Naming Hidden Challenges: An Exploratory Survey of Adversity and Trauma in Community College Students

While research on trauma and adversity research including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has increased in higher education, little published work has been done specifically on community colleges. This article shares data from an exploratory survey conducted in November 2024 that forms a powerful portrait combining basic needs, adverse childhood experiences and trauma. Given that 39% of all undergraduates in the nation are community college students and that our institutions proportionally serve a diverse and historically underserved student population, this data creates a significant portrait of life stressors, basic needs adversity, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to increase awareness of what students manage and the powerful resilience students demonstrate. Findings reveal high rates of trauma and adversity, with implications for institutional policies and practices aimed at supporting student resilience and success including trauma-informed professional development. This study also offers an exploratory tool others might adapt for their own use to increase awareness of trauma, a foundational step toward trauma-informed pedagogies and practices at community college.