William Perez

Loyola Marymount University, Educational Leadership, Faculty Member

Claremont Graduate University, School of Educational Studies, Faculty Member

Followers

1,040

Following

394

Co-authors

Public Views

William Perez, an immigrant from El Salvador, is a professor in the School of Education at Loyola Marymount University. He received his BA in psychology from Pomona College and his Ph.D. in Child and Adolescent Development and Educational Psychology from Stanford University. His research focuses on the social and psychological processes associated with academic success and higher education access among immigrant, undocumented, indigenous, and deported students in the U.S. and Mexico. He has received awards for his scholarly work from the American Educational Research Association, the Association for the Study of Higher Education, the American Educational Studies Association, and the Fulbright Scholars program. He has been interviewed or quoted in various media outlets including NBC Nightly News, the LA Times, the Washington Post, PBS, and NPR. The impact of his scholarship has been recognized by Education Week’s annual ranking of the top university-based scholars in the U.S. who are doing the most to influence educational policy and practice.
Phone: 3236102074
Address: 150 E. 10th St.
Claremont, CA 91711

less

Judith L Green

University of California, Santa Barbara

Josiah Heyman

University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore

University College London

George K. # Zarifis

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Andreas Umland

National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy"

David Brunsma

Virginia Tech

David Seamon

Kansas State University

Fran Ansley

University of Tennessee Knoxville

Armando Marques-Guedes

UNL - New University of Lisbon

Émilie Crossley

Hokkaido University

InterestsView All (19)

Uploads

Books by William Perez

Americans By Heart: Undocumented Latino Students and the Promise of Higher Education

Americans by Heart examines the plight of undocumented Latino students as they navigate the educa... more Americans by Heart examines the plight of undocumented Latino students as they navigate the educational and legal tightrope presented by their immigration status. Many of these students are accepted to attend some of our best colleges and universities but cannot afford the tuition to do so because they are not eligible for financial aid or employment. For the few that defy the odds and manage to graduate, their status continues to present insurmountable barriers to employment. This timely and compelling account brings to light the hard work and perseverance of these students and their families; their commitment to education and civic participation; and their deep sense of uncertainty and marginality. Offering a rich in-depth analysis, the author presents a new framework for educational policies that recognizes the merit and potential of undocumented Latino students and links their situation to larger social and policy issues of immigration reform and higher education access.

Undocumented Latino College Students: Their Socioemotional and Academic Experiences

Pérez and Cortés examine how undocumented Latino community college students cope with the challen... more Pérez and Cortés examine how undocumented Latino community college students cope with the challenges created by their legal status. They find that students experience feelings of shame, anger, despair, marginalization, and uncertainty stemming from discrimination, anti-immigrant sentiment, fear of deportation, and systemic barriers (e.g., ineligibility for financial aid). Despite moments of despair and an uncertain future, rather than become dejected, students reframe their circumstances in positive terms. Findings also highlight the importance of student advocates on campus, as well as the need to educate college personnel. The conclusion discusses the socioemotional implications of students’ ongoing legal marginality, and makes suggestions for institutional practices.

We ARE Americans: Undocumented Students Pursuing the American Dream

Through the inspiring stories of 16 students—from seniors in high school to graduate students—Wil... more Through the inspiring stories of 16 students—from seniors in high school to graduate students—William Perez gives voice to the estimated 2.4 million undocumented students in the United States, and draws attention to their plight. These stories reveal how—despite financial hardship, the unpredictability of living with the daily threat of deportation, restrictions of all sorts, and often in the face of discrimination by their teachers—so many are not just persisting in the American educational system, but achieving academically, and moreover often participating in service to their local communities. Perez reveals what drives these young people, and the visions they have for contributing to the country they call home.

Developing Minority Language Resources: The Case of Spanish in California

This book documents ongoing language shift to English among Latino professionals in California. I... more This book documents ongoing language shift to English among Latino professionals in California. It then describes current instructional practices used in the teaching of Spanish as an academic subject at the high school and university levels to “heritage” language students who, although educated entirely in English, acquired Spanish at home as a first language. It specifically examines the potential contribution of these instructional practices to the maintenance of Spanish.

Papers by William Perez

Amae Editorial Advisory Board

#PVQPKC&amp;CTFGT

Civic Engagement Patterns of Undocumented

This study examined the civic engagement of undocumented Mexican students. Civic engagement was d... more This study examined the civic engagement of undocumented Mexican students. Civic engagement was defined as providing a social service, activism, tutoring, and functionary work. Survey data results (n = 126) suggest that despite high feelings of rejection because of their undocumented status, part-time employment, and household responsibilities, 90% of respondents had been civically engaged. Females and students with higher academic achievement and extracurricular participation demonstrated higher civic engagement whereas older students were more likely to have participated in activism. Policy implications of undocumented Latino college student civic engagement are discussed.

The Students We Share: US Teachers' Responsibilities Given That Some of Their Students Will Later Go to School in Mexico. Equity by Design

Cultural, Racial/Ethnic, and Linguistic Diversity and Identity

How do identity processes relate to schooling? This is an age-old question in the education liter... more How do identity processes relate to schooling? This is an age-old question in the education literature. Accordingly, it has been the subject of numerous studies over several decades. A foremost concern in this body of research has been the ways that cultural, racial, and linguistic identities shape students’ engagement and achievement. This research has been linked to efforts to understand, document, and ameliorate what has been viewed as educational underperformance of minority students in U.S. schools. Whereas much of the early research in this area focused on the psychological processes and academic achievements of individual or groups of students, more recent research attends to the nature of the sociopolitical school and community contexts that youths navigate.

Chapter 6. Secondary Spanish Heritage Programs in California

Developing Minority Language Resources, 2006

Cultural Involvement, Indigenous Identity, and Language

Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 2016

This exploratory study analyzed the influence of Zapotec parental socialization practices on the ... more This exploratory study analyzed the influence of Zapotec parental socialization practices on the cultural awareness and involvement, ethnic identity, and Zapotec language use of their adolescent children. A total of 15 parent-child dyads participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents. Adolescents responded to corresponding open-ended questions in a written survey. Results indicate that the children of parents who were the most involved in cultural groups and organizations were more likely to participate in traditional dance and music groups. The children of parents who identified as indigenous and encouraged Zapotec language use were more likely to also identify as indigenous and speak Zapotec. High cultural awareness and participation among adolescents was not always related to indigenous self-identification and/or Zapotec language use. Many adolescents who did not self-identify as indigenous and did not speak Zapotec also reported high levels of ...

William Perez

Uploads

Books by William Perez

Papers by William Perez

Log In