Eleventh Global Studies Conference

Abstract

Although much research has been conducted on Latino educational progress in the United States, less is known about the role of the church in providing social capital to aid educational attainment for an immigrant community. This paper uses a longitudinal case study to examine the lives of Latino church members, the majority being recent immigrants, and their interactions with a University/Church sponsored pre-college science program. Findings suggest that parishioners utilize the church as a transnational conduit to maintain cultural traditions and also to access networks that facilitate educational opportunities, with recent arrivals using the resources most often. All participants showed increased social capital as a result of participating; however, various political and economic obstacles have impeded the educational trajectories of these students.