Assessing the Role of Social Capital on the Academic Performance of Mexican Diaspora University Students in California

ASSESSING THE ROLE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF MEXICAN DIASPORA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA Selene Barceló Monroy B.S., Universidad Panamericana, México, 1991 M.A., California State University, Fresno, 2010 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION in EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP at CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO SPRING 2020 Copyright © 2020 Selene Barceló Monroy All rights reserved ii ASSESSING THE ROLE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF MEXICAN DIASPORA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA A Dissertation by Selene Barceló Monroy Approved by Dissertation Committee: _________________________________ Alexander Gonzalez, Ph.D., Chair _________________________________ Frank Adamson, Ph.D. ________________________________ Julian Vasquez Heilig, Ph.D. SPRING 2020 iii ASSESSING THE ROLE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF MEXICAN DIASPORA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA Student: Selene Barceló Monroy I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and this dissertation is suitable for electronic submission to the library and credit is to be awarded for the dissertation. ___________________________, Graduate Coordinator _________________ Rose M. Borunda, Ed.D. Date iv DEDICATION To my fellow Mexicans, who bravely arrived in the United States of America to work resiliently, fulfilling dreams of a better future for themselves and their families. To Mexican diaspora leaders, faculty, scholars and critical thinkers who have enriched their intellectual communities with principles of equity and social justice. To Mexican Americans who have contributed and continue to honor the strength of their identity, embracing trust in the fruitfulness of their Mexican heritage. To the evolving consular strategies envisioned by the first transformative leader Mexico has had in four decades, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. To my father Victor Manuel Barceló Rodriguez, active Ambassador, former Governor of Tabasco, economist, educator, and lifelong companion in life battles. To my mother Josefina Monroy Aguirre, a professional educator and leadership practitioner, friend, and personal coach. To my husband, Professor Athanasios Alexandrou, Ph.D., for his unconditional love and support. To my son, 21-year-old university student Alexios Alexandrou Barceló. To my daughter, 17-year old high school junior Irini Alexandrou Barceló. To my daughter, 13-year-old middle schooler Ariadni Alexandrou Barceló. To my sister, brothers, nieces, nephews, children, and family for their fortitude driven by their understanding that education is vital to become champions of change. Thank you for your leadership, courage, resilience, inspiration, vision, and care. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to the enthusiastic students who participated in the survey. This dissertation would not have been possible without them. Thank you to faculty and administrators who supported this research. Thank you to my chair, Dr. Alexander Gonzalez, Sacramento State President Emeritus, for his support and inspiration of a true leader of the Mexican diaspora. Thank you to my committee member, Dr. Frank Adamson for his support and for his schooling and guidance through this dissertation. Thank you to my committee member, Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig, former chair of the EdD program, who placed his trust in me to complete the doctorate. Thank you to my professors of the Mexican diaspora, Dr. Caroline S. V. Turner, Dr. Porfirio Loeza, Dr. Rose M. Borunda, and Dr. Carlos Nevarez. Equally, to Dr. Lisa Romero, Dr. Maiyoua Vang, Dr. JoLynn Langslet, Dr. Robert Wassmer, Dr. Frank Lilly, Dr. Malika Hollinside, and Dr. Nathan Conkle. Their leadership impacted me. Thank you to Dr. Pete Benitti and Dr. Gyanesh Lama who supported me through my doctoral journey, as well as my peers from EdD cohort 11. Thank you to my family in Mexico, in Uruguay, in Greece, and in the U.S.A. To Alexios for empowering me, and for reminding me of my potential as a scholar. To Irini for her constant coaching and mentorship. To Ariadni for her sensibility and attention to detail. Thank you to my husband for his companionship. I could not have asked for more inspiration, endurance, responsiveness, and love. vi CURRICULUM VITAE EDUCATION Doctor in Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2020 California State University, Sacramento, CA, USA Masters of Arts, International Relations 2010 California State University, Fresno, CA, USA Postgraduate Diplomas, USA, Canada, and European Studies 1992 Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, ITAM, Mexico City Bachelor of Science, Philosophy 1991 Universidad Panamericana, incorporated to Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, U.N.A.M., Mexico City PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT Mexican Foreign Service Career Diplomat, Secretariat of Foreign Affairs Since 1993 Consul, Consulate General in Sacramento, CA, USA 2014 – Present Chief of Staff, Direction General for Europe, Mexico 2012 Deputy Consul General in Raleigh, NC, USA 2010 Acting Consul, and Deputy Consul, Fresno, CA, USA 2006 Consul, Consulate General in Chicago, IL, USA 1999 Third Secretary, Embassy in Athens, Greece 1995 Department Head, Direction General for Europe, Mexico 1994 Matías Romero Institute of Diplomatic Studies, Mexico City, Mexico 1993 University of Cambridge, British Council Scholar, England, UK 1992 Secretariat of Foreign Affairs, Media Unit Supervisor, Mexico 1991 Televisa, Vice President’s Assistant, Mexico 1990 Universidad Panamericana, Lecturer, Mexico 1989 PUBLICATIONS Considering the Ethnoracial and Gender Diversity of Faculty in US College and University Intellectual Communities (2019). The Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy. Co-Author. A long-term “European” solution to the image issue of Mexico in the United States (2017). US-Mexico Network - University of Southern California. La diáspora mexicana y el Consulado en Chicago (2005). Foreign Affairs en Español 5(3). FIELDS OF STUDY Higher Education, Leadership, Public Diplomacy, Consular and Diaspora Diplomacy vii Abstract of ASSESSING THE ROLE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF MEXICAN DIASPORA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA by Selene Barceló Monroy The objective of this quantitative study was to examine the influence of Social Capital on the academic achievement of Mexican diaspora university students enrolled at a four-year public university in Northern California. The Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey, and the European Quality of Life Survey were utilized to create a cross-sectional survey to collect primary data from students. Social Capital was explained by their: (a) personal relationships; (b) social network support; (c) civic engagement; and (d) trust and cooperative norms. Multivariate regression equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between students’ academic success, as measured by GPA, and Social Capital. The findings focused on generalized trust, trust in government institutions, and trust in diverse groups of people. This study contributed to the research by scholars and international entities in their efforts to measure Social Capital. The current research with Mexican diaspora students in California utilized Social Capital Theory which allowed the researcher to find useful evidence that calls for policy-makers and stakeholders to endorse an institutional Social Capital strategy and viii trust-building measures that can help decrease the opportunity gap, enfranchise this binational, bilingual, and bicultural diaspora, and help guarantee their competitiveness in the 21st-century global labor market. Keywords: diaspora public policy, higher education, academic success, grade point average, opportunity gap, quantitative study, Social Capital Theory, generalized trust, trust in institutions, transformative leadership, Mexico, consular diplomacy, Mexican Americans, Hispanics, Latinos. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Dedication ............................................................................................................................ v Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. vi Curriculum Vitae ............................................................................................................... vii List of Tables .................................................................................................................... xiv List of Figures ................................................................................................................... xvi Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement................................................................................................... 3 Nature of the Study .................................................................................................. 7 Conceptual Framework ......................................................................................... 12 Operational Definitions ......................................................................................... 16 Delimitations, Limitations, and Biases .................................................................. 18 Assumptions .......................................................................................................... 20 Significance of the Study......................................................................................

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