The Persistence of Second-generation Cambodian American College Students: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This qualitative study seeks to investigate an interesting and understudied case of the persistence and retention of immigrant students in postsecondary education. Specifically, the study examines the way family dynamics of second-generation Cambodian college students influence their success in postsecondary education. Currently, much of the academic literature examining Southeast Asian Americans concentrates on other ethnic groups besides Cambodians, who are less numerous in education, and pays little attention to the unique convergence of family, cultural, and historical forces and conditions at play in these young adults' educational experience in the United States. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to build on previous works that are similarly related to the issues at hand, and to develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the educational trajectory of these young people, with the ultimate hope of improving their educational experiences. In addition to field observations on the college campus, twelve semi-structured interviews with six second-generation Cambodian American students and at least one of their parents or guardians were used to explore how family dynamics contribute to the students' progress through college toward their undergraduate degree.