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Articles by Cynthia Alcantar
Teachers College Record, 2018
Background: Undocumented undergraduates are a growing population in the United States. Despite be... more Background: Undocumented undergraduates are a growing population in the United States. Despite being shut out from many resources, such as access to federal financial aid and social services, many are thriving by contributing to their families and communities. Few studies to date have taken a strengths-based approach to understand the lives of undocumented young adults or examined their normative developmental experiences. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine how contribution manifests in the lives of Latino undocumented undergraduates and the extent to which they are engaged in and contribute to their families and communities.
Research Design: This study employed a convergent mixed-methods design in which parallel quantitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed separately. Through mixed methods, this article examines the family and community responsibilities of a sample of N = 797 Latino undocumented undergraduate student survey respondents, along with three portraits of qualitative visual and verbal narratives.
Results: Results highlight the value of “collective contribution” in Latino undocumented immigrant families. Through quantitative methods, results reveal that the majority of Latino undocumented undergraduates are contributing to their families and communities in significant ways. Qualitative findings reveal ways in which cultural values manifest as the reciprocal contribution between individuals and their families and communities. Further, results reveal the varied ways that Latino undocumented undergraduates engage with their families and communities, exhibiting the characteristics of ideal citizens, despite being denied a pathway to citizenship. Conclusions: The results suggest that Latino undocumented college students are thriving and contributing to the society that gives them conflicting messages about how to belong. Yet, they enter postsecondary institutions and continue to remain engaged in their families and communities. Their engagement has important implications for what type of society we will become and for the need to build on these social resources to make our democracy and community stronger, recognizing immigrants as a resource to strengthen the social fabric
of our society.
Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 2018
Through interviews with nine Latina/o students enrolled in a 2-year Hispanic-Serving Institution ... more Through interviews with nine Latina/o students enrolled in a 2-year Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), this study examined their interactions with faculty utilizing validation theory as a guiding framework. Findings demonstrate the critical role faculty serve as validating agents and the importance of supporting 2-year HSIs faculty to practice validating experiences. Validating faculty interactions have the potential to increase Latina/o community college student's sense of belonging, persistence, and academic self-concept.
Resumen A través de entrevistas con nueve estudiantes Latina/os inscritos en una Institución de Servicio Hispano (HSI) deun colegio comunitario este estudio examinó sus interacciones con profesores usando la teoría de validación como estructura de guía. Hallazgos demuestran el papel crítico que los profesores juegan como agentes de validación y la importancia de apoyar a profesores en colegios comunitarios de servicio Hispano para que practiquen experiencias de validación. Interacciones validadoras de profesores tienen el potencial de incrementar el sentido de pertenencia, persistencia y auto-concepto académico en estudiantes Latina/os en colegios comunitarios.
AAPI Nexus Journal, 2015
While the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population is one of the fastest-growing col... more While the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population is one of the fastest-growing college student populations, there is very little known about their situated experiences within community colleges, which is the sector of higher education where they are mostly likely to be enrolled. Community colleges are a particularly important sector in higher education for low-income AAPI students who are the first in their families to attend college. This study describes the financial vulnerability of low-income AAPI students, how their financial circumstances intersect with other aspects of their lived experiences, and how students describe the choices they make to navigate competing demands in their lives.
Harvard Educational Review, 2015
In this article, Carola Suárez-Orozco and colleagues investigate how to improve undocumented unde... more In this article, Carola Suárez-Orozco and colleagues investigate how to improve undocumented undergraduate student experiences across a variety of US campuses. The authors draw on a national survey of diverse undocumented undergraduates attending two-and four-year public and private institutions of higher education. Using an ecological framework that accounts for risk and resilience, Suárez-Orozco and colleagues provide insights into the challenges undocumented undergraduates face and the assets they bring as they navigate their educational contexts. The authors also consider the role of campuses in shaping these experiences and make recommendations, based on quantitative data and the perspectives of students, for creating undocufriendly campuses.
