The imperative to increase the representation of historically minoritized groups (HMG) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by addressing systemic barriers in the United States remains a formidable challenge with profound implications. By 2036, the majority of high school graduates in the United States will be people…

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the retention and persistence rates of college students from historically excluded backgrounds while also introducing new resources for remote learning experiences. This action research study aimed to examine and improve the resources needed for community college students from historically…

The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruption in higher education, requiring rapid adaptation from colleges and universities worldwide. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States faced unique challenges serving their disproportionately low-income, first-generation racial minority students. This qualitative…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the remote work experiences of Millennial-Aged People of Color (MAPOC) in academic advisor roles in Wisconsin during the COVID-19 pandemic, what influenced their experiences, and how they view the sustainability of remote work. Using two semi-structured interview protocols with seven participants and a…

Because the dominant narrative in the media around teachers is fixated on the burnout and unhappiness they are experiencing, this dissertation study explored the joy female Critical Teachers of Color experienced while teaching during the COVID-19 global pandemic. In this qualitative study, I employed both autoethnography and portraitures as a way…

In the spring of 2020, the academic school year for all educational institutions was tremendously impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused great concern with school administrations, teachers, parents, students, and their communities. In the fall of 2020 and the following two years, many school decision-makers responded by offering students…

In 2020, the world faced a significant obstacle that halted day-to-day living: the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, students from low-income families in communities of color faced additional barriers, such as a lack of healthy food at home, little to no health insurance, and limited access to mental health services. Given these barriers, some…

Emergency online learning policies were created and implemented at higher education institutions across the United States as the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a transition to fully online learning modalities to mitigate the dangers of the virus late in 2019. A new paradigm of education emerged as emergency online learning became the standard method…

This quantitative, nonexperimental study used Bronfenbrenner's process-person-context-time (PPCT) model to determine if mathematics scores of underprivileged, minority third- and fourth-grade students attending an inner-city school in a Central Oklahoma school district differed between their traditional 2018-2019 school year and post-lockdown…

This program evaluation investigates the effectiveness of a Long Beach Unified School District's High School College and Career Center, focusing on strategies to close ethnicity gaps in College and Career Readiness (CCR). Utilizing surveys, interviews, and focus groups, data was collected from current and past students, parents, and staff at VAPA…

There is growing evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic had a large and negative impact on student learning. This dissertation explores the effect of the pandemic on one of the most vulnerable student subgroups: English Learners (ELs). In this work I examine existing disparities among subgroups of ELs, and the different ways the pandemic has impacted…

Black women in counselor education and supervision (CES) programs have historically been underrepresented in the scholarly literature, making it vital to understand how this group of women cope with the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore and understand…

In today's diverse college student populations, mental health problems are increasingly prevalent, complex, and unmet. Further exacerbating the matter, the enduring COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted the quintessential college experience with massive psychological and physical disruptions. Undergraduate students of color are disproportionately…

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) graduate students, particularly those who are single mothers, have historically navigated systemic barriers such as lack of equal education, financial resources, academic experiences, or administrative support in pursuit of academic success. School closures due to the health and safety protocols…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe effective constructivism teaching strategies and approaches for reducing the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students in a middle school gifted program at Stoneybrook Middle School in the Downey-Raine School System through an examination of the lived…