Un Mentor Positivo: Supporting Latine & Indigenous First-Generation Doctoral Students
Drs. Jessica Luna Garcia and Robin Brandehoff co-wrote an article with DSoC members Valerie Richmond (graduating December 2024) and Melinda Rossi on the impact of having a faculty Mentor of Color for first-generation Latine and Indigenous scholars. The pdf is available through the link below (scroll past references).
Abstract: Doctoral completion for first-generation Latine students in the United States is minimal. In 2021, 9% of the doctorates confirmed belonged to those identified as Latine, and 41.3% of that population identified as a first-generation college student. This phenomenological study used content analysis to understand the experiences of 15 doctoral students of color at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). This paper draws from that larger study highlighting the voices of four first-generation Latine and Indigenous doctoral students. Findings share experiences specific to the population and the importance of having a faculty mentor of color who understands the multiple intersections of marginalized doctoral student identities and the support needed for a truly equitable academic experience for first-generation doctoral students of color at PWIs.