The stringent demands and lofty expectations placed on collegiate student athletes can significantly impact performance, both on the fields of play and in the classroom. Minority community college student athletes are a unique student population with distinct experiences which have historically been overlooked and understudied. The focus of this study was to interpret the perceptions of minority student athletes and student support service practitioners as they relate to access, use, and delivery of service within community college student support services programs. Additionally, this study aimed to identify pathways that both students and practitioners can utilize to increase the effectiveness of services designed to support student advancement. This study's framework consisted of a multiple case study methodology, with data collected through individual in-depth interviews, surveys, and observations of minority student athletes representing both male and female sports, as well as student support services practitioners of varying institutional status. The study took place on the campus of a small urban community college nestled in Los Angeles, California. The survey site was one of nine community colleges governed by the Los Angeles Community College District and is positioned in an area of the city that is primarily comprised of racial and ethnic minorities representing the African-American and Hispanic demographics. The study defined minorities through the lens of race and ethnicity, with race representing physical characteristics such as skin color and hair type, while ethnicity represents various cultural factors including nationality, ancestry and language. The study included minority participants representing any group that has varying national traditions, cultural identification, racial classifications, and traditions or customs that differ from those of the population's majority. Census data revealed that the racial group defined as "White" was identified as the racial majority in the United States, and thus were excluded from the framework of this study. The term "student support service practitioner" includes all institutional personnel employed and working in the student services department that work with students in a cohesive manner to ensure student success as defined by; including but not limited to counselors, Deans, and Vice Presidents. The findings of this study aim to aid student support service practitioners, athletic coaches, and athletic administrators in identifying, developing and maintaining student service programs that both effectively and efficiently service the needs of an underserved and growing post-secondary student population. The data collected was analyzed and triangulated using cross case and descriptive analysis. Several rounds of coding were used and findings revealed the major themes. Three prominent themes emerged from the analysis process: Strained Collegial Relationships, The Lack of a Dedicated Athletic Department, and The Need to Develop Support Services for Student Athletes. In addition to common themes shared by the collective group, participants also offered solutions they believed would help address perceived problems. [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.]