Strategies for Navigating Financial Challenges among Latino Male Community College Students: Centralizing Race, Gender, and Immigrant Generation

Authors

Elvira Abrica, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Eligio Martinez Jr, Cal Poly PomonaFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

Fall 2016

Citation

Journal of Applied Research in the Community College, Fall 2016 – Vol. 23, Issue 2, pp 59-72.

Comments

© 2016 Abrica & Martinez

Abstract

This qualitative, longitudinal study explored the academic persistence of Latino men attending a two-year, public community college during the 2015-2016 academic year. Our analysis focused specifically on how participants navigated financial challenges they faced, particularly the ways in which race, gender, and immigrant generation shaped participants’ strategies for overcoming financial challenges. Findings indicate that the types of financial challenges participants faced were largely consistent with those identified in extant literature, but that they navigated and persisted despite these challenges by relying on a host of complex strategies not previously highlighted in extant literature. We offer recommendations for interventions for men of color that build on students’ motivation and strong desire to be successful, both economically and academically.