International education has focused on the learning processes of minority, low-income college students and learners of color. This study analyzes the experiences of nine minority, first-generation U.S. undergraduates from a four-year college in the southeastern U.S. who pursued study abroad and Global Studies during 2015-2022. Global Studies is an enrichment opportunity offered to students to build their linguistic and intercultural competence. Closed-ended questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and course materials were collected. Canagarajah's (2013) notion of transcultural practice, in conjunction with Kramsch's (2009) concept of symbolic competence and Norton's (1995) theory of investment were used to explore these students' experiences while interacting with the target language and culture. The findings reveal how the student participants' linguistic and sociocultural identities developed as they negotiated their different positionings. Students demonstrated a newfound meaning and symbolic value in the language and culture that they engaged with. Students' reflections on issues of inclusiveness and social justice are discussed.