Teaching, Learning, Policy & Leadership Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2759

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    “Never Give up:” The Strengths and Strategies Used Among Undocumented College Students From Central America to Access and Persist in U.S. Higher Education
    (2015) Hernandez, Belkis Pamela; Espino, Michelle M.; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    The purpose of this study was to identify the strengths and strategies that undocumented college students from Central America used to access and persist in United States higher education. A multiple-case study design was used to conduct in-depth, semi-structured interviews and document collection from ten persons residing in Illinois, Maryland, Ohio, Texas, and Washington. Yosso’s (2005, 2006) community cultural wealth conceptual framework, an analytical and methodological tool, was used to uncover assets used to navigate the higher education system. The findings revealed that participants activated all forms of capital, with cultural capital being the least activated yet necessary, to access and persist in college. Participants also activated most forms of capital together or consecutively in order to attain financial resources, information and social networks that facilitated college access. Participants successfully persisted because they continued to activate forms of capital, displayed a high sense of agency, and managed to sustain college educational goals despite challenges and other external factors. The relationships among forms of capital and federal, state, and institutional policy contexts, which positively influenced both college access and persistence were not illustrated in Yosso’s (2005, 2006) community cultural wealth framework. Therefore, this study presents a modified community cultural wealth framework, which includes these intersections and contexts. In the spirit of Latina/o critical race theory (LatCrit) and critical race theory (CRT), the participants share with other undocumented students suggestions on how to succeed in college. This study can contribute to the growing research of undocumented college students, and develop higher education policy and practice that intentionally consider undocumented college students’ strengths to successfully navigate the institution.
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    First to the Finish Line: A Case Study of First Generation Baccalaureate Degree Completers in the University of Maryland Student Support Services Program
    (2010) Mahan, Christine P.; Cabrera, Alberto; Fries Britt, Sharon; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This study explores factors first generation college graduates identify as impacting their successful baccalaureate degree attainment. This research was conducted using qualitative case study method, and a cross case analysis of individual case summaries was completed. Through a review of degree attainment, persistence, and first generation student literature, major pre-college and college themes/issues influencing degree attainment were identified and used to develop the study's theoretical framework. Data was collected through several methods: survey; in depth interviews and document analysis. Data was collected on a total of thirteen participants representing the 2001-2004 University of Maryland Student Support Services cohorts. An analysis of collected data revealed several factors participants perceived as significantly affecting their successful degree completion. These factors include academic preparation, college enrollment patterns, peer influence or participation in peer enclaves and perceived ability to pay. Family encouragement and support in both the student's pre-college and college experiences emerged as one of the most important influences upon first generation degree attainment. Further, results of this study revealed that mothers, in particular, play an important role in their first generation student's success. Mothers provide key motivational encouragement and support, regardless of their lack of familiarity with the college experience. Another key factor that plays a positive role in the first generation student's successful graduation is participation in an academic support program. Results of this research demonstrate that the academic, counseling and referral services and support provided by these types of programs help close the gap in terms of amassing critical degree completion social/cultural capital and mitigating academic challenges entering first generation students often bring to their college experience. The results of this study contribute to the dialogue on closing the gap in educational access and fostering degree completion success of first generation students. Implications for policy and practice are detailed in this study and suggest, to achieve maximum impact, educational access and degree completion initiatives must begin at least by the eighth grade and continue through college graduation. The study also includes suggestions for future research on first generation students, their families and the initiatives developed to support their educational aspirations.