Ethnicity in College

"Reading Ethnicity in College is like taking a course in ethnicity and its effects on college students....It is useful for not just learning about specific groups but also helpful for gaining perspective into student experiences as garnered from their own words."

- NACADA Journal (National Academic Advising Association)

"Ortiz and Santos accomplish their goal of discovering how college students make meaning of their ethnicity in a multicultural world... The work's key strenghts include a comprehensive literature review and multi-method research design. The qualitative data adds exponentially to the findings and conclusions... All involved in higher education need to be aware of students' need to develop and express their ethnic identities. This invaluable resource is a must read. Summing Up: Essential."

- Choice

"By studying the experiences of 120 Southern California college students, researchers Ortiz and Santos take an in-depth look at the role college plays in ethnic identity development. Their book provides a close look at the divergent developmental paths traversed by students of different ethnicities, and the effect college has on students' understanding of their ethnicity. With smart analysis and helpful suggestions for maximizing the positive effects of campus diversity, the volume is a significant contribution to the literature on identity, diversity, and education."

- Diversity & Democracy (AAC&U)

“In this book, we come to understand how race, ethnicity, and culture are foundational for higher education into the twenty-first century. What is particularly compelling about Ortiz and Santos’ exploration of ethnic identity development is the persuasive linkage they make to the literature on the educational effects of diversity in college. The quantitatively-dominated literature in that field has clearly established relationships between cross-cultural interaction and many democratic, educational, and developmental outcomes. And while racial differences are found, we are largely unable to fully account for them. Ortiz and Santos provide a tremendously important yet missing piece to this literature.
Practitioners will come to find this book as a valuable resource for understanding how ethnic identity development is intertwined in all aspects of student life, both inside and outside the classroom. Researchers as well as practitioners will appreciate the deep insight this study provides to our understanding of ethnic relations and the relationship between diversity and development on campus.”
With its comparative, multi-ethnic design and its contributions to theory, knowledge, and practice, this book stands out in the higher education literature.”

Anthony Lising Antonio, Associate Director, Stanford Institute for Higher Education Research, and Associate Professor, School of Education - , Stanford University

“This book provides a thorough description of ethnic identity theories and previous research on the identity processes of White, African American, Latino and Asian American individuals. The authors’ careful multi-method study of student development across these racial and ethnic groups provides unique opportunities to link institutional policies and practices to encouraging student growth and change. Educators and scholars alike will find helpful information and analyses.”

Deborah Faye Carter, co-author of Bridging Key Research Dilemmas and Associate Professor, Director of the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education - , University of Michigan

Preface
1) Introduction to the Study
2) Ethnic Identity’s Theoretical and Research Traditions
3) Asian Americans: Feet in Two Worlds, Making a Third
4) African Americans: Pride through Legacy and Action
5) Latino/a Americans: Bringing the Family Along
6) White Americans: Trying to Make Sense of it All
7) Influences of Diverse University Contexts on Student Ethnic Identity and College Adjustment
8) The Ethnic Experiences of College
Appendix: Overview of Study Design and Methodology
References
Index

Anna M. Ortiz

Anna M. Ortiz is department chair and professor of Educational Leadership at California State University, Long Beach. She has 27 years of experience in academic and student affairs.

She has served as the new faculty mentorship coordinator for 7 years in the College of Education at CSULB and has coordinated and/or presented at several AERA Division J new faculty institutes and NASPA doctoral seminars, and is the inaugural Director of the NASPA Faculty Division. She has published extensively on the experiences of diverse students in higher education and on career issues for both student affairs administrators and faculty.

Silvia J. Santos

Silvia J. Santos is Professor of Psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills.