Hispanic/Latinx STEM Majors Applying to Graduate School: The Role of Family, Peers, and Undergraduate Research Programs in Facilitating Community Cultural Wealth

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the critical transition from undergraduate to graduate biomedical education and focuses on Hispanic/Latinx students who participated in a biomedical undergraduate research program at a Hispanic-Serving Institution located on the US-Mexico border. We use the community cultural wealth (CCW) framework to analyze 13 qualitative interviews about students’ experiences applying to graduate school in biomedical fields and how different program activities allowed students to navigate the graduate school application process. Our findings suggest that different programmatic activities (research experiences, research mentorship, workshops, family involvement, and advising) facilitated students’ graduate school application process by enhancing different types of cultural capital: aspirational, familial, social, navigational, and resistant.

KEYWORDS:

• Undergraduate research experiences
• graduate school
• Hispanic
• Latinx
• HSI

Introduction

There is currently a national shortage of biomedical researchers in the US, and the inclusion of underrepresented minorities (URM) is still far too low (Oh et al., 2015). In particular, there is only 8.3% of biomedical scientist are Hispanic/Latinx and that percentage has stayed below 10% over the last ten years (The Career Expert, 2022). Research evidence suggests that undergraduate research programs are an effective mechanism to improve students’ science identity (Adedokun et al., 2014; Burgin et al., 2015; Daniels et al., 2016), research self-efficacy (Fakayode et al., 2014; Junge et al., 2010), and specific research skills (Morales et al., 2018; Thiry & Laursen, 2011), particularly for Hispanic/Latinx students. These affective characteristics are known to be associated with retention in biomedical research careers, and thus they are important indicators of success in biomedical graduate programs (Villarejo et al., 2008). Research also suggests that after participation in an undergraduate research program, students report more interest in attending graduate school (Carpi et al., 2017; Eagan et al., 2011; González, 2006; Russell et al., 2007). The combination of affective outcomes and increased interest are of fundamental importance, given that many undergraduate research programs’ central goal is to encourage their participants to apply and gain admission to graduate school and equip students with the tools to thrive during the most critical first two years. However, details about what programmatic aspects are most effective to prepare participants, especially Hispanic/Latinx¹ students, for success in biomedical graduate education remain scattered.

To fill this gap, this study examines the critical transition from undergraduate to graduate biomedical education with a focus on Hispanic/Latinx students who participated in a biomedical undergraduate research program at a Hispanic-Serving Institution located on the US-Mexico border. Specifically, we conducted and analyzed 13 interviews to understand how the research program helped participating students build their community cultural wealth Yosso (2005) and how they utilized programmatic experiences when applying to graduate school.

Literature review

Undergraduate research programs

Undergraduate research programs are formal programs designed to support aspiring undergraduate scientists through financial assistance, networking opportunities, and direct undergraduate research experiences. These undergraduate research programs are high-impact educational activities proven to retain URM students in STEM degrees, including those pursuing biomedical majors. These programs have been successful at increasing students’ science self-efficacy (Junge et al., 2010), and personal and professional gains (Hunter et al., 2007; Seymour et al., 2004). After belonging to an undergraduate research program, a high percentage of students reported a higher likelihood of STEM degree retention (Doerschuk et al., 2016) and intent to attend graduate school (Carpi et al., 2017; Doerschuk et al., 2016; Russell et al., 2007).

For Hispanic/Latinx students in undergraduate research programs researchers, have found that women expressed more comfort with mentoring relationships when the mentors answered questions (Daniels et al., 2019) and were of the same gender (Daniels et al., 2019; Morales et al., 2018) and that those who received higher-quality mentorship and resources had greater gains in areas such as thinking and working like a scientist and research skills (Daniels et al., 2016). A study focused on Latina women found that family plays an important role in student development as a source of motivation in particular for their STEM development (Rodriguez et al., 2021).

Latinx in graduate school

There are a few research studies focused on underrepresented minorities concerning their graduate school choice (Ramirez, 2011, 2013) or experiences in their first year of graduate school (Gildersleeve et al., 2011; González, 2006; Ramirez, 2014). Moreover, the findings of these studies are highly relevant to programs serving URM students. When choosing graduate programs, Ramirez (2013) found that Hispanic/Latinx students considered several factors such as location (proximity to home), faculty influences, financial considerations, campus climate concerns, and circumscribed that the choice is mediated by race, class, and gender. However, the majority of studies of Latinx in graduate school have focused on the experiences in graduate school but not on the experiences of applying to graduate school. Gildersleeve et al. (2011) utilized critical race theory to examine students of color’s experiences in graduate school and found that they often relied on peer support networks to help them process the “normative and exceptional racial aggression occurrences in their doctoral experiences that were often racialized and isolating” (p. 105). Similarly, Ramirez (2014) found that Hispanic/Latinx students often experienced isolation, alienation, and different forms of microaggressions in graduate school.

