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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of four-year university and college students identifying as first-generation in college (FGC) and second-generation immigrant (SGI) in the United States., with a focus on a sense of belonging at this identity intersection. These student groups experience multiple cultures simultaneously which may intersect or collide to produce bi/polycultural experiences that are subsequently introduced into their college experiences. Using in-depth interviews, this qualitative phenomenological study sought to highlight the identity narratives of FGC-SGI students in the Southeastern United States and explore how social identities influence their sense of belonging. A total of ten participants were included in this study which used sense of belonging (Hurtado & Carter, 1997; Strayhorn, 2012, 2019) and the reconceptualized model of multiple dimensions of identity (RMMDI; Abes et al., 2007) in combination to ground the examination of the phenomenon of FGC-SGI students experiencing belonging in college. Sense of belonging is often associated with social support stemming from identification within a group, is not static, and is context dependent. RMMDI allows for an understanding of how a person negotiates complexities associated with salience of identity and context. Thus, applying sense of belonging to the RMMDI allowed for a deeper understanding of how perceptions of multiple identities played a role in the lived experiences of acclimation to a college context. Further, understanding a sense of belonging among FGC-SGI students may assist equity-minded student affairs practitioners with framing and creating settings which purposefully engage with these populations - including but not limited to encouraging identity exploration - to promote a positive college experience, aiding in persistence and success.