Increasing diversity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and STEM-related degrees and professions is a national priority. Research on students' pathways in STEM may contribute to our understanding of how to change institutions to achieve diversity; however, until recently, the dominant narrative invoked a "pipeline"…

The problem that was addressed through this study is that online undergraduate adult students, 25 years of age or older, do not persist to graduation at Caring University, a pseudonym for an online university. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions of online adult undergraduate alumni about what motivated them to…

Final-year nursing students are known to face high levels of stress due to increased demands in academics and clinical practicum. In this study, a virtual peer mentoring program was pilot-tested, involving alumni as mentors. Using a mixed-methods approach, we sought to describe the acceptability, feasibility and satisfaction associated with the…

Background: The short-term impacts of outdoor orientation programs (OOPs) have been documented in the literature for close to 40 years. While there is a fair amount of research examining the immediate effects of OOPs, there are relatively few studies exploring long-term impacts. Purpose: This study examined the important longitudinal "lessons…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to explore how African American alumni describe the contributions of African American faculty and peers on goal setting, self-motivation, and ongoing persistence at Predominately White Institutions. Using a qualitative descriptive design, data was gathered through interviews and questionnaires…

This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of LGBTQIA+ alumnix who attended faith-based colleges. The study was guided by Strayhorn's (2019) College Students' Sense of Belonging Theory and Abes' et al. (2007) Reconceptualized model of multiple dimensions of identity. The scope of experiences explored was narrowed to three of the five…

Framed by queer theory, this qualitative study sought to better understand the unique experiences of homophobia that occur amongst Latinx gender and sexually diverse youth (GSDY) in south Texas. Latinx GSDY in this borderland region, are less likely to be in schools that adopt affirming policies and are therefore more likely to experience…

After serving multiple terms as department chair at a small, liberal arts college, we have had the opportunity to develop some insights in a variety of circumstances. Through these experiences, we have formulated some advice for current and future unit leaders. We have included some general transition advice and a "top ten list" of…

This dissertation takes an in-depth look at the unique experiences of five Florida State University study abroad alumni who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer after their experiences overseas. The purpose of this research was to understand if study abroad played a role in participants' sexual identity formation. To…

As college enrollment declines, enrollment in distance education (DE) continues to increase (Seaman et al., 2018). During the COVID-19 pandemic, universities are relying on DE through online learning, perhaps more than ever (Mullen, 2020). In the field of education, specifically, DE offers students a way to complete a doctoral degree while…

Higher education literature has often documented the barriers to participation in study abroad for students of color. However, the majority of study abroad research to date employs a deficit frame, focusing on why students of color do not participate, rather than on what enables students of color to rise above barriers. Using an anti-deficit…

The purpose of this study was to explore outness among undergraduate students who identify as queer and trans* people of color (QTPOC). Data for this study originated from "The National LGBT Alumni Surve"y and included 386 QTPOC respondents. We utilized analysis of variance (ANOVA) to explore differences in outness across racial…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the coming out experiences of gifted LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning or queer) alumni from a residential gifted high school. First, we found that gifted LGBTQ alumni (N = 106) realized their sexual orientation/gender identity around 16.6 years old, which is similar to…

Student attrition remains a persistent problem within the Australian higher education sector. Contributing factors include financial, reputational and quality issues, which can pose significant risks for a university's sustainability. Institutional culture is fundamental to decisions student make about withdrawing or remaining in higher education.…

This research explored the extent that working engineers were satisfied with their ability to help or serve people and/or society through their jobs. Over 450 engineering graduates responded to an online survey, including alumni recently transitioning to the workforce from 16 U.S. institutions and professional volunteers with Engineers Without…