Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
Community College Transfer: The Role of Social Capital in the Transfer Process of Chicana/O Students.

Community College Transfer: The Role of Social Capital in the Transfer Process of Chicana/O Students.

Jovel, Jennifer E.

Paperback

General Education

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ISBN10: 1243552212
ISBN13: 9781243552211
Publisher: Proquest Umi Dissertation Pub
Pages: 350
Weight: 1.38
Height: 0.73 Width: 7.44 Depth: 9.69
Language: English
Chicanas/os (Mexican-American women and men) have been historically underrepresented in higher education and have among the lowest degree attainment rates of all ethnic groups. Chicanas/os are also the most likely to attend a community college. Over half of all Chicanas/os who pursue a college education attend a community college. However, due to low retention and transfer rates at the community college, their representation and degree attainment rates at four-year universities remain low. Research has shown that having access to college based information and resources is important for improving retention and transfer, yet little is known about how some Chicanas/os manage to gain access to information and resources while others do not. This dissertation addresses this gap in the literature by using the concept of social capital, which is the value embodied in networks that are linked to socially valued resources (Bourdieu, 1986), to understand the access to information/resources among Chicana/o students. This study used a qualitative research design that subscribes to the theoretical tradition of grounded theory to examine the experiences of Chicanas/os at two Northern California community colleges. The sample consisted of twenty six students who were in their final year at the community college prior to transferring and seven faculty members who were identified as key members of their networks on campus. Data was collected from semi-structured interviews with students and faculty members, shadowing and observation sessions, and archival materials. The data showed that different methods of accessing social capital are accessible to Chicana/o students depending on their participation in particular settings within the community college. One method, which is highly valuable for students who enter the community college with little accumulated capital, is through strong multidimensional relationships with key faculty members of the Chicana/o community on campus. A second method that is used among students who are less involved in the Chicana/o community is through weak ties with Chicana/o community faculty members. Last, institutional avenues are used as methods of accessing social capital among Chicana/o students who do not participate in the Chicana/o community. However, these institutional avenues are more accessible to students who enter the community college already with accumulated capital, and are therefore less likely to provide opportunities for social mobility. This study contributes to the literature on Chicana/o community college students and to the literature on social capital and social mobility by proposing a spectral model that describes the dimensions of multiple methods for accessing social capital among Chicana/o community college students. The model examines the interrelation between the participation of students within particular types of fields and their methods of accessing social capital, as well as to their development of social status understandings, or habitus. The findings from this study contribute to our understanding of how Chicana/o students obtain valuable information and resources in order to transfer to four-year universities, and ultimately gain opportunities for social mobility.

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