<p> <i>Reading Home from Exile: Narratives of Belonging in Western Literature </i> analyzes the way in which narratives of belonging arise from Western literary works that have been largely read as works of exile. This dissertation insists on the importance of the concept of home even in the light of much of the theoretical criticism produced in the last fifty years which turns to concepts that emphasize movement, rootlessness, homelessness, and difference. Through readings of Western literature spanning from canonical ancient Greek texts to Mexican novels of the revolution and to Chicano/a literature, this study shows that literature continues to dwell on the question of home and that much of the literature of exile is an attempt to narrate home. Beginning with a close reading of <i>Oedipus the King</i> and <i>Oedipus at Colonus,</i> the first chapter discusses Oedipus's various moments of exile and the different spheres of belonging (biological/familial, social, political) that emerge through a close reading of these moments of exile. Chapter 2 examines these same categories of belonging in Mauricio Magdaleno's <i> El resplandor,</i> an <i>indigenista</i> novel set in post-revolutionary Mexico about the trials and tribulations of the Otomi town of San Andres. Chapter 3 continues to consider literature that takes Revolutionary and post-revolutionary Mexico as setting and analyzes the narratives of belonging that arise in Juan Rulfo's <i>Pedro P&aacute;ramo</i> and Elena Garro's <i>Recollections of Things to Come.</i> Finally, Chapter 4 analyzes the emergence of these categories of home in Chicano/a literature and thought, focusing on Gloria Anzaldua's<i> Borderlands/La Frontera</i> and its relation to Homi Bhabha's concept of hybridity and to postcolonial theory in general. </p>

<p> The premise of this research is to consider Pierre Bourdieu's social and cultural capital theoretical framework to analyze the life experiences of Mexican American high school students. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of two administrators, four counselors, three students, and three parents regarding the influence of social and cultural capital on student engagement. Three of the participants were first-generation working class Hispanic students with aspirations to attend a four-year university. The participants were interviewed through a semistructured interview protocol to identify what sources of capital are the most useful in creating better educational opportunities for Mexican American students. This qualitative study used a narrative inquiry design to gather data from the participants. This design allowed for the gathering of "authentic voices" of Mexican American students and those who work with them. This study validates the important role of social and cultural capital acquired at home and at school, and the needed access to quality resources and meaningful relationships. The finding and limitations reviewed in this study bring awareness to the need for social and cultural capital resources to improve social outcomes for low-income Hispanic students. Based on the data findings, recommendations are made for school counselors and Hispanic students.</p>

<p> This qualitative dissertation study explores the various roles and practices that classroom teachers can enact in their work to increase the college going rates of working-class Latina/o youth. Utilizing Stanton-Salazar's (2011) <i> empowerment social capital</i> theoretical framework, this study examined the role and identity development, practices, and challenges of 14 classroom teachers whose college-focused work aimed to increase their students' <i> social capital</i>, resources, and opportunities for higher education. In addition, it also examined those cases when educators extended their work to actively counter the inequitable schooling conditions and structures facing working-class Latina/o youth (i.e., <i>empowerment agents</i>). Utilizing interviews, document collection, and journal responses, some of the emerging themes included: the role that teachers' personal identities play in their practices for college access and social justice, the lack of funding and resources for students' college planning prompting educators' efforts, and the various challenging schooling structures and policies testing teacher sustainability. Policy and practice recommendations aim to increase the development of resource-generating and empowering relationships between working-class Latina/o youth and their teachers, as well as to develop structures and environments required for teacher sustainability. Recommendations for further research are also provided.</p>

<p> The Latino student population in the California Community College System has surpassed the White student population as the largest sector. However, the academic achievement of Latino students trails behind that of White students, creating an achievement gap. The number of Latina/o trustees is also on the rise with voting demographics. However, the number of Latina/o CEO/presidential leadership is in decline. Latino policy makers can be instrumental in the creation of a diverse campus climate and growing the number of Latina/o CEOs. Diversity and role models are linked to improving educational outcomes for all students, particularly for Latino students.</p><p> This quantitative study examined the impact of demographic and political factors on the perceptions of problems and priorities of California Community College Trustees. The dependent variable was the likelihood that trustees would agree that it was their role to promote the growth of Latina/o leadership. The demographic variable of interest was ethnicity and the study examined the differences in responses among Latina/o, White and other trustees. This study explored factors that may contribute to the steady decline of Latina/o CEO leadership and those that might aid in the growth of Latina/o leadership. </p><p> This study confirmed that there are significant differences in the perceptions and priorities of Latina/o and White trustees. It was found that all trustees believed that the Latino achievement gap was a concern; however, while Latina/o and White trustees believed the gap persisted because of the growing number of remedial students and budget cuts, Latina/o trustees also believed that the gap persisted because of limited Latina/o representation and role models. The perceptions and priorities of Latina/o trustees are shaped by culture expectations and minority status, which influence their interests to help Latino students and increase the number of Latina/o leaders. White trustees do not share the same experiences but do share the interest to help Latino students because their role is to serve all students. This study confirmed that Latino trustees were more likely than White trustees to agree that it was their role to promote the growth of Latina/o CEO leadership. However, the perceptions and priorities of White trustees have a significant impact on the role of Latina/o trustees in growing Latina/o leadership. </p>

