Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2017, Higher Education

The majority of Hispanics select community colleges as their higher institution of choice, but studies on what contributes to their success, especially Hispanic males, has been limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence, if any, of environmental variables on the cumulative GPA of Hispanic males attending community college. Employing Astin's Theory of Student Involvement, data from the CCSSE's 2012 – 2014 survey were used to conduct a multiple regression analysis. The study's sample included 5,615 Hispanic males attending community college. The final model identified 15 variables that were significantly related to the cumulative GPA of Hispanic males attending community college, and explained 15.6% of the variance. Student effort and active and collaborative learning variables emerged as the strongest predictors of Hispanic male GPA. This study provides educators with additional resources to improve Hispanic male academic success in the community college, and informs future research, theory, policy, and practice.

Doctor of Management, Case Western Reserve University, 2022, Weatherhead School of Management

Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States. The number of Latino-owned firms has grown from 2.3 million in 2007 to 3.3 million in 2012, highlighting a 46.3% growth rate. Reports from 2017 estimate that Latino-owned firms create nearly 3.2 million American jobs and drive more than $2 trillion in GDP in the U.S. Despite their strong growth rates and growing contribution to the U.S. economy, only 3% of Latino-owned firms exceed $1 million in annual gross revenues—less than half the rate of White, non-Latino-owned firms. Much of the literature on Latino and ethnic entrepreneurs focuses on the barriers to growth the individual entrepreneurs and their firm's experience or their lack of resources such as economic or social capital. Our mixed-methods study—integrating qualitative and quantitative research findings—highlights differences in how Latino entrepreneurs of large, scaled firms differ in their approach when compared to Latino business owners of smaller firms. Moreover, we find differences in how Latino entrepreneurs approach sense of community, belongingness, and humility when operating their businesses, which differs from non-Latino, Anglo entrepreneurs in the U.S. While our qualitative findings highlight the salient traits—sense of community, belongingness, and humility—with Latino business owners of scaled firms, our quantitative findings show trends that highlight clear differences between Latinos and Anglo business owners. Also noted in our findings is that Anglos continue to financially outperform minority entrepreneurs, including Latinos.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2015, English

In an age of infinite storytelling possibilities in traditional mediums as well as those heretofore unimagined, Latino narratives are exemplary for their use of intermediality. Intermediality is a way of understanding the relationships between two or more media either within a single text or artifact and/or in two or more texts or artifacts presented in different media. Intermedial storytelling transgresses media boundaries in order to engage both targeted and more diffuse audiences. The twenty-first century has seen the movement of a significant presence of Latinos into the cultural mainstream. Dynamic changes in demographics throughout the United States have served as a catalyst for the creation and development of works by and about Latinos, who have steadily gained recognition for their diverse roles as authors, artists, and ardent consumers of American culture. This demographic growth brings with it the opportunity and the need to study the rich and evolving traditions of Latino narrative, and to situate those traditions in the broader context afforded by Latino cultural production, including Latino contributions to visual culture. Manifold Imaginaries explores intermedial storytelling in literary works, television programs, and graphic narratives by and about Latinos. My analysis uses a working definition of “intermediality” that includes the mention and use of other media within a single text, as well as the ways stories are told and interpreted across media to engage audiences in strategic and transgressive ways that suggest diverse storytelling impulses and representations of Latinos. Thus in the first chapter I posit that Ana Castillo's novel So Far From God can be read as a Latin American telenovela and that, as such, the novel attempts strategic empathetic engagement with audiences familiar with the genre. In a different example, from my second chapter, I examine the 2013 FX television series The Bridge and consider how the show's “e-boo (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2010, Sociology

The emergence of new Latino destination cities over the 1990s presents a host of unanswered questions about neighborhood violent crime rates. While past neighborhood crime studies have found little or no evidence of an association between Latino immigrant concentration and violent crime in multiple cities, contemporary studies of neighborhood violent crime do not consider how varying characteristics of cities in which neighborhoods are embedded have a bearing on immigrant composition and violent crime. The current project uses the Neighborhood Change Database and the National Neighborhood Crime Study to examine the relationship between Latino migration and neighborhood violent crime in cities that vary according to their histories with Latino migration. Using multilevel modeling techniques, this analysis demonstrates that the effects of social disorganization and Latino population characteristics on neighborhood violence are significantly influenced by city-level Latino population growth.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2009, ED Teaching and Learning (Columbus campus)

