go. It’s
pretty inspiring.
Juan discussed his involvement in the Puente program and the opportunities they have available
like visiting various four-year institutions. Participation in events such as college trips was
mandatory in order to remain in the program, which forced him to participate. He mentioned that
visiting the campuses gave him a better understating of four-year institutions, and it motivated
him to want to transfer.
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They (the Puente club) take you on field trips, and those fieldtrips are part of your grade, so
you kind of are obligated to go on the fieldtrips to universities. That makes you see the
campus, and it makes you want to transfer more.
The programs provided participants with access to transfer related events and activities and they
provided them with specific college application guidance. Jose explained that he had not applied
to four-year institutions yet, but, since he was involved in CCCP, they helped him create a plan
for the college application process. Jose stated:
I am involved in a program called CCCP, Center for Community College Partnership
with UCLA. Yeah. Right now, I’m just trying to get past my General Ed. and from there,
I have like a whole plan with CCCP.
Transfer Awareness. Out of the twelve participants, seven referenced a limited
awareness of information related to transferring among students, counselors, and family. Jorge
said that he was misguided by a general counselor on course requirements for transfer eligibility.
He eventually found out about the transfer center during a conversation with a financial aid
office representative who encouraged him to visit the transfer center for specific information on
transferring. He received accurate information from the transfer center and was able to enroll in
the required class in time to meet transfer eligibility requirements. He continued discussing the
Transfer Center’s need for more student outreach:
[The staff need to] inform them (general counselors) more about transfer requirements.
Get them more well-informed. They’re already fairly well-informed, but, as you saw,
they weren’t that well informed. Make sure that they are up to date. One more thing is,
just like they have the Writing Center and Math Lab students go around and interrupt
classes at the beginning of the semester. If you need help, go to the Writing Center here.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 77
They hand out fliers. They should have people from the transfer center do that also at the
beginning. They don’t do that.
Joseph explained his ambivalence with seeking information from the general counseling
department. On two different occasions when he sought advice from the general counselors, they
provided him with contradicting responses to information that he found on flyers or online.
Joseph stated:
Sometimes, I feel there’s a disconnect between what the paper says and what they say.
They might be right. I don’t know. Sometimes, that sort of undermines my confidence in
them. It’s like, “But how can you be saying something different than what this is
saying?” That’s what I was saying. Like I like to look up things for myself before I ask
other people and, sometimes, I get different answers, and then I usually go with what’s on
the paper than what they say.
Juan highlighted the need for the college to provide events related to transfer information and
that specifically target Latino male students. He mentioned:
I think that college could host more events. They can focus more on helping males
transfer…I guess…because, usually, they do events like that, but they are geared towards
everyone, so to just do an event only for males, so they could meet other males who have
the same goals and go through the same struggles and, like that, they see that they’re not
the only ones, and it’s a support system of just males.
Javier commented that the information is available at MVCC for students who seek it. However,
he brought up the need to increase awareness within the local community. He explained that he
learned about transfer information because his church had a speaker from a program at MVCC
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who shared information on the community college and transferring. He mentioned the lack of
transfer awareness by families and the general community. Javier stated:
Here, at school, it’s great. The information is there. But it’s isolated at school. It has to be
out there. Everyone’s giving their information out there. Jobs are recruiting from high
schools. They’re recruiting from churches. Families understand more about work than
education. They understand more about church than education. There’s not too many
people who have this knowledge about school that are sharing this.
Summary
The section above reported the experiences of twelve Latino male community college
students at MVCC. The themes that emerged from participant responses were presented by
research question. The first research question attempted to understand the factors that contributed
to students’ persistence to transfer to a four-year institution. The findings suggested that Latino
male community college students perceived an expectation to contribute financially to their
household. The majority of participants worked while attending college to provide for their
family or to support their personal expenses. However, they found it challenging to balance both
work and school. Their parents’ involvement with their college education was limited to verbal
encouragement, yet often contracted their encouragement by making direct or indirect comments
about getting a full-time job.
