The proliferation of online education has catapulted academic pedagogical modernization and digital relevancy to the forefront of every Provost's agenda. Online education continues to expand rapidly throughout the higher education sector and an agile institutional structure, personnel and operational units are necessary to meet market demand. This…

Non-traditional students are quickly becoming the majority on college campuses, with three-fourths of campus populations fitting the definition of a non-traditional student. However, many institutions still lack a tailored orientation model for non-traditional students. This leads to the marginalization of adult learners, distance education…

This study sought to understand the essence of calling development in emerging adults enrolled at university through an interpretative phenomenological analysis of nine semistructured interviews at a small mid-western public university. The conclusions of the study suggest the essence of calling development for this population is the process of…

We live in a fast-paced world with daily stimulation like family problems, social media influences, technology, and personal belongings, just to name a few. The kinds of information easily available due to technological advances create endless distractions and require accelerated focused attention. Due to a lack of investment in learning how to…

The problem that was addressed through this study is that online undergraduate adult students, 25 years of age or older, do not persist to graduation at Caring University, a pseudonym for an online university. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions of online adult undergraduate alumni about what motivated them to…

The focus of this study was derived from staggering attrition rates that it calls centers year over year. At times call centers post-COVID-19 pandemic saw attrition rates fluctuating between 30%-50%. With any job there are challenges that are faced. These attrition rates stand 28%-40% higher than the United States 2023 national attrition rates of…

In the 22nd Century of the United States, student veterans' enrollment numbers have been increasing among higher education institutions. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore student veterans' experiences with the support services they have used and to identify which characteristics of support services student veterans find…

Student veterans may encounter educational barriers that can impact transitions to college. This research focused on veteran transitions to college during onboarding. Onboarding is beneficial in a higher education setting and, when properly deployed, can help ease transitions. This study involved the development, implementation, and assessment of…

This qualitative study was designed to add to educators' understanding of veteran student success and offer ways to reframe how they measure veteran student success. Currently, university leaders tend to measure veteran student success using traditional metrics such as retention and graduation rates. This study involved examining whether there are…

Since the early 1970s, exponential and unprecedented growth of incarceration rates of Black youths became a critical issue. One in twenty persons, or 5% of the total United States population serve at least six months in federal state prisons by age 40. Recidivism rates in excess of 50% compounded the problem. The purpose of this qualitative…

This dissertation examines the evolution of supervision among new student affairs professionals, exploring the transformative journey from graduate school to full-time roles. Drawing upon qualitative research methods, the study delves into the experiences and perceptions of new student affairs professionals as they navigate their supervisory…

This basic qualitative study investigated adult learners aged 35 and older and their experiences with situational, dispositional, and institutional barriers while enrolled in a Midwestern community college. Although numerous studies have examined adult learners in higher education, the purpose of this study was to investigate barriers adult…

Online learning continues be the largest growth sector in higher education (IPEDS, 2019), however, students enrolled in fully online programs are retained at a lower rate than students enrolled in traditional face to face programs. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study is to determine if online students who participate in an online…

Shawnee State University (SSU) founded Project BEAR: Building Emerging and Achieving Readers, an AmeriCorps program, to support literacy development and improve school readiness in the Appalachian region. After the first 2 years of program implementation, areas for growth including enhanced service member recruitment, member onboarding, and…

Adults who are unsuccessful in completing their educational program will not receive the needed certification or diploma to be competitive in a global economy and job market. The completion percentage of adult basic education learners remains low at an adult basic education site in a Western state. The purpose of this study was to better…