Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education Policy, Planning, and Administration

Committee Chairperson

Dr. Orkideh Mohajeri, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Dr. Jocelyn Manigo, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Dr. Peter Loedel, Ph.D.

Abstract

This study explored the complex and personal lived experiences of International College Women of Color (ICWOC) as they navigated the complexities of developing of a sense of belonging within their U.S. higher education institution (HEI). Guided by Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of Intersectionality (1991,1989) and Strayhorn’s College Student Sense of Belonging theory (2012), this research study used an interpretive phenomenological approach to explore how racism, ethnocentrism and misogyny shaped the ICWOC participants’ academic and social journeys in their U.S. HEIs. Through individual, semi-structured interviews with the participants, this study revealed that belonging was not simply about institutional access or inclusion. It was profoundly relational, rooted in meaningful support, cultural connection, and the emotional labor of meeting family and community expectations. Additionally, this sense of belonging was often disrupted by intersecting forces of oppression including racism, ethnocentrism, misogyny, and a shifting political climate.

Findings emphasize the urgent need for U.S. HEIs to adopt intentionally inclusive, culturally responsive policies and practices. In an increasingly volatile social and political landscape, HEIs must not only acknowledge the barriers ICWOC and other international students face. HEIs must actively work to dismantle those barriers through advocacy, support systems, and intentional programming. By doing so, HEIs can move beyond symbolic inclusion, becoming transformative spaces where ICWOC and all international students are not just welcomed, but also belonged.

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