The purpose of this case study was to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that support combat student veterans in a private institution of higher education. The theory guiding this study was Astin's developmental theory of student involvement for higher education. The conceptual framework guiding the study was Vacchi's model of student…

After years of school improvement efforts to include Georgia's four hundred-million-dollar Race to the Top grant, Georgia's elementary, middle, and high schools have failed to significantly improve schoolwide student achievement. This qualitative portraiture study focused on three successful principals of previously chronically failing Title I…

Understanding the factors that lead to academic resilience and success despite daily challenges that first-generation Latinx students face is imperative to finding solutions and increasing advocacy efforts for the Latinx population. To understand the factors that increase academic resilience and success, it is important to understand the barriers…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to assess the effect of implementing the restorative practices framework (RPF) on chronic absenteeism and the overall culture at a diverse, suburban middle school in New Jersey from 2017 through 2020. Chronic absenteeism and its impact on students' achievement, success, and sense of belonging are visible…

The purpose of this study was to identify aspects of home life, college life, or high school preparation that supported the success of students with disabilities at community colleges. As students with disabilities are rarely represented in the literature, this study offered a space for students with disabilities to share their voice and further…

Belonging and shame find themselves on a spectrum. Shame is on one end belonging the other. In the university setting belonging is widely researched. However, it is not known how shame resilience effects a college's students sense of belonging. This study tapped into shame resilience theory and self-authorship to start the conversation about shame…

When looking at today's Community College graduation rates, dropout rates and time to completion of degrees, it is abundantly clear that a problem exists. This study examined the characteristics of community colleges in New Jersey and student experiences that contribute to the dismal statistics. Mathematics curriculum in P-12 falls short on…

Societal challenges make it difficult for women to lead. These obstacles are even more profoundly felt in Christian subculture, including churches, Christian non-profit organizations, and Christian higher education due to complementarian theology. Women are encouraged to pursue leadership roles far less frequently than men which limits the growth…

This qualitative case study explored if and how a first-generation focused student success program fostered sense of belonging amongst first-generation college students. Utilizing the theoretical framework of sense of belonging (Strayhorn, 2012), the following research questions guided this study: (1) How do first-generation students experience a…

By 2025, the majority of "jobs in the United States will require postsecondary education and training beyond high school" (Lumina Foundation, n.d., p. 9). Earning college credit in high school, at times earning a postsecondary degree or credential simultaneously while working toward a high school diploma, presents an opportunity for…

This research study investigated student-athletes' perspective of how faculty members in face-to-face courses utilized the learning management system (LMS). The focus was on the use of the LMS, accessibility to the LMS, and connectivity capabilities to the LMS on charter buses during travel for competitions. Twenty-three NCAA Division II…

Mathematics as a discipline has ignored the experiences of African American students, making it difficult for them to develop strong mathematical identities and racial identities in relation to math. Black children and their academic achievements are often framed negatively, and underachievement and failure are often emphasized over their…

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound effect on higher education and students. In the spring of 2020, amidst great uncertainty, many colleges and universities closed campuses and abruptly shifted from in-person to virtual instruction to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Several studies point to negative impacts of these disruptions on…

Many cultural and institutional barriers have prevented chemistry from realizing greater calls for diversity in academia. Though recent work has elucidated how the measures of success used in academia can disadvantage students from underrepresented groups at the undergraduate level, thorough understanding of how success metrics are valued by…

Before the onset of the COVID-19 induced remote teaching and learning practices the University of the Western Cape (UWC) senate adopted an inclusive online teaching and learning practice. This practice adopted by UWC was aimed to advance the perception of student success and to diminish dropout rates. The primary objective of this research is to…