Flourishing in a New Country: Resiliency among Dominican English Language Learners at Bronx Community College.
Author: Nelson A. Reynoso, Ph.D
Associate Professor, Departments of Social Sciences, Psychology Division
Institution: Bronx Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY)
Flourishing in a New Country: Resiliency among Dominican English Language Learners at Bronx Community College
The present research studies two Dominican English language learners going to Bronx Community College utilizing internal and environmental advantages to overcome language, immigration, academic, and personal challenges. Through the methodology of oral history, the anecdotes of two Dominican Republic residents who are English language learners were documented and examined. The results show the participants’ experience of the following challenges: separation from family, issues while learning English, and financial challenges. Despite the overwhelming number of barriers experienced by the participants, they graduated from Bronx Community College and faced setbacks by using the following resiliency strategies: psychological strength to effectively deal with the challenges, seeking support from family and friends, establishing understanding relationships with the faculty and staff, and working on a bi-cultural ethnic identity.