Culminating Experience

Through this experience, I was able become immersed in the Latino culture. Whether this was salsa dancing, enjoying food, looking at art, or doing research, this semester was a time of searching and taking risks. I was fortunately enough to find my voice, in real life, and able to reveal more about their insights into higher education. Through this development of advocacy, I was able to identify key best practices in order to make a first generation Latino student successful.

Best Practices

Provide bilingual literature and services

One of the largest barriers for many Latinos and their families, is language. By providing translators or services that provide a bilingual component, students and parents will be able to be provided with effective communication. Bilingualism is "a way to attain equity" and by offering this service, the level of inclusiveness raises (Huerta-Macias, p. 218). Furthermore, parent newsletters, websites, and pamphlets should be provided with Spanish as an option.

Utilize a Latino cultural group for mentorship

One of the key components to the Latino community is the idea of "familia" or family. Demographically, Latinos are very diverse with over 20 countries represented in the last U.S. Census. With the large amount of nationalities, it may be hard to connect a community, but creating familia starts with the foundation of student affairs professionals and educators buying into this concept. Latino groups and centers should prompt programs that offer mentorship programs. One example of this mentorship group is the Sponsors Program at Claremont College. This program creates a sense of belonging for first-year students, gives them access to upperclassman knowledge, and orientates them faster to the university than those without a guide ("Programs and Services", n.d.). The mentor program at Governors State University goes as far as pairing students based on major and includes mandated time spent with the first-year student ("Become a Mentor" n.d.). Creating personal connections within the institution enhances the chance for a first year student to become involved. This involvement as studies have shown, leads to better retention and satisfaction of a university or college.

First year experience programs should be comprehensive

From examining my voice and the settings she is placed in, it is evident that awareness is an issue that can get lost in transition. Moving in, finding classes, adapting to coursework, and finding a social network are all items to be done within the first couple weeks of school, the last thing on someone's mind is safety issues on campus. The first year experience programs at many university's go over the core values, instill a philosophy of learning, and create community within these settings. This would be a perfect time to incorporate both silos of education; student affairs and academia. By providing insight into student activities, safety issues, exposing campus services, and bringing in student affairs professionals, these first-year experiences would be providing an open-book look into the life of an institution. For Maria, the first year programs create a sense that she matters to the university and helps her build a concept of part versus whole with looking at the institution. This philosophy allows Maria to better navigate through her experiences.

Seek out advocates to create a support base for Latino students

Some professionals have more time and energy than others, and as student affairs professionals, we should be using these individuals as advocates and role models for our students. As stated in an earlier post, a strong role model, supportive individuals, all allow people like Maria to succeed. Furthermore, advocates are able to find resources within the university setting to help marginalized groups. A Latino center should not be just limited to the support staff they have at an institution. Professionals should be looking for individuals in each department in order to create a consistent force within the university as a voice for students like Maria.

Educate residence life and student organizations about first generation college students and minority students.

More and more student groups are getting exposed to "Millennial student" needs and characteristics and understanding how to market, plan, and adapt to this breed of student. Who is to say, that first generation students could not be a new focus area? By improving in education on first-year/first-generation students, organizations will be more apt to program to retain students and provide them with a rewarding experience.

All areas of student affairs should be exposed to current events in diversity. There is a point where we can increase awareness so it can be development into advocacy. Though many students may not have the time or interest to become an involving advocate, the students' who develop this skills will improve their organizations or bodies they work in for the better.

For residence life, the importance of relationships and community would be emphasized even more so. They would learn how to target these students in order to get them to their events when other temptations (alcohol and peer pressures) may be standing in the way. Students not student affairs professionals are who they will have the most contact with during their college years and we must be willing to give these student leaders the knowledge for they need to succeed in a changing demographic.

Closing Thoughts

This semester theme seemed to take on the area of risk taking. I "took the plunge", as it was said and expanding on my voice further than in the summer. Whether this was in my internship or in class, I was always reflective in how my voice would react or whether my actions would have any affect on them personally. Being involved in housing, the first-generation student has become a priority for me to become an advocate for and more important help them to expose them to the various resources offered on campus. The personal interaction, whether in recruitment, rentention, or marketing, is still an underrated skills. Through this experience, I was able to talk to a variety of people in person to expand my knowledge base and more importantly create small changes to my policies and procedures to reflect on the greater constituency.

Claremont College: Programs and Services

Programs and Services. (n.d.) Claremont College. Retrieved December 6, 2008, from http://www.cuc.claremont.edu/chicano/CLSA-programs%20and%20services.htm.

Governors State University

Become a Mentor. (2008) Governors State University. Retrieved December 6, 2008, from htt[://gsucms.govst.edu/latinocenter/default.aspx?ekfrm=13502.

Herta-Marcia, A.G. (2003. Meeting the challenge of adult education: A bilingual approach to literacy and career development [Electronic version]. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Education, 47 (3), 218-226.

Interview Part 2: I'm a Female Latino

When continuing to enter my voice, I was able to connect to a young women who is of Latino descent. Through a face-to-face interview, I focused on the following concepts.

Expectations are upon you

Pre-Conception of College

Services essential for success

Analysis:

My interviewee, who will be named Natalie, revealed her background in her community, her parents, and the steps she took when looking for colleges.  Like my voice, college wasn't the normal path after graduation.  She went to an inner city high school, where the graduation rate was very low.  She got motivation from her parents, who never went to college, and her older sister who was the first in their family to go.  For the people in her community, family members, are thought of as exceptions.  They have broken through a line of access and are given encouragement through the church, her family, and her friends.  She does admit, she finds it harder to relate to her friends and vice versa.  They do not understand the kinds of commitments she has made and the first couple of weeks were hard because she became homesick.  Once, she started adjusting to college, she found that it was easier to stay at school and enjoys herself now.

