This document summarizes a presentation given at an ACPA conference on regional differences among Latinx students in the U.S. and implications for student affairs professionals. The presentation covered key terms, U.S. census data on Latinx populations, Torres' model of Hispanic identity development, and breakout group discussions on regional identity issues. Student interviews found language barriers, a sense of incompleteness outside of Latinx communities, and low Latinx enrollment as challenges. Implications for professionals included understanding regional issues, biases, advising, campus culture, and available resources to better support Latinx student retention and identity development.

1. Regional Differences Of The U.S. Latin@ Diaspora:
Implications For Student Affairs Professionals
ACPA Latin@ Network
Dora Frias, University of Georgia (GA)
Angel de Jesus Gonzalez, Pacific Lutheran University (WA)
Jose Marroquin, National Louis University (IL)
Joe Palencia, Oakton Community College (IL)
Ray Plaza, Bowling Green State University (OH)
Jose Vazquez, Saint Xavier University (IL)
Saturday March 7th, 2015
Marriott Tampa Waterside - Meeting Room 8
05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

2. Introductions
Name
Role
Institution
Region
Gender Pronouns

3. Agenda
● Learning Outcomes
● Literature Review: What do we know?
● Activity/Break Out Groups
● Student Interviews
● Implications for Practice
● Wrap Up

4. Social Media
@ACPALN
#SAlatino
#ACPA15

5. Learning Outcomes
1. Participants will gain a better understanding of the regional differences among
Latino/a students and how these regional differences affect Latino/a identity
formation.
2. Participants will become aware of how Latino/a students negotiate their identities
at the points of intersection
3. Participants will understand how this understanding can assist with Latino/a
student retention and recruitment.
4. Presentation will render an outlet to reflect on current practices and provide
opportunities to put theory into practice.

6. Key Terms
● Latina/o: Sue and Sue (2013) define Latina/os as, “individuals living in the United States
with ancestry from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Central or
South American Spanish-speaking countries” (p. 409)
● Hispanic: “Refers to a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American,
or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.” (U.S. Census)
● Chicana/o: A person of Mexican origin living in the United States
*Various identities within this population, many use Family’s country of origin to self-
identify
*Multiracial: Indigenous, Black, Asian, European, etc
● Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI): colleges, universities, or systems/districts where
total Hispanic enrollment constitutes a minimum of 25% of the total enrollment
*Although aware of the complications that arise when using the term Hispanic as opposed to Latino,
the sources we draw from often deploy the former term as opposed to the latter*

7. Latin@s in the U.S.
● According to the 2010 U.S. Census data, 50.5 million people in the United States identify as Hispanic or
Latino.
o In addition, the Hispanic population accounted for over half the 27.3 million increase in the total
population of the Unites States (Ennis, Rios-Vargas, Albert, and United States, 2011).
o Among the 10 largest Hispanic origin groups, all have their largest populations in just three states:
California (Mexicans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans), Florida (Cubans, Colombians, Hondurans
and Peruvians) or New York (Puerto Ricans, Dominicans and Ecuadorians). (Pew Hispanic Center,
2012)
● According to Excelencia In Education
K-12 Enrollment: The representation of Latina/o students enrolled in public schools increased
from 19% to 24% of all students
College Completion: Latino adults who had earned an associates degree or higher increased
from 17% to 22%
Increase of HSIs Grant Applications (Institution with 25%+ Latin@ Population)

8. Torres’ Model of Hispanic Identity Development
● Vasti Torres identified the importance of recognizing the correlation of
ethnic identity and acculturation among Hispanic college students.
● Acculturation looks at the choices made about the majority culture,
whereas ethnic identity looks at the maintenance of the culture of origin.
● Background

10. Latino/a Racial Identity

11. U.S. Census Data
● The majority of Latina/os in the U.S. are of
Mexican descent.
o In 2012, 64% of Hispanics were of Mexican
descent, 9% Puerto Rican, 8% Central
American, 6% South American, 3% Cuban, and
9% from other places of origin.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, People and Households Division. The Hispanic
Population in the United States: 2012, Table 3

