First-generation students, a population that makes up one-third of all college and university students nationwide, and expected to grow, have lower retention and graduation rates than continuing-generation students. They also have been identified as the population of marginalized students that have the least developed sense of belonging.…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of first-generation Black women who completed at least a bachelor's degree without student loans. While Black women are most burdened by student loan debt, little is known about the experiences of those who navigate college without accruing student loans. Combining endarkened…

"My Progress is Our Progress" is a qualitative study that examines how first-generation Latinx students navigate their experiences at three North Carolina community colleges. The Latinx population has significantly increased in North Carolina but that has not translated into an increase in Latinx student enrollment in higher education.…

This dissertation, titled "Families, Culture, Community: Expanding Understanding of What Catalyzes Student Success in a Pre-College Upward Bound Program," investigates the critical factors influencing student success in the Upward Bound program through a funds of knowledge framework (Moll et al., 1992; Rios-Aguilar & Kiyama, 2012).…

This mixed methods action research study was conducted at a women's, private, liberal arts university in the United States with the purpose to create an opportunity for the Latina female first-generations college students (LFFGCS) to; build a sense of belonging and community, and provide them with more resources on a variety of financial topics in…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the first-year experiences of 10 first-generation college students who participated in university-established learning communities at a small private Historically Black College. Further, this study was conducted to discover what participants felt was the role of the learning community…

First-generation college students are concentrated at community colleges, and nearly half of those students who identify as being first-generation come from a low-income background. This qualitative study utilized a conceptual framework to explore understand how LI-FG (low-income, first-generation) community college students, particularly students…

The transition to college, combined with abrupt changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and online learning, has increased challenges for first-year college students. Resilience theory, defined as the study of how people rebound from adversity, can help us understand how students triumph over challenges during an unprecedented time of change and…

Although in recent decades many of the outer Appalachian counties have stabilized economically, the central region of Appalachia continues to have the highest concentration of distressed and at-risk counties in the country. The geographic isolation and cultural characteristics of Appalachian communities have limited their ability to achieve…