Most of her knowledge about the college admissions process came from her older sister. Natalie was met with members of her church along with the school counselor, to help her in her process.  She first decided to search regionally and would be staying in state to save on money. Next she was able to take trips and found that college she is at currently, offered a small intimate community that was friendly and teachers presented a program that was tailored to help first year students. College was a place that could change her life for the better.  She understood how great of an opportunity this was to a young person.  Unlike her peers now, they "do not understand how hard it really is to get here". Though her sister told Natalie about her opinions on classes, the stresses, and peer pressure, Natalie, was still confused about some of the smaller items.  These ranged from financial aid help, to how she will get home for a weekend, since she did not possess a car.

Being Latino,  brought barriers when her parents visited with her on college visits.  Though her father knows English quite well, her mother only has an adequate grasp on the language.  Some of the technical items such as financial aid, bursar bills, and the type of classes Natalie was taking, was items that were confusing even for Natalie.  She said, "It would have been nice to have a translator".  Not so much as to help them, but to have her parents minds at ease knowing that they were catering to the Latino population.  This was not something that was met at any of her college visits.  Once she got to college, orientation sessions, her R.A., and teachers were what helped the most in making the transition.  The orientation sessions, focused on different parts of the university and being able to connect with a group of individuals of around 15-20.  These sessions covered everything from the financial aid office to the career center. Led by R.A.'s, Natalie felt her mind at ease knowing that their were knowledgeable people who would be available 24/7.  The curriculum for first year students involve the First-Year Seminar which is an orientation to the values of the university.  Though it was not tough academically, Natalie felt that she made a connection with the instructor and that he presented an accessibility to be wanted to be used as a resource.  When asked to define what made her successful, she came up with "a university who exposes an individual to all areas, a dorm that is friendly and open, and teachers who make time for students". 

For many college students, they could not tell you the mission of the university or what they stand for; Natalie could.  The difference is that the mission and values were placed throughout her orientation and classroom experience.  Whether mandated by the university, or formed through a student-faculty committee, the two silos of education: students affairs and academia, must work as one.  Whether it is the Director of Residence Life or the Department Chair of Mathematics, each must do their part in incorporating the mission of the university into their teachings.  Failure to commit in certain areas, may have an affect on student learning, but most likely they will feel a connection to part rather than a whole.

Journal of Me: Entry #3

It's still hard to fathom that I am in college. From a young girl, though I dreamed, I never thought I would have the opportunity for higher education. My friends did not talk about it, neither did my parents, it is strange that I became so fixated on doing everything I could to succeed. I guess that just about anything is possible for a young Latina with a degree of desire, a game plan, and the time to search for scholarships and grants. The thrill of moving into the resident hall has not worn off but I admit I have some trouble adjusting to the conditions. I've never had a place where I've had everything at my fingertips. Computers, libraries, faculty, activities, and friends are surrounding me now and sifting through what I need takes time. I have friends who are always wanting to go to the mall or out to eat and it's hard for me to do that on a regular basis because I don't have a lot of extra spending money. I'm frustrated by this and maybe once I get adjusted to my schedule I can start looking for a job.

I have friends in my dorm, but I needed to find people like me. To help me, I went to the student activities fair and found the Latino Student Union. I looked through the information and with a friend, we went to an introductory dinner and connected with more Latinos along with learning more about the organization. I made some great contacts and have gotten asked to group dinners and someone even has the same major and we are studying on a regular basis. The next meeting that I went to, they were looking for a first year representative for LSU and I got nominated and won. After talking with the advisor and several others, I accepted the position and found out that many of the leaders got their start in that same position. For one of the first times, I feel extremely comfortable with my surroundings. I can communicate in English or Spanish and the students/advisors seem to understand what I need to succeed.

Classes are going as smoothly as possible. I'm having trouble though adjusting to one of my chemistry courses and looking for help. I've tried to stop by my advisor's office but they have different office hours than my schedule. One of my friends from the LSU suggested that I schedule an appointment at the learning center. I have to admit, I've never been to a help center before and I feel embarrassed that I haven't figured my work out on my own. Though I feel grounded social, academically I will have to what and see what will happen in the future.

Portraits of a Latino Woman

This has been truly a historic year for women.  The American people have had women run for top positions in government and provide a great example of leadership for young women of many ethnicities.  Though people may not agree with their politics, it is hard to deny that they have broken barriers and opened gateways for women to try and succeed in the future.  Examples of strong women can be found throughout history but it takes research and being in tune to a culture in order to find heroines in Latino culture.  One of the strongest examples of a driven woman was the innovative Frida Kalho.

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who was born in 1907 in the town of Coyoacan.  Originally going to school for the premedical profession (like my voice), she suffered a tragic accident that left her bed ridden for several months.  Suffering through many tragedies such as constant pain, polio, a miscarriage, and divorce, she has become a symbol of resilience

 for Mexican women. Growing up around the time of the Mexican Revolution, she no doubt had knowledge of the soldaderas of the war.  These women soldiers were political figures and role models who were ordinary women, but doubt to out of the ordinary circumstances, were called to action to fight.  Her art exposed the brutal reality of women in showing the truth, power, and suffering through self portraits and paintings.  Over a third of her art portrays pain of some kind.

Providing a strong vision of women was a continuing theme in her artwork.  In particular was the unique culture of the women of Juchitan de Zaragoza. In the city, the women have formed a matriarchy society where women control a large amount of commerce and daily tasks to make the area livable.  In the 2000 documentary Blossoms of Fire (Ramo de fuego), it shows the women of Juchitan, Mexico.  The society in the documentary is portrayed as strong, using progressive politics, and a tolerance for homosexuality.  The documentary defies the stereotype of the spit-fire Latina who is hyper-sexualized and dominating.  It portrays a balance of women who believe strongly in their community and has gotten everyone to "buy in" to equality for the greater good.  This is just one example of how Latino women have created a life that they can call their own. 

