ABSTRACT
The experience of adult immigrant English-as-a-second-language learners in community colleges is an explicit example of cultural and social capital. Cultural capital is intangible and can lead or assist an individual in acquiring tangible items such as access to an institution of higher education or successful navigation of standardized testing. It is important to note that although we re-represent these marginalized student groups as individual populations on community college campuses, these students have multiple identities. Expanding marginalization to the institutional level, community colleges are on the periphery of the higher education landscape. Community colleges will continue their legacy of enrolling students of diverse social classes, academic abilities, sexual orientations, and genders. As part of the mission to serve their students, community college administrators, faculty, and staff must work with the entire institution to develop learning communities that are inclusive if they are to help students “fulfill the American dream”.