Studies have shown how critical it is for students to have support systems when applying to graduate school (González, 2006; Sanchez & Ek, 2013). Researchers have argued that students often lack institutional support when applying to graduate school (Espino, 2014; Ramirez, 2011). Ramirez (2011) found that underrepresented minorities participating in undergraduate research programs had a better understanding of the graduate school application process. However, that was a quantitative study, and it did not address the reasons behind the higher levels of participation. Clearly, more research is needed in order to identify and understand the specific components and experiences of undergraduate research programs that allow students to enhance the skills needed to successfully apply and enter graduate school. In this study, we seek to explore how an undergraduate research program focused on biomedical sciences, helped students employ community cultural wealth and enrich the various forms of capital during the graduate school application process.

Theoretical framework

In this study, we used the community cultural wealth (CCW) theoretical framework (Yosso, 2005). CCW draws from critical race theory (CRT) and focuses on asset-based thinking around communities of color. Deficit thinking assumes that minority students come to school without the necessary resources to succeed, but, in contrast, asset-based thinking recognizes the considerable set of skills and resources minority students bring to programs. There are five tenets that inform CRT, which are described as: (1) intercentricity of race and racism focusing on multiple forms of oppression; (2) challenging dominant ideology claiming racial objectivity, meritocracy, colorblindness, and equal opportunity; (3) commitment to social justice and racial emancipation; (4) recognition of the strength of experiential knowledge of people of color; and (5) utilization of a transdisciplinary perspective (Solorzano, 1998). Research that follows these tenets must listen to the voices of people of color. Consequently, CCW is “an array of knowledge, skills, abilities, and contacts possessed and utilized by Communities of Color to survive and resist macro and micro-forms of oppression” (Yosso, 2005, p. 77).

There are six forms of CCW – aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational, and resistant capital. Each one of them is briefly described in Table 1 using Yosso’s (2005) definitions: (1) Aspirational capital is about holding hopes and dreams beyond one’s circumstances; (2) Linguistic capital is based on the intellectual and social skills based on communications at home in two languages or more; (3) Familial capital is based on cultural knowledge nurtured through the connections of familia (kin). Such connections bring “a sense of community history, memory, and cultural intuition. This form of cultural wealth engages a commitment to community well-being and expands the concept of family to include a more [sic] broad understanding of kinship” (p. 79); (4) Social capital includes access to networks and community resources. Navigating institutions is a result of having communication strategies with networks of peer and social contacts, especially in more than one language; (5) Navigational capital is the ability to maneuver through social institutions that present constraints against people of color. Navigating stressful, oppressive experiences within such institutional systems may foster resilience of “inner resources, social competencies and cultural strategies permitting individuals to not only survive, recover, or even thrive after stressful events but also to draw from the experience to enhance subsequent functioning” (p. 80); and (6) Resistant capital utilizes knowledge and skills to confront, communicate, and challenge institutional oppression, such as racism, sexism, and classism. While there are definitions for each form of capital, Yosso (2005) notes that they are “not mutually exclusive or static, but rather are dynamic processes that build on one another as part of community cultural wealth” (p. 77).

Table 1. Forms of capital derived from community cultural wealth.

Community Cultural Wealth	Definition
Aspirational	Holding hopes and dreams beyond one’s circumstances.
Linguistic	Based on the intellectual and social skills gained because of communications at home in two languages or more.
Familial	Based on cultural knowledge nurtured through the connections of familia (kin).
Social	Access to networks and community resources.
Navigational	The ability to maneuver through social institutions, presenting constraints against people of color.
Resistant	Utilizes knowledge and skills to confront, communicate, and challenge institutional oppression, such as racism, sexism, and classism.

A number of researchers have used CCW as a theoretical and methodological tool to examine the experiences of underrepresented minorities in K-12 schooling (Aragon, 2018; Gonzales, 2012; Liou et al., 2009, 2016; Murillo et al., 2017) and in college (Jayakumar et al., 2013; Luna & Martinez, 2013; Monarrez et al., 2019; Ovink & Veazey, 2011; Pérez, 2014; Samuelson & Litzler, 2016). For example, Aragon (2018) found that messages of aspirational hope, inspiration, and resistant intelligence from the family of Hispanic/Latinx students were crucial in their schooling. Cultural values have also been found to be central to students’ success (Gonzales, 2012). In addition, it is important that there is an anti-deficit pedagogy in the classroom where teachers cultivate high aspirations for the students (Liou et al., 2009, 2016). Research suggests that once minority students enter college, they face barriers due to a lack of institutional support (Ovink & Veazey, 2011). To succeed in graduate school, students often draw from linguistic, resistant, and navigational capital (Pérez, 2014; Samuelson & Litzler, 2016).

