UCI DREAM Center

Scholars-in-Residence Program

Undocumented students face a multitude of barriers when pursuing higher education. One such barrier that persists is acquiring the sufficient skills and opportunities to prepare them for life after graduation. Prof. Enriquez collaborated with the UCI DREAM Center to create the Scholars-in-Residence (SIR) Program to support students in their professional development and preparation for pursuing graduate and professional education.

Laura Enriquez Photo 1, UCI Office of Inclusive ExcellenceLaura E. Enriquez - Assistant Professor, Chicano/Latino Studies

Dr. Laura E. Enriquez holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her undergraduate degree in Sociology and History from Pomona College. During her time there she began working closely with undocumented immigrant students. Building on this work, she has researched, presented, and published on a range of issues related to the educational, economic, political, and social experiences of undocumented young adults who immigrated to the United States as children.

Currently she is working on a book manuscript tentatively titled, Of Love and Papers: Forming Families in the Shadows of Immigration Policy. Drawing on qualitative interviews with undocumented young adults and their romantic partners, the book explores how immigration-related laws impact the family formation experiences of undocumented immigrant young adults, their romantic partners, and their citizen children. Continue reading...