I am going to break this entry into three parts
1. Important and relevant points from A Qualitative Exploration of the First-Year Experience of Latino College Students by John C. Hernandez
2. Excerpt from Deborah A Santiago's All Together: the Role of Latino Families in Higher Education
3. A look at Schlossberg's Transition Theory in relationship to Chris's transition
1. Hernandez (2002) pointed out that students of color that attend predominately white institutions (like Chris) have additional challenges during their first-year of college, and went on to note some specific challenges that Latino students face such as being first-generation students from low income house holds where Spanish is the primary language spoken in addition to feeling isolated and academically unprepared at their institution. Students were surveyed in the fall and spring to see if they believed they would obtain a four year degree. Based on survey results Latinos scored the highest of minority groups, but in the spring semester dropped to the lowest (Hernandez, 2002). Additionally, Latino students were interviewed about their first-year experience. Based on the results Hernandez organized responses into four themes or significant factors that tie in with first-year Latino students' transition. The four themes are academic and social adjustments, family support and encouragement, involvement opportunities, and ethnic and cultural identity (Hernandez, 2002). In terms of academic adjustments students felt under prepared by their high schools, and responses were mixed about social adjustments with some feelings of isolation. However, it was a common theme that students actively chose not to get involved based off of a wanting to stay solely focused on academics as well as home and community obligations. It is important to recognize that a lack of engagement does not mean students are apathetic, but rather committed to home life and engaged within their communities. However, involvement results in forming connections, and the lack of on- campus involvement among Latino student results in a disconnect to the institution. Another reason Latino students have difficulty forming connections is a reported lack of culture and pieces from their culture that they miss (Hernandez, 2002). Students also experienced what Hernandez refers to as a "culture clash (2002). The expectations of their parents and American experiences created the clash. Lastly, Hernandez (2002) found that Latino students tended to congregate together in order to build support and community. Students also reported that In terms of family support, Hernandez (2002) echoed what most people and articles point to. Families want a better life for their children and encourage them to seek out higher education opportunities, but have trouble supporting them beyond encouragement due to a lack of knowledge and financial strains. Chris's experience aligns with this conclusion, except that his family encouraged him to attend the nearby community college. One of the biggest recommendations Hernandez (2002) offers from his findings is including parents in the orientation process and hosting bilingual information sessions for parents.
2. All Together: the Role of Latino Families in Higher Education
Deborah A. Santiago, "My family made a powerful sacrifice that still humbles me to this day. They let me go. I don't mean they allowed me to go to college—that had always been their goal. Rather, they let me leave the protective support of my home and trusted me to succeed in a new environment more than 3,000 miles away.
My experience is not unique. For many Latino students who are the first in their families to go to college, the role of family is critical, for a variety of reasons. Family bonds are strong for many Latinos, which reinforces both cultural ties and a family's sense of responsibility for success. Many Latino families have lower incomes and must struggle to cover college costs. Latino parents who immigrated to this country to provide more opportunities for their children are heavily invested in their success. There is a strong Latino family identity, and the success of children reflects upon the entire family. Family is so important among Latinos that one-third of Latino undergraduates continue to live at home while they are enrolled." This article goes on to credit institutions that have incorporated and welcomed families into orientation as well as family programming and initiatives.
3. Schlossberg's Transition Model (Evans et al., 2010)
Compiled from information in Goodman, Schlossberg, and Anderson (2006)
Transitions: Chris entering college, leaving home
Meaning for the Individual Based on: Anticipated transition with personal relationship to transition with a large impact in daily life. Chris is in a new and unfamiliar place and is being challenged in ways he has never been challenged before.
Transition Process: Moving in
Coping with Transition
Situation: The desire to receive a college degree, take care of family, and have a better life precipitated the transition. The transition is considered on time and planned. Chris would like to believe he is in control of his transition but when faced with challenges encompassed in Hernandez's four themes he no longer believes he is in control of his transition, only his reaction. Chris has changed roles going from a high school student to a college student which is seen as a gain. The transition is seen as uncertain, and he has no previous experience with a similar transition. There are multiple sources of stress present. Chris has financial stress. He has family obligations that make it hard to connect to campus and get involved, in adddition to the upcoming birth of his niece. Chris is stressed about his academic performance and is currently enrolled in a developmental English/Writing course. He also has stress from his late night campus job. He sees himself responsible for the transition and internalizes the stress, anxiety, and guilt he faces.
Self: Factors include low-income, Latino, first-generation, male, and Chris's determination to remain at school.
Support: At this point in the transition his main support system is his family that provides both encouragement as well as guilt for being far away. Therefore his support system is not stable.
Strategies: Chris would look to modify the situation, but could easily fall into managing stress in the aftermath because of the overwhelming amount of stress he is experiencing, and doesn't fully grasp all the ways in which he could modify his situation.
Evans,
N., Forney, D., Guido, F., Patton, L., & Renn, K. (2010). Student development in
college:
Theory, research, and practice
(2nd. Ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Publishers.
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