Interpreting Mental Health: Immigrant-Origin Community College Learners’ Academic and Cultural Understandings

Immigrant community college learners experience heightened stress linked to their demographic backgrounds, yet little is known about how they understand wellness or engage with campus support systems. This biographical narrative study examined how immigrant-origin learners make meaning of wellness within their academic and cultural contexts and how they experience the wellness services offered at community colleges. Ten participants completed semi-structured interviews, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: cultural identity as a foundation for wellness, balancing two cultural worlds as a pathway to wellness, inner strength and personal agency in sustaining wellness, and uncertainty and limited guidance within student wellness services. Findings indicate that cultural identity, bicultural navigation, and internal resilience support well-being, while unclear and culturally insensitive wellness services create barriers. Implications underscore the need for culturally responsive and accessible student support systems that more effectively serve immigrant-origin community college learners.