Examining the Development of Graduate School Aspirations Among Latinx College Athletes

The percentage of Latinx college athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) continues to grow, yet research remains scarce on their experiences. In this qualitative study, we used Yosso’s (Race, Ethnicity, and Education, 8(1), 69-91, 2005) Community Cultural Wealth model to explore the experiences of former NCAA Division I Latinx college athletes who decided to attend graduate school. This study utilized one-on-one interviews with seven different Latinx college athletes from over the United States. The themes that that emerged included: (1) family influence and support, (2) athletic department’s encouragement, and (3) Latinx faculty representation. First, participants reflected how their family members reminded them that they are setting an example and to value their education. Second, participants shared how athletic department personnel encouraged them to pursue graduate school. Lastly, Latinx faculty representation played a critical role in the participants’ decisions to pursue graduate school. The findings can provide insight for academic and athletic stakeholders on how Latinx college athletes can develop skills to excel beyond athletics.