Harvard Educational Review, 2015
In this article, Carola Suárez-Orozco and colleagues investigate how to improve undocumented unde... more In this article, Carola Suárez-Orozco and colleagues investigate how to improve undocumented undergraduate student experiences across a variety of US campuses. The authors draw on a national survey of diverse undocumented undergraduates attending two-and four-year public and private institutions of higher education. Using an ecological framework that accounts for risk and resilience, Suárez-Orozco and colleagues provide insights into the challenges undocumented undergraduates face and the assets they bring as they navigate their educational contexts. The authors also consider the role of campuses in shaping these experiences and make recommendations, based on quantitative data and the perspectives of students, for creating undocufriendly campuses.
Harvard Asian American Policy Review, 2015
The use of disaggregated data is a powerful tool for tracking the changing demography of Asian Am... more The use of disaggregated data is a powerful tool for tracking the changing demography of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students, measuring participation and representation, and enabling stakeholders to mitigate inequalities that exist between subgroups. In this article, we explore efforts to promote data practices that more accurately reflect the heterogeneity in the AAPI community. We offer a conceptual model for examining the possibilities for future reform to data practices across three constituents—federal, state, and institutional policy. Finally, we explore the relationship between community activism and changes to educational practices and policies.
Qualitative Psychology, 2016
Undocumented youth face a series of barriers to health and success in their lives, yet many also ... more Undocumented youth face a series of barriers to health and success in their lives, yet many also exhibit incredible resilience and are thriving despite these odds. A critical component of thriving during adulthood is contribution to family and community (Lerner et al., 2002). In this study, a team of (un)documented researchers conducted a multilayered exploration of contribution by examining the findings of a qualitative study of undocumented undergraduates embedded in a PAR Summer Program designed to serve undocumented students at a large public university. We present results from two layers of qualitative data: (a) transcripts from the Summer Program, which revealed important methodological turning points for our design of the embedded qualitative study; (b) two portraits of undocumented undergraduates' visual (identity maps) and verbal (interview) narratives regarding contribution. By crafting a design that allowed undocumented youth to describe their families through visual and verbal narratives, we were able to gather thick descriptions of contribution. We describe both theoretical and methodological turning points in understanding contribution for undocumented young people as we undertook this project. Further, through the analysis of interviews and " family maps " of two undocumented undergraduate participants we explored the role of contribution to their family and community, as an asset to their development and academic success. Results revealed the reciprocal nature of contribution between family and community members, a value we refer to as collective contribution.
The Review of Higher Education, 2015
![Research paper thumbnail of [Book Review] Latinos in Higher Education and Hispanic-Serving Institutions](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/37993105/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Latinos in Higher Education and Hispanic-Serving Institutions reviewed
Chapters by Cynthia Alcantar
Effective Leadership at Minority Serving Institutions: Exploring Opportunities and Challenges for Leadership, 2017
The Working Classes and Higher Education: Inequality of Access, Opportunity, and Outcome, 2016
Civic Engagement and Community Service at Research Universities: Engaging Undergraduates for Social Justice, Social Change and Responsible Citizenship, 2016
The purpose of this chapter is to present a multidimensional developmental model theorizing the d... more The purpose of this chapter is to present a multidimensional developmental model theorizing the development of civic engagement of college students. Civic engagement encompasses broad interrelated concepts such as citizenship, democratic outcomes, and political beliefs, and researchers have operationally defined civic engagement to reflect different values, attitudes, and behaviors. In this chapter, we seek to advance our understanding of the construct of civic engagement through a critical review of the literature that is guided by King and Baxter Magolda’s (2005) intercultural maturity model and developed a multidimensional model that captures how students develop civic-related capabilities across developmental domains. This model of civic-related capabilities can be utilized by practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to better understand student development of civic engagement.
