The Research
Camacho Jr, L. (2024). “Be that light for the next generation”: Latino men find agency during their undergraduate experiences. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 32(2), 300-324.
Abstract
This qualitative phenomenological study used Harro’s (1997) Cycle of Socialization framework to explore how Latino men made meaning of their undergraduate experiences in relation to their sense of masculine gender identity. The findings center on the socialization of Latino masculine gender identity through familial norms and expectations, navigating student success challenges in relation to a learned aversion to asking for help, and developing a sense of liberation through an unlearning of masculine gender norms. This study provides implications for practice and research to advance support for undergraduate Latino men students through the study of the socializing role of the Latino family, a deeper integration of the Latino family into the undergraduate experiences of Latino men, and the support of Latino men through tailored peer-mentoring based programming.
Application in Practice
- Latinx families should be engaged early and often in the postsecondary educational experiences of individuals who identify as Latino men (i.e., college fairs, pre matriculation programs, student orientation, welcome week, etc.) as a part of networked student success support mechanism;
- An approach to student success centered on peer mentorship complements the incorporation of the Latinx family-based norms of communal well-being and serves to create a foundation for a more positive undergraduate experience overall, centered in healthy help-seeking norms.