Interactional diversity amongst Latinos in higher education

Abstract

Higher education is evolving and becoming a diverse arena for different races and ethnicities. The issue explored in this study consisted of interactions among Latinos in higher education. Latinos were the ideal subjects for this study because of the diversity within the group. For example, within the Latino culture there are people from the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Mexico, Portugal and Spain. Diversity is studied from the perspective within the Latino culture because Latinos have numerous subcultures. For example, the Latino population can be classified as Spaniard, Portuguese, Mexican, Chicano, Nuyorican, South American, Caribbean Islander and many other subcultures as well. This was a qualitative study focused on six interviews conducted to determine the level of interaction each participant maintained within their culture and outside their culture. The interviews revealed that all of the students frequently interacted within their own culture and a majority of the students interacted with students outside their culture. It was concluded that students that frequently interacted within and outside their culture had a better overall university experience than students who primarily interacted within their culture and rarely interacted outside of their culture.