College Student Mentors and Latino Youth: A Qualitative Study of the Mentoring Relationship

Authors

Lisa L. Knoche, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Byron L. Zamboanga, Smith CollegeFollow

Abstract

This phenomenological study describes the meaning of mentoring relationships from the perspectives of six purposefully selected mentors involved in the Latino Achievement Mentoring Program (LAMP), and investigates underlying themes regarding the mentors’ relationships. Clusters of themes pertaining to the mentors’ relationship with the mentee, the relationship of the mentor with the mentee’s family, and the mentors’ personal and professional development contributed to the meaning of the mentoring relationship for LAMP mentors. Mentors highlighted challenges that characterized the mentoring relationships at various points in time: However, relations hip strengths outweighed potential obstacles. Findings are useful for programs that target Latino youth, and have implications for the recruitment and retention of mentors. Findings bring to light the need for future rese arch that considers the quality of the mentoring relationship and its influence on outcomes for mentoring participants

Keywords

Mentoring, Latino Youth, Phenomenology, Latino Achievement Mentoring Program (LAMP), and Mentoring Relationships

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Drs. Marcela Raffaelli and Maxine Bauermeister as well as Rebecca Goodvin for their reviews of an earlier version of this manuscript. The authors are also grateful to Alison Damkroger, George Nightingale, and Abby Thomsen for their assistance with this project, and Kimberly Sou for her editorial comments. Additional thanks to the LAMP staff and participants as well as the Latino Research Initiative (LRI) without whom this work would not be possible.

Publication Date

3-1-2006

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2006.1688

Recommended APA Citation

Knoche, L. L., & Zamboanga, B. L. (2006). College Student Mentors and Latino Youth: A Qualitative Study of the Mentoring Relationship. The Qualitative Report, 11(1), 138-160. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2006.1688