“Trying to be accepted”: Exploring foreign-born immigrants’ interactions with faculty and practitioners

This multi-institutional qualitative study included an examination of foreignborn, undergraduate, immigrant college students’ interactions with faculty members and student affairs professionals. Individual interviews with 103 immigrant students-representing over 40 countries-were collected across three U.S.-based institutions. Using Bronfenbrenner as a guiding framework and Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory, three main theoretical categories that impact students’ sense of belonging emerged: navigating the system, encountering injustices, and seeking validating relationships. Implications for student affairs practice are highlighted.