UCLA

For over a decade first-generation, low-income Latinas have been enrolling in colleges and universities in record numbers, yet they still graduate at the lowest rates of all women. This mixed methods case study examined the Institute of Student Academic Engagement (ISAE), a TRIO intervention at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles, California. ISAE serves predominantly low-income, first-generation Latinas, the most at-risk female demographic in higher education.

This study examined the perspectives of ISAE students, peer-advisors, graduates and counselors on the ISAE intervention. In the first stage of this case study interviews were conducted with 15 ISAE students and all three ISAE counselors. One focus-group was conducted with all five ISAE peer-advisors. The findings of this first stage indicated that it was largely invasive counseling and personal bonds between ISAE counselors and students that promoted retention and graduation of ISAE Latinas. These findings were then used to create a survey that was disseminated to ISAE graduates of the previous five years. Survey respondents largely corroborated the perspectives of ISAE students, peer-advisors, and counselors.

The most salient finding was that ISAE counselors first develop close personal bonds with their advisees prior to developing and managing their education plans. This allows ISAE counselors to understand the unique stressors each of their advisees face. ISAE counselors, in contrast to departmental academic advisors, take these unique stressors into consideration when creating education plans for ISAE students. ISAE counselors also connect students to college resources outside their jurisdiction and use their professional status to advocate for students. As a result ISAE Latinas are brought further into the ISAE community and this counseling modality helps to retain and graduate these students.