The Hispanic population was the largest minority group within the US in 2017. Yet gaps existed for Hispanic college students and degree obtainment. The problem of this phenomenological study was that First-Year Experience (FYE) Hispanic college students had low retention rates in their college courses, especially when there were not effective interventions to support their persistence toward degree obtainment. FYE programs have been in many community colleges as well as 4-year colleges to promote retention and perseverance. Yet, Hispanic college students faltered in transferring to a 4-year college compared to other ethnic groups. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand how FYE Hispanic college students perceived their FYE courses on community college campuses. Bourdieu's social capital theory undergirded this study which supports the constructs that social networks aid decision making. In addition, the validation theory was used to describe the necessity of positive emotional and academic encouragement as faculty engaged with students to build confidence and self-efficacy. A qualitative methodology with a phenomenological design was used to obtain perceptions of the Hispanic college students and a survey was sent to participants. Research questions revolved around the interactions of college faculty and students, and benefits of the FYE course as well as bilingual staff. The findings from the study indicated positive faculty-student relations were beneficial, along with peer supports, and guidance for direction with bilingual support. Implications of this study revolve around the structure of the FYE courses, with an emphasis on focused and purposed guidance from faculty. Recommendations from this study support course designs: time for question-and-answer sessions, peer group involvement, as well as bilingual staff. Recommendations for future research include studies focusing on cultural support and bilingual faculty. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]