Maria Espino

Biographic Data

ID6752612
NAMEMaria Espino
GIVEN NAMESMaria
FAMILY NAMEEspino
SIGNATUREESPINO M
AFFILIATIONSTarleton State University
ORCID0000-0002-6217-9304
VERIFIEDYes
TOTAL WORKS6
TOTAL CITATIONS0
WORKS AS AUTHOR6
WORKS AS EDITOR0
FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR2021
LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR2026
H-INDEX0

  • Examining How Community College Students Develop Aspirations for Graduate School

    Open AccessCasey Maliszewski Lukszo, Casey Lukszo et al.ARTICLECommunity College Review2026

    Objective/Research Question: In this study, we sought to understand what factors motivate community college students’ and alumni decisions to pursue graduate study. Specifically, we asked: What influences community college students and alumni to pursue graduate school? What role do community colleges play in influencing students’ aspirations for graduate school? Methods: A qualitative research design was utilized, and data was collected from 16 f…

  • Beyond Financial Aid

    Open AccessElizabeth Apple Meza, Maria EspinoARTICLEEducation Sciences2026

    Low-income students remain underrepresented in STEM pathways at community colleges, facing structural and financial barriers that constrain degree completion and transfer. This qualitative cross-case study examines how STEM students perceive and engage with National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM scholarship programs across three institutions: two community colleges and one research university serving transfer students. Drawing on semi-structure…

  • Confidence Through Community

    Open AccessMaria Espino, Clark R Coffman et al.ARTICLEEducation Sciences2026

    Self-efficacy—one’s belief in their ability to take the actions necessary to succeed—is a critical determinant of student success and retention, particularly during the transitional first two years of undergraduate study. Learning communities that incorporate peer mentors have been identified as promising structures for fostering self-efficacy, yet the mechanisms by which intentional peer mentoring within structured career development contexts sh…

  • Creating Validating Environments for Foster Youth in Higher Education

    Kenyon Lee Whitman, Maria Espino et al.ARTICLEJournal of Student Affairs…2025

    This study engaged with Foster Youth Support Program (FYSP) staff across a university system to develop an understanding of high-impact practices, when supporting foster youth. Findings reveal the importance of advising that validates students’ needs; student-centered social programming; and validating students through humanized measures of student success. Our recommendations inform practice, policy, and future research. We hope this study will …

  • Nepantla aquí, Nepantla allá

    Open AccessNorma E Garza, Sarah L Rodríguez et al.ARTICLEJournal of Hispanic Higher…2022References: 8

    The study explored how Mexican-origin women in STEM utilized Anzaldua’s borderlands of identity and Conocimientos to successfully navigate between Mexican-origin cultures and STEM cultures. Students experienced life-changing events during their studies (el arrebato) and felt torn between STEM and Mexican-origin cultures ( Nepantla). However, students also sought to reimagine their futures ( Coyolxuahqui, the blow-up) and use their degrees to help…

  • The influence of policy implementation in the Midwest

    Open AccessSarah L Rodríguez, Maria Espino et al.ARTICLEEducation Policy Analysis Archives2021

    This qualitative research study describes how a Midwest community college’s implementation of an Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SSTEM) program influences engineering identity development for its students with financial need. Using a phenomenological approach, the study finds that the program enables community college students to have greater financial freedom and an ability to focus on engineering identity. In …