In America, much of the stereotypes and views are skewed by movies and television.  In recent films such as "The Women" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", the woman, is portrayed in the spitfire image.  In other types of media, such as "Lost", Michelle Rodriguez's character shifts to that of the tough woman.  In either case, Latino women are not the victim but unfortunately due to marginalization and tough life situations, many women can not relate to this portrayal.  This compared to early snapshots of Latinas which would fit into the characters of the saintly and exotic figures of Old Hollywood.  Though progress has been made to create strong role modeling in media among Latino woman, there is still work to be done in all cases in creating characters that show respect to women of all ethnic backgrounds.

Video:

Frida Kahlo

An early portrayal of Latinos in movies:

 West Side Story: Portrait of Maria

 West Side Story: America

Nuyorican Dream: A Film to Voice Connection

When evaluating new means of exploring my voice, I choose to select a film that helped depict a part of the Latino culture.  I came across a documentary, narrated by young man who spoke about his struggles of achieving a college degree and the current state of the fastest growing ethnic group in America.

Nuyorican Dreams focuses on the family of Robert Gutierrez, who has achieved a college degree and is now working in the education system in New York City.  The film maker introduces the viewer to his mother, who is raises many of her offsprings children, Robert's siblings who are either addicted to drugs, in a state of poverty, or in and out of prison.  The rare light of hope is Robert's sister, Milly, who he is determined to keep her on the right path.  For Robert, one of the main frustration's is that because of his job (through a college education) he has burdened himself to be a source of financial and emotional stability to the family.

Through Robert's family situtation of poverty may be extreme, he points out the state of Latinos around the country are drawn to the myth of the American dream.   It was said that 37% of all Latinos/Blacks are in a condition of poverty in American.  This financial disadvantage puts people at risk to use extreme means such as robbery, drug dealing, and other forms of crime to live day-to-day.  Using his brother, Danny, as an example, this causes a large majority of those in the ethnic minority to end up in prison.  Of the people currently in prison, over 65% come from that ethnic minority. 

One point that Robert experienced that my voice may would be the feeling of alienation.  A college education for a person who's environment does not merit this would find it especially difficult to make a connection back home.  Their friends, might not understand their new commitments to student activities, have little understanding for college classes, or may not be able to relate to as much as usual.  With their family, siblings might be angry that they did not have an educational chance or that they are losing their brother or sister to a profession or individual dream.  Parents may not be able to understand the avenues in which their child needs to go through in order to be successful.

Robert points out, like the student organization, an understated point in recieving a college education is that of service.  For Robert, it is important that he works with area Latino youth in providing them support, tutoring, and a role model.  Though not everyone is an educator or feels comfortable as a leader, it is important that people try to incorporate a value of service into their work.

For first year students, especially coming from poverty, student affairs professionals need to understand the major transition that takes place.  Nancy Schlossberg in her article, "Marginality and Mattering: Key Issues in Building Community", highlights how to create a connected community with students.  Like the strong leadership and role modeling that may have taken place for them, it is important that we give all students opportunities to be apart of something bigger than themselves.  With this personal responsibility, it creates them mattering to a group or organization.

Nuyorican Dreams highlighted the hardship of Latinos in this country and how students will come in with a wide variety of socioeconomic statuses, access to resources, and family experiences.  Robert, like many, show how hard it is to balance a college education with supporting and integrating family and friends.

Leguizamo, J. (Producer), & Collyer, L. (Producer/Director). (2000). Nuyorican Dream [Movie picture]. United States: California Newsreel.

Schlossberg, N. (1989). Marginality and mattering: Key issues in building community [Electronic Version]. New Directions for Student Services, 5-15. from Google Scholar.

The Latino Student Organization

The Latino Student Organization can be found on many college campuses.  While each may hold a different viewpoint on the types of activities they conduct, the keys to a successful organization is to not to only appeal to their constituents but the general campus body. 

Outlined is a model based on a student organization audit conducted through my internship.  It goes through key points and is based on examples of Latino organizations around the country.  These include:

Learning

Community

Service

Advocacy

An organization should be educational.  The mission of the group should not only establish standards but be progressive in it's approach.  This learning should not only take place for it's members but also for the campus community.  For example, at the University of Maryland, their Latino Student Union hosted a Hispanic Heritage Month that took place from September 15 through October 15.  During this month, they held Salsa, Merengue and Bachata dancing lessons, a Latino style dinner, and movie nights.  Florida State University introduced Hispanic literature, poetry, and conducted a seminar on examining oppression and racism in the Latino community. For in-group educational events, many organizations act as a miniature student affairs office.  At the University of Virginia, they bring in a career workshop, while Purdue University provided its members with information about internships.

Creating community within the group and campus body is a vital part to the livelihood of the organization.  Positive community creates better chances of satisfaction and retention. If this can be seen visually, it helps in the process of recruiting new members.  Ways of creating group community can range from general meetings to social events.  One example is at Western Washington University, where students gather for a heritage dinner on a monthly basis.  This is not only educational by introducing individuals to foods from different countries but allows students a sociopetal event to make connections and network.  Duke University hosts ice cream socials, opportunities to see performances, and introduction to ethnic foods.  Texas State University at San Marcos has not only an unique educational component but one that provides community.  They have created two kinds of workshops.  One is the leadership workshop which provides discussion and a guest lecture, while the culture/traditions workshops introduces different Latino cultures and provides community, presentation, and information.  A strong inner-group community creates an environment for a support base.  For my voice, Maria, this group support will be especially important because it provides a chance for friendship and to interact with faculty, staff, and other parts of campus.  In order for a complete community, the group must be self-promotive in nature and be a visible part of campus.  Whether this is participating in homecoming or putting on a cultural fair, allowing the general campus body not only allows them to be educated but a chance to become part of the group.

