Abstract
The literature review includes a history of the Filipino diaspora beginning with the Spanish American War moving through current US immigration trends. The construction of model minority myth is also included, as it informs the development of equity-based resources that impact this student population in higher education spaces, such as 4-year public research institutions. Finally, common advising models are also discussed, as they inform ways in which students may experience academic advising during their undergraduate experience. The focus of this study was to examine the academic advising experience of Filipino and Filipino American graduating students at a public 4-year research institution. Specifically, this study determined if a shared cultural experience is a positive variable to the persistence of degree completion for this underserved student population. Academic advisers are one of the primary resources utilized by undergraduate students and can, therefore, serve as an equitable resource for marginalized student populations. However, the capacity of the academic adviser to serve in a social capital function may not be understood by Filipino or Filipino American students, who must reconcile both dominant American cultural norms and Filipino cultural expectations to understand what it means to be successful at university. Additionally, this study sought to understand if, in the event a shared experience does not already exist, this is a desired variable for the undergraduate experience. Furthermore, this study sought to understand if higher education praxis is informed by systems of oppression, such as model minority myth. The academic advisers are charged with core values that should enable students the agency to thrive in university spaces. This study investigated from the student perspective if this is the case. In addition, this study determined what types of advisers serve Filipino and Filipino American students, in what ways do they serve those students, if a shared cultural experience impacts culturally sensitive student services, and if the desire to have an academic adviser with shared cultural experiences is important to the success of the student. The qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with six respondents, all of whom identified as Filipino or Filipino American undergraduate students who will graduate in the 2015-2016 academic year. All participants were enrolled as full-time students and were pursuing degrees in STEM, social sciences, and humanities. All participants were California residents and engaged with academic advisers across their respective disciplines throughout their undergraduate experiences. Based on the data collected, there is a strong desire to have a shared cultural experience with the academic adviser and such an experience positively impacts the success of the student. “Cultural experience” must be defined on a spectrum of identities, which can include multiple social group memberships beyond shared ethnic or cultural identity. The data also showed that students who experienced a shared cultural experience with an adviser reported an overall more positive experience with their undergraduate education, community, and campus engagements. This was especially prevalent for Filipino American identified students pursuing degrees in social sciences or humanities disciplines.