There have been some research on different forms of CCW utilized by students in STEM environments, (Denton et al., 2020; Samuelson & Litzler, 2016) and pre-service science teachers (Monarrez et al., 2019) but most focused on engineering students and have not examined experiences of students at HSIs (Denton et al., 2020). For example, Mobley and Brawner (2019) found that engineering transfer students enacted different types of CCW such as aspirational and familial capital, but they needed more help navigating the institutional process as transfer students. Another study found that engineering students that persisted in their degree used family as a source of motivation and relied on faculty members for support and as sources of motivation (Dika et al., 2018). A quantitative study also found that engineering students have drawn from aspirational, familial and social capital (Dika et al., 2018). Revelo and Baber (2018) found that engineering students utilized their resistant capital by joining a student organization and doing community outreach. Other forms of resistance include disengaging from environments where individualistic and competitive values were encouraged (Rincón et al., 2020) and committing to social justice and highlighting their communities (Rincón & Rodriguez, 2021). Recently, a study focused on the challenges Latinx first-generation pre-med students faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that navigational and resistant capital were pivotal during the difficult application process (Garcia, 2022). However, no studies have this focus on CCW for a cohort of students at an undergraduate research program pursuing a degree in biomedical-related majors with aspirations to attend graduate school in the biomedical sciences. Thus, this study is poised to make a valuable contribution to this literature.

Methodology

We report findings from a qualitative study with students in an undergraduate research program at a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) located on the U.S.-Mexico border. Over 80% of the student population at the HSI identifies as Hispanic/Latinx, and a high percentage is bilingual, which is representative of the population in the region. The institutional review board of the HSI approved the study. We contacted students from the first cohort of the undergraduate research program who had transitioned or were close to transitioning to graduate school for a qualitative interview.

EXCEL program

EXCEL is the pseudonym of a biomedical undergraduate research program designed around student assets with the goal of preparing highly motivated students to apply to biomedical graduate programs and pursue a biomedical research career. For example, students received a tuition scholarship that covered 30 credit/hours per year plus a monthly stipend. Students conducted research with a faculty mentor at the home institution during the academic year and were often guided by graduate students and/or post-doctoral fellows within the faculty mentor’s research group. Students also attended several workshops related to graduate school, including one on GRE preparation, one on Requirements to Apply to Graduate School, and one on The Graduate School Interview. In addition, each summer, students had the opportunity to conduct research at one of the program’s multiple partner research universities and, upon their return to the home institution, presented a research poster at a local symposium. Throughout the program, students were encouraged to ask their parents to participate in information sessions and special ceremonies and to be in close contact with the program staff if they had questions. To summarize, EXCEL participants received more than financial support from the program; they also became part of a community of peers, families of their peers, staff, faculty mentors, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and program directors.

Participants & procedure

During the Fall 2019 semester, students from the first cohort of the EXCEL program who had graduated were invited to meet with the research team for the interviews. The first two authors of this article conducted the interviews. They set a time and location for each interview and provided the consent form at the start of the interview; if the student was not in town for the interview, a time was set up for a phone call to be made by the interviewer. If the interview was conducted by phone, the student received the consent form and returned it signed via e-mail. Interviews were conducted in private rooms either over the phone or in person. Thirteen (13) students who were in graduate school or close to the transition to graduate school agreed to participate in the interview. Six (6) students were interviewed in person and seven (7) by phone. Table 2 shows the demographic information of the 13 students who were interviewed. Their majors were as follows (number of students in parenthesis): biochemistry (1), chemistry (2), biological sciences (3), cellular and molecular biochemistry (2), psychology (2), and mechanical engineering with a biomedical engineering minor (1). All thirteen students identified as Latinx/Hispanic. In addition, three (3) students were considered first-generation to attend college, eight (8) were not first generation, and two (2) did not provide an answer. We considered a student to be a first generation college student if neither of their parents completed a four-year college or university degree, thus for those that are not considered first generation either one parent or both parents completed a four-year college or university degree based on the information provided by the students. With a similar approach, we counted how many students were the first in their family to complete a graduate school degree. Seven (7) were first generation graduate students, four (4) were not first generation graduate students, and two (2) did not provide an answer. Interviews lasted approximately 1 hour and were digitally recorded and transcribed. The interview protocol asked students to talk about their family background, how they applied to graduate school, and experiences during their undergraduate years. Each student was given a pseudonym to ensure confidentiality.

