This article traces the efforts made by Boise State's General Education program--University Foundations--and an undergraduate researcher to improve understanding of general education on campus. Undergraduate students often struggle to understand general education's goals. In order to improve this understanding, University Foundations committed…

Distance librarians working with an online doctoral program at Johns Hopkins University are asked by both students and faculty to provide a large amount of library support -- without being embedded into the curriculum or the individual courses. Program administrators and faculty were resistant to allow librarians into the course management system…

Vertical transfer from community college to a university offers a promising, although unrealized, pathway to diversify STEM disciplines. Studying how successful transfer-­receiving universities support STEM transfer students can offer insights into the institutional practices that promote transfer student retention and success. Using institutional…

To address feelings of "placelessness" and "not belonging," many colleges and universities have implemented outdoor orientation programs developed to assist students with the transition from home. Outdoor orientation programs, in which students participate in some form of adventure activity away from campus (usually in a…

Transition to higher education is challenging, and more so for some groups. The transition from Level 3 foundation year into Level 4 is an opportunity to explore student perspectives on transition. Qualitative survey and focus group data were collected from current and previous Level 3 students, to ascertain student perceptions about induction,…

This research analyzes the alignment of today's practices with current student needs in higher education. Veterans face unique challenges when transitioning back into civilian culture. When that transition combines with a shift to life on a college campus, these challenges are further exacerbated. Tinto's Model of Student Integration allows the…

This study longitudinally examined the experiences of four different student cohorts who participated in Adelante, a sustained orientation/transfer program designed to assist students in the transfer process from the community college to a baccalaureate-degree granting university. The researcher found that students positively perceived the…

Graduate schools and offices play a critical role in elevating the quality and impact of individual graduate programs. With a hybrid model of graduate administration,institutions' and graduate programs' enrollment needs are identified. Developing a graduate enrollment management plan is challenging, especially with limited prior institutional…

This article reviews how orientation programs perpetuate or combat an ideology of invisibility for families of Color during the transition into college. Findings identify the ways in which ideologies of invisibility or support are constructed through institutional messaging of dismissal or welcome that influence the engagement of families of…

As a state university system planned for growth in the availability of distance education degrees, the presidents and the provosts decided to include consideration for the availability of student support services. To ensure availability of student support services for online students, college and university systems in the state developed and…

A two-day workshop was designed to help rising chemical engineering sophomores prepare for the upcoming school year, curriculum, and internship opportunities. Activities include team-building exercises, presentations from faculty about upcoming classes, talks from local industry partners, interview and resume workshops, and discussions with…

Summer bridge programs are designed to ease the transition to college by providing students with academic skills and social resources during the summer between high school graduation and college. Research shows that bridge programs are potentially effective at increasing retention and academic success of at-risk students by providing an early…

Background: The 4-week-long College Orientation Workshop (COW) is an experiential education program that combines physical and mental challenges with classroom instruction to promote self-confidence, self-control, wellness, and life success in promising male youth facing challenges to reaching their full potential. Purpose: This was an exploratory…

All incoming students have a first experience with their institution. This article reviews literature on adult education, online learning, and first-year student success to articulate the scope of experiences and programs that ought to be included in institutional efforts aimed at helping adult students be successful in their first year of online…

Individual differences, especially physical disabilities, play a significant role in people's perception of their living places and their attitudes in these environments. Accordingly, the starting point of the present research is based on the possible contributions and developments of the implementations and studies partly eliminating the negative…