Strengthening the Latin@/x student affairs pipeline

We have all read about the shifting demographics of students entering college. Specifically, we know that we will be, or already are, seeing an increase in the number of students who identify as Latin@/x arriving on our campuses. We also know that we lack Latin@/x student affairs professionals in senior level positions who can serve as role models and mentors for these students. And, we are keenly aware of the significant impact of mentorship on student engagement, persistence, and ultimate success, especially within populations that already experience lower college completion rates. Therefore, what are we, as senior leaders within the field, doing to cultivate the next generation of leaders who can serve in these critical roles for our Latin@/x students? 

Last October, my Director of Intercultural Affairs attended NASPA’s Escaleras program, and I was truly amazed by the deep impact, both professional and personal, that this experience had on her. Upon her return, she was able to talk about the many ways Escaleras allowed her to think differently and more broadly about herself in relation to her work. Yes, she was able to learn about core competencies, knowledge, skills, and abilities that are critical to assuming higher education leadership positions from current Latin@/x higher education and student affairs leaders. In addition, she was afforded opportunities to be mentored by others with similar identities who have a depth of experience within the field. However, what she found most impactful was her ability to bring her authentic self to a culturally relevant professional development experience that allowed her to more deeply appreciate the impact she can have within higher education in the broadest sense. Through fully immersing herself within Escaleras, she was able to come to more deeply understand herself as a professional with multiple intersecting identities and how she could now unapologetically bring her whole self to work. Given the growth and development experienced, she then returned to our campus with a renewed sense of purpose, confidence, and passion for serving our students, as well as an empowered sense of self and faith in her ability to identify her own pathway to senior leadership.

I have to admit that I do not often see this type of individual change following most conferences or professional development experiences. Therefore, I encourage you to consider this opportunity for those with whom you work. If we are truly focused on student success for all of our students, then we need to invest in our professionals of color in order to maximize their access to future opportunities where they have a seat at the table and can drive the agenda of how to best address systemic issues within higher education and truly engage and support our underrepresented student populations.

As higher education continues to face challenging economic conditions, many of us within senior leadership positions are under pressure to reduce operational budgets in an effort to assist our institutions in containing rising tuition costs. To that end, one budget line that we often have to consider reducing is professional development. It pains us to make these types of decisions, as we recognize the positive impact that these types of opportunities can have on our staff’s development and effectiveness, particularly as our work becomes more complex within the ever-changing landscape of higher education. Yet, we are left to make difficult decisions as to what type of professional development opportunities we can and should be investing in. I truly believe that Escaleras is one of those invaluable, worthwhile opportunities, and one that, given our current campus climates, we simply must invest in.