Table 2. Demographic information of research participants.

Pseudonym	English First language?	First-generation college	First-generation graduate student	Graduate Degree Sought and Carnegie Classification of Graduate Institution
Estefan	No answer	No answer	No answer	Ph.D. at R1
Victoria	No	No	Yes	Ph.D. at R1
Lucas	Yes	No	No	Ph.D. at R1
Sara	Yes	No	Yes	Ph.D. at Special focus-Medical School
Pedro	No answer	No answer	No answer	Ph.D. at Special focus- Medical School
Pablo	No	Yes	Yes	Ph.D. at R1
Ilene	No	No	No	Masters at R1
Mariana	Yes	No	Yes	Masters at R2
Sofia	No	Yes	Yes	Post-bac at a Medical Research Center
Karen	Yes	No	No	Post-bac at a Medical Research Center
Luciana	No	Yes	Yes	Industry, applying to Ph.D. programs
Adrian	No	No	Yes	Industry, applying to Ph.D. programs
Antonio	No	No	No	Industry, accepted to Masters

Data analysis

Interview data were analyzed using a cyclical process (Saldaña, 2016) with both open and focused codes to look for patterns, themes, and codes in the data. We were searching for instances in which students discussed the community cultural wealth they had drawn from when applying to graduate school. The first two authors of this paper coded all the transcribed data and then discussed it with the rest of the team. In order to reach a consensus, the research team held several meetings where excerpts from student interviews were shared. All transcribed interview data were analyzed using NVivo qualitative software. The themes in this paper relate to the ways in which students make sense of their experiences in college and the EXCEL program and how those experiences influenced the graduate school application process.

Findings

In this section, we present findings to show how the EXCEL program facilitated students’ graduate school application process and how it enhanced different forms of capital: familial, navigational, social, aspirational, and resistant. Figure 1 shows a representation of our findings, where we view the students’ path from the EXCEL program to graduate school. From left to right, Figure 1 shows the trajectory of a student through the training program. First at the institution, then going through the interventions, that then lead to the development cyclically of the CCW elements and then into a research trajectory. While some students started the program as entering freshman, others started the program as sophomores, or juniors. The longer in the program, the more programmatic activities were available to students. However, academic year and summer research at partner institutions as well as all relevant graduate school-related workshops were available to all the students interviewed. These forms of capital were enhanced by the program’s activities and the research program benefits from the students.

Figure 1. Results representation. Connection between undergraduate research program elements and CCW elements for Hispanic/LatinX students in their path to graduate school.

The students’ graduate school application process includes the decision to apply to graduate school, the choice of graduate programs, preparation of the graduate program application materials, and receiving acceptance notices. Their narratives show how different aspects of the program enhanced their capitals and thus helped them with the application process.

Familial capital: learning together

When asked about whether their parents helped them in their decision, everyone said that while their parents did not understand what they were doing, they were highly supportive of their decision but also raised some concerns. For all these students, going away from home to attend graduate school was the first time that they moved away from home for more than ten weeks (the length of the EXCEL summer research programs) since they lived with their parents during their undergraduate years. Sofia, who was doing a post-baccalaureate program at a medical research center, recalled that “Moving out was definitely one of the concerns for my parents. How would I be safe? Who would be looking out for me? How would I be able to handle living alone? And would I be able to make networks and friend groups and people who would keep an eye out for me?” Her parents were aware that Sofia would need some support networks based on their experiences with the research program.

They’ve been to the EXCEL trainings for the parents as well, so they kind of know we need to support. And I think the EXCEL program has been just incredible, especially even for my parents. They’ve learned so much, and they’ve even told me, “Remember what [program director] said about impostor syndrome,” they’re like, “Remember what she said” and I’m like, “Wow.”

Sofia’s comment about her family involvement with the research program shows how the intervention helped her family understand more about biomedical research careers. It provided family members with the necessary tools to support the students. It also provided parents with a framework to figure out how to let their children go despite their concerns.

Other students drew from their familial capital by taking into consideration their family’s advice. For example, Mariana, a master’s student, said her parents always found ways to help fund her education and think about the school’s costs and living expenses. Because of this advice, Mariana ensured that she would get a teaching assistant position before enrolling at her school. Financial considerations have been shown to influence Hispanic/Latinx students’ decisions (Ramirez, 2013). Siblings were also another source of capital for students in the research program. Estefan, a Ph.D. student, relied on his sister, who did the same major as him and was in graduate school when he decided to apply to graduate school. Hispanic/Latinx students who attend these types of research programs may influence their siblings to continue by providing familial capital.

