From Community College to Baccalaureate Degree Attainment

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

Abstract

The panelist will discuss the structural and cultural factors shaping transfer pathways for Latiné students, highlight institutional practices that support student success, share insights on the role of policy and leadership in shaping transfer outcomes, and offer recommendations for equity-driven practices across higher education systems.
Grounded in critical and sociocultural frameworks, including Latina/o Critical Theory (LatCrit), organizational theory, and theories of student persistence and transfer, the book chapters underscore how systemic inequities, institutional cultures, and student agency intersect to influence transfer outcomes for Latiné students. Authors use a variety of methodological approaches, including mixed-methods, quantitative techniques including longitudinal tracking of student enrollment and transfer patterns using national and state-level datasets, and qualitative methods involving interviews with students, faculty, and administrators across multiple community colleges and four-year institutions.
This work offers a comprehensive and critical examination of a key but often overlooked segment of the higher education system. By centering Latiné students and their transfer journeys, the book contributes to a deeper understanding of educational equity and institutional accountability.

Authors

• Marissa Vasquez, San Diego State University

• José Reyes Del Real Viramontes, University of California - Riverside