The College to Career Transition of Latinx First-Generation College Students

• In Event: Teaching and Learning

Abstract

How well a student prepares for workforce entrance during the college-to-career transition period has important implications for the student’s career development, earning capacity, and upward social mobility. This study utilized a phenomenological approach to understand the lived experience of 12 Latinx FGC students during their college-to-career transition at a large, highly selective 4-year private university in a diverse urban city in the northeast. A community cultural wealth and spiritual capital framework was used to better understand how Latinx FGC students navigate college resources and leverage social networks during the college-to-career transition. Study findings showed that Latinx FGC students rely on four key networks of support to navigate challenges, gain access to opportunities, cultivate cultural capital and support decision making.

Author

• Marlene Brito, New York University