Dissertation Defense Announcement Ph.D. in Higher Education Program: Shaneika Nelson “The Afro-Caribbean Student Perspective: Identity, Transition, and Belonging Among Jamaican International Students at a Historically Black College and University in the United States”

The Caribbean is often considered the ultimate destination for those seeking to escape daily life. Yet Caribbean islanders also seek opportunities beyond their home countries and frequently travel to other islands or leave the region for the United States in search of educational and professional opportunities. Among these individuals are students pursuing higher education. While the United States is a popular destination for students who leave their homeland to enroll in institutions with diverse academic programs (Foner, 2001, p. 4), there is limited literature on the experiences of Caribbean students in higher education in the United States. This dissertation research addresses this gap by examining the experiences of Afro-Caribbean students in American higher education, focusing on their opportunities, challenges, and perspectives.

Specifically, this study explored the experiences of Jamaican international students attending a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Although these Caribbean students may share racial classification with African Americans and other Black students in the United States, this research emphasizes that their distinct ethnic and cultural backgrounds shape how they experience higher education within these institutions. A qualitative, phenomenological case study approach was used to understand the lived experiences of these students.

For the pilot study, four students from a Caribbean student organization at a large public research university in the northeastern United States who identified as Afro-Caribbean or Jamaican, or were first-generation college students with ties to the Caribbean, participated in one-on-one interviews. These interviews allowed participants to share their stories and helped identify emerging themes for further investigation. These themes were then used as a foundation to examine the experiences of thirteen Jamaican international students who participated in small group interviews and a focus group that informed the primary study.

The findings indicate that while students were motivated to pursue higher education in the United States, they also navigated new academic, social, and racial contexts that shaped their experiences of transition, identity, and belonging. Participants described maintaining strong connections to Jamaican cultural identity while adjusting to new institutional environments and building community primarily through peer networks and shared cultural spaces. Students’ expectations prior to arrival were often shaped by media portrayals and conversations with others, and many reflected on the differences between those expectations and their lived experiences after arriving in the United States. Based on these findings, it is recommended that HBCUs develop tailored onboarding processes, programs, and support services that address the unique cultural and transitional experiences of international Black students and support their engagement within the diverse community of a heterogeneously Black institution.