My research aims to understand the visible and invisible pathways available to students in higher education institutions as they move through their educational career; to examine the sense of belonging students have in their lives; and to explore how students from systemically underrepresented backgrounds find and assert dignity in academic institutions. I hope to complete this work through rigorous quantitative analysis, meaningful qualitative conversations and interviews, and mixed mediums employing social media and social network mapping as necessary. My work asks how students experience belonging, alienation, and community in academic spaces; how policies and systemic structures affect students; and how educational environments affect a student’s identity formation and dignity.