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Understanding persistence: a qualitative analysis of the experiences of undocumented Latino graduate students
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Content
Understanding Persistence: A Qualitative Analysis of the Experiences of Undocumented Latino
Graduate Students
By
Natalie Xiomara Ruiz
A Thesis Presented to the
Faculty of the USC Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF EDUCATION
(EDUCATION COUNSELING)
May 2016
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
ii
Dedication
To my mother and grandmother, thank you for stepping out in faith, so I can have a better life.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
iii
Acknowledgements
I want to begin by expressing my gratitude to the 7 students who allowed me to hear their
stories and share their experiences through this work. I would not have been able to accomplish
this without your trust and support. Thank you for sharing about your hopes and your dreams; I
am forever grateful. I desire the best for all of you and wish you success in your careers and
academic endeavors.
I would like to say thank you, to my mentor and thesis chair, Kristan Venegas, for your
interest in my academic success and guidance these past two years. I also want to thank Kristina
Alvarado for your constant encouragement through the writing process, and Ronald Hallett for
challenging me to write from a justice perspective, your advice was necessary and valued.
Next, I want to express my gratitude to my City Life family, especially my life group –
my inner circle of supporters, friends and cheerleaders. I am forever thankful for your prayers
and acts of love and grace towards me during some of my most difficult times. You have been
there from the beginning and I will never forget it. May you be eternally blessed!
I wish to also express my appreciation to my family – my parents, my grandmother,
Maria, my brother and his wife, and my sister Daisy. Thank you for your love and support. A
special dedication to my nephew Dylan, you are my inspiration!
Lastly and most importantly, I want to thank my husband, Bryan Ruiz. You believed in
me when I couldn’t believe in myself. For the past 10 years, you never doubted me. Thank you
for your light heartedness and unconditional love. It is because of you that I am able to move
through this life with a smile on my face. You are my biggest blessing.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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Table of Contents
Dedication…………………………………………………………………………………………ii
Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………iii
List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………………..vi
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………......vii
Chapter 1: Overview of the Study………………………………………………………………...1
Definitions………………………………………………………………………………...2
Policy: A Brief Overview…………………………………………………………………3
Background of the Problem……………………………………………………………….6
Purpose……………………………………………………………………………………7
Theoretical Framework…………………………………………………………………..10
Chapter 2: Literature Review…………………………………………………………………….11
Experiences and Their Effects on Students…………………………………………..….11
Peer Support ……………………………………………………………………………..15
Interactions with Institutions and Institutional Agents…………………………………. 16
Presentation of Theories………………………………………………………………... 17
Summary………………………………………………………………………………... 20
Chapter 3: Methodology………………………………………………………………………... 22
Population………………………………………………………………………………. 22
Sampling Method……………………………………………………………………….. 22
Instrumentation and Data Collection…………………………………………………… 24
Data Analysis…………………………………………………………………………… 25
Limitations and Delimitations…………………………………………………………... 26
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
v
Chapter 4: Results………………………………………………………………………………. 27
Who are they?................................................................................................................... 27
Presentation of Themes and Results……………………………………………………. 34
Summary………………………………………………………………………………... 53
Chapter 5: Findings………………….………………………………………………………….. 54
Summary of Findings…………………………………………………………………… 54
Implications for Practice………………………………………………………………... 58
Opportunities for Future Research……………………………………………………… 60
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………… 60
References………………………………………………………………………………………..63
Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………...67-72
Appendix A: Student Recruitment Flyer.………………………………………………..67
Appendix B: Informed Consent………………………………………………………….68
Appendix C: Protocol for Student Interviews……………………………………………70
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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List of Tables
Table 1: Types of Institutions Represented……………………………………………………...24
Table 2: Demographics…………………………………………………………………………..28
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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Abstract
Current literature fails to provide information on undocumented students who pursue
graduate education. Given that undocumented students have low rates of academic persistence
and bachelor degree attainment due to the institutional and financial barriers present within
higher education, it is possible that few undocumented students pursue graduate studies
(Stebleton & Aleixo, 2015; Hallett, 2013). The uncertainties related to career opportunities and
job security for undocumented individuals, despite having a college degree, may deter
undocumented students from persisting through graduation, let alone pursuing a graduate
education (Pérez, Cortés, Ramos & Coronado, 2010; Hallett, 2013; Dowd Sawatzky and Korn
2011). The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of undocumented Latino graduate
students in California, to better understand factors responsible for their academic persistence.
Semi-structured, anonymous interviews were conducted with 7 undocumented Latino students
who at the time of data collection were enrolled in graduate programs in California. This
qualitative study relies on a grounded theory approach. Analysis of the interviews highlighted the
following major themes: (1) serving as an example for the undocumented and Latino community
was an intrinsic motivator for persistence through graduate school, (2) most families were
involved in their student’s education through providing financial support for books, tuition or
free housing, as well as encouraging their student to continue with their education; (3) most
participants expressed not having much time to spend with peers aside from discussing class
topics. Undocumented students mentioned having peer relationships with other undocumented
students, these peer groups were described by participants as networks that were beneficial
during the graduate school application process and (4) undocumented students at the graduate
level are not involved on campus and tended not to seek support services from student affairs
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
viii
office. The last theme found was that undocumented students were concerned about the anti-
immigration sentiment that was being communicated through the 2016 presidential election and
were curious to see how they, as a group, and as individuals would be affected.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
1
Chapter 1: Overview of the Study
Latinos are the largest and fastest growing population in the United States, comprising
17% of the nation’s population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). California is the state with the
largest Latino population in the United States (Pew Hispanic Research Center, 2013). Latinos
make up 38% of California’s population and this number is projected to grow at even faster rates
in the coming years (Pew Hispanic Research Center, 2013). In addition to housing the largest
population of Latinos of any state, California has the largest population of undocumented
immigrants (Educators for Fair Consideration, Fact Sheet, 2014). While not all undocumented
immigrants are from Latinos, most immigrants are from Latin America (PPIC, 2015).
Approximately 79% of undocumented immigrants are from Latin America, 59% are from
Mexico (PPIC, 2013).
Recent data demonstrates that approximately 7,000- 13,000 of undergraduate students in
the U.S. are undocumented immigrants (Educators for Fair Consideration, Fact Sheet, 2014).
While the statistics are not segregated by ethnicity, the United States is home to many
undocumented immigrants from Latin American countries and it is likely that many
undocumented Latinos have hopes of pursuing a higher education. Considering the heightened
policy interest in the undocumented population, researchers have gained a special interest in
investigating the experiences of undocumented students in K-12 and college settings (Abrego
and Gonzales, 2010; Pérez, Espinoza, Ramos, Coronado, & Cortés, 2009; Hallett, 2013). The
contributions of these researchers are significant in providing a context for the financial,
structural, and socio-emotional barriers that Latino, undocumented students face. However, there
are still many areas and intersecting points of identity to be explored within the Latino,
undocumented student population. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
2
undocumented Latino graduate students in California, to better understand why they persist
through graduate school.
Definitions
Latinos
For the purpose of this study, Latinos are defined as a pan-ethnic, heterogeneous group of
people with varying cultures, histories and political backgrounds (Ferdman and Gallegos, 2001).
Latinos refer to people with a national origin from Latin America (Ferdman and Gallegos, 2001).
Individuals who participated in the study were asked if they identified as Latinos. Those
participants who answered affirmatively were asked to explain what that meant to them. All
participants explained their Latino identity as a result of their birth in Latin American countries,
therefore meeting the operational definition we have designated for the study.
Undocumented Students
Undocumented student status is operationally defined using Paz (Olivérez 2006)) definition:
Undocumented students include those students born outside of the United States, many of
whom have lived in this country for a significant portion of their lives, and who reside
here without the legal permission of the federal government. Some undocumented
students and their families entered the country legally on tourist or work visas and chose
to stay in the US after their visas expired. Others entered without any form of legal
immigration status (p.6).
Other definitions of an undocumented student include, any student who is a first generation
immigrant to the United States and does not hold citizenship (NCES, 2012b). Unauthorized has
also been a term used to describe any foreign national who entered the United States without
legal immigration authorization or inspection (Department of Homeland Security, 2012).
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
3
Undocumented status will be used in lieu of unauthorized because the literature on immigration
has referred to this particular population as undocumented. Students with unauthorized status
refer to themselves as undocumented, occasionally with subset descriptors such as, DACA-
mented, DREAMer, or AB-540 (Stebleton & Aleixo, 2015; Pérez, Cortés, Ramos & Coronado,
2010; Hallett, 2013).
Policy: A Brief Overview
California Policy
California is the state with the largest number of undocumented immigrants, reported at
2.6 million, representing 25% of all undocumented immigrants in the United States (Educators
for Fair Consideration, Fact Sheet, 2014). California is also a leading state in immigration
reform.
Assembly Bill 540. California introduced Assembly Bill 540 (AB 540) in 2001.
Assembly Bill 540 qualifies undocumented students to be eligible for in state tuition, the bill
does not allow for undocumented students to have access to federally funded or state funded
financial aid (Stats. 2001, ch. 814, section 68130.5). While this policy benefits undocumented
students, it is not a policy that was originally created for the undocumented population.
Assembly Bill 540 is a policy that benefits many different constituencies, especially out of state
students who want to receive in state tuition benefits. Due to the high number of U.S. citizens
that reap benefits from the bill, challenges to the bill have failed in the courts; this bill is seen as
one for citizens rather than undocumented students. Aside from providing undocumented
students with the opportunity to ay in state tuition, AB 540 is an identity that many
undocumented students have taken on to not have to come out as undocumented. Because AB
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
4
540 is used by many citizens, there is less stigma associated with the term and can make
identifying oneself on campus easier for undocumented students.
California DREAM Act. In response to increasing support of the undocumented student
population, California introduced and implemented the CA DREAM Act in 2005. The CA
DREAM Act is comprised of two bills: AB 130 and AB 131; the law allows students to receive
institutional aid and a portion of state level grants at the California public and private colleges,
both within graduate and undergraduate education. The DREAM Act does not allow for students
to access federal aid, students are restricted to only using state aid. This has decreased the
financial burden on many students in California and allowed for higher education to be more
affordable for undocumented students.
Federal Policy
Plyler v. Doe. In 1982, the Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe overruled the state of Texas
legislation from withholding state funds to public education for undocumented students. The
national implications for this were that all students, regardless of legal status are allowed a k-12
education. Plyler v. Doe ensures that no student is discriminated against receiving a k-12
education on the basis of citizenship and that a basic education should come at no cost for all
students. Many years later the federal government produced the 1996 enactment of the Illegal
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act that led to increased border security and
stricter deportation laws (§§ 505-507). IIRIRA prohibits undocumented immigrants from
accessing any postsecondary education benefits that are not also allowed to citizens. The
implications of this law is that universities and other institutions for higher learning have to
provide the same opportunities for out of state students to apply for in state tuition. While Plyler
v. Doe increases education access to children, when undocumented students graduate high
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
5
school, their access to higher education is sometimes denied because of restrictive policies such
as IIRIRA.
DACA. In 2012, Obama passed the federal legislation titled, Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Deferred Action provides protection from removal (deportation)
for 2 years, it also allows for a work authorization document to be secured by undocumented
individuals and makes available a social security number. Providing individuals with protected
status for two years allows for the pursuit of higher education without the fear of deportation.
DACA makes obtaining an on campus position a possibility for undocumented students pursuing
higher education, allowing for more financial stability than if there was no avenue for working
on or off campus. Undocumented students eligible for DACA may also secure work that
provides them with a stipend that can be allocated towards tuition costs, making college more
affordable because of the rights a work permit authorization provides. Eligibility for a social
security number through DACA provides undocumented students with opportunities to pursue
scholarships and financial aid that would have otherwise not been available without a social
security number. The eliminated fear of deportation, ability to work and have the opportunity to
seek financial aid for college are results of DACA that provide undocumented students with
some hope for persisting through higher education. Given the current political tides, some people
are worried that DACA will become a national registry that will be used for deportation
depending upon what happens in the upcoming elections. Students who apply for DACA
overcome their fear of risk in hopes of obtaining a higher education in the states.
