Somos Tejas: A Narrative Project to Document the College Experiences of First-Generation Latinx Students

Abstract

This study reports on a project that collected and documented narrative reflections of first-generation Latinx students at a large Research 1 public university in the US southwest. The team (2 faculty members and 4 undergraduates) interviewed 23 students (20 undergraduate and 3 graduate) on topics including family, community, sense of belonging in their institution and major experiences as first-generation students, future goals, and advice and recommendations for others. Their responses were analyzed with a modified version of Garriott's (2020) Critical Cultural Wealth Model, with the help of the software MAXQDA. The first important takeaway is that undergraduate and graduate students had different perceptions, with the latter respondents expressing more critical views. The second finding was that several institutional resources were highly effective in achieving students’ integration, including culturally congruent organizations and traditions. That said, participants also experienced academic dissonance navigating the financial and academic complexities of college life, which led to feelings of isolation, marginalization, and tokenization. The final takeaway is that students turned to support from their families and communities to overcome challenges, which suggests that measures to integrate family and school will benefit these students.