The current study investigated the relationship between motivation to attend college, college integration, and persistence intentions among first-generation college students (FGCS). Participants consisted of 414 FGCS from two 4-year institutions in the mountain and southwestern regions of the United States. Through latent class analysis, this…

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,…

Low-income first-generation students represent a significant portion of U.S. undergraduates, and they face unique challenges that other students do not, which can influence their decision to stay within their programs. Therefore, a better understanding of what resources a program can provide to support these students and what drivers can keep a…

This Dissertation addresses findings from a qualitative case study. The researcher provided a) training and b) analysis of the follow-up performance of a Peer Mentor from the Student Success Center at an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), at The University of Texas at San Antonio. Following the training, prepared by Charles Ernest Wright, the…

The purpose of this quantitative study is to assess if perceptions of academic and institutional support as well as demographic factors, predict intention to return to school amongst online first-generation college students enrolled at traditional higher educational institutions. To complete the causal-comparative study, the researcher analyzes…

This quantitative, correlational study investigated the predictive relationship between servant leadership characteristics of Servant TRIO SSS advisors and first-generation students' college adjustment and semester persistence. A total of 310 first-generation students in TRIO SSS programs within the United States participated in the study.…

Despite a marked increase in study abroad participation in recent decades, first-generation students and Students of Color remain vastly underrepresented. The current study sought to expand the extant literature on first-generation and Latino/a students' study abroad participation by applying an intersectional approach to identifying predictors of…

First-year seminars (FYS) are well-tested and trusted programs to facilitate students' transition to college. This study adds to the body of evidence about the value of seminars through analysis of a large multi-institution dataset and documentation of the positive association between participation in a first-year seminar and student engagement in…

Research indicates that mental health issues are highly prevalent among college students (e.g., American College Health Association, 2018) and that first-generation students could be a higher risk of experiencing psychological distress compared to continuing-generation college students (House et al., 2019). Research also documents approximately…

Psychological capital (PsyCap) is a higher-order construct comprised of four psychological resources: hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism (HERO), and has been linked to academic achievement and engagement (Hazan Liran & Miller, 2019; Luthans, et al., 2012). Interventions designed to build PsyCap may be particularly helpful for…

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…

This study examined person and environment contextual factors associated with career decision-making difficulties among Black first-generation students (FGSs) attending predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Using Lewin's field theory, we investigated the predictive value of person and environment factors on help-seeking behaviors for 63 Black…

Student belonging is a burgeoning topic in education research because of its positive association with persistence and graduation. It is thought to underscore why students minoritized on a campus, either by race or social class, have higher rates of departure and lower levels of well-being than students who make up the majority (Gillen-O'Neel…

We examined longitudinal changes in new college students' perceptions of belonging and task mastery socialization effectiveness and their relationships to re-enrollment intentions and subsequent GPAs as a function of race/ethnicity and first-generation status. Incoming students completed socialization effectiveness measures before orientation (N =…

The Hispanic community within the U.S. has steadily grown over the last few decades. People identifying as Latina/o/x are already the largest minority population and are projected to become 29% of the U.S. population by the year 2050 (Salinas, 2015). Since 1980, the number of school age children within the Latina/o/x community increased from 8.1%…