Executive Action on Immigration: Currently on Hold. In 2014, President Obama
announced his executive action on immigration by proposing an Expanded DACA that removes
the maximum age requirement that limited eligibility to only those under the age of 31 years.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
6
Expanded DACA also removes the date of entry to January 1, 2010 as the cutoff for eligibility
while also increasing the number of years for employment authorization from two years, to three
years (USCIS, 2015). Obama announced Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) in
2014, as part of his executive action on immigration. DAPA would allow for eligible parents of
U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents to request for deferred action of deportation and
employment authorization. As of May 2014, Obama’s executive action has been placed on hold,
due to a federal court order (USCIS, 2015). It is not currently known when Extended DACA or
DAPA will be open for application.
Background of the Problem
Currently, the literature fails to provide information on undocumented students within
graduate education. Given that undocumented students have low rates of academic persistence
and bachelor degree attainment due to the institutional and financial barriers present within
higher education, it is possible that few undocumented students pursue graduate studies
(Stebleton & Aleixo, 2015; Hallett, 2013). The uncertainties related to career opportunities and
job security for undocumented individuals, despite having a college degree, may deter
undocumented students from persisting through graduation, let alone pursuing a graduate
education (Pérez, Cortés, Ramos & Coronado, 2010; Hallett, 2013; Dowd Sawatzky and Korn
2011). It is a problem that we do not know the experiences of undocumented graduate students
because student affairs professionals are charged with supporting the academic success of all
students, not only U.S. citizens, but also undocumented students (Gildersleeve, Rumann, and
Mondragón, 2010). To withdraw effort from understanding the experiences of undocumented
graduate students, student affairs staff, counselor and higher education administrators are
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
7
perpetuating inequity in the lives of students who are already are under-resourced due to legal
and/or financial barriers.
Purpose
Undocumented students face economic, legal, social and emotional barriers directly
resulting from their citizenship status (Cervantes, Minero & Brito, 2015). Studying the
experiences of undocumented Latinos that pursue a graduate education would give insight into
the factors that positively influence undocumented students to successfully persist through a
graduate education, despite the academic and financial barriers that exist for this population,
given their immigration status. The concepts to be explored in the study are: motivation, familial
relationships, peer support, institutional support, relationships with institutional agents, and the
personal experiences undocumented Latinos have while applying and attending graduate school.
The hope is to inform practitioners of the types of support necessary for the successful retention
of undocumented college students. In this study, persistence is operationally defined as
continuing in one’s educational journey. Persistence is the act of moving forward, towards
graduation and fulfilling one’s educational goal.
Significance
Pérez (2010) states that studying the experiences of undocumented students is important
be cause, “although undocumented students only make up a fraction of the general Latino
population, uncovering strategies to assist first-generation, Latino undocumented students can
sequentially supplement policies to aid their first-generation, US-born counterparts (p.21).
Statistics released by the Pew Hispanic Research Center (2014) demonstrate a 16.5% total
college enrollment of Latinos. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2012),
between 2009-2010 the percentage of Latinos who earned bachelor’s degrees was 8.8%,
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
8
compared to the 72.9% bachelor degree attainment of their white counterparts. The gap in degree
attainment for Latinos is related to the existence of institutional barriers and disparate equity
presented in higher education (Dowd et al., 2011).
This study is significant because it highlights the disproportionate opportunities available
to undocumented students who are just as skilled and driven to succeed as their native born
counterparts (Ortiz, Hinojosa, 2010). “Undocumented students cannot gain lawful employment
and do not qualify for most forms of financial aid” (Gildersleeve Rumann, and Mondragón, p.
11, 2010). What this demonstrates is intentional forms of oppression directed towards
undocumented immigrants. Furthermore, after the completion of an undergraduate education,
undocumented students who do not have a work authorization permit are many times forced to
take on hard- labor jobs that pay little to nothing despite having an undergraduate education
(Ortiz Hinojosa, 2010). These are strenuous jobs that U.S. citizens are unlikely to take due to the
harsh conditions. Undocumented students may choose to continue their education and enter
graduate school, in hopes that more opportunities will be afforded to them, however, many times
undocumented students face barriers in the application process (Ortiz, Hinojosa). The barriers
take the form of confusing or unhelpful encounters with higher education professionals who may
not know how to assist them with financial aid, or who may not understand that undocumented is
not the same as international. Lindsay Huber and Maria Malagon (2007) describe the ineligibility
for federal aid as an oppressive barrier for undocumented students who while just as competitive
as any U.S. citizen is expected to fund their schooling with a lack of access to legal employment.
The inaccessibility to jobs in their respective fields and the inaccessibility to financial aid leads
one to question why undocumented students persist through more schooling when a career is not
promised. This study will add to the literature on persistence.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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Uncovering the stories of undocumented students who do persist through graduate school
is necessary to challenge racist and oppressive narratives that are often used to describe the
experiences of undocumented students and other minority groups in higher education contexts.
Muñoz and Maldonado (2011) argue that the counter narratives representing the perspectives of
students who persist and succeed are important in “interrupting “ the dominant narratives which
more often than not perpetuate deficit frameworks that fault a student’s home life and cultural
background as having deficiencies that prevent educational success. A Lat Crit framework
promotes the idea that the implications for college persistence are attributed to multiple layers
involving the intersections of race, class, gender, language, phenotype, geographical location and
immigration status (Muñoz & Maldonado, 2011). Undocumented students who choose to pursue
graduate school have already demonstrated resilience and persistence, highlighting their stories
of success is important for engaging higher education professionals in more critical
conversations about persistence. As stated earlier, while undocumented issues are not solely a
Latino issue, Latinos do represent a large proportion of the undocumented population in
California, thus the Latino undocumented experience will be the emphasis of this study.
Research Questions
Undocumented students who persist through college and achieve a post secondary degree
exhibit characteristics of resilience, motivation and strong identity development (Cervantes,
Minero & Brito, 2015; Ellis and Chen, 2013). Sense of belonging, a supportive peer and family
network, along with relationships with institutional agents who provide validation are themes
presented in the literature as protective supports for students who exhibit academic persistence
(Stebleton & Aleixo, 2015; Hallett, 2013). The research question guiding the study is:
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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What factors are responsible for the persistence of undocumented Latinos in California graduate
schools?
Theoretical Framework
Considering that research within the undocumented graduate student population is new
and unexplored, a grounded theory approach is appropriate for this study to generate knowledge
on the unique experiences of this particular population. A grounded theory approach allowed for
insight into the themes outlined in the data collected through semi-structured 1-1 interviews with
participants from the undocumented graduate student population Gall, Gall, and Borg (2010).
Organization of the Study
The study required qualitative semi-structured interviews with 7 participants. Subjects
were recruited at the state level using snowball sampling. Only individuals from California were
considered for the study. Outreach was done on social media platforms to immigration advocacy
groups on Facebook and multiple universities in Northern, Central and Southern California. In
depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant. Appendix C, lists the
questions that were asked during the interviews. Open-ended interview questions were asked to
allow the participant to share openly about their experiences as an undocumented graduate
student. The interview questions also included closed ended questions for more detailed
biographical information regarding status, graduate degree program, years in school and country
of origin. Experiences that stand out to the student as having impacted their educational path
were documented during the interviews. A review of the literature is provided in the next section.
Chapter 2 outlines existing research on the experiences of Latino college students. Chapter 3
provides detailed information about the methodology for the study and research design. Chapter
4 displays the results of the study and then leads into chapter 5 where the results are discussed.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
11
Chapter 2: Literature Review
At the time of this writing, I was not able to identify research regarding the experiences
of undocumented graduate students, nor was I able to locate data on the number of graduate
students that identify as being undocumented in the US or in California. In accordance with the
research question,, the literature will provide a framework of the unique experiences of the
undocumented student population as they pursue college. It is important to note that the literature
reviewed in this section focuses on the experiences of undocumented undergraduate students.
While there will be limitations as to how generalizable the literature is to the undocumented
graduate student population, the literature provides a framework for how students interact and
engage with college environments, institutional agents, their families and peer networks as they
pursue a higher education. The literature highlights the need for research on undocumented
graduate students, considering the gap in information presented.
Experiences and Their Effects on Students
Policy Effects on Financial Aid and Career Prospects
Policies granting in-state tuition, like California’s Assembly Bill 540 place “a neutral,
socially acceptable label, that in turn, hides undocumented students stigmatized social identity
while underscoring their merit” for undocumented students (Abrego, 2008). Policy allows this
student group to mobilize the law and claim a new identity by permitting this population to claim
their rights, while feeling a sense of legitimacy. Subsequently, Kaushal (2008) examines the
effect of in-state tuition of undocumented students in postsecondary education and found
evidence of increasing enrollment and possible increase of awareness for higher education within
the undocumented community. Similarly, Flores’ (2010) data indicates a positive effect in the
increase of college enrollment after the implementation of in-state tuition. Although research
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
12
shows an upward trend in college enrollment, undocumented students experience significant
stress over the financial aspect of education. As a response to the financial stressors
undocumented college students face, California now allows undocumented students to qualify
for institutional aid. College choice solely depends on the availability of scholarships and other
forms of financial aid, which is dependent on successful attainment of DACA or the California
DREAM Act. In the absence of aid, undocumented students rely on their income from work or
parental contribution, to pursue a higher education; thus placing a heightened financial burden on
families and the individual student (Olivérez 2006). Students who are qualified to attend 4- year
universities may forgo their enrollment, despite being accepted because of financial worries
(Olivérez 2006). While policies like DACA, AB 540 and the CA DREAM Act help students, not
all undocumented individuals are eligible to receive the benefits of these policies. Federal policy
like the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) do not allow
undocumented immigrant’s to benefit from federal financial aid for college and blocks eligibility
for legal employment, unless awarded DACA or some other form of work authorization, which
again, involves meeting strict limitations and requirements.
Gildersleeve, Rumann and Mondragón, (2010) explain that despite the barriers present,
undocumented students continue to seek opportunities that are similar to the ones their native
born peers seek. Even with the possibility of not securing employment upon graduation, many
undocumented students may consider attending graduate school (Olivérez, 2006). The cost for a
graduate education is continuing to increase and little to no aid whether private or state funded is
available for the pursuit of terminal professional degrees and Master’s degrees; thus placing in
question whether in state tuition is helpful to undocumented students at the graduate level.
Graduate assistantships are another form of funding available to students and are often times
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
13
provided as a form of institutional aid, however, these are competitive and dependent on the
resources available at the student’s prospective university.
Understanding the legal and policy contexts through which undocumented students
struggle to persist in higher education is a first step in developing the capacity to support these
students (Gildersleeve, Rumann and Mondragón, 2010, pg.5). The more knowledge that higher
education professionals have about the experiences of undocumented students in college at the
graduate and undergraduate level, the better equipped they are to advocate for these students’
success. The external forces of policy and legislation have a real effect on the daily lives of
undocumented students. Understanding the laws to assist students in navigating the intricacies of
policy has the potential to positively impact the quality of life for undocumented students by
affording them knowledge of their rights and privileges.
Stressors in College
Discovering their Status. Passel (2006) notes that there are, “3.2 million youth under 24
years of age who were brought to the US by their parents, often before schooling age” (as cited
in Pérez, 2010, p. 32). In addition, these childhood arrivals live among their documented peers,
immersed in American culture. They consequently adopt an intersectional identity, considering
themselves both from America and from their own culture. Pérez, Cortés, Ramos and Coronado
(2010) discuss how undocumented students may experience anxiety over the discovery of their
status and the realization of the many systemic hurdles needed to be crossed (p. 38). Abrego and
Gonzales (2010) echo what Pérez and his colleagues claim by stating, “[undocumented students]
after having been educated in American schools, they speak English (often with more ease than
Spanish), envision their futures here and powerfully internalize American values and
expectations of merit” (p. 152). The anxiety that develops in the individual is seen to complicate
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
14
a student’s integration into campus life. Undocumented students that grow up in the United
States are torn between their ethnic identity and their integrated identity from being in America.
Classifying oneself as an American for the majority of one’s life creates dissonance when
presented with the notion that their American identity is not acceptable as a result of society’s
laws. This may look different in someone who arrives to the Unites States at an older age.
