Increasing student retention is one of the greatest challenges faced by community colleges. First-year community college students face a complex set of issues in grappling with their new academic roles and identities. Therefore, there is a need for effective retention efforts that support students during this time of transition. First-Year…

This dissertation aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of the distinct challenges encountered by Black first- and second-generation college students within higher education. By highlighting the multifaceted obstacles these students face, this research emphasizes the necessity for a candid and nuanced dialogue that transcends race,…

This dissertation examined the perceived impact of education abroad programs on the retention of African American male students in higher education, utilizing Kolb's Theory of Experiential Learning and Tinto's Theory of Student Retention as the conceptual framework. Given the underrepresentation and systemic barriers faced by this demographic,…

This action research study aimed to investigate and identify ways to increase persistence among underrepresented minority (URM) students who were pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors at a community college. Retaining STEM students is a concern for student success in community colleges, especially for underrepresented…

The construct of growth mindset has become an increasing focus of educators as they seek ways to promote goal attainment among students. The growth mindset framework suggests that attributes such as high performance, skill development, and ability can be developed through motivation, sustained effort, and grit. Allowing for the possibility of…

This phenomenological study explored protective factors that students with a history of trauma utilized to persist in postsecondary education. The investigation sheds light on ten participants who were recruited from a 4-year public university located in the western region of the U.S.A preliminary survey was used to help identify study…

Through a phenomenological approach, this study aims to identify the developmental experiences of transfer students as they moved in, through, and out of a university. The research techniques used in this study include focus groups and semi-structured interviews. Findings are derived from the narratives and experiences of seven transfer students…

Noncognitive factors, such as persevering, having grit and self-control, using metacognition and setting goals, and exhibiting a growth mindset, are considered intrapersonal characteristics necessary for lifelong success both in and out of school. However, most U.S. elementary schools do not concentrate specifically on developing most noncognitive…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the primary characteristics of engineering college students' involvement in out-of-class activities (OA) at one private college in China through the use of the translated and culturally adapted Chinese version of the Postsecondary Student Engagement Survey (PosSES 2.1). This study provides the…

This is a dissertation that focuses on the lived experiences of culturally diverse female counselor education candidates on their dissertation experience. Chapter 1 addressed the background of the issue and the need for such a study. It also addresses the research questions that drove the study. Chapter 2 provides a comprehensive literature review…

The prevailing view of student retention has been shaped by theories that view student attrition through the lens of institutional action or inaction and less on the student's situation or college experiences. Students seek to persist and graduate, however obstacles get in their way. More than half of all student attrition takes place in the first…

The Division of Student Engagement and Enrollment Services at Old Dominion University (ODU) submitted a Request for Assistance to examine the challenges sophomore students face that can lead to attrition. A doctoral research team conducted a exploratory, sequential, mixed-methods study consisting of a literature review, focus groups and interviews…

Sense of belonging is an important construct that has been understudied in college student development. Prior research suggests that undergraduate students' sense of belonging plays a key role in persistence and degree completion. In this study, I test the assertion that sense of belonging stems from developmental tasks that are typically salient…

This study investigated and analyzed how lateral transfer students who commute to college made sense of their transition and belonging between four-year institutions. Based on student mobility patterns, the lateral transfer population exceeds the number of community college transfers within the landscape of higher education. Colleges need to…

A college education offers people social and economic benefits, yet youth from foster care backgrounds are less likely than their peers to attain a college education, which places this already vulnerable population at higher risk for a lifetime of living on the margins of society. Foster alumni face multiple obstacles to accessing and persisting…