The Academic Journey of Latinas Who Participated in the Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program

The study explored the academic journey of Latinas who participated in the Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program (HMDP) and completed a bachelor’s degree. The literature highlighted intersecting influencers that contributed to the Latinx academic journey. To account for this multidimensional nature, I utilized a conceptual framework with strengths in intersectionality and institutional impact: the psychosociocultural (PSC) approach and Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit). This framework set the foundation for a research design that accounted for potential nuances. Using a modified version of Seidman’s three-series and Atkinson’s life story interviews, I designed three interviews per participant with interview scripts that created space to tailor questions to unique participant responses but still captured context, details, and reflections. The outcome of the data was produced in three modalities: profiles, themes within each research questions, and overall key findings. I utilize the literature review and conceptual framework where appropriate to interpret the overall key findings. I ended this dissertation by providing implications and recommendations for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.