The second question attempted to understand the process by which Latino male students
learned about the transfer process, and the theme that emerged was informal information
channels. The findings suggested that participants learned about the transfer process through
networking with other individuals. It was through informal conversations that students were
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 79
referred to specific individuals or institutional programs that provided them with additional
information on the transfer process.
The third question aimed at understanding the role that professors and counselors played
in supporting Latino male students in their persistence to transfer. Three themes emerged: (1)
professors and counselors as a source of motivation through role modeling, (2) professors and
counselors as bridges to programs, and (3) professors and counselors as emotional and moral
encouragement. The findings suggested that institutional agents are important sources of
motivation to students. Students look up to professors as role models. Professors and counselors
provide participants with important connections to resources and programs that support students
with their educational goals. Additionally, professors and counselors provide students with
emotional and moral encouragement to persist with their personal and academic challenges.
The final research question sought to find out what support services Latino male students
utilized at the community college, and the two findings that emerged were related to transfer
support programs and transfer awareness. The findings suggested that students who participated
in transfer support programs received guidance in the transfer process. However, the information
was limited to students who sought out that information or found out about it by chance. The
next chapter provides a discussion of the findings as well as implications for practice.
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CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of Latino male community
college students’ experience as they persisted through their studies at a community college. This
study aimed to understand the role that institutional agents played in Latino male community
college students’ persistence to transfer to a four-year degree granting institution. The following
research questions guided this study:
1. What factors contribute to Latino male community college students’ persistence to
transfer to a four-year university?
a. How do Latino male students in community college learn about the transfer process
to a four-year degree granting institution?
b. What role do institutional agents play in supporting Latino male students’ decision to
transfer?
c. What support services do Latino male students utilize to learn about the transfer
process?
This study used interviews and document analysis as qualitative research methods to
gather data. Twelve students from MVCC, who identified as Latino males, participated in
individual interviews. This study used interviews and document analysis as qualitative research
methods to gather data. Twelve students from MVCC, who identified as Latino males, participated in
individual interviews. The sample of participants was not typical of the overall MVCC student
population. The participants were recruited from MVCC’s Transfer Center’s contact list, many of them
were full-time students, and several of them were part of the STEM program. The data gathered was
analyzed using a constant comparison method and social capital theories guided the analysis process. The
findings of this study suggest that Latino male community college students benefited from the social
capital that they gained through the relationships with institutional agents and specialized programs. To
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 81
continue to improve transfer awareness on campus among students and faculty, collaborative
relationships need to be established among institutional agents, program offices, and with family and
community institutions, such as local schools and churches. The diagram below provides a visual
representation of the findings of this study. Similar to a Ferris wheel, which consists of strong
connections between the center point of the wheel and passenger pods, the diagram symbolizes the
experiences of the participants. The center of the wheel represents the students surrounded by campus
individuals and programs as well as family and community institutions. The lines connecting from the
student to each pod represents the social capital, or relationships that were mutually established. The lines
connecting the pods represent the collaborative relationships between institutional agents, campus
programs, and the local community, which have the potential to increase awareness about transferring to
four-year institutions and provide the support to Latino male community college students as they persist
to transfer.
Figure 8. Summary of Findings
Research Question One
The first research question asked, “What factors contribute to Latino male community
college students’ persistence to transfer to a four-year university?” Participants discussed their
parents’ involvement in their college education. Most participants stated that their parents
provided them with verbal encouragement to focus on their education, which was similar to
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 82
Sandoval-Lucero et al.’s (2014) finding. Their parents’ involvement was limited to verbal
reassurance rather than guidance or advice. However, the participants’ parents had a limited
understanding of the time commitment required to studying and working on homework. Instead,
most participants expressed that their parents expected them to work to contribute to the
household or questioned the length of time it was taking them to complete their studies and start
a career. Participants attributed their parents’ limited involvement or understanding of the
college experience to their limited education background.
When compared to middle class youth, low-income youth have significantly less access
to social capital, thus supportive relations with institutional agents were necessary to attain
privileges, resources, and support that helped them advance their economic position (Stanton-
Salazar, 1995). The majority of the participants were first generation college students and came
from low-income families. Although participants were adult college students, their parents’
limited knowledge of the college education and their low social-economic status, limited
participants’ access to social capital. This study found that institutional agents contributed to
Latino male’s persistence to transfer. Participants had to rely on institutional agents (Stanton-
Salazar, 1995) to gain the necessary social capital that aided in their persistence to transfer.
