Unlike the independent path of first-generation college students in the West, first-generation college students in China tend to integrate personal development with family responsibility. Using a sample of 16 first-generation college students who serve as elder siblings and the first in their family to go to college, this qualitative inquiry…

This paper draws on new empirical research examining the impact of gender-based violence (GBV) on students' experiences of higher education. While GBV across the life-course is an extremely prevalent and pressing social problem, it has been invisible within higher education. Indeed, experiences of GBV, which may profoundly shape access to and…

Australia's teacher shortage has reached critical levels, particularly in rural, regional and remote (RRR) areas. Searching for solutions to attract and retain teachers in RRR locations is fundamental to providing equitable access to education for all Australian children and young people. This phenomenological case study research takes a…

The closure of universities as a response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic affects all students and has a far-reaching economic and psychosocial impact, especially for those students who come from marginalized and impoverished contexts. International research reports that students have struggled to cope with learning under unprecedented…

This dissertation investigates the interplay of academic preparedness, imposter syndrome, and resilience among low-income male African American students, focusing on their readiness for college and subsequent success. Using a phenomenological approach, the study captures the lived experiences of these students and reveals systemic challenges and…

This study seeks to address the scarcity of qualitative research on community college arts study in the research literature. It addresses the following question: "How do students at a large, urban community college experience their study of the arts?" The author utilized phenomenology as a research methodology. Data were drawn from…

This dissertation investigates the interplay of academic preparedness, imposter syndrome, and resilience among low-income male African American students, focusing on their readiness for college and subsequent success. Using a phenomenological approach, the study captures the lived experiences of these students and reveals systemic challenges and…

There are major assumptions that housing opportunities in higher education are equally accessible and available to all students. However, these accessible housing opportunities are not available to current and prospective students who possess a criminal record. Many college students with criminal records are deemed ineligible for adequate housing…

Mentorship is vital to increasing graduate school access in computing; however, mentorship must be structured in power-conscious, developmental ways to ensure equitable access to and support within computing graduate pathways. I engage a critical quantitative lens to examine mentoring support among undergraduates with reported graduate…

Online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has received a lot of research attention since the start of the pandemic. Drawing on survey data from 1,024 Cambodian university students (60% were females), this study aims to contribute to an understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with this mode of learning and explore university…

This phenomenological study investigates the educational experiences formerly incarcerated students identify as being important developmentally as part of their participation in a college-in-prison program. It does so by exploring the experiences of 21 formerly incarcerated students who participated in the Boston University Prison Education…

The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive study was to explore how college students with Deaf, deaf, and Hard of Hearing (D/d/HH) described how their communication and learning needs were being met in the online learning environments (OLEs). The problem was that college students with hearing difficulties had inconsistent access to hearing…

This qualitative case study identifies the systemic and explicit barriers that impede the progression from high school to college for first-generation college students (FGCS) at a Small Catholic Secondary School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Evidence indicates that FGCS experience more barriers in progressing from high school to college than their non-FGCS…

In the United States, some states allow undocumented immigrants to benefit from in-state resident tuition policy at public colleges and universities, a benefit aimed at improving accessibility to higher education. Yet, undocumented immigrants face bureaucratic procedures and requirements that may discourage them from applying and delay or hamper…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is often characterized in existing literature by deficits in social skills and communication. Due to COVID-19, a new issue has presented itself for many students--learning effectively in online education. Despite evidence suggesting many college students with autism prefer online…