Abstract
First-generation, low-income (FGLI), commuter students are crippled by not knowing
what they do not know. Nearly 1/3 of first-generation students drop out of college before
they attain a degree (Ishitani, 2016). As the demographic for incoming freshman shifts to
commuter students considered low-income first-generation, universities need to consider
additional resources and connections to facilitate their success due to the lack of time
they spend on campus. This phenomenological study explored the stories of current low-income,
first-generation, sophomore commuter students to understand their perception of
the campus community’s influence on their sense of belonging and their ability to
academically succeed.