Civic Development of Latine Students: The Role of Equity‐Minded Community College Leaders

ABSTRACT This study explores how equity‐minded educators at Hispanic Serving community colleges (HSCCs) foster the civic development of Latine students, emphasizing leadership, civic engagement, and agency beyond academic success. Using a multi‐case study design, we analyzed interviews with 29 educators from two HSCCs in Southern California to understand their perceptions and practices. Findings show educators assume personal responsibility for developing racial literacy and critical consciousness as foundations for civic engagement. Strategies include integrating local history into curricula, building community partnerships, and creating paid opportunities for students to engage in social justice work. These efforts reflect a commitment to dismantling inequities and preparing students as agents of change. The study calls for institutionalized approaches to embed equity and civic development into policies, curricula, and professional development.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
New Directions for Community Colleges
Published
2026-07-25
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.70060
Primary Topic
Service-Learning and Community Engagement
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Civic Development of Latine Students: The Role of Equity‐Minded Community College Leaders

Cynthia M. Alcantar, Carlos Galán, Melissa Jauregui‐Gomez, Edwin Hernandez et al.
New Directions for Community Colleges
Service-Learning and Community Engagement
article

Civic Development of Latine Students: The Role of Equity‐Minded Community College Leaders

Cynthia M. Alcantar, Carlos Galán, Melissa Jauregui‐Gomez, Edwin Hernandez, Jossie Muñoz
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explores how equity‐minded educators at Hispanic Serving community colleges (HSCCs) foster the civic development of Latine students, emphasizing leadership, civic engagement, and agency beyond academic success. Using a multi‐case study design, we analyzed interviews with 29 educators from two HSCCs in Southern California to understand their perceptions and practices. Findings show educators assume personal responsibility for developing racial literacy and critical consciousness as foundations for civic engagement. Strategies include integrating local history into curricula, building community partnerships, and creating paid opportunities for students to engage in social justice work. These efforts reflect a commitment to dismantling inequities and preparing students as agents of change. The study calls for institutionalized approaches to embed equity and civic development into policies, curricula, and professional development.

New Directions for Community Colleges
San Bernardino Valley College (US), Loyola Marymount University (US), California State University, San Bernardino (US), New York University (US)
Spencer Foundation, Oak Ridge Associated Universities
Quality Education
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Service-Learning and Community Engagement
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.