Centering Students of the Global Majority in United States Community College Critical Internationalization Programming: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study

Abstract

In 2020, students categorized as Black, Hispanic, Asian, and two or more races comprised over 50% of community college enrollment nationwide. However, current internationalization models in community colleges are rarely intentionally designed for and with students of the global majority. This study addresses a gap in the research by exploring the priorities of students of the global majority regarding content and engagement in community college global education programming. I interviewed six students representing a variety of racial/ethnic backgrounds, ages, and genders at a community college in Minnesota. Using van Manen’s lifeworld existentials, I analyzed and interpreted the data in the interview transcripts. The students’ priorities regarding content and engagement in global education programs at their college can be summarized as interacting with diverse peers, nuanced and accurate representations of culture and history, curious and caring relationships with instructors and other adults on campus, and opportunities to engage with global realities beyond the classroom. These categories align with de Bie et al.’s pedagogical partnership approach, specifically the concepts of epistemic, affective, and ontological justice, a framework critical internationalization practitioners can use to enact emancipatory practices.