Finding Ways to Survive: How Latinx Graduate Students Meet Their Basic Needs

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Navigating Higher Education: Latina/o/x Student Experiences and Resilience (Table 3)

Abstract

Latinx students are earning graduate degrees at an increased rate over the last decade (U.S. Department of Education, 2021). As graduate education becomes more ethnically and racially diverse, it is important to understand how institutions support these students, especially Latinx students who are more likely to be first-generation college students and from low-income backgrounds. Graduate education requires significant time, and assistantships have not increased to meet the rising cost of living. Given the low pay and time to degree, understanding how Latinx graduate students experience basic needs (i.e., food, shelter, safety) is crucial for their success. This study draws on testimonios from 16 Latinx doctoral students to explore how they access resources to meet their basic needs.

Author

• Ariana Lucia Garcia, University of Nevada - Las Vegas