Understanding the lived experiences of Asian American transracial adoptees in college

Asian American transracial adoptees are an underserved and underrepresented population in America, specifically on college campuses. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of experiences lived by individuals in this group, focusing on their time in college. Through qualitative interviews, this research captured the feelings, opinions, and experiences of select individuals within this group. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted with six separate participants via video chat. All participants attend(ed) the University of Northern Iowa, were 18 years of age or older, and were adopted from an Asian country into a White, American family. Results showed that each participant is at their own unique stage of identity development based upon their personal experiences and background, and no two are the exact same. However, many of them faced a similar struggle of trying to balance and understand their Asian identity while connecting more to White culture due to their upbringing. Additionally, college resources and programming for minorities was a common positive influence on the college experience across several interviews. The stories of each participant serve as a strong base from which to measure the need and benefit of additional support and resources for this population while in college