Objective/Research Question: This practitioner-scholar study investigated perceptions and experiences of community college students who transferred upon completion of their associate degree programs in Colorado, a state with multiple state-level transfer policies. Each student participated in a cohort-based transfer support program offered at…

This dissertation delves into the intersections of social and cultural capital, self-advocacy, sense of belonging, and the experiences of mental health help-seeking among rural, first-generation college students. Rural, first-generation college students face unique challenges throughout their academic journey, this dissertation aims to contribute…

This research study investigated the relationship between receiving an undergraduate scholarship and students' intended future contributions of volunteer time, professional talents, and financial treasure to a suburban community college after graduation. Kopecek and Kubik (1982) explained that "all colleges have alumni, but few community…

The purpose of this research was to discover what specific attitudes and behaviors first year students believed were necessary to transition to college by employing a qualitative lens. We chose to explore how students describe building their identities as college students, responding to the cultural shifts between high school and college, and…

Data-driven decision making (DDDM), or the use of data to inform educational practices, has become an emerging field of interest over the past decade for educational leaders and researchers. The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine community college leaders' perspectives on institutional DDDM practice, especially those DDDM practices…

Community colleges are often considered an affordable entry point into postsecondary education for many students with a goal of earning a degree. As open access institutions, they accept any student who applies, including those considered to be below college level and in need of some level of remediation in the subjects of reading, writing and…

The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how students with autism spectrum disorder experience the community college setting in Mississippi. It was designed to be exploratory in nature and was intended to provide practitioners a glimpse into the postsecondary experiences of students with autism (Bell, Devecchi, McGuckin,…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify, compile, and describe how community college graduate dental hygienists perceived their initial dental hygiene curriculum preparation and how they subsequently adapted their curriculum preparation in order to perform their responsibilities in their first clinical dental hygiene job.…