Navigational capital: navigating the process

Navigational capital was a concept that came up often when students were asked about their experiences in applying to graduate school. While the majority of the interviewed students were not first-generation college students, several were first-generation to apply to graduate programs. Thus, the EXCEL program provided the capital necessary to navigate the often confusing and overwhelming process of applying to graduate school. When asked about the process of choosing a Ph.D. program, Pablo said that the summer research experiences offered by EXCEL helped him make the decision, “I kind of based myself off of interests that I gained through research experiences.” Those summer experiences allowed Pablo to see different types of research projects and visit a diverse array of universities. Therefore, he was clear about the type of research he wanted to pursue when choosing a Ph.D. program. In other words, he benefited from the navigational capital he gained from research experiences provided by the EXCEL program.

The graduate school application process often involves filling out an online application, writing a statement of purpose, taking the GRE test, and obtaining letters of recommendation, which could be stressful and overwhelming for many students. However, several students mentioned that the process became more manageable because of their EXCEL experiences. The EXCEL program helped students build their navigational capital. For example, Mariana, who was enrolled in a master’s program, said about her application process experience: “I had already had a lot of practice because of the EXCEL workshop. I was kind of used to writing statements.” Mariana’s testimony demonstrates that the training she received from EXCEL made her more confident about the application process.

At the time of the interview, Luciana had already been accepted by several biomedical Ph.D. programs and was in the process of interviewing at others. When talking about the graduate program interview process, she echoed Mariana’s statement, “It wasn’t like something I wasn’t expecting. I feel like I already had been prepared for my interviews by just speaking to professors in the past and by the experience I gained with EXCEL.” It seems evident that undergraduate research programs designed to support underrepresented minorities assist students not only in the process of acquiring research skills but also in preparing them for graduate school.

Students may need further guidance when thinking through their educational programs options and choosing a program. For instance, Lucas, a Ph.D. student, said, “Going throughout this entire process was just difficult because I didn’t really know anything I was doing. I mean, you’re filling out a lot of forms, and you’re signing papers, and it’s difficult to navigate without guidance.” Lucas’ comment shows that students might need more mentoring support when applying to graduate school (Espino, 2014). While most of the comments were positive, students still felt anxiety due to the unknown steps in the application process.

There were also some critiques related to the application process stressed by the students during the interviews. For example, some students pointed out that they needed more financial support to apply to graduate school. This is due to the burden of application fees and other costs such as GRE and sending out transcripts. Victoria said, “They didn’t help with paying the fees … they paid our stipend and so technically they were giving us money, so technically we should use that money to pay the fee. Yes and no. I don’t think that’s fair for all of us.”

Other students felt that they needed guidance when looking for opportunities and programs as the majority of opportunities advertised were not for students majoring in social sciences. Numerous students said that they would have liked to have more information related to different graduate school programs, especially for students in social sciences majors who were also interested in conducting research related to biomedical fields. Ilene, a student in a masters’ program not related to biomedical science said, “I’m thankful for EXCEL. But I think they are not good at keeping like the social sciences – making sure that their social science students feel just as important as the other students.” Ilene mentioned that for her, graduate school was a big decision and she wanted to see other options for research, which is why she decided to do focus on something more “social rather than health-based.” For example, students recommended a workshop where advisors can talk to students about different programs, the schools they are applying to and why, and their research interests. They believed that it would ease the application process and remove any conflicting thoughts in regards to graduate school.

Social capital: creating a community

Students also frequently discussed the mentors they had during their time in the EXCEL program. Research mentors play a critical role when students are applying to graduate school, providing advice and other forms of support. The majority of the students utilized their social capital to ask their mentors for letters of recommendation for their application packages as well as advice about different programs. In addition, students stated that they are still in touch with mentors via e-mail. Effective faculty-undergraduate mentoring relationships significantly affect students’ pursuit of research careers (Thiry & Laursen, 2011).

Students also served as important forms of social capital for each other. This social capital formed as a result of students regularly meeting with other students to attend workshops, social events, work in the same laboratories, and/or travel together to summer research programs. These experiences allowed students to create deep connections with each other. They often texted each other and kept in touch, especially when applying to graduate school. Sara, a Ph.D. student, said:

Yeah, most of my cohorts that I talk to, we were all applying to grad school. It was about the same 8 schools, 10 schools, so we were all really stressed about it. So we just kind of talk to each other if we’re stuck like, how do you write this type of question? The school’s asking me for this. What do I do? So we just kind of hear them and ask each other things.

