Spoken truth: a critical analysis of the successful pre-transfer mechanisms of Latino males at a two-year Hispanic serving Institution

Includes bibliographical references (pages 135-152)Latino men in California who successfully graduate high school and transition to higher education are excessively matriculating in the state???s community college system. These students are more likely to be the first in their family to attend college and may lack the necessary cultural capital to navigate the higher education system. As a result, a high number of Latino men phase out of post-secondary education. By utilizing Critical Race Theory as a conceptual framework, this phenomenological qualitative study analyzes the experiential knowledge of ten Latino men as they prepare to successfully transition from a California two-year Hispanic Serving Institution to a four-year university. The impact of external and institutional factors are examined to provide a systematic understanding of how these demands influenced the experiences of the students at the two-year institution. Findings demonstrate the importance of family for the first generation students and the significance their familial experiential knowledge had on their education. The participants were successful in the navigation of their educational pathway at the two-year institution; however, one obstacle remained. The participants had to decide whether they wanted to transfer to a local four-year institution or transfer away and jeopardize the economic stability of their family and their role within their family dynamic. The study concludes with practical recommendations for the research site. The proposals pertain to curriculum alignment with their secondary partners to better prepare students with the assessments and alleviate the number of students who enter the site that require developmental education. Other recommendations concentrate on the development or enhancement of student support services to assist a higher number of Latino men succeed in their educational transition from this two-year institution