A major initiative in Texas to bolster the success of men of color in college continues to expand, and the inaugural report in what will be a series of policy briefs reveals some interesting data about where male Latino students in the state are performing best academically.
Hispanic males in border regions are enrolling in higher education in higher numbers and are earning post-secondary credentials at higher rates than their counterparts in urban areas, according to an analysis of state data published by the Project MALES Research Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.
The paper – titled “De La Ciudad a la Frontera: Advancing Latino Males in Border and Urban Regions in Texas” – doesn’t explain why the disparities exist. That will be explored further, and researchers will data-dive again to see what they can learn about the academic trajectory of African-American male students from the same regions who likewise were tracked for 11 years beginning in the eighth grade.
The series of short papers will address policy issues and educational trends for Latino and Black males and propose ways to address them, with an eye toward helping Texas achieve its goal to have 60 percent of Texans ages 25 to 34 possessing a certificate or degree by the year 2030, said Dr. Emmet Campos, director of Project MALES (Mentoring to Achieve Latino Educational Success).
The institute, housed in UT Austin’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, grew out of research by Dr. Victor Saenz, now a UT Austin department chair, and his desire a decade ago to translate his findings into practice to help young men of color, particularly Latino males, access and finish college.
Saenz, a professor of education at UT Austin and founder and executive director of Project MALES, is now cofounder and executive director of the Texas Education Consortium for Male Students of Color, which was established in 2013 and now has 40 institutional members.
Initial research teams at UT Austin and Texas A&M University have grown into a network of 40 faculty affiliates across the nation. In addition to the research and consortium efforts, the mentoring prong includes professional development opportunities and leadership summits.
