Hispanic Career Services in Higher Education: By a Latino Student

Hispanic students are entering higher education in greater numbers than ever before. In response, universities are launching initiatives catered toward Hispanic academic and career achievement. However, Hispanic students face socioeconomic challenges and biased structures that encumber their academic achievement and future career aspirations, as many of the Latino-oriented services fail to realize their fullest potential. This failure, among many other factors, is reflected in the lower college completion rate of Hispanic students in comparison to their peers (Excelencia in Education, 2019). The purpose of my thesis is to develop a university-led, student-centered Hispanic career service. This culturally conscious service focuses on a peer-to-peer model containing toolkits, workshops, and alumni spotlights. To inform my proposal, this paper will analyze current research establishing the educational inequities facing Hispanic students, its harmful effects on their academic achievement, and potential remedies for this issue. This will be further supported by student, staff, and faculty surveys from a large, degree-granting institution, named “Green State University,” for the purposes of this paper. The Hispanic population is the largest racial/ethnic group in the United States, composing 19.1% of the total U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2022). This, coupled with the increase of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), compels universities to prioritize the creation of career services centered around the unique needs of Latino students. Fostering a vibrant academic environment for Hispanic students that embraces their Latinidad (Latin American shared cultural traits) as an asset can create tangible changes in Hispanic graduation rates and future career success and empower an increasingly important portion of the population.