Complexities of a College Education for Some Hispanic Students

I often find myself telling my students that education is their passport to prosperity. I believe that my role as an educator doesn't limit itself to teaching about academic matters. I see myself as a guide, a coach, a mentor. Many if not most of the young adults I work with come from a disadvantaged socio-economic background. They have escaped misery, civil unrest, oppressive governments, economic instability as well as other personal or family threats. In a new country full of opportunities, they want to succeed but due to the differences in language, culture, and the education system, life becomes complicated. Add to this the necessity to help out the family. When one does not speak the language and/or have a degree, the few jobs available pay mostly the minimum. As a result, some of these young adults continuously juggle their education with work or simply, education takes a seat in the back. That is the reality that many Hispanic students face. It is not that they lack interest or don't have goals to complete their college education; it is that reaching these goals becomes increasingly difficult.

Although more Hispanics are enrolling in college, according to the Pew Research Center (Krogstad, 2014, ¶ 6), "In 2013, among Hispanics ages 25 to 29, just 15% of Hispanics have a bachelor's degree or higher. By comparison, among the same age group, about 40% of whites have a bachelor's degree or higher (as do 20% of blacks and 60% of Asians)." This evidence clearly reflects the educational disparity between Hispanics and other ethnic groups in the US. Considering the challenges nations face in a globally competitive environment, as the Hispanic population grows in the US, the need to have educated people grows as well.

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