"Nepantla as Transition: Latinas During the First Year of College"
Marie Nubia-Feliciano, Department of Education Admissions Officer, will be presenting at the 2011 National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Region 9 Conference to be held in San Diego, March 2-4. The title of her presentation is: "Nepantla as Transition: Latinas During the First Year of College." Ms. Nubia-Feliciano, a 1994 UCI graduate with a major in Psychology, is pursuing her doctorate in Cultural and Curricular Studies at Chapman University.
Presentation Abstract
During the first year of college, female students have to acclimate to a new environment while ensuring that they do not lose themselves in the process. Gloria Anzaldúa's concept of Nepantla, or the space between the "no longer" and the "not yet" of life's transitions will be used to explore the cultural liminal space that the Latina finds herself in during the transition to college life. This session will explore the issues that occur during the first year and explore the role language plays in that transition. Examples will be shared to show how students use their home language to make meaning of, and be successful as they transition to college. We will also explore how advisors can use language, specifically Spanish, to reach out to Latina students to increase likelihood of college success.
