How Does Earning Dual Credit Influence Latinx Students' Belonging in a Hispanic-Serving Institution?

• In Event: Community Colleges as Sites to Foster STEM Pathways for Latina/o/x Students

Abstract

Purpose.
The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore how Latinx engineering students who earned dual credits describe their sense of belonging at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).

Conceptual Framework.
Strayhorn’s (2012) sense of belonging guided this study, which defines a sense of belonging as “[college] students’ perceived social support on campus, a feeling or sensation of connectedness, the experience of mattering or feeling cared about, respected, valued by, and important…” (p. 17).

Research Design.
This qualitative study was conducted at a four-year research university in Texas, which boasts a diverse engineering student body, and it is an HSI. Eight Latinx students who earned dual credit and declared an engineering major participated in this study. Data were collected through two one-on-one, semi-structured interviews at convenient locations. The interviews focused on the participants’ educational experiences and reflections on how dual credit influenced their transition to college. Each transcript was recorded and transcribed verbatim. We then conducted open and axial coding (Creswell & Poth, 2018) to identify emerging themes and subthemes.

Findings.
Preliminary findings suggested faculty and peer interactions served as a key factor in influencing their sense of belonging. HSI faculty actively encouraged to attend office hours and this extra interest and willingness to help students supported their connections to campus. In addition, organizations (e.g., Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)) developed networks and campus connections.

Challenges to belonging included class size and dual credit experiences. For some students, the large classes at an HSI, which was different from what they experienced at a community college, made them feel disconnected. Also, earning dual credit created challenges to belonging because of the age difference between participants and their peers.

Scholarly Significance.
Implications for research, practice, and policy are multifold, and the study presents potential implications for future research Latinx students’ college access and persistence. As the Latinx population is increasingly represented in Texas’ K-16 education, it is important to fully understand the breadth and depth of their experiences as they access and persist in higher education.

Author

• Taryn Ozuna Allen