Cognitive factors that influence entrepreneurial behavior, such as decisions to become an entrepreneur and remain an entrepreneur, have received considerable attention. However, we do not yet understand how changing life dynamics and cognitions influence entrepreneurial entry decisions among wage employees and entrepreneurial commitment among…

This dissertation investigates how early career teachers' orientations of students and their mathematical activity, as surfaced their experience in a simulation, can reveal when their well-intentioned decisions might negatively impact traditionally underserved students. Three early career teachers engaged in two online simulations where they could…

The shortage of teachers in Title I schools undermines educational equity and quality in underserved communities, necessitating concerted efforts from educators, policymakers, and local communities. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Title I teachers regarding job stress and its meaning…

Increasing attrition rates affect the quantity and quality of teacher human capital worldwide and pose threats to classroom practice and student learning outcomes. Understanding of these effects will be advanced by studying the reasons why preservice teachers leave or remain in the teaching profession. Literature indicates a range of influential…

Novice teachers in the United States are leaving the profession at an alarming rate. The support provided to novice teachers often includes mentoring, professional development, administrative support, and collaborative time with others. The perceptions of novice teachers on the support systems were examined to understand the lived experiences of…

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on teacher attrition in Arkansas, with many educators facing unprecedented challenges and stressors in their work. However, public data does not give context to why teachers chose to leave. This study aimed to investigate teacher perceptions of the impact of the pandemic on attrition in Arkansas…

The world continues to be plagued by cyber incidents that impact businesses, schools, hospitals, and government institutions. Some organizations have given cybersecurity a line item on the annual budget, while others have created dedicated departments to improve their technical defenses. Executive boards and C-level executives have shifted from an…

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,…

High rates of teacher turnover and attrition (Diliberti & Schwartz, 2023), coupled by declining enrollment in teacher preparation programs (Partelowe, 2019) have created teacher vacancies and shortages in public schools across the nation (Darling-Hammond et al., 2023). Teacher turnover and attrition negatively impact student growth and…

This study explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Latina/e/o/x first-year students' experiences at a public California State University and their decision to leave college between their first and second year, and how student support services professionals interpreted the role of the pandemic on their work with students and their…

Online learning sessions are becoming increasingly common. In this study, we reviewed over 150 studies of online and blended learning, revealing that the factors that affect student preferences for online or in-person learning vary widely and compiled a table of these factors. They can be categorized as either learning preferences or current…

The gender gap in American undergraduate students' participation in study-abroad programs is a persistent phenomenon. According to the Institute of International Education (2022a), male students have represented between 32.7% and 36.5% of all American students abroad between the 2007-2008 and 2018-2019 academic years. Research similarly shows that…

Historically, racially marginalized communities are less likely to access health care, partly due to structural inequities as well as distrust for white providers. This need for increased racial and ethnic representation is specifically an issue in the pharmacist career, as more than 90% of the United States population lives within five miles of a…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how elementary and secondary teachers with fewer than three years of experience describe how administrative support and professional development influences their decision to remain in the teaching profession at elementary and secondary schools in a Texas school district. There were…

College acceptance does not always result in college enrollment for students from marginalized backgrounds. Many of these students traveled a bumpy road to twelfth grade from kindergarten, come from low SES backgrounds and may also be first-generation college students. Students from marginalized backgrounds have a higher probability of…