Race, Class, Gender and Community College Persistence
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Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses Spring 5-28-2014 Mediating Academic Success: Race, Class, Gender and Community College Persistence Schaylee Marie Esparza Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the Sociology Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Esparza, Schaylee Marie, "Mediating Academic Success: Race, Class, Gender and Community College Persistence" (2014). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 2019. https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.2018 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. Mediating Academic Success: Race, Class, Gender and Community College Persistence by Schaylee Marie Esparza A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Sociology Thesis Committee: José Padín, Chair Peter Collier Maura Kelly Portland State University 2014 © 2014 Schaylee Marie Esparza ABSTRACT Over the last forty years, the U.S. community college system has expanded, allowing disadvantaged groups greater access to higher education. With that expansion, a body of research has emerged examining community college students’ educational outcomes. However, the research is limited in understanding the academic persistence of low-income students and community college student in particular. The purpose of this comparative, qualitative study is to explore some of the unanswered questions about how low income white and Latino students’ experience academic persistence similarly and differently and understand how gender influences the challenges students may face during college. This study draws from interviews of 22 (11 White/11 Latino/a) low-income community college students at a rural, Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in the West. All students share similar challenges because of their class constraints, but Latino/a students in particular face challenges of racism and discrimination that carried over into their college careers. Faculty and family are the key sources of support for all students, which mediate some of the challenges. Variation is seen between the experiences of males and females, as traditional gender roles are reinforced and maintained in the family. This study offers insights into how structural inequality creates barriers for students from their perspective and gives recommendations for practitioners on how to mediate some of these challenges and increase student persistence. i DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my husband and partner, José Esparza. Without all of your love, sacrifice and advice, this project would not have been possible. Your own story is an inspiration to many others and myself. I also wanted to dedicate this work to the many students, future students and family members that are struggling along the way in obtaining their degree. To those that are living in the shadows or question their place in higher education—your stories are inspiring and valuable. Finally, I dedicate this “book”, as my children call it, to Mateo and Noelia. You keep me going and make all of my work meaningful. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank a number of individuals that helped with this research project. First of all, I would like to thank Dr. José Padín for his mentorship, guidance and enthusiasm for this project. I also owe my sincere gratitude to those at Small Town Community College. Without their support, guidance and connection to students this would not have been possible. I would especially like to thank those administrators and staff members for their effort in getting the project off the ground and identifying students. I also need to recognize the amazing recruitment efforts of those key individuals in student services for your support and connection to students. I would also like to recognize Christa Zinke for her efforts in traveling back and forth over a tight time frame to gather interviews. Your commitment to this project was enduring. Your work enhanced and strengthened this project. I am indebted to you. I would also like to recognize José Esparza for his recruitment efforts, valuable perspective and endless support of this project and our family. Finally, but most importantly, I would like to thank all those students that participated in this study and shared your stories. I am grateful for your time and feel privileged to share your stories. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract…………...……………………………..……………………………...……...….i Dedication…………………………………………………………...……….....……...…ii Acknowledgements………..…………………………………..…………………….…...iii List of Tables……………………………………………..……………………………….v List of Figures………………………………………...………………………....…….….vi Chapter I Introduction……….……………………………………………………………….…..…..1 Chapter II Review of Literature and Theory……………………………………………………...….7 Chapter III Research Design………………………………………………………………………....36 Chapter IV Common Class Experiences……………………………………………………………..53 Chapter V Exploring Racial-Ethnic Differences……………………………………………………80 Chapter VI Gendered Experiences of Academic Persistence………………………………………111 Chapter VII Discussion and Conclusion…………………………………………………………….142 Epilogue…………………………………………………………………………..........165 References……………………………………………..…………………………...…..174 Appendices A. Interview Protocol………………………………………………………......182 B. Code Book……………………………………………………………...…...188 C. Methodological Reflections…………………………………………….......196 iv LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Codebook Revisions…………..………………………………………...……..49 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Social Reproduction Theory..............................................................................12 Figure 2: Influences of Academic Success Among Low-Income Students......................31 Figure 3.1: Themes: Challenges........................................................................................51 Figure 3.2: Themes: Supports...........................................................................................52 Figure 4: Racial-Ethnic Differences...............................................................................145 Figure 5: Gendered Intersections....................................................................................150 vi CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION Over the last forty years, the U.S. community college system has expanded, allowing disadvantaged groups greater access to higher education. With that expansion, a body of research has emerged examining community college students’ educational outcomes. However, the research is limited in understanding the academic persistence of low-income students. Low-income students are overrepresented at community colleges and are less likely to complete degrees. Only 23% complete their degrees, as compared to 53% of students that earn a degree at 4-year institutions (IPED 2010). Similarly, Latinos attend community colleges at higher rates than other institutions of higher education. Over 50% of all Latinos attending post-secondary education are enrolled at community colleges, yet only 10.5% complete associate degrees (IPED 2010). Additionally, previous research has identified a growing gender gap in college completion. Women earn 58% of all Bachelor degrees in the United States (Snyder, Dillow, and Hoffman 2008). The statistics for Latinos/as reflect an even greater gender gap. Among Latinos, 61% of Bachelor’s degrees are earned by females (Buchmann, DiPrete, and McDaniel 2008). Latinas are more likely to complete their college degrees within six years, with 50% of females completing on-time, as compared to 43% of males completing on-time (Snyder et al. 2008). Previous quantitative research has identified a significant difference in educational attainment between males and females (Buchmann et al. 2008; Buchmann and DiPrete 2006; Feliciano and Rubén G Rumbaut 2005; Feliciano 2012; Saenz and Ponjuan 2009), but is limited in describing how individual students experience these differences and how they may influence academic success. There is a pressing need to 1 further theoretical understanding of the experiences of low-income and Latino students attending community college, considering their high rates of attendance and lack of completion. Answered and Unanswered Questions About Academic Persistence Social class is a primary factor negatively influencing the academic persistence of both low income and Latino students (Goldrick-Rab 2006; Porchea JeffRobbins, StevePhelps, Richard P. 2010; Strayhorn 2010; Walpole 2003). Students from low- income families and parents that have not attended college are less likely to persist. High school academic preparation, including grades, GPA and course taking, is strongly correlated with academic persistence. Those students taking more advanced courses, earning higher grades and maintaining a higher GPA were more likely to persist (Bordes- Edgar et al. 2011; Porchea JeffRobbins, StevePhelps, Richard P. 2010) Additionally, students with strong social networks of family, friends, classmates and faculty are more likely to persist (Bordes-Edgar et al. 2011; Espinoza-Herold 2007; Gloria, Castellanos, Lopez, et al. 2005). Past studies have also identified the importance of mentoring on the academic success of low income and Latino students (Crisp and Nora 2010; Porchea JeffRobbins, StevePhelps, Richard P. 2010). Furthermore, previous literature clearly