Undocumented Community College Students: Understanding How Social Support Facilitates Their College Persistence

Objective: Most undocumented students enter higher education through community colleges, yet these institutions typically offer less support than four-year universities. Using Shumaker and Brownell’s theory of social support, we aimed to understand how resources at community colleges influenced undocumented students’ persistence. Specifically, we sought to answer the following research questions: (a) What social support is available to undocumented community college students? (b) What specific resources do undocumented community college students receive from providers of social support? and (c) How does the social support undocumented community college students receive, if any, influence their college persistence? Methodology: We used a participatory action research (PAR) approach and qualitative case study methodology. Findings: We found that undocumented community college students relied on emotional sustenance from family and friends. Furthermore, they piecemealed material support and information in the absence of institutional assistance. Our data showed that only a select few undocumented students earned social support within the community college setting due to their campus involvement. Contributions: Our findings have implications for higher education practice, including opportunities to provide social support through peer mentoring programs, more engagement with faculty, and the community college engaging students’ families. Finally, our findings also have implications for research, including recruiting a more diverse student population, exploring the experiences of undocumented student leaders at community colleges, and conducting research in varying state contexts.