From out of the fields: Migrant student success in a post-secondary community college setting

This study examines factors that contribute to migrant student success while navigating a post-secondary community college setting. While the majority of studies dealing with migrant education use a deficit approach---concentrating on the factors that inhibit student success---this study asks why certain migrant students at South Texas College in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas are successful. Using a qualitative case-study approach, seven primary participants (academically successful migrant students) and eight secondary participants (individuals who contributed to the primary participants' academic success) were interviewed to discover which aspects of their lives have contributed to their academic success. This study found that successful migrant students show resiliency having been able to succeed due to the support of their parents, family, and friends, their altruistic attitudes, and their ability to see beyond the present to a future where their educational achievements will allow them to lead better lives for themselves while contributing to the betterment of their families and their families' futures. It also found that community colleges need to practice better tracking of migrant students in order to support these students in their academic journeys.