Sara highlighted that they were all “stressed,” but they helped each other by asking each other questions. This example reflects the community created between all the students, with EXCEL contributing to enhance their social capital. Several students attributed their success to their experiences in the EXCEL program. They utilized their social capital by getting together and by facilitating a workshop about their experiences applying to graduate school for current students. They asked the program directors if they could provide this workshop for other students since they had already been accepted to their Ph.D. programs. They wanted other students to have all the resources necessary for their graduate school application, such as how to get fee waivers, write a research statement, or a diversity statement since several of these students were the first generation in their families to go to graduate school. These were useful tools that they felt were needed for the other cohorts of students in the program.

Aspirational capital: building confidence

As mentioned previously, the program helped students navigate the process of applying to graduate school, thus enhancing their navigational capital. In addition, it facilitated relationships with other professors and other students, thus enriching their social capital. These sources of capital, along with the strong familial capital of most students, set the stage for building aspirational capital. When students questioned whether they belonged in several graduate school programs, a mentor or an advisor reassured them they did. For instance, when Pablo was looking for programs, he did not plan to apply to any Ivy League schools, but his research mentor encouraged him to do so,

So I applied to [four Ivy League Schools]. Those actually, I applied to a little bit later. That was mostly from a recommendation from the mentor that I had here at [my undergraduate university], who when I first went to him and asked him for a recommendation letter for these other places, he did kind of brave me a little bit in that okay, those are good schools, but where’s [Ivy League School Names]? Might as well apply for those if you can, and just to see what happens.

Pablo’s relationship with his mentor translated into tangible benefits. When asked about why he was hesitant to apply to those schools at first, he said that he didn’t believe that he could get accepted to those schools, but after further reflection, he said, “I didn’t realize how much of a leg up I kind of already had among the experiences that we get from EXCEL.” He attributed that reflection to his research mentor, pushing him to apply to those schools. Pablo’s story illustrates how some Hispanic/Latinx students may not feel confident to apply to the most prestigious schools. They often feel unqualified, even though, like in Pablo’s case, they have achieved substantial accomplishments.

Similarly, Victoria had some fears about applying to certain graduate programs, and then she talked to the program advisors:

With EXCEL and with EXCEL support, and Dr. Emily and Dr. Elise, I felt like I could do it. I felt like I shouldn’t be fearful of applying to those universities because we’re all afraid of rejection, and we’re all afraid of not cutting it, and they were like, yes, you could. Why wouldn’t you? I think that helped me to ignore my impostor syndrome enough to apply to the universities, and so when I got back all of these letters of acceptance, and for the interviews and then the acceptances, it just proved to me that they were right; I could do it, and now there I am.

These students knew that they would likely be one of the few Hispanic/Latinx students in the programs they were applying to. In addition, the research advisors cultivated their aspirational capital to dream of academic opportunities beyond their current situation (Yosso, 2005). It is important to note that the students who pointed out their fears of applying to Ivy League universities were accepted at those schools and were pursuing PhDs at those universities at the time of the interviews. While other research suggests that family is a great source of aspirational capital (Aragon, 2018; Gonzales, 2012), we found that the EXCEL program mentors also served as a great source of aspirational capital by creating an environment where they regularly encouraged students. The social networks and connections that the program created between students and faculty was necessary since the advisors provided a perspective that encouraged students to recognize their assets and pursue graduate studies at top institutions.

Resistant capital: recognizing worth

For some students, applying to graduate school was a form of resistance. They were trying to reach high even when others might not have believed in their capabilities. The following statement from Sara exemplifies this:

A lot of people were telling me these are really good schools, and that I have a lot of reach schools. All of them telling me that, I was kind of discouraged, and I was like, okay, I guess I won’t get into these. I’ll probably get maybe like three interviews from my safe schools. But then, toward the end, when I started submitting my application, I was like, you know what? Whatever happens, kind of happens. I know my CV. I know I’ve done a lot of research, and I know I’m good, and I’m ready for grad school.

She clearly dismissed other people’s comments when she stressed, “I know I’m good, and I’m ready for grad school.” She recognized that the people that thought she couldn’t get accepted to those “good schools” were following a deficit thinking about her, and thus she utilized her resistant capital to motivate herself further and apply to those programs, to which she later was accepted. The main tool Sara utilized was her CV, once she was able to see that her CV contained what was necessary for her to apply to any school she wanted. Thus, the multiple EXCEL activities were pivotal in her resistant capital.