Psychosocial Stress: Discrimination and Marginalization. Intersections of identities
have the potential to be stressors in education settings. Susana Muñoz and Maria Maldonado
(2012) use Latino Critical Race Theory as a way to explain the way that intersections of identity
can produce experiences of inequality in environments where dominant cultural narratives are
essential for success. Muñoz and Maldonado (2012) explain language, immigration, ethnicity,
culture, identity and phenotype as identities that should be considered when describing the
context of undocumented Latinos’ experiences. Pérez, Espinoza, Ramos, Coronado and Cortés
(2009) categorize undocumented status, socioeconomic hardship, and low parental educational
attainment as psychosocial stressors that have the potential to negatively impact the educational
experiences of undocumented Latinos. Research completed by Pérez et al., (2009) found that the
presence of multiple resources promote positive academic performance even in individuals who
present with psychosocial risk. Undocumented students do present as a high-risk population
when predicting the development of mental health outcomes (Pérez, Cortés 2011). However,
resources can protect students (Pérez et al., 2009). Student affairs professionals have the
potential to be protective resources that help promote positive academic outcomes for and with
undocumented students.
Ellis and Chen (2013) found that after experiencing discrimination or marginalization,
undocumented college students feel very strong emotions such as shame and anger (pg. 258).
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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The implications of such strong emotional reactions demonstrate how undocumented students
internalize the negative experiences they have to endure, and as a result, feel like voiceless and
invisible people who do not matter to society. Ellis and Chen (2013) state that, “as adulthood and
exclusion from American society loom, undocumented immigrant students must make sense of
their experience and begin to take action to counteract the contradictory social messages they
have received” (pg. 259). Ellis and Chen’s (2013) research implies that the development of a
healthy identity requires for undocumented students to develop coping mechanisms. Protective
factors such as coping mechanisms will help undocumented students push through the
psychological and emotional pain they experience as a marginalized group. Ellis and Chen’s
(2013) findings provide a framework for the experiences that precede graduate school.
Peer Support
Hallett (2013) asserts that social networks are essential to the success of undocumented
college students. Post secondary education systems are difficult to navigate and “groups become
vital networks that transfer information necessary for students to remain enrolled” (Hallett,
2013). Pérez et al.’s; (2009) research claims that a supportive network has the potential to
provide protective resources to enforce academic resilience in the midst of stress and difficulty.
A strong peer network allows for modeling of resilient behavior and positive study strategies
(Dembo and Seli, 2013). Pérez et al., (2011) claims, “Peers also played an important role in
helping students deal with the various challenges. In particular, older undocumented peers with
more knowledge about higher education became critical supports”(p.69). Given that experiences
of discrimination and marginalization are highly likely at PWI’s, undocumented students may
have no sense of belonging. To protect their sense of belonging on campus, undocumented
students need to connect with extracurricular groups, where they can share experiences and
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16
helpful information (Hallett, 2013). “A peer group can become a collective empowerment agent”
and “peer networks can be an effective mode of transferring information and developing support
systems necessary to encourage enrollment and retention” (Hallett, p. 109, 2013). While peer
networks may be a strong protection for undocumented undergraduates, it is unknown whether
peer groups are as essential in graduate programs because of the different on campus
extracurricular offerings, if any, that graduate students may have available to them.
Interactions with Institutions and Institutional Agents
Stebleton and Aleixo (2015) conducted a study that explored the experiences of nine
undocumented Latino college students. A theme that was explored in the interviews was the
significant interactions with institutional agents. It was found that meaningful interactions that
validate a student’s experience are likely to encourage their decision to persist with their
education (Stebleton & Aleixo, 2015). Anaya and Cole (2001) demonstrate similar findings in
their study where faculty-student relationships were researched. Students of color that have
positive encounters with faculty tend to persist longer in higher education and present with
higher rates of academic success, such as GPA, campus involvement and classroom participation
when compared to underrepresented students who have negative experiences. Positive
interactions also led to higher rates of help seeking behaviors such as staying after class to ask
questions or attend office hours (Anaya and Cole, 2001). Pérez et al., (2011) claims that “Many
of the faculty and staff who make individual efforts to learn about how to provide better services
and support to undocumented students often become key allies and advocates” (p.97). Advocates
and allies are likely to encourage student’s to persist through their education and promote equity
in spaces where that may not have previously been the case. Uncomfortable interactions between
institutional agents, peers or familiar networks are likely to decrease an individual’s academic
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17
persistence. The types of relationships that students develop with institutional agents, such as
faculty members or university staff, are more personal at the graduate level. Students have
faculty advisors; research mentors and graduate program advisors at the graduate level, thus
making the interactions and relationships with such institutional agents of great importance. A
negative interaction or a positive interaction can either make or break a student’s graduate
experience. Gildersleeve, Rumann and Mondragón, (2010) assert “when undocumented students
see that student affairs professionals know about and demonstrate an ethic of care regarding their
unique realities, it increases the students’ opportunity and likelihood to develop trust with student
affairs professionals. Educational environments should naturally promote an environment of
trust. Students should trust that educators have the best intentions for them, if they do not trust
their educators, then it begs the question, of whom can they trust?
Presentation of Theories
Bourdieu’s Social and Cultural Capital Theories
Bourdieu’s social capital theory outlines the way that hierarchies are created in
institutions (1986). Bourdieu (1986) explains that both social and cultural capitals are invisible
forms of power and advantage that favors the dominant group by providing them with a greater
number of education resources and opportunities.
Social Capital. Social capital is defined as the accumulation of actual or potential
resources through networks and mutual relationships (Bourdieu, 1986). Bourdieu’s definition of
social capital has also been conceptualized as membership to a group (1986). Bourdieu’s (1986)
social capital approach has been used to explain the disproportionate rates of degree attainment
for minorities in comparison to their white counterparts. College knowledge gained through
building relationships with educational professionals and people who understand the intricacies
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
18
of pursuing a higher education would be an example of utilizing social capital (Olivérez, 2006).
Cultural Capital. Dowd et al., (2011) explains Bourdieu’s cultural capital as being:
An individual’s ability to process the meaning of physical and historical cultural icons, to
speak the dominant language and interpret implicit and explicit meanings of academic
and bureaucratic discourse, and to hold high educational aspirations without doubt of the
legitimacy of one’s aspirations” (p.24).
Bourdieu (1992) explains cultural capital to be the formal credentials and individual may have as
well as the values and knowledge an individual can share to benefit and facilitate access to
education. Bourdieu (1992) distinguishes between “low brow” and “high brow” culture. “Low
brow” culture is exemplified through incorrect use of grammar and not knowing classical
cultural icons and practices. An example that can still be found in today’s society is the use of
proper dining etiquette, knowing what each utensil is used for. “High brow” culture is described
as familiarity with classical cultural icons and literature. While many undocumented Latino
students may be childhood arrivals who grew up with U.S. culture, speaking English or having a
desire to attend college, Latinos are still a group that are not privy to the education system’s
hidden curriculum. Undocumented Latinos have another layer of marginalization because of the
legal barriers that they experience as a result of their status.
Validation Theory
Rendón’s validation theory describes the importance of relationships with faculty and
institutional agents in helping foster encouragement and confidence (1994). Rendón (1994)
asserts that when validation is not present, a student of color may feel marginalized or may feel
disengaged with their learning experience. Faculty members are important members of a
student’s life, they have the power to encourage their students, and provide 1-1 direct support as
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19
well (Rendón, 1994; Anaya and Cole, 2001). Rendón’s (1994) validation theory explains two
types of validation, academic and interpersonal. Academic validation is when an institutional
agent (faculty or staff) e supports the student by trusting in their abilities to be academically
successful (Rendón, 1994; Stebleton and Aleixo, 2015). Rendón (1994) explains interpersonal
validation as a form of support that involves encouraging students to get involved, take an active
approach in their campus involvement and personal development. Stebleton and Aleixo (2015)
use Rendón’s validation theory alongside the Latino values of respeto and confianza to study the
experiences and interactions of undocumented Latino students with institutional agents.
Validation from institutional agents (faculty and/or staff) are essential to the adjustment of
Latino undocumented students at the undergraduate level (Stebleton and Aleixo, 2015; Rendón
1994). Developing trust/confianza with an individual may be challenging for undocumented
students and would be interesting to analyze at the graduate level where relationships with
advisors and faculty tend to be stronger and expected.
Grounded Theory
Rendón’s validation and Bourdieu’s social capital theories are helpful at framing the
importance of valuable relationships that encourage academic persistence. However,
undocumented graduate students have already demonstrated academic persistence despite policy,
legal, and academic barriers. The experiences of Latino undocumented graduate students differ
greatly from the experiences in K-12 and at the undergraduate level, because graduate students
have already navigated those education systems and proved successful through their acceptance
into a graduate degree program. To best accomplish the purpose of this study, which is to learn
about the experiences of Latino, undocumented graduate students in California, a grounded
theory research approach will be used. Grounded theory research will assist in developing a
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
20
conceptualized theory that is founded on the unique data presented from the narratives provided
by undocumented Latinos in graduate programs. The experiences of undocumented Latinos in
graduate education have not been explored. A grounded theory approach would allow for the
narratives of individuals in this population to be shared and documented for the purpose of
practitioners and researchers to build on this work and improve practices in higher education that
affect this population, thus making it the best framework for this study.
Summary
Federal and state policies have the potential to positively and negatively impact
undocumented students. The literature has outlined the progress that many states and the federal
government have made in regards to creating more equitable access to higher education for
undocumented students, however, there is still more work to be done and there is still resistance
at the federal and state levels. While researchers have made attempts to study the impacts that
immigration reform policy has on the educational experiences of undocumented undergraduates,
there is still no research on the impacts of policy on graduate students. Labor markets are
beginning to push for more advanced degrees and considering the growth in Latino immigrants,
it is likely that more and more undocumented Latinos are pursuing graduate degrees.
Experiences with institutional agents, and peer networks have not yet been delineated for
undocumented graduate students. The transitions associated with the stage of life that graduate
students are in, may present with interesting results in the type of supports needed and the
varying experiences that may be shared. Considering the gap in the literature for this population
is so wide and rates of undocumented individuals pursuing an advanced degree is likely to
increase, it is important to study this particular population to better inform and prepare
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
21
practitioners that work with graduate students of the unique challenges this population face. The
next chapter will provide a description of the methodology used to conduct the study.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
22
Chapter 3: Methodology
The main focus of this research study is to learn about the unique experiences of
undocumented graduate students and how they relate to their persistence through graduate
school. The study attempts to identify the factors affecting a student’s persistence through
graduate school. To best answer the aforementioned research question, I chose to utilize a
narrative research design. Qualitative interviews were conducted with each participant to record
and interpret the experiences of Latino undocumented graduate students (See Appendix C). Gall
et al., (2010) state that narratives are a rich source of data because of the emotion, thinking and
personal experience that is poured out through storytelling. Stories of undocumented student’s
experiences in graduate school were elicited through semi-structured interviews and then
interpreted by identifying events and themes that related to the concepts being studied.
Population
The population being focused on in this study is classified as undocumented graduate
students of Latino origin. Graduate students are defined as individuals who pursue an advanced
or professional degree beyond the bachelor degree. Master’s degrees, doctorate degrees, and
professional degrees are all classified as graduate degrees. For the purpose of this study,
individuals who previously attended graduate school while undocumented will be considered.
There is no requirement to have finished a graduate degree.
Sampling Method
I began by obtaining approval from USC’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). Once
approval was conferred, I began recruiting my participants by asking the Cultural Centers and
Undocumented Student Resource Centers of various California universities if they would be
willing to post my approved research flyer (Appendix A) on their Facebook group pages. I also
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
23
messaged the administrators of private Facebook groups specific to undocumented student issues
such as: “PhD: Pre-Health DREAMERS” and the “NASPA: Undocumented Immigrants and
Allies Knowledge Community”. I chose to message the administrators of these different
Facebook pages was that I wanted to gain permission for the purpose of respecting the
boundaries of the online groups I was tapping into. Respect and permission are important factors
in the process of building trust in vulnerable communities (Olivérez, 2006). Aside from asking
permission, I figured that my study would reel in more interest and legitimacy if the page owners
directly advertised my research flyer. The flyer included a brief statement about the purpose of
my study, compensation for participation and my phone number, in the messages to the
Facebook administrators, I elaborated on the purpose of the study, as well as provided some
background on myself as a graduate student, and listed my email in the case any follow up
questions needed to be asked. The flyer also advertised a $10 Amazon gift card for all
participants as a way to thank them for their time. The majority of the students that contacted me
called me on my cell phone after seeing my flyer posted on Facebook group pages.
