Undocumented Students in the Commonwealth of Virginia: Counterstories of College Persistence

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Housing, Rurality, Places, and Spaces in College Persistence

Abstract

In Virginia, DACA recipients who have benefited from the DACA program for at least one year are the only ones who qualify for in-state resident tuition (ISRT) at all Virginia public colleges and universities, but state financial aid is not available to students without documentation regardless of their DACA classification. There are about 10,100 DACA recipients in Virginia and that 19% of them are enrolled in higher education; yet, data on the college success and experiences of DACA recipients in the Commonwealth are not available. This investigation represents one of the first research studies to provide a qualitative analysis on the college persistence of undocumented students in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and offers implications for research, policy, and practice.

Authors

• Cinthya Salazar, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Paula Alderete Puig

• Paula Morales Rojas

• Alejandro J. Zuñiga