Achieving Student Success Through the Civic Development of Racially Minoritized Students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are critical to promoting the civic development of racial and ethnic minoritized students. The importance of HSIs to the civic development of students is heightened when the institution is geographically located in underserved communities. This chapter focuses on the organizational structures, including the practices and policies, which promote the civic development of racial and ethnic minoritized students and communities from the perspective of ten racial and ethnic minoritized undergraduate students at Manuel State College (MSC; pseudonym), a public four-year federally designated HSI in Southern California. The chapter presents four prominent factors that support the civic development of racial and ethnic minoritized students such as student’s sense of civic duty and responsibility, and the crucial role of family, peers, faculty, and outreach programs. The chapter includes recommendations for practices related to the four factors that foster the civic development of racial and ethnic minoritized students. Lastly, we conclude with reflection questions for higher education professionals to help generate further consideration, discussion, innovation, and action.