Most of the students that called me to inquire about the study were very interested in
understanding why I was conducting the study. Many of the students asked me about my career
aspirations, my program, and about the process of writing a thesis. Aside from recruiting from
Facebook, I used a snowball sampling method – a method through which I asked current
participants if they knew any individuals who fit the criteria of being a) a current or previous
undocumented graduate student in California, and b) Latino, and who would be interested in
participating in the study. Seven participants made up the sample size. All seven were
undocumented and pursuing an advanced degree at the time of data collection. Each participant
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
24
was given a pseudonym to maintain confidentiality. Table 1 demonstrates the institutions
represented and number of students interviewed from each school.
Table1: Types of Institutions Represented
Institution Name Institution Type Number of Students
Top Tier Research I University Private 3
University of California Public 1
California State Universities Public 3
Instrumentation and Data Collection
An in depth, semi-structured interview was conducted with each participant (See
Appendix C). The interview comprised of open-ended questions that guided each participant to
share information related to the factors responsible for their persistence through their graduate
programs. Open -ended questions allowed for the interview to be a free flowing narrative of the
participant, yet provided enough structure to guide the participant towards answering in ways
that are beneficial for answering the research questions and accomplish the purpose of the study.
The interview questions align with the study’s purpose and provide guidance for the participants
to frame their answers accordingly. The focus of the study is to understand how the experiences
of undocumented students in California graduate programs, along with their institutional, peer,
and family support, affect their persistence through graduate school. Demographic information
such as country of origin, whether or not they identify as Latino, and what type of graduate
program they are in were also collected. Interviews took approximately 1 hour each to obtain
detailed information from the participant. Names and identifiers were not recorded to protect the
identities and confidentiality of the participants. In person or telephone interviews were
conducted and were dependent on the participant’s preference. I asked each participant for
permission to record the interview to be transcribed at a later time. Hand written notes were
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
25
taken if interviewees did not feel comfortable being recorded. All audio recordings were
destroyed immediately after being transcribed. Participants were given an Amazon gift card,
worth $10.00, after their completed interview.
Data Analysis
Six out of the seven interviews were conducted in English. One participant decided that
they wanted to provide some of the interview in Spanish, I decided to analyze the data in Spanish
and then translated with the appropriate words in English, so as not to affect the themes
presented in Spanish. I wanted to ensure that the proper meaning was being interpreted; I am a
native Spanish speaker and was able to accomplish this task. Given that the purpose of the
research study is to describe the experiences of undocumented graduate students, the data was
organized into a coherent story from the recorded and transcribed interviews. Stories were read
and summarized, based on the themes found inside the interviews. A coding frame relating to
personal experiences, institutional support, engagements with practitioners, family support and
peer support were developed. Grounded theory was used to frame the methodology and analysis
for the project. The data analysis followed Gall and colleagues’ (2010) recommendations for data
collection and analysis. Once the data was recorded and transcribed into individual sentences, I
created categories for analysis based upon the concepts explored through the research question
(Gall et al., 2010). Following the creation of categories is the coding of data for all the categories
that apply to the excerpt being analyzed (segment). Once all the data segments were coded,
refinement of the categories underwent constant comparison (Gall et al., 2010). “Constant
comparison is a process of comparing instances of each code across segments in order to
discover commonalities in the data that reflect the underlying meaning of, and relationships
among, the coding categories” (Gall et al., 2010, p.351). The categories that were coded for are:
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
26
motivation, choice processes, institutional support, familial support, and peer support. Analysis
of the data included a comparison of how often the themes were presented in the transcribed
segments. The research questions were designed to guide the participant to answer in such a way
where the concepts listed above could be clearly found throughout the interview responses.
Limitations and Delimitations
No research design is perfect. Limitations to this study include that the results may not be
generalizable to other states who do not have immigration laws similar to AB 540 or the
California DREAM Act that loosens the financial burden by allowing undocumented students to
be charged in state tuition and have access to state financial aid. Additionally, I was only able to
interview one doctoral student, while the rest were master’s students. Institutions will differ in
the way that they fund doctoral students from master’s students. Graduate students pursuing a
doctoral degree tend to have more institutional support up until the dissertation writing phase and
have the option to obtain paid teaching assistantship positions and other types of fellowships to
cover the cost of living and tuition for the duration of their time in the program. Master’s
students on the other hand are offered very limited financial aid, aside from loans, some students
at the master’s level may have graduate assistantships; however, it is dependent on the field of
study and the institution. The differences in funding at the various graduate degree levels is an
important distinguisher because since many undocumented graduate students have limited access
to financial aid, their graduate school choice process may look different depending on which
degree they are applying for.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
27
Chapter 4: Results
The purpose of the study was to understand why undocumented Latinos persist through
graduate school. Semi-structured, anonymous interviews were conducted with 7 undocumented
Latino students enrolled in California graduate programs. The hope is that this study will inform
practitioners of the types of support necessary for the successful retention of undocumented
college students. This study was conducted using grounded theory. Qualitative data analysis
required the identification of themes in the transcribed interviews of each participant. The themes
identified provide insight into the reasons for the persistence of the participants.
In this chapter, I focus on the experiences of the seven students I interviewed. I have
organized this chapter into two sections. In the first section I provide some background on the
students themselves. I briefly outline their educational and immigration histories. In the second
section, I present the themes that were found through constant comparison and analysis of the
interview content. I conclude this chapter with reflections on the data; these reflections are
further developed in chapter 5.
Who They Are
The study included seven participants from all over California. Participants represented
five institutions across California. All participants were pursuing vastly different fields,
including: mental health, education and the biological sciences at the master’s and doctoral
degree levels. At the time of data collection all participants were currently enrolled in graduate
programs for the, 2015-2016 school year. To protect the identity of the participants, pseudonyms
were created for individual. Detailed descriptions of each participant are provided below (Table
2). I also provide a brief sketch about each participant. These stories outline their college
pathway and entrance into the U.S.
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Table 2: Student Demographics
Name
Age of
Arrival
Country
of Origin
Marital
Status
Status
Degree
Type
Area of Study University
Lucas 15 yrs Honduras Single AB 540 PhD Biomedical Sciences UC
Jocelyn 3 yrs
El
Salvador
Single
TPS, Temporary
Protected Status
M.Ed
Higher Education,
Student Affairs
Top RI University
Adam 5 yrs Mexico Single
AB 540,
DREAMER,
DACA
M.S.
Marriage and Family
Therapy
CSU
Sandra 1.5 yrs Mexico Single
AB 540,
DREAMER,
DACA
MSW Social Work CSU
Grace 3 yrs Mexico Single DACA M.Ed Education Top RI University
Noe 17 yrs Mexico Single AB 540 M.S. Stem Cell Biology CSU
Monica 9 mos Mexico Married DACA M.Ed Education Top RI University
Lucas. Born in Honduras, Lucas came to the United States by himself when he was
either 15 or 16. At the time of our conversation was in his first year in a UC graduate program,
working towards his PhD in Biomedical Sciences. A participant, who had reached out to me
early on in my recruitment process, referred Lucas to me. Lucas was the first to call me and after
asking a few questions about the study, he agreed to a phone interview. When asked how he
came to the United States, Lucas described his journey from Honduras to Mexico. He crossed the
Mexican-U.S. border all by himself.
I came alone, by myself, and how well, gee, let’s see if I can summarize, so I did not
come here with a visa or any legal way and so, it was illegal. Well, I came by bus,
through a freight train and I walked.
During the interview, Lucas mentioned not being able to begin his education as soon as he had
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
29
hoped, he worked for many years before being able to enroll at an adult school where he learned
English and earned his GED.
After earning his GED, Lucas began his post-secondary educational journey at a local
community college; he was then able to transfer to a prestigious school in the UC system, where
he majored in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology with a minor in Biomedical Research.
During his time in undergrad, Lucas became involved with an undergraduate research program
called SACNAS, which stands for the, Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native
Americans in Science. The great mentors and resources provided through SACNAS,
accompanied by the hard work that Lucas accomplished, resulted in his acceptance into his
current PhD program. The university he attends recognizes Lucas as an AB 540 student.
Jocelyn. My second interview was with a graduate student at a Top RI University named
Jocelyn, who was studying Higher Education and Student Affairs. She had emigrated from El
Salvador, a country located in Central America when she was 3 years old. Jocelyn described her
Latina identity as being from Latin America, she stated, “I am 100% Salvadorian.” Given her
young age when she moved to the United States, Jocelyn was not able to share all the details
about her travels to the U.S,
I don't really have a lot of memories; it's just what they've told me. I do remember like
crossing and walking but to be honest I think they like gave me something so I could
sleep for most of the way, um so, for the most part I don't really remember. It's just what
my parents tell me, they tell me we crossed somewhere kind of like by San Diego. Or
was it Arizona? I don't remember, I don't have exact memory of it.
Although she has some memory of coming to the states as a child, she mentioned not knowing
that she was undocumented until her senior year of high school when she was applying to college
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
30
for the first time. Jocelyn recalled a memory of her trying to ask her parents for help with the
FAFSA before she knew she was undocumented, “Before, like in high school or even like my
first years in college I always wished they [parents] could help me better or I wish they would be
able to help me fill out the FAFSA when I thought I qualified. I always felt frustrated. They
would just miscommunicate.” Jocelyn’s hard work landed her a place at a UC in Southern
California, where she majored in Political Science and Chicana/o Studies.
During her undergraduate years, Jocelyn had dreamed of attending law school and always
knew that her undergraduate degree was just the first step. However, a negative interaction with
an admissions representative from a Jesuit, private law school derailed her from pursuing her
dreams of becoming a lawyer.
There was a specific grad school fair where I went to talk to a representative from a
private school, this was before I knew how religious they were, and I asked them what
kind of support they had for undocumented students and financial aid, especially for law
school because it's so expensive. The lady was actually really mean. This was the thing
that made me question whether I wanted to go into law. She said, "How can you become
a lawyer if you're already breaking the laws."
After college, Jocelyn was offered a position to work full time in residential life at a UC, she was
signed on to a two-year contract and was able to save up all her paychecks for the entire two
years that she was working in the UC system. During her two years, Jocelyn contemplated
pursuing a career in higher education, she enjoyed the work she did and was able to receive a lot
of mentorship from her supervisors and colleagues. At the end of her two-year contract, Jocelyn
decided to attend a Top Tier Research 1 University, in Southern California, for graduate school.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
31
Adam. Having grown up in poverty and in a household where abuse was present in his
home, Adam knew that he wanted to pursue a career in the helping profession from the time he
was a young boy. His dream was to be a psychologist. Adam arrived to the United States with his
2 sisters, from Michoacan. He and his two siblings took the bus and met up with a coyote,
(human smuggler), that crossed them over to San Ysidro. From San Ysidro, he and his
sisters met up with family in Los Angeles. With the encouragement of his family, he did well
in school and went to a UC where he majored in Sociology. After completing his
undergraduate degree, he pursued his master’s degree at a Cal State, up north, where he
would later drop out due to financial difficulties. Five years after leaving his first graduate
program, Adam was able to enter the Marriage and Family Therapy program at a Cal State
in Southern California. His hope is to work with low-income families who are survivors of
abuse.
Sandra. A Latina from Mexico named Sandra, who came to the United States with her
family when she was one and a half years old, called me to ask to participate in my study. In
1994, Sandra arrived to the U.S. by plane. A couple who were U.S. citizens volunteered to fly
her over and pass her as their baby. She stated that it was easier to pass over back then because
they did not really ask for documentation for children during that time. Her family fled Mexico
because of threats of violence that were made towards her father’s life. Her father emigrated
first; everyone else followed thereafter and met up in California.
