Undocumented students face myriad obstacles while attending higher education institutions that would deter them from completing their academic journeys. Furthermore, they are placed with a dual narrative that labels them as either dangerous or exceptional. This study explored the lived experiences of undocumented students in college in the San Diego-Tijuana border region to consider what factors have led to resilience and resistance in their academic journey. By understanding these factors, the research aimed to tackle the dual narrative that burdens undocumented students from the illegality as a master status they possess.
This study used narrative inquiry and a literature review as a research methodology. The literature identified four themes, known as commonalities, found in previous research studies about undocumented college experiences. These commonalities (Illegality as a Master Status, Academic Threat, Academic Support, and Belonging) bring forth educational practices that have either deterred or promoted success in undergraduate undocumented students. An undocumented critical theory lens is used to dispel the perceived binary narrative of undocumented lives and gives voice to undocumented students.
Narrative inquiry as a research methodology was used to create an environment of reflection, politicization, and transformation to identify recurring themes. Findings suggested undocumented college students in the San Diego-Tijuana region benefit from the various forms of academic and professional support, but undocumented student experiences indicated there is still further need for socioemotional support and institutions should move from undocumented student enrolling to undocumented student serving.
","abstract_html":"<p>Undocumented students face myriad obstacles while attending higher education institutions that would deter them from completing their academic journeys. Furthermore, they are placed with a dual narrative that labels them as either dangerous or exceptional. This study explored the lived experiences of undocumented students in college in the San Diego-Tijuana border region to consider what factors have led to resilience and resistance in their academic journey. By understanding these factors, the research aimed to tackle the dual narrative that burdens undocumented students from the illegality as a master status they possess.</p> <p>This study used narrative inquiry and a literature review as a research methodology. The literature identified four themes, known as commonalities, found in previous research studies about undocumented college experiences. These commonalities (Illegality as a Master Status, Academic Threat, Academic Support, and Belonging) bring forth educational practices that have either deterred or promoted success in undergraduate undocumented students. An undocumented critical theory lens is used to dispel the perceived binary narrative of undocumented lives and gives voice to undocumented students.</p> <p>Narrative inquiry as a research methodology was used to create an environment of reflection, politicization, and transformation to identify recurring themes. Findings suggested undocumented college students in the San Diego-Tijuana region benefit from the various forms of academic and professional support, but undocumented student experiences indicated there is still further need for socioemotional support and institutions should move from undocumented student enrolling to undocumented student serving.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Escobedo Sanchez, Adan"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"PhD Education for Social Justice","degree_level":"Dissertation: Open Access","degree_discipline":"Learning and Teaching","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2023,"date_issued":"2023-05-21T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2023-05-21T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:41:35Z","subjects":["Undocumented Critical Theory","Undocumented Students","Illegality as a master status","education","belonging","Academic Threat","Academic Support","Undocu-Serving","Higher Education","Ethnic Studies","Immigrants","Tijuana","San Diego","Social Justice","AB540","Narrative Inquiry","Resistance","Resilience","Academic Advising","Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education","Educational Methods","Education Policy","Higher Education and Teaching","Holistic Education","Latin American Studies","Other Education","Race and Ethnicity","Scholarship of Teaching and Learning"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/978","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Escobedo Sanchez, Adan"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2023-05-08T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Learning and Teaching"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation: Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["PhD Education for Social Justice"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Undocumented Critical Theory","Undocumented Students","Illegality as a master status","education","belonging","Academic Threat","Academic Support","Undocu-Serving","Higher Education","Ethnic Studies","Immigrants","Tijuana","San Diego","Social Justice","AB540","Narrative Inquiry","Resistance","Resilience","Academic Advising","Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education","Educational Methods","Education Policy","Higher Education and Teaching","Holistic Education","Latin American Studies","Other Education","Race and Ethnicity","Scholarship of Teaching and Learning"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/978"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Undocumented students face myriad obstacles while attending higher education institutions that would deter them from completing their academic journeys. Furthermore, they are placed with a dual narrative that labels them as either dangerous or exceptional. This study explored the lived experiences of undocumented students in college in the San Diego-Tijuana border region to consider what factors have led to resilience and resistance in their academic journey. By understanding these factors, the research aimed to tackle the dual narrative that burdens undocumented students from the illegality as a master status they possess.
This study used narrative inquiry and a literature review as a research methodology. The literature identified four themes, known as commonalities, found in previous research studies about undocumented college experiences. These commonalities (Illegality as a Master Status, Academic Threat, Academic Support, and Belonging) bring forth educational practices that have either deterred or promoted success in undergraduate undocumented students. An undocumented critical theory lens is used to dispel the perceived binary narrative of undocumented lives and gives voice to undocumented students.
Narrative inquiry as a research methodology was used to create an environment of reflection, politicization, and transformation to identify recurring themes. Findings suggested undocumented college students in the San Diego-Tijuana region benefit from the various forms of academic and professional support, but undocumented student experiences indicated there is still further need for socioemotional support and institutions should move from undocumented student enrolling to undocumented student serving.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Resistencia Indocumentada: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Higher Education Undocumented Students In The San Diego-Tijuana Border Region"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Escobedo Sanchez, Adan"],"dc:date.available":["2023-05-08T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Undocumented students face myriad obstacles while attending higher education institutions that would deter them from completing their academic journeys. Furthermore, they are placed with a dual narrative that labels them as either dangerous or exceptional. This study explored the lived experiences of undocumented students in college in the San Diego-Tijuana border region to consider what factors have led to resilience and resistance in their academic journey. By understanding these factors, the research aimed to tackle the dual narrative that burdens undocumented students from the illegality as a master status they possess.
This study used narrative inquiry and a literature review as a research methodology. The literature identified four themes, known as commonalities, found in previous research studies about undocumented college experiences. These commonalities (Illegality as a Master Status, Academic Threat, Academic Support, and Belonging) bring forth educational practices that have either deterred or promoted success in undergraduate undocumented students. An undocumented critical theory lens is used to dispel the perceived binary narrative of undocumented lives and gives voice to undocumented students.
Narrative inquiry as a research methodology was used to create an environment of reflection, politicization, and transformation to identify recurring themes. Findings suggested undocumented college students in the San Diego-Tijuana region benefit from the various forms of academic and professional support, but undocumented student experiences indicated there is still further need for socioemotional support and institutions should move from undocumented student enrolling to undocumented student serving.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/978"],"dc:subject":["Undocumented Critical Theory","Undocumented Students","Illegality as a master status","education","belonging","Academic Threat","Academic Support","Undocu-Serving","Higher Education","Ethnic Studies","Immigrants","Tijuana","San Diego","Social Justice","AB540","Narrative Inquiry","Resistance","Resilience","Academic Advising","Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education","Educational Methods","Education Policy","Higher Education and Teaching","Holistic Education","Latin American Studies","Other Education","Race and Ethnicity","Scholarship of Teaching and Learning"],"dc:title":["Resistencia Indocumentada: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Higher Education Undocumented Students In The San Diego-Tijuana Border Region"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Learning and Teaching"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation: Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["PhD Education for Social Justice"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:41:35Z"}