Many students are being taught by teachers who have little background in the children's culture and language. This study explored how authentic ethnic literature could supplement core curriculum in the classroom in an effort to help teachers and students connect across their cultural and linguistic differences. This was a study of fifth-grade students' responses to two different types of text. The two White (not Hispanic or Latino) fifth-grade teachers read aloud all stories to their classes of predominantly Mexican-American students. Following each whole-group read-aloud lesson, each teacher gave six students in their respective classes an opportunity to meet as a small group. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the basal reading program on the teacher-led whole group discussions and the differences between whole group and peer group literature discussions of two different types of text. The eight-month research process revealed answers to these questions that can be contextualized in the light of the influence of laws, district mandates, and scripted curriculum.Both fifth-grade teachers relied on core curriculum directives when reading aloud and leading whole class literature discussions around multicultural stories included in the basal. Pacing demands eclipsed expansion of literary understanding negotiated between teachers and students during class discussions. However, implementation of the core curriculum varied significantly between the two classrooms. Latino picture book read-alouds and discussion reflected a transfer of core curriculum directives. Peer group discussions demonstrated similarities to whole class discussions with regard to topics of discussion. Significant differences between peer group discussions and whole class discussions included negotiation of meaning among students, sophisticated critique of illustrations and sustained reading for enjoyment. Peer group discussions of Latino picture books were characterized by enth (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2011, English (Rhetoric and Writing)

This pilot study investigates the current state of Latino/a students in higher education and first-year writing (FYW) programs in the United States. This project explores if and how FYW programs address the literacy skills of second generation Latino/as who speak either Spanish or variations of Spanish and English, or who speak only English. I hypothesized in the beginning of this project that the contributing factors to Latino/as' poor academic performance may stem from some educators, policy makers, and political leaders overlooking students' cultural differences. This hypothesis led me to explore the following research questions: (RQ #1) How and why are Latino/as struggling in higher education? (RQ #2) How do Latino/as confront the problems that they encounter in higher education? (RQ #3) What happens to Latino/as' identities when they realize that their family or home culture differs from the academic or school culture? (RQ #4) Do writing programs show awareness of diverse populations? For instance, do they emphasize language diversity in their curricula and policies? (RQ #5) Do writing programs address the needs of minorities and Latino/a students? For instance, do they offer a support group for minorities and/or Latino/a students? (RQ #6) Do WPAs know how successful their writing programs are for minorities and Latino/a students? For instance, do they know if minorities and Latino/a students are doing well in their writing courses? An examination of published research focusing on academic, linguistic, and cultural issues in higher education and FYW helped identify specific problems that Latino/a students encounter in U.S. colleges/universities. Additionally, I developed 13 survey questions for Writing Program Administrators (WPA) intended to provide evidence of Research Questions 4, 5, and 6. The final chapter of this project details conclusions from the study, discusses implications for FYW programs based on the scholarship and data gathered, and provides rec (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2009, Cross-Cultural, International Education

This mixed method study was conducted with formal and nonformal educators and Latino families in Northwest Ohio to discern the educational, social and health needs that are specific to the Latino migrant community in Northwest Ohio. This study examined the perceptions of educational, health and socio-economic factors held by non-formal and formal educators who work with the Latino migrant community. Additionally, the Mexican educational system, the American educational and Latino cultural educational theories are contrasted. Results from this study show that formal and nonformal educators may not have similar perceptions regarding the needs of the Latino migrant community or Latino migrant students who attend public schools. Further, dissimilar cultural variances exist between Latino families in the U.S. and American educators which may hinder Latino student educational performance. Moreover, lack of access to information commonly assessed by the dominant culture in the U.S, including schools and health care may further deter the academic career of Latino students in American schools.

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2009, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

Much has been written on gay identity development and ethnic identity, but research conducted that examines the cross-section of both identities is very limited. Several theories have been proposed which detail gay and lesbian identity development, which involve a conversion of attitudes, values, beliefs, and behavior from a dominant heterosexual culture to those of the minority gay and lesbian culture. Likewise, ethnic identity models propose similar stage sequential processes and conversion from a dominant Anglo culture to those of a minority ethnic culture. Both the ethnic and gay identity development models function and are based on two dichotomous variables (e.g., Latino and Anglo, gay and nongay) and have been considered constructs on a continuum with two mutual endpoints. As a result, gay and lesbian people of color may end up rejecting one side and accepting the other. Morales (1990) suggested that Latino gay men live their lives in the gay community, the Latino community, and in the predominantly heterosexual white mainstream community, and that all of these communities have different expectations. The differences and stress often force Latino men into conflict as they attempt to meet the pressures, expectations and challenges. For many Latino gay men, managing these differences may determine how they choose to self-identify and how they identify with each of their other respective identities. This qualitative study examined and analyzed transcripts of interviews with Latino gay men, as they told their unique and heartfelt stories and experiences of being Latino and gay. It also examined the psychological stressors, and how they were instrumental in the manner in which they managed and maintained their identities in the Latino community, the gay community, and in the heterosexual community. The electronic version of this dissertation is available in the open-access OhioLink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/etd