Sandra grew up in the Central Valley, in the farmland, and knew that the only way to get
out of poverty was to pursue her education. Sandra made sure to do very well in high school and
earned herself a presidential scholarship to a Cal State in Southern California. Her scholarship
covered both tuition and housing, which made it easy for her to decide to attend despite being far
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
32
away from home. Her undergraduate degree is in Social Work. Sandra enjoyed her classes so
much that as soon as she found out about the option to apply for the one year, accelerated, MSW
program at her school, she jumped at the opportunity because she realized that it was the most
economical approach for her to pursue a graduate degree. She mentioned in her interview that
throughout her undergraduate years she was classified as AB 540, a DACA beneficiary and also
utilized the California DREAM Act. The DREAM Act allowed her to obtain some financial
assistance for grad school through the university state grant, which is available to students who
pursue graduate school at a Cal State. Sandra hopes to work as a Social Worker for a while, but
desires to continue her education and possibly obtain a law degree.
Grace. Grace immigrated to the United States between the ages of 3-4 from Jalisco,
Mexico. When asked how she got to the U.S., Grace answered:
I don’t know exactly how I got here, but based on conversations with my parents, it
was in a car and we drove to the San Diego, San Ysidro border. I came with my mom,
twin sister and brother, I don’t know how difficult it was for her, having three kids,
but I just know that was the way.”
Grace started her education at East Los Angeles College and then transferred to a UC in Central
California, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. When asked how she
describes her status, she mentioned being DACA-mented, which means she has a work
authorization for 2 years.
Grace’s interest in graduate school began when she was helping out with an event that the
research center she worked for organized in collaboration with IRT, Institute for the Recruitment
of Teachers. Grace took a year off to apply to graduate school with the help of IRT, during that
year; she worked in a hotel and focused on her applications. When thinking about the type of
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33
career she wanted to pursue, her mentors came to mind and decided to apply to Education
Master’s programs. She is now a part time student in graduate school at a Top RI Institution,
where she also works full time.
Noe. At the age of 17, Noe left his home in Oaxaca and crossed the U.S. border. His trek
involved 3 days and 3 nights of walking with his uncle and cousin. When they got to Tijuana, the
three of them took a taxi to Chula Vista near San Diego. Noe is currently living in Watsonville, it
is a town near Santa Cruz. Like many other undocumented students, Noe began his college
career at a community college; and was then able to transfer to a UC where he double majored in
Molecular Biology and Chemistry. At the conclusion of his bachelor’s degree, he moved to Los
Angeles for a year where worked as a dishwasher in spite of having two science degrees. He
used this time to save up for graduate school and research programs that he wanted to attend.
Noe was accepted into a Cal State in Northern California where he is enrolled in a Master’s
program that focuses on Stem Cell Biology. He lived in San Francisco his first year of graduate
school; however, he was unable to afford his housing and moved back home with his family in
Santa Cruz. Aside from commuting and attending classes, Noe has a research position at a lab in
one of the most prestigious private school’s in California. Every day, he drives 2 hours to his lab
site from his home. All his free time is spent commuting, however, he enjoys the work he does at
the lab. Noe has a fellowship that assists him with tuition; however, graduate school incurs many
other fees. He hopes to be accepted into a PhD program after his master’s.
Monica. Currently in her last year of her graduate program at a Top RI University,
Monica hopes to become a community college counselor. Her parents brought Monica to the
United States at 9 months old. She grew up in the Central Valley for most of her life. When
asked about her immigration story, Monica began by saying that she had a double entry into the
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
34
United States. The first time she came to the United States, she came with her family across the
border, she says she came through the hillside part of the border by San Ysidro (referred to as “el
cerro”). The reason for her double entry was that in 2004, Monica and her family were deported
to Tijuana. However, being deported did not stop her family’s will to build a life in the U.S. The
day after her deportation, Monica and her siblings were brought back to the United States, they
crossed over by using her cousin’s birth certificate.
Monica completed her undergraduate education at a UC where she was able to major in
Intensive Psychology with a minor in Education. Monica describes herself as a DACA
beneficiary, and was granted that status during her first year of graduate school, where she is
studying Education Counseling. During her senior year of her undergraduate education, she
applied to a program called Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers (IRT). Her participation in
IRT required her to take a year off after earning her baccalaureate degree, during this time she
cared for her mother who had cancer and worked at a packing shed for 10 hours a day, 7 days a
week. The labor-intensive work, along with the demands of caring for her mother who had breast
cancer made it difficult for her to concentrate on her graduate school applications, however, the
mentorship provided by IRT and the desire to make her mother proud was what kept her
accountable to strive for her education.
Presentation of Themes and Results
In this next section, I explain the themes found in the participant interviews. The themes
are related to answering the research question that seeks to understand what factors are
responsible for the persistence of undocumented Latinos pursuing graduate school. Direct quotes
from the interviews will be used to provide examples for the themes found. A reflection on the
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35
results and what they mean for the study is provided at the end of this chapter and elaborated on
in Chapter 5.
Why do Undocumented Latinos Persist through Graduate School?
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivators Towards Persistence
Most of the participants expressed a desire to be a role model for the undocumented and
Latino communities. The participants were aware of the low rates of undocumented Latinos
pursuing graduate school and did not want to fall into that category, instead they wanted to be a
part of changing that by pursuing higher education. A second theme found within the interviews,
in particular to students, who were DACA- eligible, was the hope for a stable job at the end of
graduate school. Below I provide examples in support of the themes I found in their interview
responses.
Intrinsic Motivation: Being a Role Model for Undocumented Latinos. As with many
of the participants, when I asked Jocelyn about the reasons for her persistence through her
program, she brought up the importance of not wanting to be another statistic. She mentioned
feeling blessed and lucky to have the opportunity to pursue her education in the United States. In
the following quote, she mentions how knowing the facts of the educational attainment gap of
Latinos and she talks about that as being a motivating factor for her; “Seeing the statistics of how
many Latinos are in higher educations, that pushes me to continue.”
Similarly, Adam also mentions wanting to serve as a trailblazer for undocumented
students, “I would like to be a positive role model and also be someone that other undocumented
students could look up to.” Like Jocelyn, he sees it as his responsibility to be a representation for
his community. Noe also touched on this idea during his interview where he describes himself as
being in his senior year in college and wanting to begin the graduate school application process:
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
36
I remember being in my last year of undergrad, I was going to graduate in 2013 and I
began reaching out to people, but I couldn’t find undocumented graduate students. I
wanted to ask them questions and I wanted to know if we had permission to go. I didn’t
meet anyone that year and decided to take an extra year to apply, and I got some time to
meet people who were beginning that process. Knowing that not many people like me are
in grad school means that I am a part of making those first steps. There was not many
people paving the way to show other people how.
Noe’s answer points to the theme that undocumented students persist through graduate school
because they are the first to make the way for everyone that will follow afterwards.
Lucas takes this idea a step further and describes the motivation to persist, more so as a
pressure to do well. Lucas describes himself as a representative, or a token for other
undocumented and Latino students:
My face is here and I represent others, imagine if I fail, that may or may not have an
impact of what people think about undocumented people. There is outside pressure now
that wasn’t there before. There are many people that have helped me, writing letters of
recommendation- those letters from other professors, saying I deserve to be there. That’s
one part, the other part is too many people know that I am in grad school- so it’s like an
outside pressure. It’s not just me, it’s also the other kids that are just beginning to apply,
when you fail you create a bad impression for Latino people and undocumented people in
general. If you succeed, it’s good that you leave a good impression.
Lucas’ reply to my question about what motivating factors influence his persistence
demonstrates a personal burden to serve as a model for others and the community that he uses to
explain his identity with.
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37
Extrinsic Motivation: Not Living Paycheck to Paycheck. Another theme that was
apparent was the desire for a career that would provide individuals with a stable financial
situation. Students who had work authorizations were the ones to identify this theme as one of
the reasons for persisting through graduate school. On the other hand, those who did not qualify
for DACA did not express this as a motivating factor for their academic persistence. Specifically,
Lucas and Noe were the only ones interviewed who were not DACA beneficiaries; this created
in them awareness that financial security was not a guarantee upon graduate school completion.
Noe and Lucas do not qualify under the requirements for DACA or even extended DACA,
therefore resulting in ineligibility from the California DREAM Act. The following are the
requirements for DACA eligibility:
You may request DACA if you:
1. Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;
2. Came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;
3. Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the
present time;
4. Were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of
making your request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS;
5. Had no lawful status on June 15, 2012;
6. Are currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion
from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED)
certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed
Forces of the United States; and
7. Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or three or more
other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or
public safety.
Age Guidelines
Anyone requesting DACA must have been under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012.
You must also be at least 15 years or older to request DACA, unless you are currently
in removal proceedings or have a final removal or voluntary departure order.
(USCIS, 2016)
In my interview with Adam, a DACA-mented student, he viewed education as an opportunity for
socio-economic advancement. He says in his interview:
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38
To be honest, I grew up very poor and my parents worked many jobs and one of my
motivations was seeing them. I didn’t want to live paycheck to paycheck, struggling with
money. I wanted a happy career that provided financial stability. I knew I always wanted
to be a psychologist. I knew grad school was part of it, my motivation was I wanted to be
financially stable and didn’t want to live paycheck to paycheck or work several jobs for
many hours a day.
Sandra also spoke about graduate school as a way to secure more financial security.
Having an MSW does pay you more than having a BA or working a minimum wage job
and that will definitely help with me being able to help my family in a way and be able to
buy them a home and allow my parents to retire, in a way.., but not having to work for
someone else.
Monica also shared the same sentiment in regards to persisting through her degree for the
purpose of being able to have the financial security that was not available to them while growing
up. When asked about what motivates her to continue in her program, she answered:
Everything motivates me, my experiences living paycheck to paycheck especially. I
remember being at home and hearing my parents having conversations about “we don’t
have money for xyz”. Having them stress over finances and legal limitations and
language barriers, made me want to become something and make them proud.
The desire to have a financially stable home environment stems from their experiences with
poverty. The desire to achieve the American Dream is still alive in the hearts of these students
and it keeps them motivated to continue with their education if it will help them achieve a better
life. However, as stated before, Noe and Lucas who were not DACA-mented did not express the
same attitudes because they do not have legal work authorization and as a result would not be
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39
able to work in their chosen fields. When asked what motivated him to pursue graduate school,
he answered:
I cannot go to med school, with DACA maybe I can do med school, even then it is
difficult. Other degrees are not possible and there is no financial aid for professional
school, and doing science major, it was the natural thing to do, to go into a health related
field. Having not many choices was my motivation; this was the only clear way to keep
going to school. And, well it’s ugh, in a way maybe uh, to serve either as an example to
other kids that are coming behind me, si se puede. I can represent my community.
Noe answered similarly:
I see my future really blurry, even though I have plans, at the end nothing is for sure. I
can get my PhD, or go back to my country, or apply to a program in Europe; that would
take the problem of being undocumented away. There are not many hopes. Unless the
laws change, then there is hope. But, I cannot depend my future under the decision of
president.
Noe’s testimony speaks towards the difficulty that policy may present to an undocumented
student in their day-to-day lives. Everyone has something they want to accomplish and the
motivations may be different, Noe, while undocumented, has a glimmer of hope that things will
get better for him, but at the same time there is a seed of doubt in relation to his status. Not
having a streamlined path towards achieving one’s dream has the potential to discourage
someone. However, Noe and Lucas’ motivations for pursuing their education were not extrinsic
motivations related to status or money, they were instead, intrinsic and motivated by their desire
to make a difference. Other students, who happened to have DACA, had mixes of both intrinsic
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40
and extrinsic motivations, such as wanting to serve as a role model, but also desired financial
security.
The Utilization of Support Programs: Resources for Graduate School Applications
For this particular set of students, the theme of utilizing support programs was strong.
The majority of the participants utilized programs such as Educational Opportunity Program
(EOP), the Society of Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science
(SACNAS), the Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers (IRT), and other accelerated bridge
programs were used. These programs offered mentorship for students, along with opportunities
for GRE test prep, application fee waivers and graduate school workshops to assist students
throughout the graduate school search and application process.
