Many researchers have documented the challenges of working with culturally different elementary and high school students and have provided evidence of pedagogical practices that increase student engagement and academic success. However, a gap still exists in the understanding of student engagement and academic success of adult refugee students in higher education. Teaching methods, institutional and classroom environments, and educational policies may change through student voice. This case study used the theoretical framework of culturally relevant pedagogy to explore how Iraqi refugee students, enrolled in a community college, defined academic success, described their optimal learning environment, and remained engaged in college despite cultural differences. Purposeful and snowball sampling were used to select the 8 participants and data were collected through one-on-one interviews using open ended questions. Data were coded and analyzed using Atlas.ti to identify themes within and across cases. Results supported the academic success component of culturally relevant pedagogy; however, participants gave insight into barriers to success, offered solutions to eliminate those barriers, and implied that enhancing cultural competence within the college would increase student engagement and assist in acculturation. These findings led to the development of a specialized orientation designed to accommodate those needs. Recommendations include the implementation of specialized orientation programs to support culturally diverse students. Knowledge gained through this research encourages positive social change to embrace diversity and help newcomers establish themselves as they adapt to the local community and American educational systems. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]