“WE SEE YOU”
Problem: CU Denver is ranked number fourth highest for having 2799 hispanic graduates out of 11,042 college graduates, while Metro State university is ranked number one for having 5198 hispanic graduates of 15625 college graduates.
Thesis Question:can the University of Colorado at Denver increase Latino graduation rates using UX/UI?
Representation matters: Having a mentor can help Latino college students navigate, build a network, develop leadership skills, and overcome barriers to degree completion"( Ashley Mowreader 2024)
Cultural Responsibilities: Latinos tend to be more traditional than other ethnic groups when dealing with families. They identify with their immediate and extended families. The men are expected to work while the women care for the children and can be vice versa. Children are normally the main focus in the household. Because of this, the demands and needs of the family and extended family frequently take precedence over the needs and desires of the individual(“Gendered familism and Latino/a college pathways” 2024).
Personal Responsibilities:”About 40% of full-time undergraduate students worked while attending classes. To provide for what loans may not provide for”(Dorri Zinn 2024).
Language Barriers: Latino people are most often bilingual, and not all develop both languages fully; some may struggle to write in English and Spanish(Byers-Heinlein K, Lew-Williams C. 2013).
Target Market: Latino Students who may be going through many different occurrence in their time of of college. For example having to work full time in order to have ends meet while in school for what grants, loans, and scholarships can not pay for. Ages 19-26.
Solution: For my solution I decided to create a branded app that is user centric to the Latino community and would keep their busy schedule organized through a planner that can add their online classes to the time they decide and add their work schedule. The app will also have a mentors page that is in their field in order to feel like they can achieve their goals. last but not least the app will have a booking to the writing center to help them develop their second language “English”. Since the app is a university product it would have to be functional to the general public, but can serve all cultures and people.
Flow Chart
PROCESS
Figma Link: Figma Link
Byers-Heinlein K, Lew-Williams C. Bilingualism in the Early Years: What the Science Says. Learn Landsc. 2013 Fall;7(1):95-112. PMID: 30288204; PMCID: PMC6168212.
Gendered familism and Latino/a college pathways. Accessed April 27, 2024. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0891243213508308.
“Colorado.” Excelencia in Education. Accessed April 26, 2024. https://www.edexcelencia.org/research/latino-college-completion/colorado#:~:text=Degree%20Outcomes,non%2DHispanic%20peers%20in%20Colorado.
Hansen, David J. “Diversity and Representation in Higher Education.” HigherEdJobs. Accessed April 26, 2024. https://www.higheredjobs.com/articles/articleDisplay.cfm?ID=3243#:~:text=%22Students%20thrive%20when%20they%20see,Multiracial%20faculty%20are%20under%2Drepresented.
Mowreader, Ashley. “Non-Profit Supports Latino Leadership Mentor Opportunities.” Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs. Accessed April 26, 2024. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/college-experience/2023/08/18/non-profit-supports-latino-leadership-mentor.
Zinn, Dori. “How Many Hours Should You Work While in College?” Forbes, January 5, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/student-loans/how-many-hours-should-you-work-while-in-college/.
Bibliography