In my interview with Jocelyn, she shared her experience with EOP. “I would say, I was in
EOP, so I know with the EOP scholarship, you have to apply for it, but you are able to get kind
of like a fee waiver for the GRE test and prep courses.” Both Monica and Grace talked about the
opportunity they had with IRT to work with a mentor who reviewed personal statements and
kept them accountable with deadlines and the application process. Grace stated in her interview,
“I applied to IRT and got accepted, it is a one year program and they help you research schools
and help with personal statements.” Lucas utilized SACNAS and UC LEADS, he was provided
with faculty mentors who wrote letters of recommendation for him, the program also paid for
him to go to conferences to present his research, and fronted the money for every graduate
application he completed. Lucas experience is described below:
UC LEADS- this was a 2-year program for people doing research that sort of pays you
throughout the year and in the summer they pay you to go to another institution. One
summer I got to visit a graduate school, which was all paid for by them, housing and
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41
everything. The whole purpose is to get people to apply to grad school. They pay for the
GRE, the test prep classes and they pay for you to apply to grad school.
The utilization of these programs made the application process easier for these students because
they had a lot of support and funding. Four of the seven students I interviewed utilized support
programs as they applied to graduate school.
The three students who did not utilize support programs, Adam, Noe and Sandra, said
that they turned to their peers for help during the application process and used the knowledge
they had gained from applying to undergrad and applied that knowledge towards applying to
graduate school. Sandra explains the way she utilized her undergraduate university as a resource,
this was convenient for her because she was applying to an accelerated program within her
department. Sandra explained her application experience:
“The social work program would hold a lot of meetings about how the program look
like, and what was required to apply. I think that promoted interest in regards to the
application. When applying, my peers from my undergraduate program served as a
support, we would help each other with the application, we worked on it together.
Adam described applying to graduate school as easy, but expressed frustration with the school’s
inability to quickly adapt to policy changes affecting undocumented students. His experience is
described below:
Applying was easy, getting the school to support you or classify you as AB-540 was
difficult. I spent so much time filling out my AB 540 form, for a whole year I was paying
out of state tuition, they refunded me eventually but then the California DREAM Act
went into effect and everyone was trying to adjust to that change, it almost took me a
whole year.
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While some of the students I interviewed had mentors in their lives that helped them navigate the
application process and institutional policy, it was not a reality for everyone, especially Adam.
Adam mentioned an important point to consider, while policy, research and evidence based
practices may change the way institutions are supposed to be run, however, the change on behalf
of colleges and other education systems are slow.
Financial Aid: A Factor in Persistence
In exploring the factors that contribute to deciding to attend graduate school and or pick a
graduate program, the most salient factor throughout all the interviews was whether or not
financial aid was available for them and if there was enough aid. Students did not want to attend
a program that was not reasonably affordable for them, and made their final decisions based on
how much aid they were offered. When students were not offered enough aid to attend, they
vocalized their need to people in admissions and to the directors of their respective programs.
Lucas decided to apply to PhD programs because they are more likely to be fully funded in
comparison to master’s programs. However, in spite of him having an offer that promised
funding for three years, he was still worried about whether or not the financial aid was really
going to be made available to him. He states in his interview with me, “When I cam to graduate
school, I only believed that everything was going to be alright until I saw my first check.”
Jocelyn also placed a lot of weight on the financial aid package that she was offered at each
institution while deciding to attend graduate school, “
At the end of the day it was between the Cal State up North or the Top RI University here
in Southern California, I chose the Top RI University because it offered more money, the
scholarship opportunity, was something I couldn't pass down.
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When I asked Adam about how he made his decision to attend graduate school, he mentioned, “ I
applied where I was able to get the most with my buck.” Sandra’s financial aid worries provide
insight into why financial aid may be a larger factor in the decision to attend graduate school for
undocumented students in comparison to other students. Undocumented students even with the
California DREAM Act and the ability to pay in state tuition, if granted AB 540, are not allowed
to receive federal financial aid. While U.S. citizens may still find it difficult to find scholarships,
they at least are eligible for federal loans. Below is Sandra’s explanation of her financial
situation while deciding on whether or not graduate school was a realistic investment for her:
I was living paycheck to paycheck and had no savings to pay for grad school; it was one
of the biggest fears and kind of like, “what should I do?” I was not informed about the
DREAM Act and how it can also help with grad school, I only thought it was for
undergrads and that’s why I was also freaking out because I didn’t know that at the
time… When I saw I got accepted, I remember I was like cool, now what am I going to
do? I remember my other classmates, they were telling everyone about their acceptances,
I kept it quiet for about a week or two and everybody was talking about it. I was unsure
because I wasn’t sure if I could even go because I couldn’t pay that amount of money. I
told myself not to celebrate too fast.
The data demonstrated that because undocumented students have limited options for financial
aid, they may have to navigate complicated policy to gain access to the little aid that is available.
Being offered a good package determines whether or not they will be able to attend or not, if
there is still a need for more aid, if students are not aware of the resources available to them to
help them fund graduate school, or if their knowledge about the process for how to obtain such
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44
funding is limited, the dream of attending graduate school may seem unrealistic. All students had
internships and jobs to help pay for school.
Family and Peer Supports
Family: Encouragers and Providers. Every participant mentioned the importance of
their family, a common theme that presented itself during the interviews is the idea that a
student’s family serves as their encourager and may also serve as their provider. Each participant
recalled phrases that their parents would say to them when they were children to encourage them
to do well in school. Adam shared the following during his interview:
My parents never finished school past the 3
rd
grade, my mom learned to read in adult
school. She would take a wooden chair and sit outside the window of the classroom.
That’s how she learned; she is one of the smartest women I know. She has always
encouraged me to pursue my education.
A saying that Adam’s mother would tell him growing up was:
Get your education, that’s the only thing they can’t take away from you. They can take
away your family, and your residency, but your knowledge is something that they can
never take away from you.”
Adam’s parents encouraged him to continue with his education, despite the barriers he faced,
they always pushed him to pursue his dreams. While Adam focused on the emotional
encouragement that his family provided, Grace shared more about the financial support that her
family provides for her. When I asked her what kind of support her family provided her, she
stated
Room and board, free housing, free food. Yeah, I mean pretty much that, I don’t ask them
for any money, they already pay a lot; food and shelter. Emotional support, when I need
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45
it I guess. I’m not at home either, I’m at work, or at school, so I think there are no other
supports they offer but I know if I ever need it, they will definitely do it.
The fact that Grace mentions that her family does a lot for her, demonstrates that she understands
the sacrifice her family is making so that she can have an opportunity to pursue her educational
goals. Considering the limited resources and access to financial aid that undocumented students
have, financial support to meet basic needs is essential to persistence.
In his interview, Noe touched on encouragement and the financial support. When I asked
him how his family supported him, like Grace, he mentioned that they let him live in the house
rent-free because he cannot work while accomplishing his research. However, he also mentioned
the example that his mother set for him from when she was a young girl, he said:
My mom, she quit school when she was young. We are from Oaxaca and it is very poor.
She would run to school every day, but she didn’t have shoes, so blisters would form on
her feet and when she had to run to school the next day, the blisters burst and her feet
would bleed, so she stopped going to school. I won’t quit school until my feet start
bleeding. I have the opportunity now.
Noe’s mother’s tenacity and hard work encourages him to do what he can to be successful in the
country where he has an opportunity to do so.
Peer Relationships in Graduate School. When asked about friends or peers, the
participants expressed a common theme of not really having any peers that they are particularly
close to. From the tone of the conversations with students, it seemed as though peer relationships
were secondary to work and school assignments. Grace expressed how detached she felt from
most of the people in her program,
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46
I only go to school for class and I started with one program and I essentially never
followed the cohort model, given I am part time and I switched programs, I feel like I am
detached from the cohort and from my school. I am focused on my current work and my
students, yeah I still need one more year to finish, my goal was to find a job on campus
so I could be more involved but at the same time I’m not sure if that’s where I want to go
in terms of my career. I don’t have a strong attachment to my graduate school.
Sandra explains:
I am an introverted person, I like to be by myself, it’s how I recharge, however, I am also
very social, well, I know how to be social. I know a lot of people and have a great
number of acquaintances but my friend group consists mostly of my actual classmates.
And, I would only consider a few of them my friends that I actually talk to about life
things but umm, my friend group is very small.
However, conversely when I asked her what has motivated her to finish up to this point, she did
mention her peers as being individuals who encouraged her to complete her thesis and her
degree.
At this point I feel burned out, I feel overwhelmed, it has been real hard to keep myself
motivated and I was having difficult with my thesis because I was struggling in time
management my first semester and IRB board review took a month and it set me even
more behind. By the time I started the actual interviewing, it was very stressful because I
just felt like the time they expected us to finish was unrealistic. We started in October and
we have to be done by March and it limits you to what you can actually really do, I chose
a very difficult and specific population, it was a struggle and I had to work and kill
myself to get people to interview for my study and somehow I did it. I have to say that
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47
my peers at my internship, excluding my supervisor, gave me that push to finish it and
end the program strong, because I was freaking out thinking I wasn’t going to graduate
and thought I had to extend it to the Fall, but they gave me that little push, now I’m
motivated.
In my interview with Lucas, he did mention having friends in his program,
I have friends that are undocumented, but more from my program, because of timing. I
don’t have a lot of friends and I don’t have a lot of time. I tend to hang out with people
from my lab or program, it is easier we go to eat, get a beer or things.
Although he mentions having friends, it does not appear as though it is an essential part of his
experience, similar to my other interviews, he mentioned not having a lot of time for friendships.
Peer Relationships as Networks During the Application Process. A common theme
that appeared in the interviews was that many of the participants described peers as resources
and networks to find and share information about how to apply for graduate school. The
participants made use of both their undocumented peer network and their native born peers who
were also applying to graduate school. Sandra talks about applying to graduate school at the
same time as her classmates from undergrad, they were all applying for the same accelerated
MSW program. Sandra exclaims,
I just mostly relied on my peers during the application process, we all learned to do it
together and help each other out. Some people were very confused about where to get
their Letters of Recommendation from and that made their application late in a way,
where they would have to submit something else later. But I observed everything and did
it the right way. I was looking at others and I learned from their mistakes.
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As mentioned earlier, Noe took a year off to find people in his network who were
applying to graduate school. Grace and Monica utilized the same strategy, they mentioned not
having very much time for friends, but they did mention tapping into their network while they
were applying to compare whether or not they were taking the right steps through the application
process. Grace mentions in her interview:
Being connected with other undocumented students, I was able to navigate college and
successfully graduate, this helped me create networks that I later used when researching
graduate programs.
Monica, despite having access to a prep program, she still talked about the importance of using
peer networks during the grad school application process.
Peer Networks were important; those were key to helping me apply. When I was
applying, there wasn’t much talk about undocumented students going to grad school. I
could also say that I had one friend who was applying at the same time and we would
update each other on services or resources. We would utilize each other. I utilized my
friend as resource, and utilized my husband who had gone to graduate school. Utilizing
other people currently in my similar situation was helpful to find out how they did it and
planned on doing it.
Noe describes his application experience as one that was very difficult:
It was crazy! I was looking for doable programs. I talked to people about how do you
present yourself, what box do you check on the application, are you international? There
was a lack of information. It was stressful and expensive, transcripts, GRE tests, and you
pay to apply to each school.
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While preparatory programs assisted some of students by pairing them with faculty and/or staff
mentors, overall participants did mention that their peer networks of fellow undocumented
students were beneficial in providing context for how to answer the U.S. resident questions on
the graduate school applications. Undocumented students often times referred to their
undocumented student peers as their network rather than their friends.
The Need to “Hustle”
The participants each expressed different ways in which they felt they needed to “hustle.”
“Hustle” is a term that the participants continued to bring up throughout their interviews as a way
to describe the necessity of working, commuting and or finding creative ways to make their
financial situation better.
Adam shared the following in his interview:
Since day one, I had 2 jobs to support myself with living expenses and to pay for school.
Scholarships are hard to come by. It is very hard to find scholarships for undocumented
students in grad school. The only scholarships I received are from my department.
Scholarships are very limited for grad students and grad students who also are
undocumented are even harder to come by. To finance my education, it’s been on me, I
was working 4 different jobs to make ends meet and stay in school, that’s been a
challenge, but it’s been mostly on me working and getting more jobs; doing things on the
side that might help. Even if it takes me buying things at the 99cent store and selling it on
eBay, I gotta get creative and not be afraid to hustle.
In his interview, Adam describes the difficulties associated with not being able to afford graduate
school and pay for living expenses. Noe mentions in his interview,
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I had to start a Go Fund Me because I couldn’t afford my apartment anymore, and then I
had to borrow money from my parents, they helped me for a little bit, but then I had to
move back home because I couldn’t afford my place in San Francisco anymore.
