Citation/Abstract

Sal adelante mujer!: Support group for Latina first-year college students

Latinas are at a disadvantage when it comes to earning a college degree, as is evidenced by the fact that they take longer to complete their degrees than Black, Asian, and white college students and have the lowest graduation rates in comparison to these respective groups (Fry, 2004; Fry, 2012; Rodriguez, Guido-Brito, Torres, & Talbot, 2000). Further complicating Latina/o students' chances of college attainment is that, on average, Latina/os receive less financial aid than students of any other racial and ethnic backgrounds, despite approximately 50% of them being raised in families whose median annual income is less than $30,000. The inability to earn a college degree limits the potential for economic and occupational mobility, and can serve to perpetuate a consistent state of poverty and low socioeconomic status (Jarama Alvan, Belgrave, & Zea, 1996).

A review of the literature indicates that Latinas' collegiate experiences and academic persistence are influenced by an unwelcoming campus climate; racial discrimination; limited availability of Latina/o academic role models and mentors; and cultural factors related to strong ethnic identification and family support (Castellanos & Jones, 2003; Nora & Cabrera, 1996). While scholars and researchers have made efforts to address some of these concerns through the development of support groups, the groups have been extremely few in number, and none provide a structured approach for how to meet the needs of Latina undergraduates (Berrios-Allison, 2011; Capello, 1994; DeFreece, 1987; Jones, 2009). What is more, none of the support groups have been specifically geared toward first-year undergraduate Latinas, which poses considerable concern particularly because Latinas are most likely to drop out of college at the end of freshman year (Hurtado et al., 1996; Smedley, Myers, & Harrell, 1993).

The program manual proposed in this dissertation offers a support group for first-year Latina undergraduates. It is designed for implementation by Latina/o counseling staff and other university personnel and aims to provide Latina students a supportive environment by focusing on: positive cultural identity development; effective methods for handling the transition from family to college life; acknowledgment of students' experiences with racial discrimination and development of coping strategies; academic concerns; and mentorship.