Service, is by far one of the most overlooked components of a student organization.  Anne Frank once said "How wonderful it is that a person doesn't have to wait one moment to change the world". Outreach and empathy are key values that can be beneficial to any one, rarely takes experience and many places in a community are looking for volunteers.  Service, creates a visible part of the student organization and is reaching outside both the general membership and campus community.  IUPUI Latino Student Association participates their Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, soup kitchens, and volunteers at local elementary schools.

The last aspect of a quality latino student organization is that of advocacy.  An advocate is one who speaks on the behalf of another person, a cause, or group of people.  Through education, community, and service, an individual in an organization gets the sense of being a representative of that group.  This may be educating the general community about a Latino studies course or actively recruiting members to continue to educate about the cultures and traditions of Latinos.  Successful advocacy has two main bodies.  The first is the advisor.  From the student organizations audit conducted, an advisor should be an individual who is supportive, knowledgeable, and challenges in the areas of inclusion and service.  Though many groups have hands-off advisors, one of their main functions is to ensure the group of staying with the mission and purpose of the organization.  The general student group is the second body of advocates.  Through education and community, they can build a strong support for activities and services that create a visible precise of a group on campus.

In the end, through learning, service, community, and advocacy, an organization can be a strong, well-rounded group.  The balance of all four, allows to create an organization that can appeal to all constituencies and allow for them to be progressive in nature for future endeavors. 

Links to Latino Organizational Groups

University of Maryland

Western Washington University

Texas State University at San Marcos

IUPUI Latino Student Association

University of Virginia

Purdue University

Defining a Path: Josselson's Women Theory

When looking through a lense of Josselson's Model of Women's Identity, it is important to try and find where Maria may be in her statuses of development.  For Maria, she strongly believes in what she is pursuing (to be a doctor) as a noble cause and one that she can use to change her environment for the better.  She has strong ties to her parents, especially her mother, and she defines her attitude as hardworking, constantly learning, and observant.  Though she is apprehensive about what her college expereince entails, she is confident that if she has a positive attitude and stays motivated, she will be on the right path towards achieving her goals.  From Josselson's perspective, Maria would be considered to be in foreclosure.  Meaning , she has not had any crisises but has made a commitment to her values and her future.

Once identified as foreclosure, an advisor or higher education administrator may want to be especially observant to how Maria may react to large problems that happen in her life.  Furthermore, encouraging Maria take part in a leadership role or committee would help in exposing her to new people that have different ideas and values.  This would challenge her, for her values may be tested and pulled to either recommitment herself to her values or pursue a slightly new direction.  Not only could she enjoy student activities but be able to work on projects on her own or in a group could help her find confidence in her abilities.

Exploring Media:

I found a video blog that profile's Latina women who share acedonts on identity, family and other aspects of their lives. 

Latina Confession's

http://www.youtube.com/user/LatinaConfessions

The Election & Financial Aid in America

In light of the election, I decided on researching both candidates policies and promises in accordance with higher education.  While each presidential candidate provided interesting information, Barack Obama's plan highlighted some interesting statistics that could apply to my voice.  It is said, based on Obama's website that "12 percent of Hispanics...eventually earn a bachelors degree" and the "average college graduate leaves with $19,000 in debt".  This meaning, that higher educational institutions may need to strengthen the policies of financial aid and create opportunities for lower to middle class individuals to apply for college.  

Both John McCain and Barack Obama outlined a plan to simplify the process of applying financial aid.  The FASFA (Free Application for Federal Aid) form currently consists of 5 pages and 127 questions that the applier has to fill out.  Based on the FASFA site, one needs a worksheet just to complete the form.  Being unfamiliar with financial aid, I explored the website and the worksheet and through my voice, found the information hard for a first time user.  I looked up my dependency based on my voice and even filed for financial aid in order to go through the questions and see what items were asked.  As to the presidential candidates, I would have to agree that the forms are confusing and may deter many from applying.  Even a YouTube video from FASFAonline.com, an online resource,  admits that the "interface is not terrific and pretty easy to get lost". The questions were jumbled with finances intermixed with personal information and for a young women, like Maria, she would have to have her parents by her side in order to complete the form.  If they were too busy, or did not have all the information right beside them, in terms of annual income and residency status, they would have to make several trips to the website in order to complete the form.  Words that could describe a first time user of FASFA such as Maria would be confused, frustrated, irritated, nervous, and overwhelmed.  

There are a variety of financial aid that can come from scholarship, grants, and work studies and I resources online that were found through the techno-savy means of the Internet, podcasts, and videos.

Financial Aid Basics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCqlbs2i6us

2008 FAFSA Tips for Financial Aid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJDU-eXFq5o

Through this journey into the world of financial aid, I found that students are immediately met with anxious thoughts as they think about college.  Though advisors and resources are on campus, parents and their paper work are not.  With the economy, lately, effecting the status of employment and yearly income, students, I predict even more, will need to understand the benefits of financial aid.  Not only should financial aid officers know this information but RA's, hall directors, greek house advisors, and others should be informed  to the world of financial aid in order to help their friends, residents, brothers, and sisters successful navigate through the higher education financial aid system.

Reaching Out: Programs for first generation students

Before taking on this voice, I was very unaware of the programming for disadvantaged students.  Through research and readings, I've found several programs being offered by certain colleges and the government for which my voice could take advantage of if she knew of the information.

The TRIO program is funded under Title IV in the Higher Education Act of 1965.  This is to help students who have financial barriers attend a higher education institution focusing on class, social, and cultural barriers.  For a large majority (2/3), family incomes are under $28,000.  The TRIO program currently serves 19% Hispanic Americans.

