Nonprofits & College Access: Helping Undocumented Youth Attend College in a Democratic Society

• In Event: Egalitarian Commitments: Aspirational Work in the Face of Authoritarian Power

Abstract

An estimated 98,000 undocumented youth graduate from public high school each year (Strauss, 2019), many of whom not knowing what their next steps will be, as college is often out of the question depending on the state in which they reside and the active policies that bar them from accessing in-state tuition rates and financial aid. While a plethora of research exists exploring the barriers these youth encounter as they attempt to access a higher education, there is scant research that explores the work being done by nonprofits to help ensure this group can obtain a higher education. This qualitative study explores the work being done at nonprofit organizations housed in eight restrictive states to better understand how these organizations came to be, the struggles they face doing college access work, and the ways in which this work helps to maintain our democracy.

Author

• Paula Hernandez, University of North Carolina-Greensboro