Effects of Research-Related Activities on Graduation at a Hispanic Serving Institution

This paper reports on the results of a study of 6,654 unique students on the type of research-related activities (e.g., undergraduate research and internships) they participated in while at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). Results indicate that the odds of graduating for students who participated in research-related activities were almost twice those of students who did not participate in research-related activities. These results differ from and complement studies on the impact of undergraduate research at liberal arts colleges and research-intensive universities. Study results indicate that non-first-generation students, non-low-income students, and non-underrepresented minority (non-URM) students were more likely to participate in research. Participation in internships with industry and with a professional were most predictive of graduation. Students who participated in multiple research-related activities were also more likely to graduate than those who participated in fewer activities; results indicate research participation is equally beneficial across groups with different demographic characteristics including major, sex, first generation and URM status.

On the Intersectional Amplification of Barriers to College Internships: A Comparative Case Study Analysis

In this article, authors Matthew Wolfgram, Brian Vivona, and Tamanna Akram present a comparative case study analysis of five students from a comprehensive, urban Hispanic-Serving Institution whose experiences exemplify a coordination of intersectional factors that amplify barriers to internship participation. Research shows that college internships yield academic, economic, and professional benefits. However, the opportunity to locate and participate in internships is not equal across student demographic and socioeconomic contexts. There are multiple complex barriers to internship participation for students who are socially and institutionally minoritized by race, gender, and other contextual factors, including finances, work responsibilities, travel, and gendered familial obligations. These factors intersect with systems of power and privilege to amplify challenges and foreclose futures. The authors argue that the delineation of barriers into types alone, such as financial, social, and cultural, without additional analysis of the dynamics of how such barriers intersect and amplify, runs the risk of misconstruing students’ actual experiences when they struggle to access internships and other educational opportunities.

The Neoliberalization of Higher Education: Paradoxing Students' Basic Needs at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

Millions of college students in the United States lack access to adequate food, housing, and other basic human needs. These insecurities have only been exacerbated in recent decades by the country's neoliberal approach to higher education, with disproportionately negative consequences for historically underserved populations (e.g., racial/ethnic minorities, low-income students, and first-generation college students). For each of these reasons, this study explores the organizational paradoxes faced by students attending a public, 4-year Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in southern California. Drawing upon 30 semi-structured interviews with undergraduates who self-identified as historically underserved, our three-stage conceptualization of data analysis revealed three specific paradoxes: (1) provision vs. dependence, (2) sympathy vs. distancing, and (3) bootstrapping vs. unattainability. We conclude with practical and theoretical implications for alleviating the repercussions of neoliberal policies on today's college students.

Measuring Attitude Towards Chemistry, Biology, and Math at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

This work describes the evaluation of the Attitude toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory (ASCI), as well as two modifications (one for measuring attitude toward math and one for measuring attitude toward biology), for college students at a Hispanic Serving Institution. Instrument reliability was tested via multiple administrations of the instruments,and confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor structure similar to an existing model of a revised version of the ASCI for all three instruments. The similar factor structure of the three instruments, coupled with interviews with students, provide validity evidence for the instruments and support an interpretation that one of the subscales aligns with a cognitive aspect of attitude while the other subscale aligns with an affective aspect. The results of these instruments indicate that students have a more positive attitude towards biology than either chemistry or math, and more positive affective attitude than cognitive attitude for all three subjects, although student attitudes show little change with respect to biology, chemistry, or math during a typical semester. However, major perturbations, such as switching to remote instruction mid-semester, can lead to small but significant increases and decreases in attitude.

When It “Feels Like a Giant Living Room”: Implementing Peer Education at an Urban, Research-1 Hispanic Serving Institution

We report on a qualitative research study that identifies both challenges and successes resulting from the implementation of a Peer Education program at an urban, Hispanic-serving, Tier 1 Research University. By drawing on the experiences of 29 peer educators, we demonstrate the ways that combining peer mentoring and tutoring provided benefits for those who were not only served but those who served them. Lessons learned are shared.

DRIVEN to Change Attitudes Toward Dating Violence: Outcomes From a 6-Month Follow-Up Study

While dating violence (DV) is a significant issue present on college campuses among students of all ethnic groups, research suggests that DV is preventable. As Latino representation at colleges increases, it is important to find DV prevention programs addressing specific sociocultural characteristics of this ethnic group. We created the DRIVEN (Dating Relationships Involving Violence End Now) program to fill a significant need for DV programming tailored to Latino college students. This study examines the durability of initial positive outcomes over a 6-month period. To do so, we conducted a 6-month follow-up with a total of 49 Latino college students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) located on the U.S.-Mexico border. Results suggest DRIVEN outcomes were maintained on the following variables: dating violence attitudes, dating violence victimization and perpetration, and marianismo. Implications for these findings are discussed in the context of implementing group-based programs with college students.

Highlighting altruism in geoscience careers aligns with diverse US student ideals better than emphasizing working outdoors

A common approach to attract students in the United States to the geosciences is to emphasize outdoor experiences in the natural world. However, it is unclear how successful this strategy is. Specifically, the geosciences have been less successful than other sciences at recruiting a diverse workforce that reflects different perspectives and life experiences. Here we present a survey of students enrolled in College Algebra at a Hispanic-serving institution in the southwestern United States where, of 1550 students surveyed, 55.3% identified as an underrepresented minority (URM). We find that surveyed students care little about working outdoors. Instead, they rate altruistic factors, such as helping people or the environment, as most important. Female respondents rate these factors higher than male respondents. We also find that many respondents know little about what a career in geoscience entails. We argue that better informing students about the altruistic potential of geoscience careers would be an effective strategy to broaden recruitment.