Race, Equity, and Education: Sixty Years from Brown, 2015
New Directions for Institutional Research, 2015
This chapter discusses issues and challenges encountered in using large-scale data sets to study ... more This chapter discusses issues and challenges encountered in using large-scale data sets to study educational experiences and subsequent outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students. In this chapter, we argue that the linguistic and cultural diversity of Native peoples, coupled with the legal and political ways in which education has been used to acculturate and assimilate them, makes it imperative that a full range of social, cultural, and demographic variables be collected and that these data be analyzed, using a theory of change that emphasizes the strengths of AI/AN students and their communities rather than their perceived deficits. We envision this theory of change espousing the use of data to critically unpack and respond to the role of language and culture in shaping pathways to success in education and beyond for AI/AN students. We conclude with recommendations for constructing and analyzing large-scale data sets to better represent the diversity of cultures and experiences among AI/AN students.
New Directions for Institutional Research, 2015
This chapter discusses issues and challenges encountered in using large-scale data sets to study ... more This chapter discusses issues and challenges encountered in using large-scale data sets to study educational experiences and subsequent outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students. In this chapter, we argue that the linguistic and cultural diversity of Native peoples, coupled with the legal and political ways in which education has been used to acculturate and assimilate them, makes it imperative that a full range of social, cultural, and demographic variables be collected and that these data be analyzed, using a theory of change that emphasizes the strengths of AI/AN students and their communities rather than their perceived deficits. We envision this theory of change espousing the use of data to critically unpack and respond to the role of language and culture in shaping pathways to success in education and beyond for AI/AN students. We conclude with recommendations for constructing and analyzing large-scale data sets to better represent the diversity of cultures and experiences among AI/AN students.
New Directions for Institutional Research, 2014
This chapter uses a critical quantitative approach to study models and measures of civic engageme... more This chapter uses a critical quantitative approach to study models and measures of civic engagement for Latina/o college students. The chapter describes the importance of a critical quantitative approach to study civic engagement of Latina/o college students, then uses Hurtado et al.' s (2012) model to examine the civic engagement of Latina/o college students. Alternative and additional measures of civic engagement are described, such as ethnic and indigenous identity, immigrant generation and status, nativity, and time of arrival in the United States. I conclude with recommendations for future models and research on civic engagement of Latina/o college students.
White Teachers/Diverse Classrooms: A Guide to Building Inclusive Schools, Promoting High Expectations, and Eliminating Racism, Jan 1, 2011
Papers by Cynthia Alcantar
Journal of College Student Development
Stemming from a participatory action research approach, this qualitative study examined the role ... more Stemming from a participatory action research approach, this qualitative study examined the role of family in the civic development of undocumented Asian college students. Guided by the- ories of civic development, family politics, and family activism, this study presents three portraits of undocumented Asian college students to draw attention to the central role of both given and chosen families in supporting undocumented Asian (Chinese and Filipino) students’ civic development and engagement. Through the three portraits, we highlighted the intergenerational and intragenerational transmission of civic values and engagement and a broader conceptualization of family in the lives of undocumented Asian students. This research has important implications for under- standing how family is a central pillar of activism and resistance against an oppressive society for undocumented and mixed-status immigrant families.
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education
Community College Journal of Research and Practice, Mar 29, 2022
Teachers College Record, 2018
Background: Undocumented undergraduates are a growing population in the United States. Despite be... more Background: Undocumented undergraduates are a growing population in the United States. Despite being shut out from many resources, such as access to federal financial aid and social services, many are thriving by contributing to their families and communities. Few studies to date have taken a strengths-based approach to understand the lives of undocumented young adults or examined their normative developmental experiences. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine how contribution manifests in the lives of Latino undocumented undergraduates and the extent to which they are engaged in and contribute to their families and communities.
Research Design: This study employed a convergent mixed-methods design in which parallel quantitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed separately. Through mixed methods, this article examines the family and community responsibilities of a sample of N = 797 Latino undocumented undergraduate student survey respondents, along with three portraits of qualitative visual and verbal narratives.
