Abstract

Objectives: This research explores the lived experiences of these scholars a demographic that has increasingly become a vital driving force in U.S. academia yet continues to face significant institutional hurdles. Methods: We conducted a series of semi-structured interviews to investigate the lived experiences of FB faculty members employed at U.S. higher education institutions. While our larger study included participants from around the world with various experiences teaching in diverse fields of studies, this specific qualitative study focuses on the narratives of 11 faculty members from diverse geopolitical backgrounds. We conducted individual semi-structured interviews. The collected data was transcribed and coded to identify their shared experiences for emerging themes. Results: The findings reveal a persistent gap between institutional rhetoric on diversity and the reality of professional inclusion. Utilizing Critical Whiteness Theory, Orientalism, and Third Space Theory to analyze how identity, race, and culture intersect, the data indicates that non-White faculty members from Africa, the Middle East, South America, and Asia encounter more frequent systemic challenges including exclusion, stereotyping, and professional challenges than their peers. Conclusions: While institutional belonging remains uneven, FB faculty actively cultivate "Third Spaces" which are hybrid social and professional networks with other immigrants-to mitigate isolation and foster a sense of shared identity. These findings underscore the need for institutions to move beyond surface-level diversity toward genuine structural inclusion.