Two barriers to persistence to transfer emerged from participants’ responses. Most
participants perceived an expectation of males having to contribute financially to their
household. Their parents told some participants about this expectation explicitly while others
learned by observing their parents and internalizing that expectation without explicitly being
told. Most participants expressed a need to provide for their family because they struggled
financially, and they felt that it was their responsibility to help with household expenses. This
finding is consistent with published research in this area, which found that Latino males value
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 83
familism, a strong feeling of loyalty and responsibility to the family (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009;
Suarez-Orozco & Suarez-Orozco, 1995). Other participants mentioned that they had children
they had to support financially. Most participants found it necessary to work in order to gain
income so they did not have to rely on relatives. The one participant who did not work was
financially dependent on his parents. However, he expressed feelings of inadequacy because he
was not like most male community college students who worked to contribute financially to their
households.
The second barrier to transfer related to work and school. The majority of participants
worked while going to college and were challenged in balancing their time between work and
school. Participants who did not receive financial aid worked full time to pay for the cost of their
tuition and had to enroll in community college part time. However, the time they spent on
studying and homework was limited, which reflected in the grades they received. Participants
experienced pressure or stress related to their finances and having to deal with schoolwork.
Research Question Two
The second research question asked, “How do Latino male students in community
college learn about the transfer process to a four-year degree granting institution?” The
participants for this study learned about transfer information from various informal information
channels. Most of the students learned about transferring from an individual at MVCC, such as a
professor, counselor, staff member, or peer. Three participants learned about the transfer process
from a high school teacher or counselors. Baker and Velez (1996), Hurtado and Carter (1997),
and Saunders and Serna (2004) found that Latino students who created new networks and
maintained old ones were able to persist towards their degree goal. In this study, the participants
created new networks that helped them gain information on the transfer process. Bensimon and
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 84
Dowd (2009) found that relationships between students and individuals who helped them transfer
developed by chance. Similarly, when this study’s participants first learned about transfer
information or transfer support programs, they found out through informal conversations. This
study found that the initial interaction with an individual from the institution increased
participants’ social capital in the form of a referral to a program or organization that provided
specific information about the transfer process.
Research Question Three
The third research question asked, “What role do institutional agents play in supporting
Latino male students’ persistence to transfer?” Stanton-Salazar (2011) described institutional
agents as individuals who provided low social status students with access to high-status
opportunities and resources through their positions of authority or high status. Supportive or
instrumental relationships with institutional agents are forms of social capital (Stanton-Salazar,
1997). This study found that the relationships that participants formed with institutional agents,
such as professors and counselors, provided them with access to educational opportunities, like
enrichment programs, internships, work-study employment, and scholarships that helped them
advance in their educational aspirations.
Counselors and faculty at MVCC motivated students to persist to transfer to a four-year
university through role modeling, connecting students to campus programs, and through
emotional and moral encouragement. Participants explained that they felt a sense of wanting to
get to know a professor if they liked their teaching style or if they felt like they related to them
on a personal level. Participants felt they could relate to a professor when the professor shared
information about his/her personal background and the challenges s/he overcame to earn a
degree. Students who stated they related to a professor or liked their professor’s teaching style
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 85
also stated that they felt comfortable attending that professor’s office hours because they
received academic support as well as got to know the professor on a personal level. Participants
stated that learning about their professors’ personal and educational background made them feel
like they, too, could earn a graduate level degree. Thus, they aspired to earn a master’s or
doctoral degree.
The relationship between student and professor, counselor, or staff evolved into access to
educational opportunities such as internships, scholarships, or work-study employment. Some
participants stated that their relationship with their professor or counselor developed into mentor
and mentee relationships. The participants’ mentors informed them about program opportunities
that helped them advance in their preparation for transfer to a four-year institution. Additionally,
participants sensed emotional and moral support from their professor or counselor when that
individual attempted to get to know the student on a personal level. Participants described a
professor or counselor as approachable or willing to listen, which was a source of encouragement
to participants. This finding was aligned to Sandoval-Lucero et al. (2014) who found that
professor accessibility and motivational support contributed to students’ ability to persist.
Research Question Four
The fourth research question asked, “What support services do Latino male students
utilize to learn about the transfer process?” This research study found that most participants were
involved in a specialized program that provided them with college knowledge and the transfer
process. Relying on a general counselor for transfer information was not sufficient to students’
persistence to transfer. Instead, participants took the initiative to seek out referrals and
information about transfer. The three specialized programs that participants mentioned they
utilized were EOPS, the Transfer Center, and MESA.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 86
The majority of participants mentioned a lack of awareness and consistent information
from counselors and professors, which was similar to other findings that attributed a lack of
awareness about the transfer process among students to a lack of awareness among counselors,
instructors, and staff (Bensimon & Dowd, 2009; Hagedorn & Lester, 2006; Ornelas &
Solorzano, 2004; Solorzano, Villalpando, & Oseguera, 2005). Some participants discussed their
experiences with different counselors and receiving contradicting information about transfer
requirements. Other participants stated that they were misguided about course requirements,
which delayed them in the college application process. Some participants highlighted the need to
increase awareness about the benefits of transferring to a four-year institution and completing a
Bachelor’s degree versus a certificated program or Associate’s degree.
Implications and Recommendations for Practice
Implication 1
The first implication to arise from this study is that the verbal encouragement that Latino
male community college students received from their family contributed to their persistence to
transfer.
Recommendation: Family involvement. The findings of this study suggest that the
family can serve as a source of motivation for Latino males to persist towards their degree goal.
Although the encouragement is limited to verbal praise, community colleges need to play a role
in increasing access to social capital. Community colleges need to promote events on campus
that welcome students’ family members to participate. Community colleges can host a family
day during orientation or welcome week during which family members can attend various
workshops that provide them with information on the community college experience.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 87
Recommendation: Financial aid. To assist Latino male community college students
with balancing financial responsibilities while focusing on earning their degree, college
administrators need to support funding for financial aid and student support programs. For
instance, developing scholarship and work-study opportunities specifically for Latino male
community college students. Financial responsibilities to provide for the family and the need for
students to work emerged as barriers to their persistence. Participants perceived an expectation
to contribute financially to their household simply because they were men, and a majority of
them felt the need to work in order to provide for their family or to take care of their own
expenses. Some participants mentioned they were not aware that they were eligible for financial
aid and, therefore, did not apply. Focusing on initiatives that increase student awareness about
the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid and Dream Act application is another way that
administrators can attempt to support Latino male community college students.
Implication 2
The second implication drawn from this study is that Latino male community college
students learned about the transfer process through various informal information channels.
Recommendation: Counselor knowledge. The majority of participants mentioned that
they received support from a counselor during the college transfer application process. However,
the counselors were from specific support programs such as MESA or the transfer center.
Administrators can ensure that specialized programs are equipped with enough counselors to
support students and that the general counselors are also knowledgeable about the transfer
process.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 88
Implication 3
The third implication of this study is that Latino male community college students rely on
institutional agents for necessary social capital that allows them to persist towards transfer to a
four-year institution.
Recommendation: Administrators. Administrators can create a systematic way for
students to access support through a mentoring program. The participants identified professors or
counselors with whom they developed mentor and mentee relationships that supported them in
accessing educational programs and opportunities. Administrators can create a systematic way
for students to access support through a mentoring program. Mentors such as faculty or career
professionals can provide students with a sense of connection to the institution and with social
capital that can support their persistence to transfer. Lastly, administrators need to hire faculty
and staff who are familiar with the daily challenges that Latino male students face and who are
willing to advocate for this student population. The participants were first-generation college
students who relied on the college knowledge and social capital of faculty and staff at the
college.
Recommendation: Faculty. Professors need to understand the challenges Latino males
experience outside of the classroom by making an attempt to get to know them. Faculty members
have greater access to students since they see them regularly in class. Participants responded that
they felt comfortable developing a relationship with a professor if he/she was willing to ask
questions and get to know the student on a personal level. They can target students by inviting
them to office hours and being open to mentoring students. Faculty members can ensure that they
are informed of scholarship, internships, work, and other educational opportunities they can
share with Latino males and advertise these programs and support services in class. Faculty can
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 89
increase their own knowledge about transfer requirements and where to go to access more
information.