Several students mentioned that they feared applying to schools or going to another university and were likely suffering from impostor syndrome. Students were aware of some of the difficulties of attending graduate school. Victoria reflected, “All of us were like, Ah, are we going to cut it? Especially because we would go to other conferences and I would say, [university name], and people would be like, What? And so that was a shock of reality like, Yes, you’re great here, but are you great out there? Do people even know that you exist? And so I think for us, that was kind of hard. But we were pushed so hard to apply, and we all succeeded.” Thus, it is important that undergraduate research programs provide students with tools to resist those thoughts and also to navigate spaces where they might feel like outsiders, where students learn to take ownership of their accomplishments and not question their own abilities.

Discussion

Findings from this study contribute to the growing literature about asset-based research of Hispanic/Latinx students In STEM. Given that Hispanic/Latinx students in biomedical fields continue to be underrepresented (Oh et al., 2015) there is a need to examine the experiences of students majoring in biomedical fields, especially those who choose to continue to graduate school and wish to continue with their research. In order to pay attention to students’ voices, we conducted a qualitative study of Hispanic/Latinx students that participated in the EXCEL program. Listening to student voices can help us better understand and support other students who might want to major in the same field (Denton et al., 2020; Sands et al., 2007). The main purpose of our study was to understand the graduate school application process of EXCEL students. Primary findings from our study show that students utilized five sources of capital from Yosso’s (2005) framework: familial, navigational, social, aspirational, and resistant capital. Our findings also show how the different activities and resources from the EXCEL program enhanced students’ capital and aided them when choosing to attend graduate school.

There has been extensive research on the role that family plays for Hispanic/Latinx students (Revelo & Baber, 2018; Samuelson & Litzler, 2016), especially when it comes to moving away from home (Ramirez, 2013, 2014). Results from our study show how the EXCEL program allowed parents to understand and support the students when moving to graduate school. Since these students had participated in summer research programs at other universities, it eased the transition when students where applying to graduate school. Furthermore, our findings show how these students can become role models to their younger siblings by enhancing their aspirational and navigational capital.

Summer research experiences stood out as a main theme in our findings. The way students talked about their summer experiences revealed the ways that these experiences outside their home institution were pivotal as a navigational tool in the graduate school application process. Students learned how to be comfortable at other institutions, hold formal conversations with other professors and graduate students and writing statements of purpose. Ramirez (2011), also found that students who participated in undergraduate research programs were provided with more capital to navigate the graduate school application process successfully than those who did not have those experiences.

In regard to social capital, students drew from two sources: other peers and research mentors. Several activities from the EXCEL program created a community of peers such as social activities and other professional development workshops. Winkle-Wagner and McCoy (2016) describe the significance of peer relationships in developing social capital and how they can help each other even when they are not in the same graduate programs. These findings also contribute to the literature on the impact of affinity groups for Hispanic/Latinx students in STEM (Dika et al., 2018; Revelo & Baber, 2018; Singer et al., 2018).

Research mentors were also sources of aspirational capital. Researchers have found that successful mentoring relationships can affect students decisions to continue in research (Thiry & Laursen, 2011; Thiry et al., 2011). Prior studies have shown that faculty and teachers hold a significant role in nurturing students’ aspirational capital to attend college (Espino, 2014; Liou et al., 2016). Student narratives showed that even though students already had a goal to attend graduate school, they needed that extra motivation to believe that they could move forward. There were some overlaps between the aspirational and social capital, supporting Yosso’s (2005) statement “Various forms of capital are not mutually exclusive or static, but rather are dynamic processes that build on one another” (p. 77). In our findings, we see how the trust and close relationships (social capital) that EXCEL students develop with their mentors helped them when listening to their mentors about their ability to achieve their goals (aspirational capital).

The final theme we encountered in the student interviews was the resistant capital. Students’ dismissal of negative comments were clearly an act of resistance. The student narratives revealed that the EXCEL program provided students with the necessary skills for them to believe that they will succeed in the application process even when others did not believe in them. Students were able to reflect on their technical skills that they have gained through the program activities (summer research experiences, local symposium, and other conference presentations) to compete with other students. We believe that programs like EXCEL should highlight to students the skills they are gaining and how they can utilized them further to continue their research paths.

It is important to note that students did not talk about whether they used their linguistic capital throughout their application to graduate school process. While many of these students mentioned that they feel comfortable speaking Spanish with their families, they did not express utilizing their bilingual assets in academic settings. Perhaps they have made a separation between academic and home settings.