Jocelyn states in her interview,
I take pride in my hustle. Even though I have a full ride, I still need to work two jobs to
make ends meet. I resented working multiple jobs in high school, but now I am more
mature and I understand what it takes to be successful.
These students are balancing a lot, many are commuting from far away, some have multiple jobs
and are balancing school work, they describe this experience as their “hustle.”
Limited Campus and Community Involvement
From the tone of the conversations with students, it seemed as though campus involvement and
help seeking were secondary to work demands and school assignments. Sandra expresses that her
campus involvement has been somewhat limited due to time constraints caused by her internship
and school demands.
As a graduate student I am not as involved and I have a decreased amount of time to
devote, but because of DACA, I do have the opportunity to work and just do more, and
because of that, I do have a job. I have a paid internship; it takes 3 days of my week. I
have 2 days of school; my weekend is my homework and thesis time. Grad school and its
demands took away from my civil engagement.
As mentioned above in the section on peer relationships, Grace mentioned not involving herself
with her colleagues or other types of campus activities due to the focus she places on work and
school. When I asked Grace whether she was involved on campus, she stated “I’m not really
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51
involved because I’m usually too busy, it’s just not a priority of mine.” Monica also reported as
not being involved on campus.
Time Constraints as a Limit on Help Seeking and Utilization of Campus Resources
The majority of the students I interviewed did not utilize the resources or offices on their
campus. Sandra explains that while she may understand how the resources on campus may
benefit her, she does not take advantage of those opportunities.
To be honest, I do not take advantage of the resources on campus as much as I should or
would like to. They have a dissertation and thesis resource and I tell myself, you can go,
but I haven’t gotten myself to go there. I think a part of me is like a little scared to go up
there, I don’t know why, but I don’t hear about these resources often, I do hear about
them from my peers, but not from my teachers. Um, and because the grad program is
very rigorous, I only go to school 2 times a week, Fridays and Mondays, but I think I still
haven’t used the resources as much as I could.
Monica also shared:
I don’t really use any campus resources. I want to and especially want to take advantage
of career center but I am always on the go. It’s hard to really make time to go and utilize
services here. I really think that my program should make the effort to connect students to
on campus services. There is a disconnect between grad students and my institution.
Worries about the Political Climate
At the time of this study, Donald Trump had explicitly targeted immigrants as being a
problem of the United States, phrases like wanting to build a wall and ideas about mass
deportation were permeating the political climate. Undocumented students are often times
politically protected under policies like AB 540, DACA or the DREAM Act, however,
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52
depending on the different political shifts, there is a reality of experiencing instability of
resources. The political climate can shift the lives of undocumented students in very real ways by
taking away protections, keeping policies the same or improving them. As she reflected on how
it feels to think about graduation, Sandra mentioned feelings of accomplishment and excitement;
however, she also expressed a very real fear and concern about the current political climate. This
is Sandra’s statement below:
I feel elated, super oh my gosh, I also feel like it’s surreal, I can’t believe that I’ve gotten
this far, I feel super, I cant wait to be done and I am a little nervous and worried about the
future in the sense of, what happens if a Republican candidate wins and they do remove
DACA, what would be my options, the advocacy and I hope people understand the
impact that it has on students, but I am nervous because of that.
In my conversation with Noe, he also expressed similar sentiment about the presidential
campaign and the political climate at the time:
I don’t know what my future will hold, especially with the presidential election. If Trump
gets voted in as the president, it is hard to say whether I will be able to stay in this
country. I might have to go to Europe and study as an international student. If a good
president gets elected, DACA might get expanded, more people might be able to go to
college, it is hard to see what my future will be like.
The anti-immigrant discourse clearly worried these students that they felt it necessary to speak
towards it during the interview. Questions were not asked about how the politics at the time
affected their experience, but it was something significant that they felt was important to share.
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Summary
Analysis of the interviews highlighted the following major themes: serving as an example
for the undocumented and Latino community was an intrinsic motivator for persistence through
graduate school, secondly, families served as encouragers and at times supported their student by
providing financial help for books, tuition or free housing. Third, peer relationships were limited
due to time constraints caused by demanding schedules filled with work, internships and class
requirements. Peer relationships also took the form of networks during the application process
where students reached out to their networks for guidance on filling out graduate school forms
correctly and obtaining financial aid. The data also presents undocumented students at the
graduate level as not being very involved on campus, additionally, the interviews suggested that
undocumented graduate students tended not to seek help from or receive as much support from
offices at their institutions. The participants did express in their interviews that they did not make
an effort to reach out to campus resources or student affairs offices. Lastly, the interview data did
demonstrate an overwhelming concern about the political climate and how the 2016 elections
may impact undocumented students negatively. These findings are elaborated on in the next
chapter.
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Chapter 5: Findings
This study sought to understand the experiences of Latino undocumented students as they
moved through the application process and attended graduate school to better understand the
motivating factors behind persisting through an advanced degree. While undocumented students
have political barriers, their experience is still similar. Many graduate students are disengaged
from their campus and the resource offices at their respective institutions, because most
resources and programs are developed for undergraduate students. The demands of graduate
school place strict time demands on the lives of US born students, between requirements to fulfill
research obligations, teaching assistantships, internships and fieldwork, graduate students from
all backgrounds are juggling multiple roles. The undocumented students I interviewed below,
while facing political and economic struggles also experience the regular stressors of graduate
school. I present a summary of my findings in the following paragraphs.
Summary of Findings
Finding #1: Being a Role Model and Obtaining Financial Security. Each student that
I interviewed expressed a deep sense of responsibility for paving the way for other
undocumented Latinos who will some day follow in their footsteps and pursue graduate school.
The students described themselves as representing all undocumented students or all Latinos and
they wanted to set a good reputation to disprove any lies about Latinos not valuing education. All
students also expressed hope for a career that will provide them with financial security and
meaning. However, for students who were not DACA eligible their motivational factors were
broader in scope when compared to those of students who had the DREAM Act and DACA. The
more protections had, the more narrowed their motivation became. Students who benefited from
DACA narrowed their motivation to a concrete goal such as a specific career objective or a
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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specific position that guaranteed financial security, while those students who were not DACA
eligible had broader, more intangible motivations such as being role models and paving the way.
Additionally, while these themes of financial security and wanting to be a model of success,
were communicated as motivators for continuing their educational careers, no distinction was
made between motivation and persistence. Students considered their motivation to continue as
their persistence. The participants connected their motivation to their persistence; as such the
definition for persistence maintains the same for this study, the act of continuing through their
educational journey. For these students and for the purpose of this study persistence is not “how”
they continue, but more “why” they continue through graduate school.
Finding #2: A Student’s “Hustle”. The students I interviewed describe their hard work
maintaining multiple jobs and struggle with finances as their “hustle”. The term “hustle”, while
having certain underground characteristics associated with its meaning is not used to describe
negative activity in the context of these student’s experiences. In the framework of these
student’s lives, their “hustle” is their hard work, a dedication to achieve the nearly impossible
and to gain what one wants. The willingness to “hustle” demonstrates resilience through
adversity. The term itself has some race, class associations in communities of color. However,
while “hustle” is used as a verb to describe these student’s acts of hard work and resilience, it
remains an action rather than an identity. Not one participant described themselves as hustlers,
meaning someone who takes advantage of people by sneakily tricking them out of money. These
students described their “hustle” as holding multiple jobs and staying humble. Further research
can be conducted to discover whether this term is to be reclaimed by Latinos or other groups of
color who have had a historical experience of financial, economic and political struggle. These
students are resilient, creative and hard working, their “hustle” proves it.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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Finding #3: Financial Aid, A Factor of Graduate School Choice. Like many first
generation college students, financial aid was a key factor in the graduate school decision
process. Factors like institutional fit, curriculum and location were considered in the decision
making process. Yet, all participants stated that the final decision came down to which programs
offered the most financial aid. Many students had applied to scholarships and did a lot of
research on the types of aid available to undocumented students. When asked about what
influenced their graduate school choice, all participants mentioned that financial aid was the
main consideration for deciding to attend an institution and the only thing they worried about.
Finding #4: The Application Process, Prep Programs and Peer Networks. The
majority of the students who participated in the study participated in programs that helped them
apply to graduate school. There was a common theme behind these programs that offered
mentorship, GRE prep, fee waivers, and graduate school prep. Among the programs were, the
Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), Institute
for the Recruitment of Teachers (IRT), and Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). During the
interviews, students also mentioned peer networks and online communities as resources they
used during their application process. The students interviewed revealed that reaching out to
other undocumented students who they knew had applied or were applying to graduate school at
the same time as them.
Finding #5: Family Support. Every interviewee mentioned their family as a means of
support and motivation to pursue graduate school. Due to the high cost of education, many
students mentioned being appreciative of their families who were willing to house them during
their time in graduate school and, or, assist with the cost of books, food, their deposit to enroll in
their program or any other costs incurred. The financial support provided by each person’s
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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family was very meaningful for each student; they talked about how hard their parents work in
labor intense jobs and how meaningful those sacrifices are.
Finding #6: Peer Support. Surprisingly enough, peer support, while the literature states
as having a significant impact in undocumented undergraduate the graduate students I
interviewed did not rely so much on their peers for encouragement or motivation. Many
described themselves to have classmates as friends. The students I interviewed tended to say
there was hardly any time to be social. As mentioned earlier, the participants described
themselves as having peer networks. Participants defined their peer networks as pre-existing
relationships from their undergraduate universities. The networks were comprised of other
undocumented students who served as resources and forms of encouragement through the
graduate school search and application process. Peer relationships during graduate school, while
present, were not expressed by the majority of the students as being a priority or having a major
impact on their experience, except in the case of Sandra, who felt really encouraged and
supported by her classmates.
Finding #7: Negative Political Climate Produces Fear for the Future. Each student
was aware that an education would provide him or her with the possibility of a more ideal
financial future. When asked about hopes for the future, most stated that they hope for the best,
but that with the political climate of 2016 and Donald Trump running for president, some did
express concern about what would happen to them if they or their families got sent back to their
countries of origin. Many stated that they were concerned about who the next president would be
because of the hold on extended DACA and DAPA and the anti-immigration sentiments being
promoted by many Republican presidential candidates. In any political environment, because of
the instability of politics in the United States, undocumented immigrants experience the brunt of
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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social change because they are a vulnerable population; therefore their ability to pursue
education is uncertain when dependent on society’s politics.
Implications for Practice
While most of the participants shared about the positive experiences they had in graduate
school regarding the content they were studying, many expressed that their campuses were not as
concerned with providing programs and resources for graduate students. Three of the participants
I interviewed informed me that their campuses had DREAM Centers, however, they shared that
even though they could relate to the undergraduates who identify as undocumented in these
spaces, their identities as graduate students was secondary. The interview data also illuminated a
pattern showing that while students may have been active in seeking out help from student
affairs offices during their undergraduate years, they hardly sought out resources on campus as
graduate students. What this data implies for practice is that student affairs practitioners should
be more intentional to cater programs for graduate students who have different needs from
undergraduate students. Ideas for programs that are inclusive to undocumented graduate students
can be workshops on how to obtain alternative forms of funding/financial aid as a current
undocumented graduate student. Scholarships for graduate programs are limited as it is,
however, resource guides and information sheets on how to pay for graduate school are not only
beneficial for students applying to graduate school, but also have the potential to benefit current
graduate students. Career advising for undocumented students that can touch on topics such as
how to obtain licensure for their specific areas of study (MFT, Nursing, Law, Medicine etc.)
while being undocumented and/or how to become an independent contractor is also something
that would be beneficial for students who have questions about how to navigate those processes
that are relevant to their career trajectory.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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DREAM Centers can better serve their graduate students by holding professional
development events specific to undocumented graduate students so that they do not feel as
though they are no longer eligible for the resources offered in those safe spaces. DREAM Center
staff can create and obtain content such as flyers; booklets and brochures for services relevant to
graduate students to place in their offices. Campuses who do not yet have DREAM Centers
should mobilize to create coalitions and a space for undocumented students on their campus so
that students can feel welcome and accepted on their campus, despite their status. DREAM
Centers can create programming that includes panels of undocumented professionals who have
been successful in their careers, these panels would serve as opportunities for professional
networking to take place, where students can engage with people who would be willing to
sponsor them towards success through intentional relationship and professional development.
