Mexican and Mexican American Student Reflections on Transfer: Institutional Agents and the Continued Role of the Community College

Abstract

This qualitative analysis draws upon the experiences of six Mexican and Mexican American community college transfer students during the 2012-2013 academic year. Relying on literature regarding institutional agents, we examine students' reflections regarding pre-and post-transfer support from both institutional agents and structured student programs. We provide descriptive information about participation in key student support programs such as CAMP and TRiO SSS, which provided many students with introductions to institutional agents. A combination of programmatic support and guidance from individuals who acted as institutional agents assisted students in this study throughout the transfer process. Overall, individuals employed by the community college played key roles in the lives of Mexican and Mexican American community college transfer students pre-and post-transfer.

Community college transfer phenomena: Experiences of academically resilient Mexican and Mexican American students.

“…Using a strengths-based resilience approach (Cortez & Castro, 2017; Sanchez & Morgan Consoli, 2016), this study makes a significant contribution to the literature in that it sheds further light on the lived experiences of 11 Mexican and Mexican American community college transfer students and provides information about what helped these individuals to be academically resilient. There were several unique findings that illuminate the things that helped these participants.…”

“…Many factors have been found to contribute to students’ resilience, such as cultural values (Morgan Consoli & Llamas, 2013), bridge programs and faculty, staff or peer mentors or other institutional supports (Cortez & Castro, 2017; Rudolph, Castillo, Garcia, Martinez, & Navarro, 2015). Cultural values are significant contributors to individuals’ ability to overcome adversities (Morgan Consoli & Llamas, 2013) and to college adjustment (Arellano & Padilla, 1996; Cabrera & Padilla, 2004; Schneider & Ward, 2003).…”

“…Qualities that Hispanic students report as relevant in mentors are openness, common values, trust, availability, and commitment (Rudolph et al, 2015). Qualitative studies with Mexican and Mexican American community college transfer students have shown that a combination of programmatic support and guidance from individuals who acted as institutional agents assist in students’ transfer processes (Cortez & Castro, 2017) and assistance based in the values of Mexican American culture, in particular, help them overcome socioeconomic, cultural, and personal barriers in pursuing their educational goals (Campa, 2013). Therefore, it follows that transfer student resilience may be affected by cultural and environmental influences.…”

“…Culturally sensitive “bridge programs” have also been found to aid in helping Latinx transfer students achieve success (i.e., The Federal TRIO Programs, which are federal outreach and student services programs in the United States designed to identify and provide services from disadvantaged backgrounds; Educational Opportunity Program; Puente Program; Summer Scholars Transfer Institute; Cortez & Castro, 2017; Martínez & Fernández, 2004; Schneider, Martinez, & Ownes, 2006). Such programs, like The Puente Program, support Latinx community college students in achieving their educational goals through coordinating transfer days where students meet with 4-year university admission staff to review transfer requirements (Rendón, 1992), receiving validation of their life experiences with tangible help on planning from professors and staff (Gandara, 1996), and by providing students with Latino literature and workshops that integrate family members (Gandara, 1996; Martínez & Fernández, 2004).…”

Challenging Deficit Views of Latinx Students: A Strength‐based Perspective

“…By taking this approach, campus leaders are able to develop an institutional culture that values the diversity of experiences of Latinx students (Kiyama et al., ). Campus leaders should also consider developing campus‐wide peer‐to‐peer or formal mentoring programs, such as the Puente Program (Rendón, ), Promotores de Educación (Rios‐Ellis et al., 2015) and the College Assistant Migrant Program (Cortez & Castro, ) that have been shown to cultivate the cultural capital of Latinx students. Another strategy would be to offer professional development opportunities that focus on elucidating the theories we highlighted above into training workshops for faculty and staff to not only help them understand and better connect with diverse cultures but also to understand their own implicit bias toward Latinx and other marginalized student populations.…”