Achieving the dream: Undocumented Central American Latinas in college

The increase in the U.S. Latino population and its diversity has gained much local and national attention of the need to learn more about their experiences in college (Torres, 2003). And although this body of research is growing, the work is limited to a segment of the Latino population. The literature has mainly focused on the Mexican American or immigrant experience, by far the largest segment of the Latino population. Lopez and Dockterman (2011) reported that the largest growing sub-segment in the Los Angeles-Long Beach metro was the Guatemalan and Salvadorian community. And as the immigration debate continues in both the political and educational arenas it is critical to understand the diverse experiences within the U.S. Latino population.;This study provides context on how the immigration and socialization experiences of undocumented Central American Latinas affect their persistence in college. It suggests that it is important to look at this sub-segment separately due to their different immigration experience. As a result of civil wars, many of them entered the U.S. with temporary protective status (TPS) that afford them limited benefits yet it creates a contradiction within individuals as they grapple with their multiple identities.;The themes that emerged from the study include: 1) resiliency; 2) sense of responsibility; 3) multiple identities; and 4) social justice. And as the push to change legislation for the undocumented college student population continues, these themes will help practitioners understand the experiences of students at our institution who are facing challenges that may be different from the traditional undocumented experience and provide them with the resources necessary to help them persist towards graduation.