La Familia Ortiz: Parental

Influences on Childrens Decision

to Pursue Higher Education
Rosalinda Ortiz
Ball State University
ISEB Toronto, ON
April 20-22, 2017
 Statistics
Hispanics constituted 17 percent of the nations
total population(US Census Bureau, 2015).
55 million people made up the Hispanic
population of the United States as of July 1, 2014,
making people of Hispanic origin the nations
largest ethnic or racial minority.
Latinos continue to be the most underrepresented
population in higher education compared to their
Black and White peers (National Center for
Education Statistics, 2011)
 Familismo

The cultural importance of family

unity, loyalty, and cooperation while
placing the family as the primary unit
of importance (Ayn, Marsiglia, &
Bermudez-Parsai, 2010; Marin, 1993;
Villarreal, Blozis, & Widaman, 2005)
Right to Left (siblings oldest to youngest): Claudia McDaniel, Oralia Reyes Paulino,
Mary Gonzalez, Rosalinda Ortiz, & Cristy Perez
Front: Oscar and Rosa Ortiz; married in 1973
 Methods
13 standard open-ended questions;
additional questions tailored to each
persons particular circumstance
15-50 minutes
Audio recorded and transcribed verbatim
Reflexivity
Meta-discussions
 Themes
College is a Beyond a
Requirement Bachelors

Getting Good Motherhood and

Grades Work

Financing Education Influencing the Next

Generation
 College is a Requirement
It was important to get an education because they were
females and Hispanic and needed to be ready in case their
future was not success or when they married and it failed,
they could stand on their own two feet. As children, we were
always told that women always had to depend on a man. We
couldnt succeed without him. He was the boss; he was the
provider. But dad and I felt that was not true. You have to do
for yourself. In your marriage, growing up, we had to make
do with what we had. We didnt ask for more. Somewhere
we felt that there is always more. I want my kids to depend
on themselves and do what they want to do. Take a
vacation, buy a car, own a house. We always rented, we
couldnt afford it. -Mom
 Getting Good Grades
They expected us to do the best in school
and get good grades. Good grades were
[As but] high As were better. Hundreds
were the best you could get. All As were
good. As and Bs were okay but try and
bring this B up. Cs were absolutely not
acceptable.
-Claudia
 Financing College
While my parents discouraged us to work
during college, all five of us took on part-
time work both on and off campus
We did not want to ask our parents for
more money for our personal activities.
Paying for college was another way for
my parents to discourage us from getting
married during college.
 Beyond a Bachelors
Education beyond a bachelors degree was
unknown therefore unsupported by my
parents. They believed graduate school
was just prolonging growing up and a
getting real job. It could have been because
of my situation, being a single mother, but
they did not support my decision to pursue
a masters degree.
-Rosalinda
 Motherhood and Work
I think maybe back then, not that I didnt think I
could be that [engineer]. I do think about how
many women were in that field and Hispanics
were in the field but I feel like Im more in my
place in our culture being a teacher. Im not
saying I gave up but I kind of did what mom did. I
did go to college, but I became a mother and Im
trying to put that first. I stayed in field that
allowed me to be a mother as a priority.
Mary
 Influencing the Next Generation
They know, even at this age we start with happy faces, that
they are expected to get good grades that they are expected
to try their best. I do expect nothing but the best from both
of them, just as my parents did. Ill probably be just as strict
as my parents were. They have consequences for bringing
home sad faces or not making satisfactory progress but they
do get rewards for reaching milestones. They know my sister
is in college in Indiana and they know that she is trying to
get smarter. We go visit my nephew and niece in San
Antonio who attend UTSA and they know that that is where
you go to get smarter and have a good job.
Cristy
 Conclusion/Implications
Having a close-knit family is one of the many
valuable resources in the Hispanic culture.
Unfortunately, much of the research about
familismo shows the constraints or barriers
that Hispanic children might face when
pursuing their education.
When parents use this connection to foster
high educational goals, children often rise to
meet those expectations and some reach
beyond what was ever imagined.
 La Familia Ortiz: Parental
Influences on Childrens Decision
to Pursue Higher Education
Rosalinda Ortiz
Ball State University
ISEB Toronto, ON
April 20-22, 2017