The purpose of this research was to examine the extent to which urban community college students' experiences with validation by faculty contributed to their sense of integration in college and whether this, in turn, contributed to their intent to persist in college. This study focused on urban community college students' validating experiences in their interactions with college faculty as described by Rendon (1994, 2002), Rendon and Garza (1996), Rendon and Jalomo (1995), and Rendon, Jalomo, and Nora (2000). These experiences were considered in relation to integration, defined as a sense of competent membership (Tinto, 1993), to determine whether students who were more validated were also more integrated and/or more likely to express the intent to persist (Tinto). It was also designed to better understand the different types of validation that students experienced. The significance of this research was its contribution to the theoretical understanding of college student departure decisions as well as its potential to guide practice within community colleges. The study tested five research hypotheses and two sub-hypotheses: (1) Faculty validation has discernible sub-constructs; (2) Among urban community college students, higher levels of faculty validation predict a stronger sense of integration, or competent membership in the college; (2a). Sub-hypothesis: Among urban community college students, higher levels of faculty validation sub-constructs predict a stronger sense of integration, or competent membership in the college; (3) Among urban community college students, higher levels of validation from faculty predict a stronger intent to persist in college; (3a) Sub-hypothesis: Among urban community college students, higher levels of faculty validation sub-constructs predict a stronger intent to persist in college; (4) Among urban community college students, higher levels of integration (or competent membership) in the college predict a stronger intent to persist in college; and (5) The effect of faculty validation on intent to persist is indirect and mediated by students' sense of integration (or competent membership) in the college. Four sub-constructs of faculty validation emerged through principal components analysis, with items loading onto the following components: students known and valued, good instruction, appreciation for diversity, and mentoring. Faculty validation was found to strongly predict students' sense of integration; each of the sub-constructs of faculty validation predicted student integration at a moderate to strong level, with "good instruction" the strongest predictor. Faculty validation modestly predicted students' intent to persist; as well, two sub-constructs of faculty validation significantly predicted intent to persist--"students known and valued" and "mentoring." Student integration modestly predicted intent to persist. Faculty validation's effect upon intent to persist was indirect, mediated through students' sense of integration. (Contains 2 figures.) [This dissertation abstract was submitted to The Institute for Community College Research, May 2007.]