Recommendation: Counselors. All counselors need to receive routine and updated
training on course transfer requirements and provide all students with the option about transfer to
a four-year institution. Counselors play an integral role in advising students with course
articulation and college admission requirements. Thus, it is crucial that they are aware of updated
transfer requirements even if they are general counselors. Counselors need to be able to get to
know students on a personal level in order to better advise them on course load. Initiating and
establishing partnerships between the community college counselors and four-year universities is
also important to the success of Latino male community college students’ persistence to transfer.
To ensure that students are aware of the transfer options and the services available, counselors
need to visit classrooms to advertise college transfer services.
Implication 4
The fourth implication to arise from this study is that community colleges need to
disseminate information about transfer in order to raise awareness among students, faculty and
staff.
Recommendation: Outreach programs. Administrators can ensure that outreach
programs target the local high schools to recruit graduating seniors and support them with the
planning process for transfer. Participants also mentioned a need to increase transfer awareness
among students, faculty, staff, and the local community. Three of the participants stated that they
knew about transferring because their high school counselor informed them about it and referred
them to a program that provided information on the transfer process. Increasing students’
awareness of transfer requirements and support services available to them needs to happen early
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 90
in students’ first year college experience. Campus programs can also reach out to local
community organizations, such as churches, to educate students and parents about transfer
opportunities and the services available at the local community college.
Limitations
This study was important in helping community colleges understand the needs of Latino
male students. However, there were some limitations to this study. One of them was the
participant sample size. Individual interviews were conducted with twelve students who
identified as Latino males. The small sample size was not representative of the entire Latino
male student population at all community colleges. The second limitation was associated with
Latino males who were willing to participate in this study. Outreach was conducted through the
institution’s transfer center email list. The participants’ experiences are specific to students who
are involved in the transfer center and do not include students who are not involved.
Future Research
This study found that financial need or the perception of financial responsibilities in the
home environment was prevalent in the lives of Latino male community college students. Some
participants used words such as “stress” and “pressure” when talking about their perception of
having to contribute financially to their household and having to balance work with college.
Future research that focuses on Latino male community college students’ financial literacy and
the correlations among financial instability, mental health, and academic performance will
contribute to the research related to Latino males.
Participants commonly identified their family’s verbal encouragement as motivation to
complete their education. However, they also acknowledged their family’s expectation, or
participants’ perceptions regarding expectation, to work in order to financially contribute to the
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 91
household conflicted with thier responsibilities as college students. Participants attributed this
clash to the family’s lack of understanding about the community college student experience.
Future research on this topic can explore the role of family on persistence to transfer to a four-
year university. The research can focus specifically on Latino male students who successfully
transferred to a four-year university and identify characteristics of the family that contributed to
the students’ transfer success.
To continue to support Latino male community college students’ persistence to transfer,
additional research may explore strategies professors and counselors utilize to build relationships
with this population and increase their motivation to transfer. Participants identified professors or
counselors who provided them information or opportunities they would not have otherwise
accessed, such as employment, internship, financial scholarship, or enrichment opportunities.
The relationships with institutional agents provided the necessary social capital to access
opportunities that further enhanced their educational prospects. Further research can identify
community colleges with high transfer rates and investigate how these facilitate Latino male
community college students’ access to social capital that assists them with the transfer process.
Increasing Latino male community college students’ awareness of the financial and social
prospects associated with a four-year degree, as well as their understanding of the transfer
requirements, is one way that community colleges can increase transfer rates among this
population. Participants mentioned that transfer information is not consistently communicated by
individuals at the campus. Future research focusing on the strategies that transfer centers utilize
to increase student awareness of transfer requirements and transfer services can contribute to this
initiative. Once successful strategies are identified, they can be adapted at other campuses to
meet their needs.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 92
Conclusion
This study provided a better understanding of Latino male community college students’
experiences as they persist to transfer to a four-year degree granting institution. As the Latino
male student population continues to depend on community colleges as their gateway to a four-
year degree, it is important for campus administrators, faculty, and staff to allocate resources that
support this student population. Specialized programs such as the Transfer Center, EOPS, and
MESA are great resources. However, the responsibility to educate and prepare students for the
transfer process should not only fall on the individuals who work for these specialized programs.
