latinos & latinas in higher ed what constitutes success? dr. victor chacón, presenter l.e.a.p....

Latinos & Latinas in Higher Ed

What Constitutes Success?

Dr. Victor Chacón, Presenter L.E.A.P. 2008

Agenda

• Introductions – Icebreaker

• Survey – 3 questions

• Presentation: issues & data

• Conclusions, resource sharing

Three questions• What does it take to succeed academically?

• How do you define success? Identify it.

• What stands in your way? What barriers keep you from succeeding in school?

Washington Population

White

77%

Hispanic

9%

Asian

7%

Black

4%

Other

3%

Source: OFM

Projected Growth in Minority School-Age Population2000 - 2030

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Two or More Races

Hispanic

API

AIAN

Black

White = White, Non-Hispanic

Two or More Races: Non-Hispanic

Hispanic = Hispanic/Latino (can be of any race)

AIAN = American Indian and Alaska Native, Non-Hispanic

API = Asian and Pacific Islander , Non-Hispanic

Black = Black or African American, Non-Hispanic

Key

Source: Office of Financial Management, U.S. Census Bureau (Census 2000)

WA State Hispanic Teachers/Students %

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06

Hispanic Teachers Hispanic Students

Source: OSPI

Indicators• Financial, economic• Language• Pressure: peer• Pressure: family• Pressure: cultural

– Assimilation

• Relationships and Communication– with Instructors– familiarity w system

• Academic preparation• Personal ambition

Financial Need• How to pay for school?• Education isn’t free• Federal Financial Aid• Don’t qualify? Oops…• Grants• Scholarships• Savings• P/T job• Parents• Family

Language

• Monolingual or Bilingual?• Asset or detriment?• Bilingual means Bicultural• Code-shifting, frame-shifting• Myth: Latinos don’t want to

learn English, not assimilating• Accent: I’m embarrassed of how

I speak• Be proud of who you are!

Pressures• Peers, friends matter• I’m not smart...• Learning is for wimps• You think you’re better

than us?• Entertainment, fun, &

sports trump education• You’re young only once• I’ll do it later – later,

later...• Future – what future?

Relationships & CommunicationWith – – Your close friends– Instructors, Faculty– Tutors, Mentors– Administrators, Staff– Colleges, Universities– Yourself:

• Self-examination• Personal empowerment• Reading, knowledge of

issues, literacy• Speak up, speak out• A.K.S.A. – MC Model

Academic Preparation• Who runs academia?• Who has your interests

at heart?• What do ‘they’ know

about you that you don’t?

• Stop being a number, communicate!

• Voice your needs: • Tutoring, clarification,

support w homework• El que no habla...

Research Findings• Best student-teacher relationships grounded

on cultural values, acceptance of who you are

• Majority of Latinos lack tutor support

• Family (and friends) trump education

• Work trumps education

• Latinos thrive in group learning situations

• Most 1st year college students lack math, science skills

• If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me! (Matier)

Source: Post-Secondary Educational Opportunity, 2004

Success Skill Development

• Learn to plan, strategize, organize your life

• Learn to DREAM* – dreaming’s good! Write

• Set short & long-term goals for yourself

• Focus on what you want, not what you don’t

• Watch your negative self-talk, re-direct

• Develop networking skills along the way

• In order to get, learn to give, pay it forward

• The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing...don’t get side-tracked