UC San Diego

The undocumented college student population in the United States reflects a similar pattern of growth relative to the overall population of undocumented individuals (Goo, 2015). While the undocumented population in the U.S. has not recently increased substantially, and in some cases the undocumented population has actually declined (Baker & Rytina, 2012), there is a growing need to address the limited opportunities available to undocumented youth after graduation from college. College students face challenges finding a career path after graduation, they face the phenomenon of underemployment (Abel, Deitz, & Su, 2014) and these challenges become more difficult when a student is undocumented and lacks permanent work authorization to be employed, and face the threat of deportation (Autin et al., 2018). This study aimed to explore the post-graduation experiences of students who went to college while undocumented. Using a conceptual framework that includes Transition Theory (Schlossberg, 1981) and Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005), the research design used narrative inquiry to gain a deep understanding of the experiences of these students and their journeys. A review of the literature in this study addressed the following domains of literature, as they relate to undocumented individuals: policy and legislation, demographics of undocumented communities, and a highlight of California-specific factors. This study includes a literature review of the following domains of knowledge: policy and legislation, demographics of undocumented students, a California-specific review, the focus of the study that highlights challenges and barriers for undocumented students, and a conceptual framework that includes Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (1981), and Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005). Participants included those who have successfully graduated from the University of California system and are or were undocumented during some or all of their time in college. The narratives of participants guided the inquiry and study findings.