One example of a TRIO funded program is the Groups Student Support service at Indiana University.  Students who are either first generation, have an income that meets guidelines, documented disability or have a need for academic support can apply to the program.  Through Groups, students are taken through a summer experience in courses such as writing, reading, and math and adapt to university life.  Professional staff is available for academic advising, tutoring, financial aid counseling and mentoring.  Through this group, students can join organizations such as an emerging leaders or ambassadors program in order to create a well-rounded experience.

For the upper education Maria wishes to attain, another component of the TRIO program is the Ronald E. McNair Post baccalaureate achievement program.  This allows students to pursue doctoral and graduate studies.  At the University of Central Michigan, the McNair Scholars program is a preparatory system to help students into pursuing graduate school.  Students are required to complete a writing seminar, participate in a summer research institute, work extensively on their research, and work to apply towards schools.  Through this process, it helps undergraduates enhance writing skills, prepare for the GRE, and understand the stresses of graduate school.

One of the items that needs to be emphasized when marketing to these groups of students is the ability to have large goals.  Most undergraduates, do not have the prospect of going to graduate school or beyond unless extremely motivated or introduced to the idea.  With these two programs, these dreams can be met with the help of the government.  These types of services should be placed in the general orientation program of any college and marketed to not only the disadvantaged demographic but expand to educate the whole in order to provide information for all students since as of now, students will be looking for financial and emotional support at college due to the economy.

Office of Postsecondary Education. (2008). Federal TRIO programs. Retrieved October 13 2008, from http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/index/html.

Indiana University, Bloomington, (n.d.) Groups student support services. Retrieved October 13, 2008, from http://www.indiana.edu/~groups/.

Central Michigan, Mount Pleasant (n.d.) McNair scholars program. Retrieved October 13, 2008, from http://www.mcnair.cmich.edu/default.asp

Interview Part I: I'm the first one to go to college...

I was fortunate enough to be able to find a part of my voice at my assistantship site.  In the upcoming weeks I will be able to conduct a interview with a Latino female and through these two interactions, be able to combined the information into a full analysis.  In the short interview, I was able to ask the following questions:

What were your fears?

What surprised you once you got to campus?

What piece of information did you wish you knew now that would have been beneficial in the past?

What services reached out to you?

Analysis:

Joe, as he will be referred to, is currently a freshmen living in one of the halls I oversee.  He noted that since he had friends go off to college, he relied on them to relay him information about classes and workloads.  He feared coming in that he would not be able to handle the classes and it would be hard to adjust quickly.  His parents did not have any background and move-in was a very hectic and stressful event.  He felt comforted by the fact that he had a friend who he met during the orientation process who was in his same building.  What suprised him were how fast friendships and acquaintances were made.  There seemed to be an overwhelming feeling for most students and they seemed to have "the same experiences and reactions" even though they had parents and siblings who went to college.  He admits it is still struggles day-to-day but he knows that his RA, friends, and professors are there if needed.  He wishes that he would have known more about the learning center on campus and the services available for students. He says even though they were covered briefly in orientation, he did not remember information once he arrived and it would have been helpful when he started to struggle initially.

The services that are on campus are common ones such as a learning center, multicultural center, career center etc. He said he thought it may have been more personal once he got on campus but has not had any face-to-face contact with people other than the learning center.   Being proactive is a "large part of adjusting to an adult life", he said.  Though he wished that since it was a smaller university, that staff would take more initiative to meet students beyond hello and a pleasant conversation.

From what I gathered, being a first-generation student can have major struggles. As stated before, there is no checkbox in the application for a first generation student.  If these students can be catered to, in the process, it will only help develop a community of staff who is caring and thoughtful to students who are new to college.  Like anything in life, he and other non-first generation students shared the same experiences and fears.  Working in residence life, using items such as Baxter Magolda's questioning strategies have been important in providing a foundation to begin conversation for both hall director and resident advisor.  Once a student is flagged with a serious issue, for any reason, they are provided with resources and pushed in the right direction.  If faculty and other staff could be shown these strategies it might provide them with a sense of more purpose in one-on-one meetings and that they could have an impact on students outside of academia.

Finding Success

From the visits that Maria had attended, it seemed that she was concerned with the human aggregate over other elements of the environment.  Since she is the first in her family to go to college, she wanted a support group that was nurturing, helpful, and would allow her to grow academically and personally.  What can be taken from the past narrative is how the environment is constructed and the image that each university wants to portray.  Universities and colleges must be aware of the outward appearance they are portraying to future students.  Though each higher education setting has a different set of priorities, each should make the effort to create a welcoming environment to a diverse group of students.

If one was catering to Latinos, one should research at what these students look for and what is needed for success.  In a study conducted by Paul Creason (1994), he was able to find indicators in college that led to success for Latino students.  There were several barriers though that were unique to Latino students.  These included financial stress, family pressure, the curriculum, and being comfortable in the environment.  These success indicators include the following (p. 43-59):

-Strong role models

-A supportive individual

-Family support and their understanding in the education process

-Participation in extra curricular activities

-An understanding of prejudices

-Goal setting

-Leadership that builds confidence

-Demonstrating community service

Maria seemed to experience the appearance of some of these in her tours.  Her parents were treated to advice and talks on financial aid and their educational role.  The personalize experience that she encountered at State University created an instant connection with supportive individuals that could in the future be positive role models and link her to extra curricular activities.  In order to address the struggle with curriculum, colleges should make the effort to create a first year curriculum that helps student transition into college, understand the rules of the university, set goals and priorities, and allow time to access resources on campus that can lead to future leadership opportunities.