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch New England: Marriage and Family Therapy

Parentification, or parent-child role reversal, occurs when children and adolescents take on parental responsibilities within the family (Boszormenyi-Nagy & Spark, 1973). This can include caring for younger siblings, attending to their parents' emotional needs, and assisting with tasks such as translation. Parentification disrupts family dynamics as parents transfer significant responsibilities to the child (Martino & Coburn, 2022). Extensive research consistently demonstrates the negative impact of parentification on children, leading to depression, suicidal feelings, shame, guilt, worry, and social isolation (Jurkovic, 1997). It can also contribute to the development of conduct disorders. Unfortunately, these difficulties often go unnoticed. However, when it comes to language brokering, which can be viewed as a similar experience to parentification as indicated by research, it can yield some positive results, such as developing new skills, improving self-esteem, and contributing to family survival (Kam et al., 2017; Martino & Coburn, 2022). Limited research exists on factors that alleviate the impact of parentification in Latine and Hispanic households, and despite its potential harm, parentification is often rationalized by families for various reasons. Familismo, a cultural value emphasizing loyalty and community within the family (Ayon et al., 2010) may play a significant role in the experiences of Latine parentified individuals. Familismo promotes unity, support, and loyalty within the family, resulting in enhanced self-esteem, a strong sense of belonging, and deep respect for the cultural community and family members (Fuligni et al., 1999; Ayon et al., 2010, Montero & Ceballo, 2021; Walker et al., 2022). This quantitative study demonstrates that familismo acts as a moderator in the relationship between parentification and depression. Specifically, this study reveals that higher levels of familismo weaken the link between parentification and depression. This d (open full item for complete abstract)

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Leadership and Change

This dissertation connects the recent DEIB movement within organizations to larger social justice movements, specifically those that impact workers and the workplace. Critical human resource development (CHRD) professionals, who serve as “insider activists”, are highlighted due to their work to continue movement objectives within organizations. Through testimonios and critical platicas, this study explores how Black and Latino/x LGBTQ+ CHRD professionals, in particular, are experiencing the workplace, especially as it relates to their engagement with how DEIB is practiced within organizations. Through this study, these professionals provide insights into the ways that workplaces can be redesigned and reimagined to be more critically conscious and equitable spaces, especially for those from marginalized backgrounds. Their reflections can work to enhance the ways that DEIB is practiced within organizations. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Leadership and Change

The following autoethnographic dissertation examines my personal experiences of trauma, abuse, and violence. Drawing on journals, memories, and artifacts from my life, I use self-reflection to illustrate the impacts of trauma on my childhood and adulthood. My traumatic experiences of sexual abuse, childhood violence, and emotional abuse are situated within broader sociocultural contexts of masculinity, Hispanic culture, and social norms. This study illuminates possibilities for healing and transformation for myself and others with shared traumatic backgrounds. It calls for trauma-informed education, masculinity, and resiliency. Evocatively sharing my traumatic life events provides an accessible window into often silenced experiences, bearing witness to injustice while offering empathy, connection, and hope. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu/) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu/).

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch New England: Marriage and Family Therapy

This qualitative study aims to explore the unique experiences and challenges faced by Latino Caribbean cisgender gay men within their cultural and social contexts. Using focus group and thematic analysis, the researcher examines the narratives and perspectives of a diverse sample of Latino Caribbean cisgender gay men (n = 6) to gain insights into their sexual identity process, cultural influences, family dynamics, and support systems utilizing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as the methodological framework. The researcher's findings highlight the themes of Awareness of Sexual Identity, Visibility Management, Spanish Caribbean Families' Influences, Being True to Oneself, and Positive Experiences & Role Models as key factors influencing the participants' experiences. These findings underscore the importance of understanding the intersections between sexual and cultural identities for Latino Caribbean cisgender gay men. The participants navigate the complex process of self-acceptance and disclosure while balancing cultural expectations and societal norms. The role of family and community support emerges as both a source of strength and potential challenge in their journeys of self-exploration and acceptance. The findings shed light on the need to research the sexual identity process for Caribbean LGBTQ+ individuals, couples, and families within a social justice framework. These findings highlight the importance of creating inclusive spaces, promoting visibility, and providing culturally sensitive support services to address the unique needs of this population. And contribute to the existing literature on sexual identity development, cultural diversity, and family dynamics, and provide insights that can inform interventions, policies, and practices aimed at promoting the well-being and empowerment of Latino Caribbean LGBTQ+ individuals.

