Survey: Latinos Among Students Most Likely to Withdraw from College



Latino and Black students have the greatest risk of withdrawing from post-secondary education programs, according to a recent survey by the Lumina-Gallup State of Higher Education. This finding comes at a time when institutions offering bachelor’s degrees are seeing a significant drop in enrollment — a situation exacerbated by COVID-19. Over the last decade, college enrollment has declined by 7.4%, which is the equivalent of 1.5 million students, according to Best Colleges. The biggest decline – 900,000 students – came during the pandemic years of fall 2019 and fall 2023. While the enrollment of underrepresented students such as Latinos and Blacks has somewhat improved, they are also considered to be more likely than their white peers to leave. Survey Results on College ...

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Screen Time and Mental Health: Resources for Young People



Mental Health America (MHA) has published the Selfies, Social, & Screens: Navigating Virtual Spaces for Youth toolkit to help younger people’s technology habits.   “Parents, caretakers, and household members act as the main influence on a child’s use of technology,” said Schroeder Stribling, President and CEO of Mental Health America.   Let’s examine youth mental health, the helpful resources that this toolkit contains, and how you and others you know can benefit from it.   How Technology Use Impacts Mental Health  Virtual habits and activity can have a large impact on the mental health of young people.   “Children and teens are dealing with the intense emotions of growing up in a digital age where much of their lives are spent online,” according to ...

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Rosa Escalante Lopez: Resilient Latina Overcomes Health Crisis to Help Latinos Heal Invisible Wounds



A young Rosa Escalante Lopez curiously looked around the therapist’s room as her mother and the therapist chatted in Spanish. “The elementary school thinks she may have a learning disability,” Rosa’s mother said. “She’s struggling in math.” “According to my evaluation, your daughter is developing normally,” the therapist said with a smile. “She can continue to the next grade; she may just need extra tutoring in her math class.” As the two continued to talk, Rosa reflected on her session with the therapist. She was fascinated with the idea of helping people heal a wound that may not be visible, such as a learning disability or a mental health condition. “In my last year of elementary school, I remember thinking, ‘I'm going to be a psychologist and ...

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Banker Turned Psychiatrist: How Dr. Octavio N. Martinez, Jr. Found His Calling


Dr. Martinez cover

“Now remember, you must return your books on time,” said the librarian at the local public library in Austin, Texas. She peered down at 6-year-old Octavio N. Martinez, Jr., who eagerly nodded in agreement. She smiled and handed the child his first library card. From there, Octavio fell in love. Hard. He loved books and became a ferocious reader. With each page turn, his passion for learning grew. By the time he reached sixth grade, he knew he was destined for college and had even earned the nickname “professor” among his friends. Now a grown man, Dr. Octavio N. Martinez, Jr. has since earned four college degrees, including a Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Health. He is also one of the nation’s leading mental health advocates and philanthropists, ...

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