Conclusion

Thus far, literature related to STEM undergraduate research programs has focused on students’ experiences in those programs, graduation rates, and interest to attend graduate school. While those aspects are important, by examining students’ reported experiences with the application process and during their first years in graduate school, we can better understand how Hispanic/Latinx’ students advance into biomedical research careers. In this study, we utilized a community cultural wealth framework to look at the different types of cultural wealth students’ developed during their time in the EXCEL program. Students’ narratives revealed that involving their families in the program allowed their families to find ways to support them in their journey to graduate school. These findings also suggest that for Hispanic/Latinx students, familial capital is important, since their parents’ approval is a factor in their decision. These findings are consistent with other studies that have found that finding programs close to home is one of the main factors when choosing a graduate school (Ramirez, 2013).

Support from their research mentors and peers was one of the primary sources of capital when applying to graduate school. Frequent interactions and relationships developed with research mentors and peers enhanced students’ navigational and social capital. The fact that they relied on their advice when applying to graduate school is indicative of the community that the EXCEL program created. Students felt comfortable asking faculty members for letters of recommendation and general advice. In addition, the EXCEL program gave students access to a network of other students with similar goals. Students’ excerpts from the interviews also show that their experiences conducting research and participating in professional development workshops allowed them to build the aspirational and resistant capital necessary to maneuver the graduate school application process.

Furthermore, students have utilized the community cultural wealth they acquired during their participation in the research program to challenge feeling like an outsider in their graduate environment. Undergraduate research programs in biomedical fields that are interested in preparing Hispanic/Latinx students for graduate school should focus on creating experiences that highlight and elevate students’ community cultural wealth. It is also vital to create an environment where students feel part of a community that enhances their knowledge as scientists, helps them recognize impostor syndrome and develops their ability to navigate the processes required to apply to and succeed in graduate school.

Study limitations and future research

In sum, findings from this paper can help other program directors understand the ways undergraduate research programs like EXCEL can enhance students’ capitals and encourage them to apply to graduate school. We only interviewed students from the first cohort, thus we do not attempt to suggest that these findings are intended to be generalizable. In addition, we understand that it might be complicated for other programs to adopt all features of EXCEL as it requires funding and other resources. However, we believe that other programs might benefit from implementing certain features of the program, such as highlighting students’ assets and providing them with resources to confidently navigate the graduate school application and first year processes.

Our findings showed how some sources of capital overlap with others (social and navigational). It is important to continue examining these overlaps to expand our understanding of CCW and its significance for Hispanic/Latinx students in STEM. Future research should also aim at interviewing family members, program advisors, and faculty mentors to have a more holistic view of how undergraduate research programs can help Hispanic/Latinx students continue in research. In addition, we would like to encourage programs aimed at Hispanic/Latinx students to create a safe environment, where they can learn ways to highlight their linguistic capital.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the participants in this study and Aleida Ramirez for her valuable contributions to this research project.

Disclosure statement

No relevant financial or non-financial competing interests to report

Additional information

Funding

Research reported in this paper was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under linked award numbers RL5GM118969, TL4GM118971, and UL1GM118970. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Notes

¹ While the term “Latinx” is more widely use in the literature, our participants identify as “Hispanic,” due to preferences of the particular region of the U.S. We, therefore, use the more encompassing term “Hispanic/Latinx” throughout the article to acknowledge both identity preferences.

Appendix A

Interview Protocol

1. To get started, can you tell me about where you are? Which grad program are you in?

2. When you were entering college, did you think grad school was in your future? Was that a goal?

3. Did BUILD shape your decision to apply to grad school?

4. Talk to me about your application process. Which programs did you apply for?

5. How did you decide which programs to apply for?

6. Did BUILD give you any resources or help in the application process?

7. Were there aspects of the application process that were particularly stressful to you?

8. Was your family involved at all in your decision process?

9. How did you feel when you started receiving decisions from programs?

10. And how did you decide to attend the program you’re in right now?

11. So, you just finished your first semester. Tell me about your experiences so far. (school, the city, social life, family)

12. What aspects of your college experience at UTEP are helping you right now? (ask about BUILD)

13. What do you wish could have been different? (ask about BUILD)

14. Can you tell me about a moment in grad school when you felt like you belonged?

15. And can you tell me about a moment in grad school when you felt like you didn’t belong? (ask about race and gender)

16. Do you feel like you’ve learned any lessons your first semester that you’ll carry with you into your future semesters?

17. Who are your communities of support in grad school? Who are you turning to for advice and solidarity? (ask about BUILD students)

18. Have you found a faculty mentor yet? (ask follow-up questions)

19. Have you kept in contact with your faculty mentors from UTEP or your summer internships?

20. To close our interview, can you think about what advice would you give to a first year student at UTEP like yourself who wants to pursue a career in health research?