Administrators, faculty, and staff need to remain updated on the general transfer requirements
and continuously advertise or encourage students to participate in transfer specific programs and
other student support services, such as tutoring and mental health. Although it may be difficult
for all faculty or counselors to develop close relationships with students, they can make an effort
to create a positive and supportive environment in the classroom or program offices. The
continued support from institutional agents will encourage Latino male students to persist
towards their degree goals, and emphasizing four-year transfer will contribute to closing the gap
in four-year completion rates.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 93
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progress. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 4(3), 272-294.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 100
Stanton-Salazar, R. D. (1997). A social capital framework for understanding the socialization of
racial minority children and youths. Harvard Educational Review, 67(1), 1-41.
Stanton-Salazar, R. D. (2011). A social capital framework for the study of institutional agents
and their role in the empowerment of low-status students and youth. Youth & Society, 43(3),
1066-1109.
Suarez-Orozco, C., & Suarez-Orozco, M. (1995). Immigration, family life, and achievement
motivation among Latino Adolescents. Stanford, CA: Stanford University.
Sullivan, L. G. (2005). National profile of community colleges: Trends & statistics. Washington,
DC: American Association of Community Colleges.
The White House. (n.d.). Higher Education. Retrieved from
http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education/higher-education.
The White House. (2009). Remarks of President Barack Obama–As prepared for delivery
address to joint session of congress, Tuesday, February 24th, 2009. Retrieved from:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/remarks-of-president-barack-obama-
address-to-joint-session-of-congress
The White House. (2011). Winning the future: Improving education for the Latino community.
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ovingLatinoEducation.pdf
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education- Major features. Retrieved from
http://ucfuture.universityofcalifornia.edu/documents/ca_masterplan_summary.pdf
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 101
United States Department of Education. (2011). Meeting the nation’s 2020 goal: State targets for
increasing the number and percentage of college graduates with degrees. Washington,
DC: Author. Retrieved from
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/guid/secletter/110323insert.pdf
Valenzuela, A. (1999). Subtracting schooling: U.S.-Mexican youth and the politics of caring.
Albany: State University of New York.
Vaughan, G. B. (2006). The community college story. Washington, DC: American Association of
Community College.
Wang, X. (2009). Baccalaureate Attainment and college persistence of community college
transfer students at four-year institutions. Research in Higher Education, 50(6), 570-588.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 102
Appendix A
Email Solicitation
Hello,
My name is Heidi Parragil and I am a doctoral student at the University of Southern California
(USC). I am conducting a research project titled “ Latino Male Community College Students’
Persistence to Transfer to a Four-Year.” I am emailing you because a staff member at Mountain
View Community College has identified you as a potential study participant.
The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the experiences of male students in
community college and how they decide to transfer to a four-year university. Approximately 12-
15 students will be interviewed for this study.
Your participation is completely voluntary.
To determine if you are eligible to participate in this study, please complete a pre-survey by
clicking on the following link: xxxxxxxxxxx
If you are selected as a participant, I will discuss over the phone the details of your participation.
If you want to know more about this study, please contact me at parragil@usc.edu. Thank you
for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Heidi Parragil
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 103
Appendix B
Online Participant Recruitment Survey
1. What is your gender? Male Female
2. What is your ethnic background? _______________________
3. Do you intend to transfer to a four-year university? Yes No
4. Have you completed at least 30 transferable units? Yes No
5. Did your parents attend college in the United States? Yes No
6. Are you enrolled full-time in college? Yes No
7. What is your major? ______________________
8. Are you willing to participate in an interview (no longer than 60 minutes) to discuss your
experience as a community college student? Study participants will be compensated with
a $20 gift card. Yes No
9. If you responded yes to participating in the study, please provide your contact
information:
Preferred email _______________________
Phone number _______________________
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 104
Appendix C
Informed Consent for Non-Medical Research
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
INFORMED CONSENT FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH
Latino Male Community College Students’ Persistence to Transfer to a Four-Year
You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by Heidi Parragil at the University of
Southern California, because you are a Latino male currently enrolled at a community college.
