Exploring the experiences of refugee arrivals who have participated in community-based programming in multiple cities across the United States, this dissertation considers the role of such programming in refugee integration and implications for engaged scholarship. Through collaborative partnerships, IHE and USRAP offices offer both students and refugee arrivals experiential learning opportunities through community-based academic programming. Research commonly explores the efficacy of such programming in achieving student learning outcomes, yet data that speak to the programming's value among the refugees who have participated as community members is sparse. Interviews with seven individuals utilized a narrative approach to explore participants' conceptualizations of integration and community, giving focused attention to their experiences with community-based programming. Analysis of the data surfaced a common storyline of integration as well as unique themes and perspectives. Recognizing refugees as experiential experts in the field of refugee integration, insights garnered are presented with the goal of a refugee-informed approach to designing and implementing community-based academic programming that engages recently arrived refugees. Exploring the experiences of refugee arrivals who have participated in community-based programming in multiple cities across the United States, this dissertation considers the role of such programming in refugee integration and implications for engaged scholarship. Through collaborative partnerships, IHE and USRAP offices offer both students and refugee arrivals experiential learning opportunities through community-based academic programming. Research commonly explores the efficacy of such programming in achieving student learning outcomes, yet data that speak to the programming's value among the refugees who have participated as community members is sparse. Interviews with seven individuals utilized a narrative approach to explore participants' conceptualizations of integration and community, giving focused attention to their experiences with community-based programming. Analysis of the data surfaced a common storyline of integration as well as unique themes and perspectives. Recognizing refugees as experiential experts in the field of refugee integration, insights garnered are presented with the goal of a refugee-informed approach to designing and implementing community-based academic programming that engages recently arrived refugees. [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://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]