Investigating the efficacy of peer tutoring to support Latinx students in Hispanic serving community colleges

Abstract

AbstractAlthough open‐access Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) continue to expand across the United States, they are often under‐resourced and lack adequate institutional support services. This article presents findings from a qualitative case study of an asset‐based, peer support program for Latinx students in an open‐access HSI in the Southeast United States. The article's findings, informed by the theory of community cultural wealth, indicate that peer tutoring honors the linguistic capital of Latinx students, nurtures familia within the institution, enhances students’ navigational capital, and helps students navigate the nuances of social capital by encouraging the maintenance of their cultural integrity as they strengthen tutor‐tutee relationships and forge relationships across their institution. Therefore, this article argues that identity‐affirming peer support programs could efficiently and effectively ameliorate Latinx student challenges in under‐resourced MSIs, particularly at the community college level, thereby generating a more inclusive institutional environment conducive to student success.