Results: Results highlight the value of “collective contribution” in Latino undocumented immigrant families. Through quantitative methods, results reveal that the majority of Latino undocumented undergraduates are contributing to their families and communities in significant ways. Qualitative findings reveal ways in which cultural values manifest as the reciprocal contribution between individuals and their families and communities. Further, results reveal the varied ways that Latino undocumented undergraduates engage with their families and communities, exhibiting the characteristics of ideal citizens, despite being denied a pathway to citizenship. Conclusions: The results suggest that Latino undocumented college students are thriving and contributing to the society that gives them conflicting messages about how to belong. Yet, they enter postsecondary institutions and continue to remain engaged in their families and communities. Their engagement has important implications for what type of society we will become and for the need to build on these social resources to make our democracy and community stronger, recognizing immigrants as a resource to strengthen the social fabric
of our society.
Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 2018
Through interviews with nine Latina/o students enrolled in a 2-year Hispanic-Serving Institution ... more Through interviews with nine Latina/o students enrolled in a 2-year Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), this study examined their interactions with faculty utilizing validation theory as a guiding framework. Findings demonstrate the critical role faculty serve as validating agents and the importance of supporting 2-year HSIs faculty to practice validating experiences. Validating faculty interactions have the potential to increase Latina/o community college student's sense of belonging, persistence, and academic self-concept.
Resumen A través de entrevistas con nueve estudiantes Latina/os inscritos en una Institución de Servicio Hispano (HSI) deun colegio comunitario este estudio examinó sus interacciones con profesores usando la teoría de validación como estructura de guía. Hallazgos demuestran el papel crítico que los profesores juegan como agentes de validación y la importancia de apoyar a profesores en colegios comunitarios de servicio Hispano para que practiquen experiencias de validación. Interacciones validadoras de profesores tienen el potencial de incrementar el sentido de pertenencia, persistencia y auto-concepto académico en estudiantes Latina/os en colegios comunitarios.
AAPI Nexus Journal, 2015
While the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population is one of the fastest-growing col... more While the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population is one of the fastest-growing college student populations, there is very little known about their situated experiences within community colleges, which is the sector of higher education where they are mostly likely to be enrolled. Community colleges are a particularly important sector in higher education for low-income AAPI students who are the first in their families to attend college. This study describes the financial vulnerability of low-income AAPI students, how their financial circumstances intersect with other aspects of their lived experiences, and how students describe the choices they make to navigate competing demands in their lives.
Harvard Educational Review, 2015
In this article, Carola Suárez-Orozco and colleagues investigate how to improve undocumented unde... more In this article, Carola Suárez-Orozco and colleagues investigate how to improve undocumented undergraduate student experiences across a variety of US campuses. The authors draw on a national survey of diverse undocumented undergraduates attending two-and four-year public and private institutions of higher education. Using an ecological framework that accounts for risk and resilience, Suárez-Orozco and colleagues provide insights into the challenges undocumented undergraduates face and the assets they bring as they navigate their educational contexts. The authors also consider the role of campuses in shaping these experiences and make recommendations, based on quantitative data and the perspectives of students, for creating undocufriendly campuses.
Harvard Educational Review, 2015
In this article, Carola Suárez-Orozco and colleagues investigate how to improve undocumented unde... more In this article, Carola Suárez-Orozco and colleagues investigate how to improve undocumented undergraduate student experiences across a variety of US campuses. The authors draw on a national survey of diverse undocumented undergraduates attending two-and four-year public and private institutions of higher education. Using an ecological framework that accounts for risk and resilience, Suárez-Orozco and colleagues provide insights into the challenges undocumented undergraduates face and the assets they bring as they navigate their educational contexts. The authors also consider the role of campuses in shaping these experiences and make recommendations, based on quantitative data and the perspectives of students, for creating undocufriendly campuses.
