College Persistence Experiences of Low-Income, First-Generation Latinx Students

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Navigating Identities: Diverse Pathways to College Success (Table 6)

Abstract

This study investigates factors that influence college persistence of low-income, first-generation, Latinx students from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The study explores the unique challenges and resilience factors influencing their educational trajectories utilizing Yosso’s cultural wealth framework, structuration theory, and intersectionality. This paper presents data from interviews with 15 participants: 5 who graduated college, 5 who were still pursuing their degree, and 5 who stopped out. Participants’ experiences highlight how the accumulation of obstacles (including poor advising, placement in remedial classes, and institutional policies) lead to stopping out. Identifying both systemic impediments and participants’ strengths, this research underscores the necessity of multifaceted support systems and contributes to a deeper understanding of how to foster college persistence for similar students.

Author

• Madeline Haynes, University of Texas at Austin