<p> The stories of seven first-generation Mexican-American women community college alumnae who persisted and achieved their associates' degrees at Phoenix College revealed nine themes in this qualitative research study. Those themes fell into the following categories: requisites for success, obstacles to success, and assets students possess. Themes within requisites for success include family members give student inspiration to achieve, mentor helps student navigate barriers, Phoenix College diversity helps student feel welcome, and ACE Program supported student progress beyond high school years. Themes within obstacles to success include challenges with financial aid, single-parent responsibilities, SB1070 and Proposition 300 impact on undocumented Latina student and documented Latina students. Themes within assets students possess include faith in God, and si,se puede, yes, I can attitude. </p><p> Overarching typologies that emerged between several of the participants were <i>Xichanista, Escondida, Sacrif&iacute;cia,</i> and <i> Lucha. Xichanista</i> captures the flavor of social activism while <i> Escondida</i> depicts more of a lower profile focused solely on academics. <i>Sacrif&iacute;cia</i> is placing focus on others before herself and doing what must be done for the moment. <i>Lucha</i> is focused on survival and reality. There is fluidity in the typologies. Over the life of her academic journey, a Latina may shift between two or more of these typologies as she grows. </p><p> In this research, participants told stories of strength they did not realize they had until faced with their challenges. Each participant received validation from significant individuals: family, mentors, advisors, faculty or close friends. </p><p> <i>Keywords:</i> Latinas, associate's degree, community college, Mexican American women, critical race theory, LatCrit, <i>mestiza</i> consciousness, validation, first-generation, Hispanic</p>

<p> The public investment in GEAR UP, a federal program that seeks to promote college access and readiness among underserved youths, and limited research on program outcomes substantiated a need to evaluate GEAR UP's impact on youths attending a major urban community college. This study analyzed the archival dataset of Latino community college students (<i>N</i> = 91) to determine the impact of GEAR UP on college access and readiness. The treatment group (<i>N</i> = 47) consisted of a student cohort who attended a GEAR UP participating secondary schools from 2005 through 2011, and the non-treatment group (<i>N</i> = 44) of a similar student demographic cohort who attended the same secondary institutions but not GEAR UP.</p><p> The research variables included the English and math placement levels, financial aid application status, and cumulative grade point average of both cohorts. The result of a Pearson Chi Square test (<i>p</i> = .045 at 95% confidence level) demonstrated a statistically significant impact of GEAR UP on the financial aid application filing status among Latino youths but not the other variables. Personal interviews (<i>N</i> = 24) were conducted from the Treatment Group sample to determine the effectiveness of various interventions activities of GEAR UP. The textual coding analysis of the interview transcripts highlighted the presence of tutors and mentors, field trips, and financial aid workshops as effective interventions in promoting school belongingness and helping Latino youths to consider the benefits of higher education.</p><p> The research study conclusions yielded several recommendations to further enhance the quality of GEAR UP. First, policymakers should consider expanding the scope of GEAR UP from financial aid awareness into financial literacy. Second, GEAR UP school coordinators, teachers, and tutors and mentors should intensify a focus on college readiness, including the development of non-cognitive skills. Other notable recommendations to enhance GEAR UP would be to provide more funding for tutors and mentors, college field trips, and financial aid workshops, improve collaboration and communication between high school and college partners, and the creation of a national database system to track student and program outcomes.</p>

<p>The purpose of this project was to locate a potential funding source and write a grant to develop a school mental health program. An extensive literature review was performed to investigate the best way to provide culturally competent services to children and families. A search was conducted to locate an appropriate funder for a school mental health program that will attempt to close the gap between student mental health needs in Catholic schools. The program will employ a staff who will provide case management, individual and group mental health services to students and families in a low-income Catholic school in the city of Santa Ana, California. The goal of the proposed program will be to develop and implement preventive approaches to improve the students' mental health, academic achievement and social competence. Actual submission and/or funding of the grant proposal was not required for successful completion of this project. </p>

<p>The purpose of this project was to locate a potential funding source and write a grant to design a Spanish support group program for survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). An extensive literature review was performed to investigate the best way to address the culturally sensitive needs of Latina survivors. Latina women face unique challenges related to language barriers, cultural gender roles, family values and immigration status. The support group will serve Spanish speaking survivors of IPV. </p><p> The goal of the program is to address the critical needs of Latina survivors of IPV in a culturally sensitive manner to empower them to regain their independence and develop self-sufficiency skills in the safe environment of the group. If funded, this program will provide Latina women support and guidance in their journey to break away from the cycle of intimate partner violence and its effects. </p>

<p> Effective recognition and proper treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in Hispanic woman is a public health problem that needs further investigation. Guided by the stress and coping social support theory, the purpose of this cross-sectional survey study was to examine the relationship between attitudes, emotional support, and the perception of success in managing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in 335 Hispanic women living in Atlanta, Georgia. Correlations, independent-sample <i>t</i> tests, simple linear regression, and multiple linear regressions showed ethnicity as a moderating variable between the perception of success in handling CVD and emotional support, while emotional support was shown to be a significant predictor of perceived success for all participants. The relationship between the 2 variables was positive for Hispanic women and negative for non-Hispanics women. Diet and exercise also emerged as a significant direct predictor of perceived success in handling CVD when the variable of emotional support was controlled. Key findings also showed that, while Hispanic women had higher scores for perceived success in handling CVD, non-Hispanic women had higher emotional support scores. This study supports positive social change by highlighting the unique needs of Hispanic women to healthcare providers, relative to effective recognition and positive treatment regimens, if cardiovascular disease is suspected. Positive social change will be demonstrated with the recognition of better health outcomes for Hispanic women.</p>

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Georgia Southern University, 2007. / "A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education." Under the direction of Grigory Dmitriyev. ETD. Electronic version approved: May 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 266-299) and appendices.