Harvard Asian American Policy Review, 2015
The use of disaggregated data is a powerful tool for tracking the changing demography of Asian Am... more The use of disaggregated data is a powerful tool for tracking the changing demography of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students, measuring participation and representation, and enabling stakeholders to mitigate inequalities that exist between subgroups. In this article, we explore efforts to promote data practices that more accurately reflect the heterogeneity in the AAPI community. We offer a conceptual model for examining the possibilities for future reform to data practices across three constituents—federal, state, and institutional policy. Finally, we explore the relationship between community activism and changes to educational practices and policies.
Qualitative Psychology, 2016
Undocumented youth face a series of barriers to health and success in their lives, yet many also ... more Undocumented youth face a series of barriers to health and success in their lives, yet many also exhibit incredible resilience and are thriving despite these odds. A critical component of thriving during adulthood is contribution to family and community (Lerner et al., 2002). In this study, a team of (un)documented researchers conducted a multilayered exploration of contribution by examining the findings of a qualitative study of undocumented undergraduates embedded in a PAR Summer Program designed to serve undocumented students at a large public university. We present results from two layers of qualitative data: (a) transcripts from the Summer Program, which revealed important methodological turning points for our design of the embedded qualitative study; (b) two portraits of undocumented undergraduates' visual (identity maps) and verbal (interview) narratives regarding contribution. By crafting a design that allowed undocumented youth to describe their families through visual and verbal narratives, we were able to gather thick descriptions of contribution. We describe both theoretical and methodological turning points in understanding contribution for undocumented young people as we undertook this project. Further, through the analysis of interviews and " family maps " of two undocumented undergraduate participants we explored the role of contribution to their family and community, as an asset to their development and academic success. Results revealed the reciprocal nature of contribution between family and community members, a value we refer to as collective contribution.
The Review of Higher Education, 2015
Latinos in Higher Education and Hispanic-Serving Institutions reviewed
Effective Leadership at Minority Serving Institutions: Exploring Opportunities and Challenges for Leadership, 2017
The Working Classes and Higher Education: Inequality of Access, Opportunity, and Outcome, 2016
Civic Engagement and Community Service at Research Universities: Engaging Undergraduates for Social Justice, Social Change and Responsible Citizenship, 2016
The purpose of this chapter is to present a multidimensional developmental model theorizing the d... more The purpose of this chapter is to present a multidimensional developmental model theorizing the development of civic engagement of college students. Civic engagement encompasses broad interrelated concepts such as citizenship, democratic outcomes, and political beliefs, and researchers have operationally defined civic engagement to reflect different values, attitudes, and behaviors. In this chapter, we seek to advance our understanding of the construct of civic engagement through a critical review of the literature that is guided by King and Baxter Magolda’s (2005) intercultural maturity model and developed a multidimensional model that captures how students develop civic-related capabilities across developmental domains. This model of civic-related capabilities can be utilized by practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to better understand student development of civic engagement.
Race, Equity, and Education: Sixty Years from Brown, 2015
New Directions for Institutional Research, 2015
This chapter discusses issues and challenges encountered in using large-scale data sets to study ... more This chapter discusses issues and challenges encountered in using large-scale data sets to study educational experiences and subsequent outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students. In this chapter, we argue that the linguistic and cultural diversity of Native peoples, coupled with the legal and political ways in which education has been used to acculturate and assimilate them, makes it imperative that a full range of social, cultural, and demographic variables be collected and that these data be analyzed, using a theory of change that emphasizes the strengths of AI/AN students and their communities rather than their perceived deficits. We envision this theory of change espousing the use of data to critically unpack and respond to the role of language and culture in shaping pathways to success in education and beyond for AI/AN students. We conclude with recommendations for constructing and analyzing large-scale data sets to better represent the diversity of cultures and experiences among AI/AN students.