Overall, higher education institutions need to be aware of the unique needs of their constituents.  They must make efforts in their policy and curriculum to make accommodations to first generation students.  Though these student have needs that may call for more personalized attention, finding time to make this effort with all students can only provide them with a foundation of success and a closer interaction with faculty and staff.

Creason, P. (1994). An analysis of success indicators for Latino students at Long Beach City College. [Electronic Version]. 1-70.Retrieved October 3, 2008 from EBSCOHost.

Focus on the Family

One of the keys to success in any educational setting is a strong support group to go back home to when a student is in distress.  The question that is poised is: How homogeneous are Latino families as a whole?

With Puerto-Rican Americans, Cuban Americans, South American, and Mexican Americans, Latinos in America are a unique group of individuals that have a wide variety of family structures and environments.  Much of the variance in these families are effected by the level of poverty usually for Latinos being largely in a lower socioeconomic condition than their White and Black counterparts.  Francis Fukuyama's (2001) research  showed that with this poverty, many effects such as single parent households, a higher rate of birth defects, increased drug and alcohol problems, and impoverished living conditions. Though while living largely in poverty, Latino Americans hold a strong work ethic to improve their condition and a devotion to their families (p. 3).

When examining the stigma of the traditional Latino family it is often characterized as a male dominated household.  In Maria's case, being Mexican American, this is slightly altered with the woman being on a pedestal but at the same time thought of as weak.  In Glenn Hawkes and Minna Taylor's (1975) research, they looked  into seeing if this stereotype holds true to the culture.  What was found is that Mexican American families are affected by how connected with they are to their heritage and how acculturated they were to the homogeneous customs and culture (p. 809-810).  For the most part, families are structured as more egalitarian or equal. Both the male and female share power and decision making. Bilingual families were "more likely to be wife-dominated and less...egalitarian" (p. 810).  Urbanization is another factor that controls family structure.  A family that lives with a large Latino population compared to a family living in a White neighborhood, people are more likely to conform to the family structure of their counterparts.

When looking at Maria's family, her parents can be found using more of an egalitarian system for their decision making.  Regardless of a family structure, higher education institutions must be aware of the conditions of traditional ethnic groups .  These families may not have Internet, consistent computer access, or cell phones.  Traditional mail and newsletters may be the only way to advertise to parents and students.  In these family structures, like many families, a strong role model emerges and the need to mirror this in the college setting is especially important for Latino students.  This allows for these students to have a connection to the university and support group in order to establish a foundation to build their college career upon.

Fukuyama, F. (1993). Immigrants and family values. [Electronic Version]. Commentary, 95 (5). 1-7. from EBSCOHost.

Hawkes, G.R., & Taylor, M. (1975) Power Structure in Mexican and Mexican-American Farm Labor Families [Electronic Version]. The Journal of Marriage and Family, 37(4), 807-811. from Google Scholar.

Journal of Me: Entry #2

Campus Visits:

It's the end of the month and I'm about to take three trips to my potential colleges. I have a good chance of being accepted into all three and I had to visit to see if I could narrow down my choices. Since I'm the first in my family pursuing a college education, I don't really know what to look for in a school. I keep hearing that I will know and it will "feel" right, but that doesn't really help. What is exactly is this right feeling? I hope to achieve this feeling on my visits and gather information about my schools. I'm taking my parents and feel that they may have trouble understanding our tours but I hope for the best.

Ivy College

This is our first of the college trips and to the most prestigious one: Ivy College. It is right near the state line and hopefully all these trips don't put a burden on my parents pocketbook since gas is so highly priced. If I was to imagine college, this would be the perfect picture based on the brochures. It took about 3 hours to arrive and found the town to be in the middle of nowhere. Though it was easy to find, the college itself is surrounded by woods and a road leads the driver into the forest to discover Ivy College. The signs were found were all big names like the John Adams Building for Academic Admissions and the J.P. Reilly Scholars Union and Research Center. From the names, we didn't really understand where to go. We finally found our destination to the Lincoln and Brandy Orientation Unit. The welcome center, as I'll refer to it, was nice and interesting in many ways. It seemed more like a doctor's office than a welcome center. It was very quiet, neat, and demanded respect.

As our guide came, she gave us a packet of information to muddle over and we were on our way. The campus was beautiful. Brick buildings, perfect trees, perfect day, and a nice stroll through Ivy College. She explained to us there were many places to eat and see and made the campus seem smaller than it was. We arrived at the Jasper Kats Center for Medical Research and made our way to the 8th floor. There, my parents were whisked off to who knows where, while I stayed and met a third year student in the medical program. They took me through the criteria for admission and the ins and outs of the program. I asked a ton of questions and some were met with a "I'll have to ask" or "good question". Unfortunately, she wasn't able to answer everything. Next, I got to meet some faculty who were considered world-renowned scholars. They were very interested in my story and if I had any questions. They asked me about my ambitions and where I saw myself after college was over. I re-met my tour guide and I finished the tour exploring the student union, which turned out to be on the other side of campus. I found my parents waiting and it turns out they had a wonderful time with the financial advisor of the school but were still confused about the needs of their college student. Overall, the school and research power was impressive. They were very structured and the people were friendly. It would be nice to go there because I know that they would help me achieve my goals as a pre-med major and become a doctor someday.

Big City University

The second in our trips was to Big City University. Its location is in the heart of Downtown, USA and from what I hear, you get a great education and all that a large city offers. We've been to the city many times and it wasn't too hard to find, though the traffic was frustrating along with the rain. We got to campus finally and it took us a while to find parking. We had to go around and around even to find the place. We arrived at our destination to the large student center, made our way up stairs, and to find the admissions office busy with activity as we looked to start our tour. It had finally stopped raining when we started though the humidity was slightly annoying. We were taken here and there and nothing really stood out as too noteworthy. The city is surrounding the campus and is very noisy. I would hope that I could find a great little place to study once I arrived on site.

The last half of the tour was individualized and I was taken with my parents to the Franklin Medical Center to get a glance at their program. We were greeted by a faculty member and a student. They took us on a tour and sat down to take questions about the university and program. It seemed like the student didn't want to be there and the faculty member felt anxious about the whole event. Despite that fact, the tour was nice, the weather cleared up, and the city surrounding the university intrigued me. We were even taken into the city and pointed out how the institution collaborated with many business, shops, and restaurants. Overall, though the campus itself was interesting, the people weren't as friendly as I had hoped.

State University

State University is an in-state college that has the program I'm looking for, not as prestigious but will offer me a quality education. It is close enough to home and far enough away. Its a new adventure and the final trip on our tour of colleges. The drive was a straight shot up the highway and a right turn directed us to campus. Th signs to the university were easy to read and we turned into the school and a main road led us into campus. From there, we saw signs for the admissions office and ample parking. The main desk was right inside the admissions center and we were just on time for our campus tour. We were taken all around and the guide filled our heads with traditions, building names, cafeterias, book stores, and other things that seemed like the standard for all these tours. We ate in a nice cafeteria with trees inside and quiet spots to study. This was no normal lunch but ate with current students who had the same major I was looking into pursuing. This was amazing for the fact that I got to hear about what they did both on and off campus.

The second half of the tour seemed more custom and was to meet with an academic advisor who oversaw the medical department. The building which housed the medical department seemed full of life, people hanging out, and in general seeming to be engaged with what they were learning. I found my academic advisor to be friendly and open to any questions I had, which was nice, since I had a lot of questions. My parents at this point got taken to do parent things and I hoped they would understand what was going on. My advisor seemed to have as many questions as I did and really wanted to get to know what was important to me, my hopes, fears, and curriculum questions. He asked, "Outside of school, what do you want to do". This was something that flustered me and I had to think about for a few minutes. No one had ever asked me about that before him. I said I wanted to stay connected with my Latino heritage but at the same time get outside of my comfort level. I then found myself being escorted to the student life office, where we visited before, but the advisor made a call and we meet briefly with the Director of Multicultural Affairs. She told me about the programs they had to offer and gave me information on other activities such as Greek life, academic clubs, and sports. We then reunited with my parents and I found out that they were less clueless than usual. They told me that an interpreter had helped with their other tours and were informed about the financial aid process and what they needed to do to help me. As we departed, I found myself smiling because I think I found a right fit. Except I can explain this feeling. The people were what made this experience unique and enjoyable. They were personable, open and saw resources outside of their department to help.

In the end, I had to make a choice. I weighed my options and found that I was putting programs, buildings, and people against each other. I then prioritized what was most important to me. In the end, people seemed like the most influential factor on my decision. The program could be the prestigious in the nation but without anybody to support me, it wouldn't mean as much. I saw the situation I was in, being the first one to go to college, and the need to feel grounded. At one college, it felt like I was a priority to the campus. The faculty, staff and students had a good grasp on who they were, what they were about, and at what length they would help someone in need. I know that financially, some of the other schools are more expensive and I asked myself, what exactly I was paying the extra money for. I found that I could have a great program and people at one school. My final choice is State University. I said, based on my pre-conceptions, that I wasn't too sure about the school but the people seemed to be the deciding factor. I'm really excited to begin my journey, though the stress of finances are still there, I'm eager to become more independent!

The Journal of Me: Entry #1

A first person account of my voice

Frustrated. Confused. These are just a few of the many feelings I am experiencing currently. I'm trying to apply for scholarships, grants, and understand financial aid and everything is getting mixed up with what forms to use, when to apply, and where I send the paperwork.

I feel like I have no one to turn to. My parents didn't go to college. My cousins haven't gone. Even my neighbors, if they did go to college, it was in an another country. I try to work the best I can with my teachers and counselors but there seems to be a breach in communication. This is new to me, not to them, and its hard to express all the things I don't know. I feel overwhelmed. Who would have thought it was going to be this tough just to get into college?

More importantly, is where am I going to go to college. Our family obviously can barely help to support me, meaning that I will have to stay in-state in order to pursue my education. I guess it is not so bad, I will be close to family and my friends who are working. But, I wanted a chance to explore, try a completely new experience, and have a chance to define myself. I have three different choices of colleges a large state school, a mid-major university, and a private institution. I really hope I can get into a private school or the big school since they have a large amount of resources for me to use. I'm going to be visiting all three these upcoming weekends. I hope to find one that fits perfectly. I'm not sure what I'm looking for, but I think I will know when I find it!

~Maria

Current Readings and Viewings:

Growing up Latino by Ilan Stavans and Harold Augenbraum

The Motorcycle Diaries

The Culture of Now

In order to understand where my voice is to be going, I have to examine the current climate of the environment she will be entering. According to recent statistics 41.3 million Americans identify themselves as being Latino. Of this large and increasing number, 17 percent of this group is of the traditional "college-age". But of this number only 19 percent of these young people actually choose to pursue a higher education.

What could make this number so low? Is it the government? Is it the culture? Is it a lack of knowledge on both parts? A blame cannot be place in one place. one part is the lack of knowledge about the college environment to a large majority of young Latinos. Laura Rendon, a professor of education at California State University states ("Educating", 2008):

Many Latino students attend poor elementary and secondary schools...In addition they often come from low-income backgrounds and are the first in their families to even consider higher education. They lack knowledge about how and where to apply for college and what it takes to succeed once they're admitted.

Feelings of incompetence and frustration may be more prevalent than their White counterparts.

