The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds that chose to pursue a career in STEM at STEM High School. For the purposes of this study, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds were generally defined as students that qualify for the free and…

The present study advances a model of critical civic motivation grounded in expectancy-value theory and highlights diverse manifestations of motivation among marginalized adolescents. The participants were 447 high school youth (85.0% Latinx; 62.9% low-income). Two complementary methodological approaches were employed to examine civic motivation,…

The project's objective is to understand how undocumented immigrants navigate political and professional challenges to become public school teachers in California. As a sanctuary state where the need to diversify the teaching workforce is urgent, California is an important site for studying undocumented teaching pathways and pedagogical practices.…

The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (Chancellor's Office) Rising Scholars Network was established to make college accessible to currently and formerly incarcerated community college students. Key partnerships with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the Foundation for California Community…

The purpose of this study was to comprehend the motivations and learning experiences of Chinese Heritage Language Learners (CHLLs) who study in Chinese programs in California public high schools where Chinese American students are under-studied and their voices are not heard. The study used Gardner's Socio-educational Model, Fishman's Reversing…

The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to capture how graduates of adult high school diploma and equivalency programs in California told their story of persisting in the completion of a high school diploma or equivalency certificate. The four types of motivation regulation involved in organismic integration theory were used as the…

The heterogeneity in the developmental trajectories of math motivational beliefs (i.e., expectancies for success and subjective task value beliefs) was examined among Asian and Latinx male and female students from Southern California across Grades 8 through 10 (n = 2,710; 50% female; 85% Latinx; 15% Asian; M[subscript age] = 13.77). By conducting…

Centered in critical race theory (Latcrit) and conceptualization of community cultural wealth, this study explores first-generation Latina/o/x students' motivations to attend college and persist to degree completion. Additionally, this study examines the overlapping forms of cultural wealth that participants access throughout their educational…

Building on prior research documenting associations between youth purpose and academic, psychological and physical well-being, this study examined the contributions of workplace learning (WPL) to youth purpose and internal motivation among 281 youth of diverse racial and ethnic identities and economic status enrolled in two high school networks…

A significant body of research has now established the critical importance of academic engagement and motivation in determining adolescents' academic outcomes. Researchers have also begun examining how these factors may differentially impact different ethnic groups, such as Latinos. However, few studies have examined the combined, and potentially…

Time management is essential for strong strategic business planning and marketing campaigns. Having sufficient time to complete essential planning is important, as is the punctuality of meeting deadlines. Temporal Motivation Theory (TMT) explains the relationship between deciding to perform a task and expected incentives, consequences, and the…

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the rapid implementation of online learning in California's 9-12 public schools, necessitating an examination of administrators' perceptions of this new educational landscape and its impact on student engagement. This qualitative dissertation explored how administrators perceived the effectiveness of online learning in…

When the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) order was initiated, the career and education outlook for DACA recipients expanded as the legal employment authorization allowed for aspirations and pursuits of higher degrees and consequently career fields commensurate with their education (Abrego, 2018). DACA is approaching its 10th year…

Since the late 1960s, the enrollment of African American students in higher education has steadily increased. Furthermore, the community college system and specifically the California community college system has seen the highest rise in the enrollment of African American students. Despite the rise in their numbers, African American male students…

Students of color in the United States participate in undergraduate honors programs at lower rates than their White counterparts. Prior research suggests that students of color do not participate in honors programs for a variety of reasons. Using critical race theory and community cultural wealth as a conceptual framework, I sought to understand…