X Marks the Spot: Reflecting on the LatinX Student Experience at the University of Toronto
We worked with the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies to understand the Latinx student experience. For many students, university is a time to explore cultural identities, and we found that students’ perceived cultural connections varied. Many students wanted more cultural visibility and saw room for more cultural competence on campus. We recommended actions to improve Latinx students’ campus experiences.
Fall/Winter 2019-2020
How does design thinking help us understand LatinX students?
The University of Toronto (UofT) is home to students from many cultural groups. Students who identify as Latinx are among them, making up 4% of first-year students and 2% of senior students in 2017. To better understand the needs of these students, the Innovation Hub partnered with Dr. Berenice Villagómez, the Latin American Studies Coordinator. We used the course LAS 401 (Latinos in Canada: Toronto) to introduce LAS students to design thinking. Through collaborative projects, the students found key insights about Latinx experiences at UofT.
KEY FINDINGS
We used methods of diving deep into experiences, and allowing our understanding of students to inspire design, rather than jumping to solutions. By doing this, we move beyond the what questions to the underlying whys and hows. Thus, we reach insights that might otherwise be obscured by designers’ own assumptions. Through these methods insights were further organized under four key themes:
- What It Means to Be Me: For many students, self-identifying as Latinx is a journey. These students face barriers along the way, stemming from personal doubts and peer reactions.
- Connected Through Culture: Students develop individual and group identities through cultural connections. They want to communicate their beliefs, values, and customs with others like them.
- Is Anybody Here for Me: Many participants said that they need some type of support during university. They found help to varying degrees. Those who felt under-supported encountered both academic and personal obstacles during their studies.
- Money Matters: Latinx students talked about their families’ expectations that they be diligent paid workers. It is not uncommon that families suffer a shift in economic status to immigrate.
