Date of Award
2026
Degree Type
Open Access Dissertation
Degree Name
Education, PhD
Program
School of Educational Studies
Advisor/Supervisor/Committee Chair
Hugo A. García
Dissertation or Thesis Committee Member
Dina C. Maramba
Dissertation or Thesis Committee Member
Gloria Itzel Montiel
Terms of Use & License Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Rights Information
© 2025 Carmen Celina Macias Limon
Keywords
Alliance, Community cultural wealth, Success, Transfer, Trust, Undocumented students
Subject Categories
Education
Abstract
This qualitative dissertation explored the academic trajectories of 31 undocumented Latinx students in California who began their postsecondary education at community colleges and graduated from 4-year institutions. Guided by the undocumented community of trust model, which integrates Yosso’s (2005) community cultural wealth framework, Coleman’s (1994) theory of trust, and the newly introduced concept of alliance capital, this study examined how students leveraged seven forms of capital (i.e., aspirational, familial, navigational, social, resistance, linguistic, and alliance) to overcome educational barriers. It also examined the factors that shaped undocumented community college students’ willingness to trust and disclose their immigration status. Using a narrative research design rooted in Chicana feminist epistemology, data were collected through semistructured interviews conceptualized as testimonios, alongside a demographic survey. Findings revealed trust was a critical mechanism enabling students to activate their cultural wealth. Participants maintained hope through community support, familial sacrifices, and personal ambition. They navigated institutional challenges by identifying allies, creating safe spaces, and engaging in activism. Bilingualism and peer networks further supported their persistence. The study underscored the importance of institutional allies, culturally responsive programming, and policy reforms to foster equitable outcomes for undocumented students. This research contributes to the growing body of strength-based literature on undocumented student success and offers actionable recommendations for practitioners, policymakers, and scholars. Future research should expand to include undocumented students from diverse racial and immigration backgrounds and explore the experiences of those who do not persist through the transfer pipeline.
ISBN
9798270236816
Recommended Citation
Macias Limon, Carmen Celina. (2026). From Community College to Degree: Examining the Success of Undocumented Community College Transfer Students. CGU Theses & Dissertations, 1054. https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/1054.
