Date Approved
5-27-2026
Embargo Period
5-26-2028
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. Higher Education
Department
Educational Leadership
College
College of Education
Advisor
Stephanie Lezotte, Ph.D.
Committee Member 1
Tyrone McCombs, Ph.D.
Committee Member 2
Andrew Tinnin, Ed.D.
Keywords
Gap in Support;Immigration;Lack of Status;Lived Experiences;Undocumented Students;USRC
Disciplines
Education | Higher Education
Abstract
The undocumented student population in higher education institutions across the country reports a severe lack of support services available (Stuckey & Lambert Snodgras, 2023) and a gap in knowledge of their unique needs by faculty and administrators (Lauby & Ross, 2022). This thesis examines the lived experiences of undocumented students at Mid-Atlantic Public University (MAPU) to understand what additional institutional resources, if any, these students perceive as necessary beyond those available to traditional students. Through qualitative interviews and by using a hermeneutic phenomenological methodological approach (McLeod, 2025), the researcher analyzed the results through the lens of Schlossberg’s theory of marginality and mattering (Schlossberg, 1989). Findings show that undocumented students at MAPU experience their status affecting their identity, the effects of the socio-political climate on their safety and well-being, and institutional barriers to access and navigation. Simultaneously, they also experience the existence of support systems and a sense of belonging in the university setting. Overall, recommendations call for the addition of specialized support services to meet this student population’s unique needs as well as an increase of training and knowledge for administrators of the undocumented student experience.
Recommended Citation
Hurley, Shannon Nicole, "“We're Here but We're Not Noticeable”: Lived Experiences of Undocumented Students in a University Setting" (2026). Theses and Dissertations. 3524.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3524