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2023, Educational Administration

In Indiana, higher education and postsecondary degrees are not accessible to all. Indiana is one of eight states with legislation specifically prohibiting offering in-state tuition rates and state financial aid to immigrant students not legally residing in the country. (U.S. 2023). This makes college unaffordable for thousands of undocumented people in Indiana (USA Facts, 2020). The Indiana Latino Institute (ILI) is a nonprofit organization actively working to address the negative impact of Indiana's 2011 House Bill 1402 which explicitly prohibits public colleges from offering in-state tuition rates for all undocumented immigrants. This dissertation in practice examines the impact of Indiana's 2011 House Bill 1402 on individuals through qualitative interviews and provides a plan of action for community leaders, stakeholders, and higher education institutions who are receiving triple the amount of tuition payments from undocumented students (Indiana Colleges, 2023). Four themes were evident after conducting and analyzing the nine interviews with individuals who indicated that they have been personally impacted by the 2011 Indiana House Bill 1402. The themes presented are as follows: impact on mental health and self-worth, financial impact, personal immigration story and Indiana's perspective on immigrants and, lastly, the positive value of education for each participant. This study starts by declaring that in Indiana, college and postsecondary degrees are not accessible to all. This statement is supported throughout this study as undocumented, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students have not had the same opportunity to pursue higher education. An interview participant questioned why Indiana would keep someone who wanted to pursue an education from doing so, and this is a valid question that Indiana legislators and leaders need to ask themselves to enter the 2024 legislative session.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, Spanish and Portuguese

Within the area of Language and Healthcare, it is common to focus on the English pronunciation of the Spanish-speaking patient and how health professionals perceive it. Because of this, less attention has been paid to how Spanish-speaking patients perceive the Spanish foreign accent of their healthcare providers and how this perception affects the patient-health professional relation. My dissertation engages this relation and examines the impact of a healthcare provider's second language (L2) pronunciation on the perception of a foreign accent by native Spanish-speaking patients and analyzes the effect of the healthcare provider's speech on the level of patient's perception of reliability. Moreover, this dissertation analyzes the impact of second language level as a variable to examine the effect of the healthcare provider's proficiency on the perceived foreign accent and perceived reliability. This dissertation examines the effect of three pronunciation features of L2 Spanish of L1 English speakers: voice onset time in voiceless stops, vowel centralization in unstressed syllables, and lateral velarization in coda position (Gonzalez-Bueno 1997, Schoonmaker-Gates 2005a, Schoonmaker-Gates 2005b, Whitley 2002, Schwegler, Kempff, and Ameal-Guerra 2010, Solon 2015, Byers and Yavas 2016, Martinez Celdran and Elvira-Garcia 2019). The goal of this investigation is to determine to what extent these pronunciation features impact the perception of foreign-accented speech and the degree of reliability assigned by Spanish-speaking Latino patients to health care providers based on the domain of their L2 Spanish pronunciation. The results for foreign accent perception show that long voice-onset time duration and lateral velarization in coda position impact the perception of foreign-accented speech in a language-concordant context. The results also show that vowel centralization does not impact the perception of the foreign accent. That is, these findings provide evidence that t (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2022, Educational Leadership

This study examines the experiences of National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) Black and Brown students with their fraternity/sorority advisor at a historically white institution. The research focuses on identifying the impact of the advisor's identities on students' sense of belonging on campus and within the fraternity and sorority community. Literature around Black and Latinx students experiences at historically white institutions, the history of the NPHC and NALFO, sense of belonging, mentorship and race-matching, and fraternity and sorority advisor cultural competency lay a foundation for this study. A mixed methods approach utilizing a convergent methods design is applied to analyze both the qualitative and quantitative data collected. From the study, four themes emerged; the importance of the network, othermothering and the multiple roles of the Black woman, the individual versus the office, and forced leadership and the spotlight. These themes allowed the researcher to construct an action plan based on modernist, symbolic, post- modern, and leadership theories for organizational improvement.