One other aspect is the lack of support in the higher education system. Being the first in the family, like Maria, to attend college they may not have any solid role models, mentors, or sponsors in that environment. Due to a backlash in affirmative action, college hiring committees have not needed to focus on the hiring of an ethnically diverse staff. The places that Latinos choose to attend choose are places they are likely to go and thus have stretched the resources of certain areas making them almost ineffective.

Contrary to popular belief, Latinos have the largest amount of college students applying for financial aid. Unfortunately, they receive the lowest amount, in terms of ethnic group, to get student aid awards. This aid is a critical part of assistance in many families since they do not have the funds to support their child fully. More than half of all Latinos receive a grant of some kind. This could be even more with increasing government sponsored programs. For example, one suggestion was that due to the lack of ESL teachers in secondary and primary education, that the government could create relief to those who chose to pursue a degree of that kind.

What is the culture once Latinos reach campus? Is it all the same? It would be naive to think that Latinos could be examined under the same microscope. With a large amount of Latinos coming from a variety of different countries, customs are almost so far apart that they could be classified to subcultures more than one complete group. In order to help these students succeed it is important to get a point of view from them. In an article published by Mooney and Drakes, they found that Latinos can fall into three separate categories in their attitudes towards higher education. One group can be called assimilators. These people have adapted to the dominate culture and may be so intertwined with the larger group that they are blind to discrimination and its impact on their environment. The next category is the accommodators. They see that discrimination is happening but believe that they, as individuals, can create the changes need to succeed in what they are pursuing. The last category is resistors. These individuals see a high level of discrimination happening. This is by far the largest of the three groups with 43% believing in this view according to a survey conducted by Mooney and Drakes ( 2008, p. 12-14).

The question remains is how can one begin to work with Latinos in helping them navigate the steps of higher education. Throughout my blog, I will try to better understand the unique needs of the wide variety of subcultures and see what conclusions can be made in becoming an advocate for my voice.

Drakes, D.R., Mooney, M. (2008). Profiles of Latino Adaptation at Elite Colleges and Universities. American Journal of Community Psychology 42 (1), 1-16. from Google Scholar.

(2008). Educating the Largest Minority Group. The Chronicle 50 (14). from The Chronicle Review

Creating a Foundation for Success

What does it mean to go to college through the eyes of a Latino, female, first generation student in today's American college and university system? That is the question that I will be trying to address through the sixteen week voice project. From the first voice project, I choose to create a blog and will continue to do so. The Internet is a great resource, if used correctly, and can bring information instantly to the blog format such as videos, research articles, music, and art. The later half of the summer sessions was when the peak of my research was conducted and rounding of my voice took place. I hope to feature immersive experiences earlier in my blog and continue these throughout the sixteen week process.

Choosing to be in the voice of a Latino woman was chosen because immigrants from Mexico and other Spanish speaking nations are some of the fastest growing constituents in America. Currently, society has to make changes in policy, education, and culture in order to accommodate for this rising constituency. Through this project I hope to be able to feature women, the family structure, spirituality, art, music, food, and the special needs of a college-aged Latino woman. Grounding my voice in theory, I hope to be able to tell first-hand accounts of developments that take place and progress to featuring the environment in which she occupies. I hope to conduct at least two interviews, in order to test my assumptions and to create a well-rounded view of today's Latino woman.

In order to start becoming an advocate for my voice, I have to share my opinions and stereotypes of Latino women. I have not had a lot of interaction with this type of person but books, movies, and other media has helped strengthen a view. From my perspective, Latino women are very family oriented people with several generations being a support group for the individual. Immigrants from Spanish speaking countries often times get jobs where they are around a large concentration of other Latinos. Many co-workers of mine in a past job have been annoyed or complained about the fact that Latinos refuse or apprehensive about communicating in English. They see the need for these people to become Americanized to this culture. They don't see the need to make accommodations for Spanish speaking cultures since this country's primary language of choice is English.

Media has always portrayed these women as very emotional, sassy, and fast-talking but compared to other negative stereotypes, are shown as strong-willed and passionate too. They seem to run the household and are the foundation for a family. The Latino population seems to be portrayed as two extremes. One is that Latinos are lazy or they are hardworking. In Westerns, such as The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and the Magnificent Seven, Latinos are portrayed as the villains, creepy, and murderous. Towards the modern day, they are portrayed as trouble makers, low income, and general nuisances. I do not have a large amount of prior knowledge of Latino culture except that I enjoy the food and respect and find the works of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo as a testament to the struggles of their people and of the Latino woman. I can speak a little Spanish, due to a sister using me as a buddy for testing her Spanish, but strongly believe that institutions around the country will encounter a similar situation of helping and advocating for Latino women in America.

For the remainder of the blog, this woman will be called Maria. She is a first-generation college student who is Latino. With her parents originally from Mexico, they've immigrated to the United States when Maria was only a baby and have lived in a lower-class society for most of her life. She worked hard in school and has received several scholarships to alleviate the stress of finances, at least for the time being. She is the first one in her family to have the possible of receiving a higher education. She comes from a neighborhood with a high concentration of Latino men and women and the majority of her communication is done in Spanish and is the language of choice at home. She grew up as a Catholic and is regularly practicing her faith in the community. She enjoys cooking, dancing (traditional dances), and volunteering at her local hospital. She sees college as a chance to do something her parents could not and has selected a major as pre-medicine in order to become a doctor someday. I hope to explore her interests, take part in her religious practices and participate in like-experiences in order to see through the eyes of Maria.

Due to the structure of the environments class, I will follow Maria's journey from starting with her visiting colleges to starting her first year as a freshman. I hope to create a story that helps address the issues of the environment of higher education. Additionally, I want to explore the culture in order to deter stereotypes and create a knowledge base to educate students, faculty, staff, and parents about this wonderful side of the new American culture.