Self-compassion has been shown to bolster resilience (Leary, Tate, Adams, Batts Allen, & Hancock, 2007), intrinsic motivation (Neff, Hseih, & Dejitthirat, 2005), and a general sense of well-being (Arimitsu & Hofman, 2015) as students cope with academic and life stressors. While research has begun exploring gender as a factor for…

Some states have enacted inclusive policies that reduce constraints and uncertainty for undocumented students, potentially changing their academic decisions and postsecondary goals. We explore shifts in continuing undocumented community college students' course-taking before and after the California DREAM Act, which provided access to state…

The State of Higher Education for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Californians report provides the latest findings on college preparation, enrollment, and graduation rates of Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) students in California, disaggregated for more than 30 Asian ethnic groups to ensure a…

This dissertation investigates the experiences and narratives of women of color who pursue a computing degree through vertical transfer from a two-year to a four-year institution. The study used a qualitative research design informed by narrative inquiry to understand the lived experiences of six women of color at various stages of transfer…

Recent data from Chicago Public Schools (CPS) show that active English Learners were less likely to graduate from high school (77% did so in 2023) than their peers (85%) and less likely to enroll in college (56% of 2022 English Learners high school graduates enrolled in college compared to 66 percent of their non-English Learners high school…

The community college system is integral pathway for minority populations to advance upward into meaningful careers. Research is often focused on how minority populations achieve higher graduation rates when the administration is reflective of their identity; however, it is rare to find a community college campus in which the profile of the campus…

This study addresses the impact of faculty validation on men of color in community colleges looking through lenses of self-efficacy, belonging, and welcomeness to engage. The study took place at a medium-sized, urban, ethnically diverse community college in California in 2016 (n = 1208). The Community College Survey of Men (CCSM) is explored;…

Community colleges have an important role in supporting economic opportunity in urban areas. While urban areas generally experience high levels of economic prosperity, especially compared to rural areas, individuals who have not participated in postsecondary education and training face barriers to taking full advantage of the opportunities…

The opportunity to take college courses in high school (dual enrollment) is becoming increasingly prevalent, but access is not equitably distributed. Certain populations, such as economically disadvantaged students and students who are members of racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in college, are less likely to take dual…

This study explores the use of participatory action research (PAR) as pedagogy with adults to create dialog about their educational experiences connected with learning mathematics. The dialog, largely centered on race and poverty and how those aspects factored into their learning, produced the opportunity for critical reflection. This dialog gave…

We use rich administrative microdata from Missouri to examine the potential to expand and diversify the production of STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] degrees at universities by tapping into the population of community college students. We find that the scope for expansion is modest, even at an upper bound, because most…

The Hispanic-Serving Community Colleges STEM Pipelines (HSCC-STEM) study is a research project that explores the transitions to and through Hispanic-serving two-year institutions for underrepresented minoritized STEM students. This brief uncovers the most viable HSCC STEM pathways for Latinx and other underrepresented minoritized students as well…

Historically, girls and women have experienced gender disparity in access to, and persistence in, STEM education. Though women comprise 50% of the total workforce, they occupy only 25% of STEM-related occupations. STEM degrees and occupations have been linked to economic prosperity, both for individuals and the nation as a whole. However, women…

Community colleges are utilizing unique support programs and disparate modes of learning to build community in the era of COVID-19. Student of different backgrounds are finding themselves facing similar challenges during the pandemic. This article profiles a student-athlete, an immigrant, a full-time worker, and a student of color from an…

Community colleges play a significant role in guiding pathways to postsencondary degrees for Latinx/a/o students. To gain a greater understanding of ways Latinx/a/o students utilize community colleges as pathways to degrees, this article focused on institutional leaders, members of one community college professional assocation. An original survey…