New Directions for Institutional Research, 2015
This chapter discusses issues and challenges encountered in using large-scale data sets to study ... more This chapter discusses issues and challenges encountered in using large-scale data sets to study educational experiences and subsequent outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students. In this chapter, we argue that the linguistic and cultural diversity of Native peoples, coupled with the legal and political ways in which education has been used to acculturate and assimilate them, makes it imperative that a full range of social, cultural, and demographic variables be collected and that these data be analyzed, using a theory of change that emphasizes the strengths of AI/AN students and their communities rather than their perceived deficits. We envision this theory of change espousing the use of data to critically unpack and respond to the role of language and culture in shaping pathways to success in education and beyond for AI/AN students. We conclude with recommendations for constructing and analyzing large-scale data sets to better represent the diversity of cultures and experiences among AI/AN students.
New Directions for Institutional Research, 2014
This chapter uses a critical quantitative approach to study models and measures of civic engageme... more This chapter uses a critical quantitative approach to study models and measures of civic engagement for Latina/o college students. The chapter describes the importance of a critical quantitative approach to study civic engagement of Latina/o college students, then uses Hurtado et al.' s (2012) model to examine the civic engagement of Latina/o college students. Alternative and additional measures of civic engagement are described, such as ethnic and indigenous identity, immigrant generation and status, nativity, and time of arrival in the United States. I conclude with recommendations for future models and research on civic engagement of Latina/o college students.
White Teachers/Diverse Classrooms: A Guide to Building Inclusive Schools, Promoting High Expectations, and Eliminating Racism, Jan 1, 2011
Journal of College Student Development
Stemming from a participatory action research approach, this qualitative study examined the role ... more Stemming from a participatory action research approach, this qualitative study examined the role of family in the civic development of undocumented Asian college students. Guided by the- ories of civic development, family politics, and family activism, this study presents three portraits of undocumented Asian college students to draw attention to the central role of both given and chosen families in supporting undocumented Asian (Chinese and Filipino) students’ civic development and engagement. Through the three portraits, we highlighted the intergenerational and intragenerational transmission of civic values and engagement and a broader conceptualization of family in the lives of undocumented Asian students. This research has important implications for under- standing how family is a central pillar of activism and resistance against an oppressive society for undocumented and mixed-status immigrant families.
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education
Community College Journal of Research and Practice, Mar 29, 2022
Association of Mexican American Educators Journal
This study examines the ways campus artifacts communicate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AA... more This study examines the ways campus artifacts communicate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)- and Latinx-servingness at dually designated Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Using critical ethnographic methods, the researchers collected data at three AANAPISI- HSIs regionally concentrated in a western state. Findings from this study reveal that the campus environments of the three institutions were in a state of flux and are captured through two interconnected themes that emerged from the data: striving to become and undermining progress towards becoming. This study has implications for understanding how AANAPISI-HSIs communicate AAPI- and Latinx-servingness through campus artifacts.
Association of Mexican American Educators Journal
This study examines the ways campus artifacts communicate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AA... more This study examines the ways campus artifacts communicate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)- and Latinx-servingness at dually designated Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Using critical ethnographic methods, the researchers collected data at three AANAPISI- HSIs regionally concentrated in a western state. Findings from this study reveal that the campus environments of the three institutions were in a state of flux and are captured through two interconnected themes that emerged from the data: striving to become and undermining progress towards becoming. This study has implications for understanding how AANAPISI-HSIs communicate AAPI- and Latinx-servingness through campus artifacts.
Journal of Hispanic Higher Education
This conceptual article presents a model for understanding and increasing the civic engagement of... more This conceptual article presents a model for understanding and increasing the civic engagement of Latinx students in higher education. The model presents the key student attributes, precollege and college experiences, and institutional characteristics that impact the civic development of Latinx college students. Higher education practitioners and researchers can use the model to inform the understanding and development of programs, services, and practices to increase the civic engagement of Latinx students.
and Pacific Islanders in Higher EducationThis report was made possible through the generous fundi... more and Pacific Islanders in Higher EducationThis report was made possible through the generous funding from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The collaboration between CARE and ETS emerged from an Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month speaking engagement (May 16, 2012) at ETS in Princeton, NJ. Central to the discussion was the need for data disaggregation to better understand the variation of the educational experiences and outcomes within the highly diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander student population.
