Thursday, April 30, 2026
2 PM - 4 PM

Dissertation title: Belonging Among Immigrant Students Of Color At A Predominantly White Suburban High School In Massachusetts: A Phenomenological Study

Program name: Educational Leadership- Organizational Justice Equity and Inclusion (OJEI) Track

Zoom link

Abstract of the dissertation

This qualitative study explored how immigrant students of Color make meaning of their sense of belonging and non-belonging in a predominantly White suburban high school in Massachusetts. As suburban districts become increasingly racially and culturally diverse, they often continue to operate within institutional norms shaped by Whiteness and meritocracy, which can obscure the distinct racialized and migratory experiences of immigrant youth. While existing research has examined students of Color in predominantly White educational spaces, fewer studies center immigrant students of Color in suburban contexts or attend to their meaning making processes. Guided by a front-loaded phenomenological approach, this study examined how immigrant students of Color interpret their high school experiences with particular attention to peer relationships, educator interactions, school climate, opportunities for voice and agency, and the influence of racial, cultural, and migration histories on identity development and self-advocacy. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and a focus group with alumni immigrant students of Color who graduated from one predominantly White suburban high school within the past five years and were members of a particular affinity-based group for students of Color. Data analysis utilized phenomenological methods, emphasizing participants’ interpretations of belonging and non-belonging. The study’s findings indicated that belonging was not inherently fostered within school structures but was actively constructed and negotiated through relationships, institutional responses, and opportunities for identity affirmation and agency.

Dissertation committee members:
Dr. Rashmi Sharma (chair)
Dr. Eric Sheffield
Dr. Carla Paciotto