Where Do I Fit? Reflections of a Latino Criminologist in the Academy

Abstract

This essay is a reflection on the experiences of a Latino Associate Professor in higher education. I consider the trajectory from immigrant to graduate student and then professor, to entering the academy, the challenges of being a Latinx scholar and professor, and the support structures that have nurtured me throughout my career. I reflect on how I have changed throughout this journey and the lessons I have learned as a student, scholar, and teacher.

Keywords:

• Latino
• higher education
• first-generation
• faculty
• immigrant

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jorge M. Chavez

Jorge M. Chavez holds a PhD in Criminal Justice and is an Associate Professor in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado Denver. His research centers on integrating developmental, social, and environmental perspectives toward understanding problem behaviors, crime & violence, and mental health problems with a focus on the intersection of race/ethnicity and social structural disadvantage.