This qualitative study was a life history multiple case study investigating the issue of student retention at community colleges in Hawai'i using oral interviewing as a primary method of data collection. The purpose of the current study was to investigate what role motivation played in a student's decision to persist at a community college in…

Guided by the frameworks of college-conocimiento and the cooling out function, this study examined the college choice process of Latina/o/x students who attended an under-resourced urban high school. Data for this study consisted of interviews with ten institutional agents, two oral history interviews with 34 Latina/o/x students, and observation…

Family, school, and community contexts each link to secondary school enrollment, yet these factors have been comparatively examined only in limited ways. A holistic examination of contextual factors will be particularly important for engineering where college enrollment patterns vary by demographics. To begin explaining patterns of engineering…

This paper discusses a collaborative inquiry (CI) that explored a California community college program known as Puente. The purpose of the inquiry was to bring together different stakeholders involved with Puente---students, mentors, counselors, and instructors---to engage in group dialogue and share their perceptions about the functions of the…

Given biotechnology's emergence as a major competitor in the Pittsburgh region, critically linking education to industry through the Community College of Allegheny County's Biotechnology Workforce Collaborative (BWC) provided a well-trained workforce. The collaborative also sought to increase the number of women in the sciences, specifically…

This study examined the roles and responsibilities of California Community College counselors. Three case studies were conducted at 3 community colleges within the central California region. Participants included 3 general counseling faculty members at each community college. Interviews and focus groups were the primary sources of data. Other…

The purpose of this research was to explore community college counselors' perception of role strain in their positions. Role strain theory explains the difficulties individuals face as they determine which behavior expectations they fulfill in their relationships. It was determined that counselors have important role relationships with students,…

Financial aid counselors are a primary source of information that many students rely upon to understand financial aid and how to pay for college. However, little is known about financial aid counselors at America's community colleges and their interactions with the students they serve. Using original survey data, this study examined the role these…

Community college students enrolled in science and technology fields face many challenges as they pursue transfer pathways to earn a 4-year degree. Despite clear links to student persistence, advising interactions that facilitate or inhibit transfer progress are not clearly understood. In this study, 82 community college students pursuing science…

Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) began as a small trade school in 1965. It has now become the largest institution of higher education in New Mexico in terms of enrollment. While most educational institutions offer student support in the form of academic advisers and counselors, CNM is a trailblazer. Beyond academic advisers, it has a…

Students with severe and persistent mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders; moderate to severe mood, anxiety, dissociative, eating, or personality disorders) are attending community colleges in increasing numbers. Their need for counseling services presents counseling centers with unique ethical issues to consider. This…

This qualitative study explores career counseling and guidance services as provided to students engaged in career and technical education programs at three sites in the United States. The sites, consisting of high schools and community colleges, were part of the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education's 5-year studies of…

Close to 71% of Latino students enrolled in community colleges declare transfer as their primary goal, but only 7-20% ever transfer to a four-year institution. Research has demonstrated that, when Latino students start at a community college, their chances of earning a bachelor's degree is less than that of students with similar academic…

This paper is one of a collection of papers written by the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) to support the use of content review as the basis for establishing communication and computation prerequisites. "Student Success: The Case for Establishing Prerequisites Through Content Review" was adopted at the Fall 2010…

Latino males are the least likely to attend, persist, and attain a baccalaureate degree compared to other male groups in higher education. Moreover, they tend to have the lowest degree aspirations of any major race or ethnic group (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009; Driscoll, 2007; Swail, Cabrera, & Lee, 2004; Laanan, 2000; Kao & Tienda, 1998). To…