Operationalizing Success from Latiné Student Perspectives

• In Event: Latiné Voices in Print: Recent Books on Latiné Student Experiences and Educational Equity

Abstract

The panelist will provide a critical interrogation of traditional metrics of success (e.g., GPA) that often fail to capture the full scope of Latiné students’ educational journeys. Instead, they encourage scholars and practitioners to consider alternative indicators of success, including cultural affirmation, community engagement, leadership development, and resistance to systemic oppression. Critical theoretical frameworks inform these perspectives of how success is conceptualized and operationalized in ways that often marginalize Latiné students.
The book presents a range of qualitative methodologies, including narrative inquiry, ethnography, and participatory action research. These approaches allow for deep engagement with student voices and experiences, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, counter-narratives, and community-based knowledge production. The authors also include institutional case studies that examine how colleges and universities are (or are not) creating environments that foster Latiné student thriving.
The authors call for a re-envisioning of success that centers Latiné students’ lived realities, cultural values, and collective aspirations. The book offers a roadmap for educators, administrators, and policymakers committed to equity and justice in higher education.

Author

• Nichole M. Garcia, Rutgers University