Intersection: Professional Work & Higher Education Administration 

One of the connections I have found between my graduate program and my professional experience at La Vida is commonality between first-generation students and the great need in the Latino community. Research has indicated that high-achieving Latino students are not connecting with competitive colleges. I have witnessed this in our La Vida Scholars college prep program. 

Please refer to the Latino Times article about Latinos choosing community colleges over universities. This gives a great insight at a national issue that is affecting all Latinos, the fastest growing ethnic group in the U.S.

The literature I have read on Latino readiness for college, and ethnic groups' readiness for Ivy League schools has informed my understanding of students' experiences in my college prep program and has allowed me to gain a greater sensitivity for my students' struggle, not because I had been there once, but because this is a great challenge that is faced by Latinos as well as first-generation students across the U.S.

Our program has a crucial component: parent involvement. Our parents show their commitment to our program by depositing a small amount each month, which will be matched dollar for dollar at the end of every school year for three years. Parents are required to save $900 total and we will match up to $900 every year. What my experience has shown me is that although $1,800 will certainly not cover all college costs, it provides a small safety net for college essentials such as bedding, a computer, transportation for the holidays, or school books. Being "in the know" is more than necessary for students who come from low-income backgrounds. This is in part due to how standardized test scores are weighed in college applications. Fortunately, our students are prepped for the SAT and ACT exams starting their junior year. However this preparation does not guarantee retention and success in their college years.