All institutions of higher education depend heavily on the contributions of adjunct faculty. The purpose of the qualitative narrative inquiry was to gather, analyze, and interpret stories offered by faculty members to make meaning of their experiences as adjuncts in non-traditional higher education institutions. The qualitative narrative inquiry involved two groups of adjunct faculty members, an equal number of men and women, who shared experiences as professionals teaching part-time at non-traditional private post-secondary institutions of higher education in the Central Valley of California. A purposeful sample of 16 adjunct faculty members participated in one-on-one interviews and shared stories of their experiences at non-traditional institutions of higher education in Fresno and Madera counties of the Central Valley of California. The four themes that emerged from qualitative data analysis of the transcribed interview data revolved around (a) attitudes and perceptions about rewards and remuneration; (b) institutional expression of adjunct reverence and value; (c) a sense of belonging as a member of the institution; (d) self-actualization gained by learning through teaching. Several subthemes also emerged from the interview data about adjunct faculty attitudes, reverence, value, belongingness, and self-actualization experiences. The four themes and associated subthemes led to suggestions for leaders to improve communications, seek adjunct participation in decision-making, and convey caring and improved support systems to improve personal working relationships. Future research is needed to aid leaders of institutions of higher education to understand the importance of recruiting, training, and retention strategies aimed at improving long-term adjunct morale and sense of institutional belonging.
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