What We Learned

As part of this project, the PI wanted to ensure that the voices and interpretations of the co-researchers were not lost in the analysis process. As such, the co-researchers were guided in having a discussion in their last group session to brainstorm themes and findings through the pictures and conversations they had in previous meetings.

This page shares the key insights that emerged from our photovoice project, highlighting the experiences and priorities of these immigrant-origin students at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. These findings are based directly on the reflections and discussions during the project, emphasizing their perspectives on what contributes to wellbeing in college life.

After reviewing the findings, each of the below sections will contain a theme as well as ancedotes or quotes from co-researchers about that topic. The themes are not ordered in any way that signifies importance. There is no hierarchy to the themes.

Key Findings As Identified by Co-Researchers

Immigrant-origin students are beautiful additions to campus.
- They bring lively culture to campus spaces including dorms, classrooms, study spaces, and the union. They also bring their unique lived experiences and knowledge to the conversations that occur in higher education. Co-researchers spoke about wishing that they could be seen with their whole identity by their professors
Self-care looks different based on your backgrounds/parts of your identity.
- This is not limited to the identity of being an I-O student. All aspects of one's identity influence what caring for oneself might look like.
There are different considerations for what mental health looks like for I-O students
- Factors such as familial wellbeing (both in the U.S. and abroad), obligations to family, work, political climate, and culture were discussed by co-researchers.
Relational wellbeing was a strong focus at every topic session amongst both cohorts. Relational wellbeing appeared to be a common thread throughout all types of wellbeing.
- How one is doing in their relationships impacts how they're doing in other aspects of life. Having strong relationships and spending time with those people who make you feel supported was described as vital for overall wellbeing.
There are faculty that support and care for I-O Students. These intentional efforts from professors/mentors in their relationships with students are important and should be recognized.
Food is sustenance for the body and the soul.
- Sharing food and having meaningful conversations is a way that some I-O students build and nurture relationships.
It’s not the university at large that is doing things to make I-O students feel safe or find wellbeing, it is individual people and their actions.
- University or system wide policies and procedures were spoken about in sessions as having negatively impacted the co-researchers in this study.
- Despite this, they are finding faculty and mentors who provide support and hope.
Diversity does more for campus beyond appearances – it adds to the conversation in ways that haven’t been recognized.
Sometimes finding your wellbeing/safety on campus takes more of an effort that one would expect, like being intentional about finding time to share food with friends, go to campus events (both cultural and academic), and find spaces both in and outside of campus that support your happiness.
Students navigate their identities at the university through both good and bad experiences.
- Co-researchers reflected on both positive and negative experiences they have had as students at UNL and were able to find things about all experiences that influenced who they are now. Although we wish that negative experiences such as harassment and discrimination did not happen, they do help students figure out where their identity, experiences, and beliefs are valued, respected, and treated with kindness.

Diversity, Representation, & Shared Spaces

Diversity does more for campus beyond appearances – it adds to the conversation in ways that haven’t been recognized.

"I do feel better when I'm reminded that there are people out there that share my values, my opinions, and beliefs"

Representation on campus is important – people who look like you/have similar backgrounds

The classrooms, dorms, union, lecture halls, are all shared by us and we add a little bit of our background to those spaces

"Selleck Hall represents to me is just like, it's one of my favorite places to go because I am able to just relax there after a pretty tiring day sometimes. I can always find a space whether it be in the, in the lobby or basement, to just unwind, or study. Despite it having one of the smallest layouts, it is utilized by thousands of students each day"

Feeling Understood

“We want to be valued as individuals; we want to be seen with our identities and backgrounds”

Self-care looks different based on your backgrounds (even beyond being Immigrant-Origin)

Finding people who “get” you – not just friends but professors, mentors, community members – not just the people you’d expect to build community with/feel related to is important

Relationships with Family & Friends

"The responsibility of taking care of my family is difficult, there is a lot of distance ...Things happening in Mexico, that effects family in Omaha, then me in Lincoln "

Connecting with others is important, relationships were brought up even outside of relational wellbeing

"Usually we [family] have get-togethers every single day [when visiting family in Guatemala]. They have a bunch of posters and streamers and everything. Every single time we have somebody coming to Guatemala, we always give them a big welcome. We have signs that say, welcome to Guatemala, we're happy to have you!...It's like this room connects my family throughout many generations."

