ERIC Number: EJ1307819
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Oct
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0091-5521
EISSN: N/A
Aspiration and Opportunity: First-Generation Immigrants and Refugees at Community College
Community College Review, v49 n4 p435-456 Oct 2021
Objective: This article explores the experiences of 32 first-generation immigrant and refugee students as they transition into and out of community college. The challenges students face and the resources on which they draw in their educational pursuits are viewed through Bourdieu's theory of cultural capital. Method: This project utilizes an applied ethnographic approach that primarily elicited participant-observation and interview data. Results: Findings demonstrate that prospective community college students articulated uncertainty about the college process and concern over the quality of community colleges. Current and former community college students validated these concerns as they described their struggles to overcome both in- and out-of-school challenges. In many cases, such obstacles resulted in the leveling of previously high aspirations. Contribution: Although the growing number of immigrant and refugee students in the United States are disproportionately represented at community colleges, little is known about their experiences in these institutions. This article adds to our understanding of immigrant and refugee students' experiences in community colleges through their own words.
Descriptors: First Generation College Students, Immigrants, Refugees, Community Colleges, Two Year College Students, Student Attitudes, Educational Quality, Aspiration, College Bound Students, Educational Attainment
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges; High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A