Eighteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

My paper will describe the results of research on the impact of being a First Generation Hispanic student (FGHS), majoring in Music Education at a mid-sized university in the US. Data were collected through recorded interviews with each student, through a variety of questions designed to learn about their life histories, families, and experiences as a student. Students identifying as FGHS self-selected to be part of the study. Interview questions were designed with the director of a campus resource center for Hispanic students, in order to maintain the highest level of cultural sensitivity. Results have been reviewed, pursuant to the goal of identifying how their backgrounds, families, and self-identifications have impacted their experiences in college, and how they envision their future personal and career lives after their education is complete. This research determines how students from an underrepresented population on this university campus describe their experiences, and how their families have reacted to their career and life plans. Their range of responses has fallen on a wide continuum, and implications will be discussed as they pertain to whether their experiences can be generalized to their ethnic background, and how this has impacted their college experience.