Given the little time graduate students have, coordinated events that provide opportunities of
advancement for students would be most appropriate.
In my interviews with Noe and Lucas, two undocumented graduate students pursuing
STEM careers, a common theme was not being able to research in certain labs because of the
limitations on federal money that some of the projects were utilizing. The NIH, National Institute
of Health, funds various research on campuses across the United States, however, while other
researchers are getting paid, students like Noe and Lucas are only allowed to serve as volunteers.
It is tricky to be a researcher under an independent contractor license, therefore limiting the
opportunity for undocumented graduate students to participate in research, which often times are
a large part of the graduate school experience. Writing grants for state funding that supports
undocumented students in STEM who are not eligible to participate in research or receive
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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departmental funding due to restrictions on federal money would be beneficial in creating
research opportunities where before there were none.
Opportunities for Future Research
My study highlighted some of the differences between students who were DACA eligible
and those who were not eligible for a work authorization permit. A study that looks deeper into
the differences in motivation to attend graduate school between students who have different
protections would add to the literature on how policy affects the career and educational prospects
of undocumented individuals. Additionally, a study that looks at the relationship between what
types of graduate programs undocumented students pick, depending on their status as either
temporary protected under TPS, AB 540, DACA-mented, DREAM eligible, or a combination of
the above, would be useful in determining whether or not the type of eligibility is a factor in an
individual’s decision on what types of degrees or fields to pursue. Research on whether
undocumented individuals from other racial and ethnic groups share the same motivations for
pursuing graduate school should also be conducted to expand the generalizability to the entire
undocumented student community. Cultural differences have the potential to influence values
and may in turn produce different motivational factors for educational pursuits. Additionally,
graduate student experiences are likely to differ in other states, while this study only looked at
California; undocumented students permeate the entire United States. A national study could
provide insight in what other states are doing to support or inhibit the educational attainment of
their undocumented student population.
Conclusion
The purpose of this thesis was to learn about the reasons why undocumented Latinos
persist through graduate school. The goal was to provide readers, specifically higher education
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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counselors, administrators and faculty insight into how undocumented student’s experiences with
family, peer networks, and institutions during the application process and through their time in
graduate programs influenced their motivation to persist. The reason for studying persistence
was to find out what hopes undocumented graduate students had for their future careers, given
that their status may have the potential to limit their career choices to labor intensive jobs,
despite their level of education. Given that a stable career may not be guaranteed in the event
that an individual’s work authorization is taken away or that they are ineligible for a work
authorization, investing time, money and resources on graduate school are risks that these
students were willing to take.
The grounded theory that was birthed from this qualitative study is one related to the
concepts of intrinsic motivation, family support and peer networks. The intrinsic motivation
present within undocumented Latinos is related to their desire to fulfill their hopes and dreams.
Family support and peer networks serve as a way to increase the self efficacy of undocumented
Latinos because they are able to have models through their peers of people who are successfully
pursuing their education and also reflect on the struggles they have gone through with their
families as a way to demonstrate that they have the ability to “hustle” and make it through.
Traditional frameworks may designate undocumented Latinos as having lower levels of social
capital, however, it is clear from the literature and my study that undocumented Latinos develop
their own social networks, therefore demonstrating that undocumented Latinos are able to
produce and maintain social capital (Pérez et al., 2011; Hallett, 2013). In the context of this
study, peer networks were used as resources for navigating and interpreting policy that applies to
them in their pursuit of higher education. Interviewing the seven students who represented
colleges from Northern California to Southern California, I was able to describe that the
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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motivation to pursue graduate school was in large part an intrinsic factor, complimented by the
idea that they are the pioneers creating the path for those who are coming after them. The
students I interviewed believed that they represented the face of undocumented students and
Latinos across the country, everyone is watching them and they want to create a reputation of
accomplishment and honor for their communities. Students were able to persist through the
encouragement their peers provided, while also relying on the tangible support from their family
members, such as housing or money for food or books. Students did not credit their institutions
as being relevant in their persistence through graduate school; however, they did mention the
value of building relationships with mentors in prep programs and how that was related to them
feeling supported to be successful as they entered their programs.
Lucas, Jocelyn, Adam, Sandra, Grace, Noe and Monica all have worked hard and earned
their spot in the graduate programs they are enrolled in. While they may seem like ordinary
students, they each are balancing 2-3 jobs, internship requirements, classes, and long commutes
in an attempt to reach their dream careers. They have hopes for bright futures while living in a
society that does not offer them the same liberties of pursuing fulfilling careers in their fields of
study. Their hopes are for a future where no one can tell them their status disqualifies them from
a promising career. Their stories provide a unique look into the unmatched strength, resilience
and motivation necessary to achieve their goal despite political and economic struggles. These
students embark on journeys that cost them so much, for only a hope of a better life. These are
ordinary people, accomplishing the extraordinary.
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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Appendix A
Recruitment Flyer
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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Appendix B
Informed Consent
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education, Education Counseling Masters Program
Waite Phillips Hall 3470 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089-4033
Phone: (213) 740-0224
Why Do Undocumented Latinos Persist Through Graduate School?
You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by Natalie Aguilar, M.Ed Candidate and Dr.
Kristan Venegas, PhD, at the University of Southern California, because you are currently/previously an
undocumented Latino/a graduate student in the state of California. You must be aged 18 and up to
participate. 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. You will be given a copy of this form.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to explore and better understand factors responsible for why
Undocumented Latinos persist through Graduate school. Undocumented students face economic, legal,
social and emotional barriers directly resulting from their citizenship status. Studying the experiences of
undocumented Latinos that pursue a graduate education would give insight into the factors that
positively influence undocumented students to successfully persist through a graduate education,
despite the academic and financial barriers that exist for this population, given their immigration status.
The concepts to be explored in the study are: institutional support, familial support, peer support and
relationships with institutional agents. The hope is to inform practitioners of the types of support
necessary for the successful retention of undocumented college students.
STUDY PROCEDURES
If you volunteer to participate in this study, you will be asked to participate in a ~2 hour interview. You
will be asked if it is okay to audio-record the interview. If you don’t want to be audio-recorded,
handwritten notes will be taken. You do not have to answer any questions you don’t want to. All
information will be anonymous; your real name will not be recorded or documented at any time.
Interviews can take place over the phone or in person, in a private room at USC.
POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
Some questions may be sensitive in nature and may remind you of negative experiences related to your
education. However, any time you feel uncomfortable answering a question, you can choose not to
answer without any penalty.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO PARTICIPANTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
Anticipated benefits include the advancement of knowledge to educators for how to best serve
undocumented students. There are no direct benefits to you as the participant.
PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
You will receive $10 Amazon gift card for your time. You do not have to answer all of the questions in
order to receive the card. The card will be given to you at the end of your participation.
INFORMED CONSENT FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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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 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.
There will be no identifiable information obtained in connection with this study. Your name, address or
other identifiable information will not be collected. All email communication between you and I will be
deleted after the interview. Your responses will be documented with a false name (pseudonym) and
maintained separately. The audio-tapes will be destroyed once they have been transcribed. No one else
except for me, Natalie Aguilar, my Faculty Advisor, Dr. Kristan Venegas, and the IRB will have access to
your data. The transcribed data will be stored on a password protected computer for three years after
the study has been completed and then destroyed.
The results of this research may be made public, shared with participating sites and quoted in
professional journals and meetings, but results from this study will only be reported as a group such
that no individual respondents can be identified. No identifiable information will be included.
PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL
Your participation is voluntary. Your decision whether or not 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.
ALTERNATIVES TO PARTICIPATION
Your alternative is to not participate. Your relationship with your university, your program, your
professors or your grades will not be affected whether you participate or not in this study.
INVESTIGATOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact
Principal Investigator: Natalie Aguilar
Phone: (818) 310-3434
Email: nxaguila@usc.edu
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kristan Venegas
Phone: (213) 740-0507
Email: kristanv@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
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
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Appendix C
Protocol for Student Interviews
Historical/Demographic Questions:
1. What gender do you identify with?
2. What is your current marital status?
3. What was your marital status during your graduate program?
4. Did you have children during graduate school?
5. What is your country of origin?
6. Do you identify as Latino/a? How?
7. How old were you when you came to the United States?
8. How did you get to the United States and whom did you come with?
9. Where did you complete your undergraduate degree?
10. What was your undergraduate major?
11. Where did you/are you attending graduate school?
12. Did you complete your graduate program?
13. What type of degree did you pursue/are pursuing?
14. What field/major is your degree in?
15. While in graduate school what was/is your status? For example, did/do you have
DACA, CA DREAM Act, AB 540 status or any other status?
Motivation
16. When was the first time you knew you wanted to pursue graduate school?
17. Did you take some time off between schooling?
a. If yes, what did you do in between?
18. Tell me about what motivated you to pursue graduate school?
19. What were some of your biggest fears in regards to pursuing graduate school, if any?
20. Can you tell me what your hopes were/are for pursuing a graduate degree?
21. How did/will pursuing this degree help you?
Applying
22. Tell me about the process of applying to graduate school.
23. Can you tell me about some of the barriers you faced when applying, whether
institutional, or personal?
a. How did you overcome those barriers?
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Support Network
24. How did your family/and or friends react to you wanting to pursue more schooling?
25. Was your family involved in the application process, if so, how did your family
participate in the process of applying?
26. What kind of supports, if any, did your undergraduate university provide for you
during the graduate school search and application process?
Resources
27. Can you tell me about the resources you turned to during your application process?
(E.g. groups, websites, resource centers etc.)
28. Tell me a little bit about how you financed/are planning to finance grad school.
Choosing
29. What were your options if you chose not to pursue graduate school?
30. What are some of the things you thought about as your received your graduate school
decisions?
31. How did you make your decision for which institution to attend?
a. What was that process like for you?
32. What feelings come up for you as you think about your decision?
Attending
33. How would you describe your graduate school experience?
34. Did/do you feel welcome to your campus, why or why not?
a. How much of this is related to your status?
35. Did/have you share(d) your status with anyone in your graduate program? What are
some of the reasons you decided to share or not share?
36. What types of communities/extracurricular organizations did you get involved with
during your graduate program?
a. Ask only if they got involved: Did/does your involvement with these on
campus organizations have an affect on your graduate school experience and
how?
37. What was/is your friend group like on campus?
38. What kind of support did/does your family provide for you while in graduate school?
39. What resources do you use on campus? Do you feel comfortable using the resources
on campus?
40. Is there anyone in the staff or faculty at the university who you have a close
relationship with? How did it develop and how does/has it influence(d) your
experience?
UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GRADUATE STUDENTS
72
Completion
41. Tell me about some of the things that motivate(d) you to finish your program.
42. What helped you persist up to this point? If degree is completed ask: What helped
you finish?
Post Grad Plans
43. What are your plans for when you finish your graduate degree?
44. What feelings come up for you as you think about graduation?
Abstract (if available)
Linked assets
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Ruiz, Natalie Xiomara
(author)
Core Title
Understanding persistence: a qualitative analysis of the experiences of undocumented Latino graduate students
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
Master of Education
Degree Program
Education
Publication Date
04/21/2016
Defense Date
03/23/2016
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
AB540,California,college,DACA,deffered action,DREAM Act,Dreamers,education,equity,graduate students,Higher education,immigrant,Latino,legislation,OAI-PMH Harvest,persistence,qualitative,retention,undocumented
Format
application/pdf
(imt)
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Venegas, Kristan (
committee chair
), Alvarado, Kristina (
committee member
), Hallett, Ronald (
committee member
)
Creator Email
nxaguila@usc.edu
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c40-238310
Unique identifier
UC11277422
Identifier
etd-RuizNatali-4339.pdf (filename),usctheses-c40-238310 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
etd-RuizNatali-4339.pdf
Dmrecord
238310
Document Type
Thesis
Format
application/pdf (imt)
Rights
Ruiz, Natalie Xiomara
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
AB540
DACA
deffered action
DREAM Act
Dreamers
education
equity
graduate students
immigrant
Latino
persistence
qualitative
retention
undocumented