Master of Arts, Case Western Reserve University, 2021, Psychology

Latinx youth in the United States report higher levels of internalizing symptoms than their White non-Latinx counterparts. Culturally unique factors and values such as language proficiency and use, respeto, familismo, religiosity and spirituality, gender role beliefs, and U.S.-centered acculturative gaps have been shown to be associated with internalizing symptomatology. However, intergenerational discrepancies in these culturally-based factors require further examination in Latinx adolescents. This study explored the relationship between cultural factors and intergenerational cultural differences on adolescent internalizing symptoms. An online survey (N = 91) included a racially and ethnically diverse sample of Latinx adolescents between the ages of 11 - 16 (mean = 14, SD = 1.27) and one of their parents.. Responses indicated that the association between cultural factors on internalizing symptoms may in part be explained by intergenerational differences in English language use and proficiency, intergenerational interpersonal religious struggles, and U.S.-centered acculturative gaps.

BS, Kent State University, 2021, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Anthropology

In a world of countless identities, people often face challenges when forming their own. These identities are enriched and influenced by many sources. When forming one's identity, some people face the challenge of belonging to several groups that overlap. One such example is the Latin@ communities and the LGBTQ+ communities. These intersecting identities are elaborately intertwined and require a lens that examines this overlap. The theory of intersectionality is the primary lens used in this thesis. The goal of this research is to answer the question: How do Latin@ people who belong within the LGBTQ+ community negotiate their intersecting identities?

Bachelor of Arts, Wittenberg University, 2019, English

This thesis explores how Sandra Cisneros's writing uses the reinterpretation of myths to more fully realize mestiza identity. It uses Gloria Anzaldua's model of "the Coatlicue State" to explain how Cisneros addresses women's ownership of their sexuality in her novel The House on Mango Street and in three short stories. The Coatlicue State reflects the subterranean aspects of one's identity that are repressed by the societal and cultural milieu and encourages movement towards a reconciliation the the repressed parts of the self and an embrace of all parts of a mestiza's mix of identities. Anzaldua sees this integration of the self in mythic terms, regarding the tropes of la Llorona, la Malinche, and the Virgin of Guadalupe as dismembered versions of Coatlicue. Cisneros's characters exist is cultural circumstances where these tropes influence their ways of being. In The House on Mango Street, Esperanza begins to escape the traps of cultural mythologies by writing her own story, defining herself as a way of leaving behind mythic scripts enforced on women in her community. In "Never Marry a Mexican," Clemencia demonstrates the danger of what happens when Anzaldua's Coatlicue State is perverted; in it, she claims sexual agency by asserting dominance, reversing but still recreating oppressive dynamics. In "One Holy Night," Cisneros highlights the shame that a woman is expected to feel about expressing her sexuality. Rather than feeling ashamed, as authority figures in her life expect, the narrator's sexual awakening prompts an intellectual awakening in which she is able to better understand the world around her. In "Woman Hollering Creek," Felice shows that not only must destructive mythologies be reinterpreted, the reinterpretations must be shared for the empowerment of others.

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2020, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

A nurturing and engaging environment within the family often leads to enhanced student performance. Nonetheless, the education system continues to struggle to connect with families from racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse groups, particularly parents with limited English proficiency or those who have children in special education programs. Amplified difficulties may arise because children with identified special needs—such as physical impairments, learning deficiencies, or developmental disabilities—require additional support, interventions, parental support, and/or services. As the nation attempts to mainstream children in public education and provide them support, Mexican immigrant families in many cases remain underrepresented, or they fall into greater risk due to financial instability, poor communication, and cultural barriers. This qualitative research utilizes a phenomenological approach to explore the experiences of Mexican immigrant families who have identified special needs children; specifically, the study seeks to draw out information regarding possible added hardship and burden compared to their White counterparts. A review of the literature will bring an awareness of the existing hardships or obstacles, as well as possible future actions of intervention within the special education systems when interacting with these families. This will point to supportive social transformation for those lacking social and economic privileges, as well as modify and possibly identify missing links among the broken chain of services in special education, allowing for new provisions to serve children with identified special needs. This information will also be useful to implement acculturation and empowerment tools to support families of children with identified special needs. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2020, Communication

Americans must constantly navigate a news environment in which political elites seek to influence their opinion on a whole host of issues. One prominent strategy used by elites is the use of “frames” in messages, which selectively highlight relevant considerations in order to persuade individuals. There is a large body of work demonstrating the prevalence of framing effects. But much of this work has focused on monolingual speakers of English. In the research reported here, we examine the extent to which (1) Spanish-English bilinguals, who are non-native speakers of English, are susceptible to framing and (2) whether acculturation, or the degree to which a person is immersed into a new culture, moderates framing effects. We find that individuals who are high on acculturation are more likely to demonstrate framing effects. Our findings have implications for understanding how frames influence non-native English speakers in the US.