"I think, like, something with I-O people is that you have more responsibility around.. family or like not being around a family, and then, like, trying to provide, like, comfort and deal with all that stuff going on, rather than getting that privilege of just being a student and focusing on yourself. Because even though my family is here (US), I'm still very tied back into, like, everything that's going on with them, and needing to figure stuff out for them, like, constantly. So, I can't just focus on being a student if I'm constantly called back. Like, even if I'm married and I've moved out, I'm still tied back."

"I took [a photo of my parents] when I first moved in here a couple weeks ago and they were about to leave, and so I was thinking to myself, oh, they're really about to leave, I need a reminder of them. And sure, I have tons of photos, but this one's more recent, and more… more intimate, because they were helping me move in. So… Here they are, they're waving goodbye and about to leave."

Relationships with Faculty

Intentional efforts from professors/mentors in their relationships with students are important and should be recognized.

"Faculty not talking about what is going on in Nebraska feels almost contradictory in some ways that we have classes on experiences in other places but it almost feels not okay to talk about it [what is going on] here"

"It’s not your degree or the fact that you’re teaching at a university that makes you have an impact. It’s the relationships you have with students that makes a difference. Taking the time to be not just professors but people"

"We need more understanding from faculty. With exams, assignments, etc. May be a bit more lenient, students are going through a lot, both at school and with their families."

"With a recent professor of mine there was an issue, and I was angry and upset, and they had said, like "your reaction right now is showing me to be more concerned than I'm already am for you becoming a therapist." And I was like, no, this is just my reaction, this is how my nervous system's responding, this is the first time I'm hearing about this. It's okay for me to respond this way. You wouldn't… you wouldn't penalize or hold the emotion over somebody's head if it was a white person. I am constantly needing to advocate for myself, and sometimes it feels like professors are trying to find cracks in how you present yourself, because it's not okay for you to show it [emotion] in the same way. Like, if you're showing anger, and then a white student shows anger, they do it differently, in that it's more subtle."

It is really unfortunate that they have to cut so many programs. I am taking a textiles class, which is one of the departments that did get cut. They don't deserve that, my professor doesn't deserve that. On Friday my professor was dealing with a lot...he said he was in a lot of meetings and had to break the news to colleagues. I just feel like, this doesn't support relational wellbeing… It's, like the opposite."

Identity

Lives/identities extend beyond walls of the university

Self-care looks different based on your backgrounds

[On an art therapy piece see "holding space for myself" under subjective wellbeing] "I wrote down, it's okay to be angry, To validate that emotion, rather than needing to suppress it constantly, Oftentimes. I'm surrounded in environments where I'm not allowed to be angry or it's considered not appropriate."

Navigating multi-faceted identities (student, I-O, multiple ethnic backgrounds/identities, friend, sibling, etc)

"Being here in college was the first time I ever had my own room. Which… I don't know, my sophomore year, I was just, like… it was, like, a realization that hit me, like, wow, I have my own space, finally."

[Reflecting on a photo of groceries on a countertop] "I guess it kind of just made me feel exhausted? Thinking about being a poor college student. It gives one aspect of the difficulties of being in college. Especially not having the best paying jobs...we're expected to be adults but also have to continue, with our studies while juggling other responsibilities."

Supporting I-O Students

Mental health is important and there are different considerations for mental health and familial wellbeing for immigrant-origin students (like familial situations/obligations, stressors related to political issues occurring, etc)

It’s not the university at large that is doing things to make I-O students feel safe or find wellbeing, it is individual people and their actions.

"We want people who do budgeting to take into consideration our identities and backgrounds. Those budget cuts hurt some students more than others."

Intentionality of creating safe spaces

Storytelling – shared stories/narrative/listening to others

Sometimes finding your wellbeing/safety takes more of an effort, like finding wellbeing in sharing food with friends or cupcakes at an event.

"So, the reason why I took this picture? Okay, so, the reason why I took this picture was because, I felt like this museum is a huge part in expressing culture. It displays unique moments in our past and it is greatly encouraged to learn this stuff at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln."