This dissertation introduces and employs the HERC model, a novel conceptual framework developed to critically analyze the intricacies of town-gown relationships during a boundary-spanning crisis. Situated in Tucson, Arizona, the study delves into the nuanced communication dynamics of two key higher education institutions: The University of Arizona…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to outline the contributions of Smiths legacy in Indigenous methodologies and to show how her interventions encourage and facilitate meaningful research relationships with Indigenous communities. It is also a practical guide for future Indigenous researchers who aim to work with their communities.…

Though an abundance of academic literature supports the inclusion of aesthetic activities in university and K-12 L2 learning contexts, less attention has been focused on aesthetic approaches in community-based adult ESL contexts. Inspired by a pedagogy of multiliteracies/Design (New London Group, 1996), this paper explores creative meaning making…

In this paper, TNTP reveals five interconnected factors of mobility that young people need in order to thrive: a strong academic foundation, career-connected learning, opportunities to build social capital, personal support in their lives, and civic engagement in their community. These five factors do not work in isolation. Instead, they must be…

The Bee the CURE is a novel course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) that engages introductory biology students in DNA barcoding (DNA extraction, amplification, and bioinformatics) in partnership with the Tucson Bee Collaborative and the University of Arizona. The first iteration of this CURE taught at Pima Community College (PCC)…

Post-completion success for Latino students is a conscious campus conversation that is gaining traction and support in a growing number of institutions. Excelencia in Education collaborated and partnered with seven Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in exploring and examining post-completion success efforts. When looking across the…

In this article, we explore features of a summer program intended to support the personal and academic development of non-dominant high school youth. We focus on one particularly robust practice in the program known as encuentros -- daily gatherings intended to build community and collective sense-making. We draw on field notes and videos to…

Engaged learning extends education outside of the formal classroom through internships, experiential learning, and community- or service-based learning. To better understand the potential of engaged learning in improving student learning outcomes and encouraging students to pursue STEM-based careers, we describe the development of a…

In this article, we argue that ESSA provides a unique policy window for district-level leaders to advance an equity agenda by working closely with local community advocates. Drawing from a larger qualitative, multiple case study on the role of school boards in three U.S. Mountain West school districts, we focus on community advocacy committed to…

This report documents the impacts three years after random assignment for the Pathways to Healthcare program, operated by Pima Community College and Pima County One Stop in Tucson, Arizona. The program aimed to help low-income, low-skilled adults access and complete occupational training that could lead to increased employment and higher earnings.…

Evidence suggests that Hispanic and non-Hispanic White men (NHW) have comparable prevalence rates of alcohol use. However, Hispanic men consistently have higher prevalence rates of alcohol misuse compared with NHW men. Consequently, Hispanic men experience disproportionate levels of adverse health consequences of alcohol misuse when compared with…

This memo, which is the sixth in the series, highlights the ongoing work of the Sunnyside Unified School District (SUSD) to create an ecology of equity. Their efforts focus on developing a school system that fosters a belief in each person's capacity to learn (administrators, teachers, and students alike) and increases students' opportunities for…

When schools closed their doors in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a scramble to adjust to remote learning. Over the summer and into the fall, the debate over reopening took center stage, as school leaders struggled to answer how and when it would be safe to return to the classroom. The Center for American Progress (CAP)…

The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) periodically undertakes research projects to keep themselves and the higher-education community in general, informed about current and emerging institutional practices. College completion rates, and how to improve them, have been in the forefront of the higher…

This report documents the implementation and early impacts of the Pathways to Healthcare program, operated by Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona. Pathways to Healthcare is one promising effort to help low-income, low-skilled adults access and complete occupational training that can lead to increased employment and higher earnings. It is one…