UC San Diego

This study examined masculine identity, particularly machismo, as a social construct and its potential influence on first-generation of Latino men’s experiences in higher education. In particular, the study explored how perceptions of Latino masculinity affect the values, attitudes, beliefs, and actions Latino men bring to their college journey. Latino men experience a variety of barriers, making persistence and graduation more difficult to attain. While university enrollments of Latino populations continue to grow, Latino men’s academic attainment lags behind many other students, including their Latina peers. Latino students rate among the highest percentage of students who leave the university without completing a degree. Bronfenbrenner's (1992). Ecological Systems Theory (EST), Museus’s (2014) Culturally Engaging Campus Environments model, and Torres et al.’s (2002) Masculine Identity Spectrum explain, respectively, that people’s core environment shapes their identity and that universities play a large role in the overall success of all students. Through a phenomenological approach—a type of qualitative research—this study examined data collected from self-identified first-generation Latino men, ages 18-21, low-income status, and full-time college students. This dissertation contends that Latino men’s perception of masculinity may play an essential role in the overall higher education experience, including low academic attainment. Additionally, this may be partly due to the lack of a culturally engaging campus environment.