Description
Community colleges serve as the primary pathway into public postsecondary education, not only for Latino students in general, but particularly for Latino men. However, while the majority of Latino males enroll in two-year colleges, a vast number of them do not attain their educational goals. Thus, if community colleges are to be successful in supporting Latino men towards degree completion and transfer, a better understanding of this population is needed. This study seeks to fill this void by providing insight into factors that may serve to influence sense of belonging among Latino men in community colleges. The goal of this quantitative study was to create a model of sense of belonging for Latino males that may guide institutional leaders in developing interventions and policies that support their success. Findings from the analysis revealed background, environmental, academic, social, and institutional factors that positively and negatively predicted sense of belonging among Latino men in community college. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed.