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
The purpose of this study is to learn about the decision making process of Latino male
community college students’ decision-making process to transfer to a four-year university. With
this information, postsecondary practitioners may be able to increase college degree completion
rates of Latino male students.
STUDY PROCEDURES
If you volunteer to participate in this study, you will be asked to participate in a 60 minute
interview about what factors contributed to your decision to transfer to a four-year university.
One-on-one interviews will take place in-person. The researcher will use an interview protocol.
The interviews will audio recorded and professionally transcribed. The transcripts will be coded
for emerging themes.
POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
There are no anticipated risks in participating in this study.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO PARTICIPANTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
College administrators, staff and faculty will be able to better understand the experiences of
Latino male community college students and how to meet their educational needs.
PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
You will receive a $20 gift card for participating in this 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
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 105
Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews and monitors
research studies to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.
Data will be stored in a locked storage container and on a password protected computer. At the
conclusion of the research project, the data will remain locked until it is deemed appropriate by
the researcher to be professionally deleted. The data will be kept for a minimum of three years
after the completion of the study.
PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL
Your participation is voluntary. Your refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss of
benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. You may withdraw your consent at any time and
discontinue participation without penalty. You are not waiving any legal claims, rights or
remedies 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 Principal
Investigator, Heidi L. Parragil, and/or the Faculty Dissertation Chair, Dr. Tracy Tambascia. You
may reach Heidi l. Parragil at 310-850-8774 or Parragil@usc.edu. You may reach Dr. Tambascia
at tpoon@rossier.usc.edu.
RIGHTS OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANT – IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
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/VIDEO/PHOTOGRAPHS (If this is not applicable to your study and/or if
participants do not have a choice of being audio/video-recorded or photographed, delete
this section.)
□ I agree to be audio-recorded
□ I do not want to be audio-recorded
Name of Participant
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 106
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
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 107
Appendix D
Study Information Sheet
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
INFORMATION/FACTS SHEET FOR EXEMPT NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH
Latino Male Community College Students’ Persistence to Transfer to a Four-Year
You are invited to participate in a research study. Research studies include only people who
voluntarily choose to take part. This document explains information about this study. You should
ask questions about anything that is unclear to you.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to learn about the decision making process of Latino male
community college students’ decision-making process to transfer to a four-year university. With
this information, postsecondary practitioners may be able to increase college degree completion
rates of Latino male students.
PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
If you volunteer to participate in this study, you will be asked to participate in a 60 minute audio
–taped interview. The one-on-one interview will take place in-person. You do not have to answer
any questions you do not want to; if you do not want to be audio-recorded, you cannot participate
in this study.
PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
You will receive a $20 gift card for participating in this study. The card will be given to you at
the end of the interview.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Any information obtained in connection with this study will remain confidential. Your responses
will be coded with a false name (pseudonym) and maintained separately. The audio-tapes will
be destroyed once they have been transcribed. The data will be stored on a password protected
computer in the researcher’s office for three years after the study has been completed and then
destroyed.
The members of the research team 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.
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 108
INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact Principal
Investigator, Heidi L. Parragil, and/or the Faculty Dissertation Chair, Dr. Tracy Tambascia. You
may reach Heidi L. Parragil at 310-850-8774 or Parragil@usc.edu. You may reach Dr.
Tambascia at tpoon@rossier.usc.edu.
IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
University Park Institutional Review Board (UPIRB), 3720 South Flower Street #301, Los
Angeles, CA 90089-0702, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 109
Appendix E
Interview Protocol
Research Question:
1. What factors contribute to Latino male community college students’ persistence to transfer to
a four-year university?
a. How do Latino male students in community college learn about the transfer
process to a four-year degree granting institution?
b. What role do institutional agents play in supporting Latino male’s decision to
transfer?
c. What support services do Latino male students utilize that contribute to their
decision to transfer?
