Date of Degree
2026
Degree Name
Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)
Department
Department of Curriculum and Instruction (CI)
Director
Lampi, Jodi
Committee Members
Jaekel, Katy; Manderino, Michael; Bonilla, Diana
Keywords
LGBTQIA+, science identity, sense of belonging, community college, student
Abstract
A minoritized group that struggles in science, though it spans many genders, and racial/ethnic identities, are LGBTQIA+ individuals. These students face challenges such as a lack of social acceptance manifesting in microaggressions, prejudice and violence, as well as challenges in their studies due to non-inclusive curriculum. These challenges impact the learning experience of these students and reduce retention rates, especially in the sciences. In addition, the climate of social acceptance for LGBTQIA+ students at community colleges is worse than that of four-year institutes. Science identity is a complex composition of recognizing oneself as a science person, or a competent practitioner of science, supported by and recognized by other scientists. A sense of belonging is important as it affirms that one is a part of a community or group structure, which provides security. Both of these phenomena are studied in minoritized populations in the sciences.
This study addresses the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ students in science courses at community college regarding their science identity and sense of belonging, at multiple medium-sized midwestern community colleges. The research questions as part of this study will focus on LGBTQIA+ lived experiences regarding science courses and how these experiences are related
to the science identity and sense of belonging of students at the community college level. This study follows a qualitative research design with a transcendental phenomenological approach. The theoretical foundations that support this study are based on Gee’s (2000) Affinity Identity and Schlossberg’s (1989) Marginality and Mattering theory. Three community college study sites were chosen using maximum variation sampling. In the selection of participants for the study, criterion sampling was used. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 8-11 participants. The data consisted of transcripts from interviews as well as focus groups and generated visual artifacts from focus groups.
After analyzing the transcripts from interviews and focus groups as well as visual analysis of generated artifacts, three themes emerged that directly addressed the research questions of this study. A strong and diverse sense of self was exhibited by participants shaped by formative experiences, internal and external identities and normal uncertainty of self. Science identity and its characteristics were prominent throughout this sense of identity. Science interests were rooted in motivation. Participants expressed much motivation, interest and dis-interest in certain science topics, exhibiting a development of science identity. Sense of belonging was felt by participants on a spectrum. They expressed representation by instructors, curriculum, peers and their institution, which contributed to belonging. However, participants also experienced non-inclusive instructors, peers and curriculum. In more extreme situations discomfort as well as feelings of non-safety were expressed in their community college settings, resulting in feeling exclusion. The findings from this phenomenological study provide a sample for the current state of LGBTQIA+ community college students in science courses in northern Illinois and show a need for strengthening of science and LGBTQIA+ identity unity as well as sense of belonging for such students.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
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NIU theses and dissertations are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors, unless otherwise indicated.
Recommended Citation
Nagy, Moria L., "The Lived Experiences of LGBTQIA+ Community College Students Regarding Their Science Identity and Sense of Belonging" (2026). Dissertations of Practice. 117.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-disspractice/117
