This study sought to add to the limited existing literature regarding the experiences and challenges of first-generation doctoral students. Amidst fifteen interviews with first-generation doctoral students, who completed their doctoral degree at an R1 research institution in California, the research provided information about the journey students…

This study explores the issue of food insecurity within community colleges in Texas and highlights administrator's responses toward best and most promising practices and challenges in addressing food insecurity. The research was guided by complex adaptive systems theory and cynefin. Food insecurity among college students, especially community…

With a decade-long stagnant 34% Black male college graduation rate, there was little understanding of how and why Black male initiatives, designed to improve Black male persistence and graduation in 4-year colleges, affected retention and graduation-related behaviors, as understood by the Black male participants in such initiatives. This…

Several decades of effort have improved the participation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but the gender gap remains. Researchers have found diverse reasons for women's underrepresentation in STEM, but less is understood about factors supporting persistence. This study's purpose was to understand how women…

Esports teams (competitive video gaming organizations) are proliferating at colleges and universities throughout the United States as colleges seek to attract and retain students with diverse sets of interests. While these teams bolster college recruitment efforts, additional research is needed to explore several potential links between the…

Microaggressions and thwarted belongingness can negatively affect one's well-being and academic achievement. This study explored the impact of microaggression and belongingness for Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM) Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students during graduate-level education. Participants in Cycle 1 consisted of students enrolled in…

The purpose of the current study was to explore how superintendents in small, rural districts in Texas utilized the various resources of professional networks to navigate leadership during the crisis caused by COVID-19. When faced with a crisis, superintendents lead the district's response and provide guidance and reassurance for the school…

College retention is a topic of concern for many leaders of post-secondary institutions. This study explores the multifaceted elements of a summer bridge program aimed at bolstering college retention for minority first-generation students through a combination of mentorship, academic support, and community-building initiatives. The purpose of the…

Using a qualitative, naturalistic inquiry research design, and following the guide principles for conducting research with American Indian populations, this study explored how American Indian college students develop a sense of well-being as they pursue an associate degree in a rural community college. To understand well-being from an American…

School-community partnerships enhance school districts' capacity to provide effective educational services to their students. In under-resourced schools - such as small-to-mid-sized urban school districts - these partnerships play a crucial role, as resource limitations often inhibit the availability of services traditionally provided by public…

Emerging adults in rural, boom-bust economies face unique challenges, especially in employment and education. Drawing on emerging adult and social disruption hypothesis literatures, this study examined four primary research questions. First, how do emerging adults in rural boom-bust towns in southwest Wyoming understand and experience boom-bust…

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the factors of resilience that educators could replicate to increase the number of socio-economically disadvantaged students that successfully complete high school and continue to become successful adults. An examination of the factors that socio-economically disadvantaged individuals attribute to…

Nationwide, achievement data show an ongoing discrepancy between students based on race and ethnicity, with students of poverty at greatest risk. Research shows risk factors extend to students from low and high socioeconomic status but can be mitigated by protective factors. Review of literature supports studies that are asset-based and include…

This critical phenomenological study aims to analyze the lived experiences of Latino male student affairs (SA) professionals considered early to mid-career at predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Three research questions guide the study: 1) How do Latino male SA professionals in higher education describe their leadership experiences at PWIs?…

This qualitative phenomenological research study used narrative inquiry to examine the perceptions of recent high school graduate SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education) regarding secondary school support systems. The study aimed to discover factors that support acculturation of SLIFE and impact their persistence through to…