First-generation college students of color (FGCSsOC) represent a growing population of students seeking higher education in the United States, and they are well represented among students pursuing degrees in marketing; yet the marketing industry continues to struggle with a lack of diversity in its workforce. Additionally, the scant research on this population of students highlights their struggles with career development and their lack of social capital, both of which present challenges to their ability to transition from school to career. Using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach, the Career Self-management model of the well-established Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT-CSM), as well as Social Capital Theory (SCT), I asked five FGCSsOC at various colleges and universities to share their college-going experiences and their career development experiences, including their experience building and enacting their professional networks. Five major themes emerged from the data -- "Family Is Everything;" "A Lot More Firsts Compared to Your Peers;" "Finding a Community;" "Dedicated, Determined, and Motivated;" and "Discovering the Missing Variable." The findings of the study provide implications for supporting this population of students and guidance for future research on the role of institutional agents and the benefits of networking. [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.]