12. Census Form

13. Latin@s & Race

18. ● Northeast/Midwest/South/Southwest/Northwest
o What are some of the identity issues that Latina/o students in this regional
area often navigate? How are those issues different from students on your
campus that come from different regional areas?
o Which national countries of origin are most represented? How does this
impact student programming? Advising/Support?
o What issues are present within Latina/o communities in the region? How
does that impact the student population?
Regional Break Out Groups

19. Regions: Northeast
Nathalia
❖ Community college- Northeast(2 years) 4 year university(2 years).Born
and raised in Latino American, came to the U.S. for college
❖ Involvement: Join Latino/a based student organizations
❖ Challenges: the language barrier at Latino/a based club, attended a couple
of meetings but everyone just refused to speak Spanish (student left the
group and did not returned
❖ The Latin/Hispanic population at her nstitution is very small so many
scholarship are available for students within that demographic
❖ “I do not feel in any disadvantage, I feel I have some sort of advantage just
to be part of a minority.”

20. Regions-South
Anita
❖ Attends a 4 year university in the South
❖ Identity: “Depending where I am” Mother is from South American and Father is from Central
America. Raised in the northeast and self-identifies as “Hispanic”
❖ Experience at respective institution: “It’s been a process” Explore here “Latinida” after taking
spanish literature class
❖ Involvement: Join Latino/a based student organizations, but had felt the organization was
segregated
❖ Challenges: There is a sense of imcompletness with the relationships outside of the hispanic
community within her institutions
❖ The Latino/a population is open to receiving you and make you feel welcome, but there are
groups that close knit
❖ “Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one…..I’m the only spanish speaking Latino...and its a little
sad” (Being a Latino the classroom at their institution).

21. Regions:Pacific Northwest
Rigoberto
❖ Attends a 4 year PWI Faith Based Liberal Arts College in the Pacific Northwest
❖ Identity: “Mexican or latino”
❖ Experience at respective institution:
➢ “My experience at SU has been very pleasant. Although, I do not connect with the
majority of students since they are much younger than me, the school has been very
welcoming.”
❖ Involvement: Various business org; GSBA, Beta Alpha Psi, Batallon Unido
❖ Challenges: Mentions that it’s been difficult transitioning from community college and more
latina/o students around to predominantly white campus.
➢ “the Latino population is low in this school. As far as I know, I can only see 5 to 10 Latino
students in the whole school of business. So, I am sure is less than 1%; I know it’s sad.”

22. Region: Midwest
Luz- Attends a Private Independent 4-year university (commuter)
Born in the U.S. (lived for several year in mexico)
Experience at Institution: “ One of the things that I appreciate at my university is seeing a
noticeable amount of Latino students…..I was encouraged by the fact that there were other
students in a similar situation as me, and they as well were trying to do their best to get their
education despite their surrounding situations”
Challenges: No specific negative experience at her institution, but wishes that the enrollment of
Latino/a student increase over-time. “Fast forwarding to my first year in college, a lot of the same classmates I had
graduated with that had promising futures began to drop out of college—all of which were Latinos. It was really sad for me
to hear time and time again that a lot of my friends were no longer interested in continuing their college education. To a
point, I felt like just giving up because the work was hard, and I seemed to be more interested in making money than
spending nights doing homework”

23. Multiple Identities
¤The Multiple Dimensions of Identities-Alisa Abes, Marylu McEwen, and Susan Jones
1.Describes the dynamic construction of identity and the influence of changing context on
the relative salience of multiple identity dimensions, such as race, sexual orientation,
culture, and social class.
2.The model portrays identity dimensions as intersecting rings around a core, signifying
how "No one dimension maybe understood singularly; it can be understood only in relation
to other dimensions.
3.The salience of each identity dimension to the core is fluid and depends on the contextual
influences. Ex: Family, personal experiences, current experiences and sociocultural
experiences.

24. Regions in U.S.

25. Professional Implications
For ourselves as practitioners and in terms in we work with our students. We have
grouped them in the following areas:
I. Level of Responsibility
II. Understanding Issues on the regional level
III. Understanding our own biases
IV. Advocacy and Advising
V. Navigating the Campus Culture and cultural norms
VI. Resources Available

26. Closing

27. References