This report was made possible by a collaborative effort between the National Commission on Asian ... more This report was made possible by a collaborative effort between the National Commission on Asian American and pacific islander Research in Education (CARE), the Asian & pacific islander American Scholarship Fund (ApiASF), and three campus partners-City College of San Francisco, De Anza College, and South Seattle College-involved in the partnership for Equity in Education through Research (pEER). Through ApiASF, pEER was funded by the Kresge Foundation, Lumina Foundation, USA Funds, and Walmart Foundation.
This report was made possible through generous funding from the ACT Center for Equity in Learning... more This report was made possible through generous funding from the ACT Center for Equity in Learning. Central to the collaboration between UCLA's Institute for Immigration, Globalization, and Education (IGE) and the ACT Center for Equity in Learning is the commitment to scholarship that examines racial inequity in education and offers research-based recommendations that address structural barriers to improve educational outcomes. In this report, we were intentional in our exploration of racial heterogeneity across racial groups, in order to shed light on the importance of data practices that represent the wide diversity of America's rapidly changing demography.
Author(s): Alcantar, Cynthia Maribel | Advisor(s): Teranishi, Robert T. | Abstract: Through the p... more Author(s): Alcantar, Cynthia Maribel | Advisor(s): Teranishi, Robert T. | Abstract: Through the power of social media and increased access to mobile technology, our country is witnessing a rise in college student-led protests and mobilizing to try to challenge racism on college campuses (Curwen, Song, a Gordon, 2015). One of the key functions of higher education institutions is cultivating our engaged citizenry (Hurtado, 2007). We know civic engagement in college influences future civic participation of students (Coley a Sum, 2012). However, very little is known about the factors in college that promote civic engagement of students. The purpose of this study is to explore the institutional- and student-level characteristics that affect the development of students' level of civic values after four years of college enrollment, utilizing data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP), a longitudinal dataset of college students. Overall, this study found differences...
Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education, 2018
Background Undocumented undergraduates are a growing population in the United States. Despite bei... more Background Undocumented undergraduates are a growing population in the United States. Despite being shut out from many resources, such as access to federal financial aid and social services, many are thriving by contributing to their families and communities. Few studies to date have taken a strengths-based approach to understand the lives of undocumented young adults or examined their normative developmental experiences. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine how contribution manifests in the lives of Latino undocumented undergraduates and the extent to which they are engaged in and contribute to their families and communities. Research Design This study employed a convergent mixed-methods design in which parallel quantitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed separately. Through mixed methods, this article examines the family and community responsibilities of a sample of N = 797 Latino undocumented undergraduate student survey respondents, along with thre...
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 2020
This study examines the perceived changes in the geography of student support for racial/ethnic m... more This study examines the perceived changes in the geography of student support for racial/ethnic minoritized students after pursuing federal Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) designation and grants. Specifically, this qualitative multiple-case study examines the decision-making related to, and perceived changes in, space and place aimed at supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students at three AAPI–serving community colleges. The three themes related to changes in the geography of student support for AAPI students as a result of the MSI grant that emerged from the study were: (a) from symbolic to physical space; (b) supporting AAPIs helped support other minoritized student populations; (c) the last theme demonstrates that, as a result of creating these spaces, students were more integrated into the campus community. A common thread across each of these themes is the saliency of race in the design, creation, and resulting impact of creating space in the geography of student support for AAPI students at each of the campuses. The study concludes with implications regarding the role of postsec- ondary institutions in (re)creating physical and symbolic spaces. Institutional agents must be mindful of the targeted groups that exist within their campus when considering these implications to create a welcoming campus environment.
