Exploring LatinX Graduate Students' Mentoring Experiences, Bicultural Identities, and Responses to Societal Shifts

• In Event: Cultural Connections: Latinx Student Voices in Advocacy, Mentoring, and Community Engagement

Abstract

In the context of Latinx graduate students' socio-cultural backgrounds, we conducted a qualitative critical discourse analysis study into how a cohort of Latinx graduate students perceived their mentoring needs and expectations. We delved into the influence of mentoring and advising on their intricate bicultural identities and explored whether these students underwent changes in their relationships with advisors amid the ongoing socio-political events and the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings point to how Latinx students anticipate their advisors recognizing their multifaceted bicultural identities. Furthermore, the study highlighted the students' acknowledgment of the necessity for support and transparent communication amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the prevailing socio-political circumstances.

Authors

• Loretta Fernandez, University of Pittsburgh

• Erika Abarca Millán, New York University

• Ana Flores, University of Pittsburgh