Hispanic Graduate Students’ Mentoring Themes

Abstract

Male and female focus groups at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) discussed mentoring of Hispanic graduate students. Using Thematic Analysis, investigators identified three main themes: Relationship Initiation and Development, Valued Relationship Qualities, and Context and Barriers. Relationship themes included mentor openness, trust, commitment, availability and grant assistance. Barrier themes subsumed gender roles, financial insecurity, social inequality, and language differences. Females noted one unique theme, and males emphasized work obligations’ negative impact on mentoring.