The Review of Higher Education, 2019
Her research focuses on the factors that impact the social mobility and integration of racial/eth... more Her research focuses on the factors that impact the social mobility and integration of racial/ethnic minority and immigrant populations in the United States. She is particularly focused on the influence of schools (i.e., K-12 schools, community colleges, and minority-serving institutions) on the educational pathways and civic participation of racial/ethnic minority and immigrant students. She earned her Ph.D. in Social Science and Comparative Education at the
Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 2018
Through interviews with nine Latina/o students enrolled in a 2-year Hispanic-Serving Institution ... more Through interviews with nine Latina/o students enrolled in a 2-year Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), this study examined their interactions with faculty utilizing validation theory as a guiding framework. Findings demonstrate the critical role faculty serve as validating agents and the importance of supporting 2-year HSIs faculty to practice validating experiences. Validating faculty interactions have the potential to increase Latina/o community college student’s sense of belonging, persistence, and academic self-concept.
Civic Engagement and Community Service at Research Universities, 2016
The purpose of this chapter is to present a multidimensional developmental model theorizing the d... more The purpose of this chapter is to present a multidimensional developmental model theorizing the development of civic engagement of college students. Civic engagement encompasses broad, interrelated concepts such as citizenship, democratic outcomes, and political beliefs, and researchers have operationally defined civic engagement to reflect different values, attitudes, and behaviors. In this chapter, we seek to advance our understanding of the construct of civic engagement through a critical review of the literature that is guided by King and Baxter Magolda’s (2005) intercultural maturity model and developed a multidimensional model that captures how students develop civic-related capabilities across developmental domains. This model of civic-related capabilities can be utilized by practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to better understand student development of civic engagement.
AAPI Nexus: Policy, Practice and Community, 2015
Terpenoids are synthesized in plants via the mevalonate (MVA) and the methylerythritol phosphate ... more Terpenoids are synthesized in plants via the mevalonate (MVA) and the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathways, with isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) as the main intermediate metabolite. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A synthase(HMGS) is the second enzyme in MVA pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis, and catalyzes the condensation of acetyl-CoA with acetoacetyl-CoA to yield HMG-CoA.A growing body of evidence now indicates that HMGS plays significant roles in biosynthesis of terpenoids in plants. The sequences and structures of HMGS genes isolated from most plants are highly homologous. HMGS has been found to be expressed in most organs of plants, and its expression correlates strongly with accumulation of terpenoids in plants. This review focus on the research progress in the biological significance, protein structure, regulatory mechanism, gene characterization and functional analysis of HMGS in plant. The studies on the gene family encoding HMGS has provided valuable insights into its function, phylogeny, and regulation of terpenoid content in plants.
Qualitative Psychology, 2016
Undocumented youth face a series of barriers to health and success in their lives, yet many also ... more Undocumented youth face a series of barriers to health and success in their lives, yet many also exhibit incredible resilience and are thriving despite these odds. A critical component of thriving during adulthood is contribution to family and community (Lerner et al., 2002). In this study, a team of (un)documented researchers conducted a multilayered exploration of contribution by examining the findings of a qualitative study of undocumented undergraduates embedded in a PAR Summer Program designed to serve undocumented students at a large public university. We present results from two layers of qualitative data: (a) transcripts from the Summer Program, which revealed important methodological turning points for our design of the embedded qualitative study; (b) two portraits of undocumented undergraduates' visual (identity maps) and verbal (interview) narratives regarding contribution. By crafting a design that allowed undocumented youth to describe their families through visual and verbal narratives, we were able to gather thick descriptions of contribution. We describe both theoretical and methodological turning points in understanding contribution for undocumented young people as we undertook this project. Further, through the analysis of interviews and " family maps " of two undocumented undergraduate participants we explored the role of contribution to their family and community, as an asset to their development and academic success. Results revealed the reciprocal nature of contribution between family and community members, a value we refer to as collective contribution.
The Review of Higher Education, 2015
Asian American Society: An Encyclopedia
ReSeARCh AdVISoRy gRoUP 2 • Measuring the Impact of MSI-Funded Programs on Student Success Conten... more ReSeARCh AdVISoRy gRoUP 2 • Measuring the Impact of MSI-Funded Programs on Student Success ContentS exeCUtIVe SUMMARy .