For many situationally marginalized Mexican-descent students today, hopelessness is fueled by a bleak life situation that is reflected in their school performance. Success in school remains elusive because they are not or have not had the opportunity to become members of a community that contributes to their sense of agency, possibility and hope in life or educational pursuits. From a sociocultural perspective of learning and developing a "way of being" and identity through this learning, the purpose of this study was to see how one socially, educationally, and socioeconomically marginalized, Mexican-descent student struggled, learned and "became" another way of being in his first year of college mediated through a retention and support program.