Gloria Crisp
Supporting Latinx Students
Select Publications
Hispanic-Serving Community Colleges and Their Role in Hispanic Transfer
Chapter in Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Advancing Research and Transformative Practice Edited by Anne-Marie Núñez, Sylvia Hurtado, Emily Calderón Galdeano (March, 2015)
Undergraduate Latina/o students: A Systematic Review of Research Identifying Factors Contributing to Academic Success Outcomes
A systematic review was conducted to produce an up-to-date and comprehensive summary of qualitative and quantitative evidence specific to the factors related to undergraduate Latina/o student academic success outcomes during college. Findings indicate that a combination of (a) socio-cultural characteristics, (b) academic self-confidence, (c) beliefs, ethnic/racial identity, and coping styles, (d) pre-college academic experiences, (e) college experiences, (f) internal motivation and commitment, (g) interactions with supportive individuals, (h) perceptions of the campus climate/environment, and (i) institutional type/characteristics are related to one or more academic success outcomes for Latina/o students.
Understanding the Racial Transfer Gap: Modeling Underrepresented Minority and Nonminority Students’ Pathways from Two-to Four-Year Institutions
This study models student- and institutional-level factors that influence vertical transfer among a national sample of White and underrepresented minority (URM) community college students. Results indicate that the predictors of transfer are different in many ways for White and URM students. Most notably, findings suggest that enrolling in vocational programs may hinder students’ odds of vertical transfer for URM (but not White) students. Implications for research, theory, and practice are discussed.
Hispanic Student Success: Factors Influencing the Persistence and Transfer Decisions of Latino Community College Students Enrolled in Developmental Education
This study examined the impact of a set of theoretically-derived predictor variables on the persistence and transfer of Hispanic community college students. Early models of student persistence have been validated primarily among 4-year college students. While the constructs have been well-established, the relationships of those relevant factors remain unexamined among community college transfer students, and specifically, among Hispanic students enrolled in developmental coursework and planning to transfer from a community college to a 4-year institution. Logistic regression analysis was used to test the hypothesized conceptual framework on an existing set of quantitative persistence data drawn from a national sample of Hispanic students.
The Role of Discriminatory Experiences on Hispanic Students’ College Choice Decisions
This study examined the impact of discriminatory experiences on Hispanic students’ decisions concerning postsecondary enrollment. Logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with Hispanic students’ decisions to attend either a 2- or a 4-year institution within the context of theory concerning college choice/success. Data were drawn from a nationally representative sample of Hispanic students from the ELS:2002 data set. Results indicated that Hispanic students were less likely to attend a 4-year institution if they personally experienced or perceived others being discriminated against during high school. Findings suggest that discriminatory high school experiences may contribute to “tracking” Hispanic students to the community college level.
Student Characteristics, Pre-college, College, and Environmental factors as Predictors of Majoring in and Earning a STEM degree: An Analysis of Students Attending a Hispanic Serving InstitutionThis study examined the demographic, pre-college, environmental, and college factors that impact students’ interests in and decisions to earn a science,
technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) degree among students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Results indicated that Hispanic students were well represented among STEM majors, and students’ decisions to declare a STEM major and earn a STEM degree were uniquely influenced by students’ gender, ethnicity, SAT math score, and high school percentile. Earning a STEM degree was related to students’ first-semester GPA and enrollment in mathematics and science ‘‘gatekeeper’’ courses.
Ethnic Diversity and Latino/a College Access: A Comparison of Mexican American and Puerto Rican Beginning College Students
This research examined Mexican American and Puerto Rican students’ college choice and enrollment patterns using the Beginning Postsecondary Students: 04/06 national data set. Descriptive findings indicated several notable differences between the two ethnic groups, including age and access to cultural, financial, and academic capital. Most notably, Mexican American first-time beginning college students were almost twice as likely as their Puerto Rican counterparts to start postsecondary education at 2-year institutions. Results of logistic regression analyses revealed that Mexican American and Puerto Ricans’ decisions to enroll at a 2- or a 4-year institution were uniquely influenced by students’ age, cultural capital, academic capital, and quantity and quality of colleges considered. Broader contextual factors that could enhance or hinder Mexican Americans’ and Puerto Ricans’ educational access to 4-year institutions, including citizenship status and geographical location, are also addressed.
Hispanics and Higher Education: An Overview of Research, Theory, and PracticeSubstantial gaps exist in our knowledge base relative to understanding and serving the unique needs of Latina/Latino students in all areas of postsecondary education. More specifically, a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding both access and persistence of Hispanic students is needed. As such, the present article reviews and synthesizes the literature relative to the barriers and limitations impacting college access and choice. Next, the article reviews existing literature and theory specific to the impact of academic, social, noncognitive, perceptual, and behavior factors impacting Hispanic students’ persistence decisions. An overview of state and federal policy impacting Hispanic college students is then provided in preface to best practices and policy recommendations for serving Hispanic students throughout the educational pipeline.
Community Colleges, Public Policy, and Latino Student Opportunity