Alegría y Sanación en mi Graduación: Understanding Hispanic Convocation as a Ritual of Joy and Healing for Undergraduate Mexicana Students

Research suggests participating in graduation ceremonies is an important rite of passage for undergraduate students in the U.S., especially Black students (Causadias et al., 2022). However, less is known about the role of Hispanic convocation, a graduation ceremony for Hispanic students, in fostering success among undergraduate Hispanic students. Research is crucial especially for Hispanic Serving Institutions such as Arizona State University (ASU) because the core of its mission is to promote the academic success of their Hispanic students (García, 2023). To address this issue, I conducted a qualitative study with a sample (n = 6) of first-generation undergraduate Mexican-origin women (“Mexicanas”) to understand the significance of Hispanic convocations for them. This study had three aims: (1) To explore Mexicana students’ expectations about graduation ceremonies, (2) to explore how these students foster a sense of empowerment by participating in Hispanic convocation, and (3) to better understand the meaning their families and communities ascribe to college graduation and academic success. Findings highlighted five core themes (1) “Being a Minority on Campus”, (2) “Fear of Failure”, (3) “Support found within Community”, (4)” Celebrating with my Community while embracing my Culture”, (5) “Get the Celebration COVID-19 took from Us”. This study can be used to further understand the connection between college graduation as a cultural ritual and educational resilience among undergraduate Mexicana students and can inform programs designed to foster academic persistence and success.