What A Program Coordinator At Mt. San Antonio College Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Higher Education Industry
Yolanda, a Program Coordinator at Mt. San Antonio College, discovered a significant challenge: many students, particularly young Latino and African-American men, fail to respond to offered services due to "imposter phenomenon" and cultural stigmas around seeking help, such as tutoring or mental health support; this highlights a need to shift mindsets toward viewing support services as beneficial rather than negative. The lack of student responsiveness, not the absence of services, often leads to negative academic outcomes.
Student Support Services, Overcoming Challenges, Communication, Mental Health Awareness, Cultural Sensitivity
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Yolanda Haro
Program Coordinador
Mt. San Antonio College
UCLA 1990
SIT, Master’s degree
Political Science, American Studies
Education
Operations and Project Management
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Many students are unresponsive to services despite multiple outreach attempts (emails, calls, texts).
2. Some students, particularly young Latino and African-American men, are hesitant to seek help due to cultural factors and imposter syndrome.
3. Addressing the stigma around seeking support services (tutoring, mental health) is crucial for improving student success.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
I wish I would have known that many students are not responsive to the services being offered. I didn't realize that students sometimes have so many services available, yet they don't respond to emails, phone calls, or texts.
This is a huge mistake because, at the end of the semester, if they've failed or withdrawn, it wasn't due to a lack of services. It was because they didn't respond to our outreach to support them.
I've learned that students are sometimes afraid to ask for help. There's an imposter phenomenon, particularly among many of our young Latino and African-American men. Due to their cultural backgrounds, they don't tend to ask for help and struggle through.
I've learned that all these factors get in the way, and we really need to change the mindset that getting tutoring isn't a bad thing. It's actually supportive. Likewise, going to mental health services isn't bad; it's to support you and help you get well.
There are just a lot of stigmas or ways of thinking that don't serve people. I think this becomes an obstacle in accessing services that could truly support students. I didn't realize this was such a challenge when I started.
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