Background information
1. How do you think your high school prepared you for college?
2. What was your relationship like with your counselor in high school?
3. What role did your high school counselor play in preparing you for college?
4. What was your GPA when you graduated from high school?
5. When did you begin community college?
a. Probe: How old were you?
b. Did you begin immediately after high school?
6. What made you choose a community college?
7. Have you attended community college on a full time basis? Part-time basis?
RQ 1- Factors that contribute to persistence
8. What do you think are some challenges that males face as community college students
that differ from females?
9. What advice would you give to males to overcome those challenges?
10. Were there times when you were discouraged from transferring? What was it that made
you feel discouraged? How did you overcome them?
11. What role did your family play in deciding to go to college and where you would go?
12. Where there any expectations at home that you felt you had to fulfill?
13. How has your family contributed to your decision to transfer?
14. Where there any expectations from your friends that you felt you had to fulfill?
15. What has your experience been like with financing your college education? Have you had
to work to pay for college?
RQ 1a- Decision to transfer
16. What is your degree goal? What made you want to earn that degree?
17. What four-year colleges or universities are you considering transferring to?
18. How did you determine what 4-year you want to transfer to?
19. How do you think that your experiences as a male community college student differ from
those of your community college peers who are females? How have these experiences
contributed to you wanting to transfer?
20. If there was a male student sitting here who knew nothing about transferring, what would
you tell him to help him understand what needs to be done to transfer?
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 110
21. How did you learn about the transfer process? To whom did you talk to about it?
RQ 1b- Institutional agents
22. How would you describe your experience with a counselor at this community college?
23. What was the most important thing that you learned from the counselor?
24. What individual at MVCC do you think has significantly contributed to your decision to
transfer to a four year? (If participant cannot identify anyone at MVCC move on to
question 27.)
a. Probe: Were there any professors, counselors, or staff members who played a role
in your decision to transfer?
b. Tell me about _________
c. How did you meet this person
d. How would you describe your relationship with this individual?
25. What specific information did this individual share with you that helped you navigate the
college system?
26. Is there anyone else that you think has contributed in your decision making process?
a. Repeat questions two and three: How would you describe your relationship with
this individual? What was it about this individual that contributed to your decision
to transfer?
27. Is there anyone outside of MVCC that you think played a significant role in your decision
to transfer?
RQ 1c- Support services
28. What support services have you utilized at the community college that have helped you
navigate the transfer process (for example tutoring, mentoring, advising, workshops)?
a. What was it about them that you found to be most helpful?
b. What about outside of the community college?
29. How did you find out about these services?
30. What do you think that the college can do to help Latino male students with their decision
to transfer?
31. Is there anything else that you would like to add that I did not touch on?
LATINO MALE TRANSFER PERSISTENCE 111
Appendix F
Document Analysis Protocol
1. When was the document created?
2. Who created the document and where?
3. What was the context under which the document was produced?
4. How did it come into the researcher’s hands?
5. How is the information presented?
6. Is the information easy to understand?
7. How is the document made accessible to students?
8. How is the document used?
9. Does the document include contact information to an individual who students can contact
for additional information?
Abstract (if available)
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Parragil, Heidi Lizette
(author)
Core Title
Latino male community college students' persistence to transfer
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education
Degree Program
Education (Leadership)
Publication Date
09/10/2015
Defense Date
08/28/2015
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
community college,Latino,Male,OAI-PMH Harvest,transfer
Format
application/pdf
(imt)
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Tambascia, Tracy (
committee chair
), Green, Alan G. (
committee member
), Kozeracki, Carol (
committee member
)
Creator Email
hlp2002@msn.com,parragil@usc.edu
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c40-178568
Unique identifier
UC11272516
Identifier
etd-ParragilHe-3893.pdf (filename),usctheses-c40-178568 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
etd-ParragilHe-3893.pdf
Dmrecord
178568
Document Type
Dissertation
Format
application/pdf (imt)
Rights
Parragil, Heidi Lizette
Type
texts
Source
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
Access Conditions
The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...
Repository Name
University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location
USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA
Tags
community college
Latino