Only two percent of teachers in the United States are African American males (Wallace & Gagen, 2019). If this trend continues, the vast majority of students in America will never encounter an African American male teacher (Burns Thomas, 2020). The purpose of this research study was to explore the motivations and obstacles that African American…

In Paper #1, I investigate the career exploration processes of 96 recent graduates of elite higher education institutions with varying levels of interest and commitment to teaching. My aim is to understand how intrinsic motivations to teach (positive) and extrinsic concerns about teaching (negative) are developed and interact such that some…

Nationally, schools in the United States struggle to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers. Previous research supports using teacher pedagogy training and mentorship to increase retention. This study examines the use of mentorship in a high school Grow Your Own teacher training program and student career selection. The action research study…

There are very few Black male educators who work in the elementary setting. In fact, most Americans will never experience having a Black male as a teacher during those formative years. Existing research around Black male educators heavily revolves around why Black men do not become educators, but there is little research on the motivations for why…

There has been a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teacher shortage in K-12 schools across the United States (Klassen et al., 2021; Luft et al., 2005). To help provide a possible solution to the nationwide STEM teacher shortage, this study investigated the factors that influence STEM majors to change careers from STEM…

Solving some of the greatest problems facing humanity -- pandemics, climate change, access to clean water - will depend on a diverse STEM workforce creating socially just solutions. Thus, there is a need to broaden participation in STEM to bring diverse perspectives to bear on these complex problems. Broadening STEM participation relies on…

Science teacher shortages are reaching critical capacity across the United States and New Jersey. Emerging teacher identity research highlights the impacts that subject matter plays in the development and retention of today's teachers. Strong personal and professional connections to the content area of science directly impact a person's decision…

This study aimed to widen the understanding of the need for Black males in public schools, the critical factors related to their underrepresentation, and the reasons they stay in the teaching profession. The study explored what attracts Black male teachers to the teaching profession, what keeps them in the profession, what strategies can be…

Introduction: The physical therapy (PT) profession has a tradition of growth driven by interest and societal needs. Recent discrepancies in workforce modeling suggest looming issues impacted by declining application rates. Modern facilitators and barriers for entering the PT profession need exploration to assist key stakeholders in making informed…

This Education Leadership Portfolio (ELP) focuses on addressing the increasing need for more racial diversity in the Delaware teacher workforce. It is a multi-dimensional effort to meet the increasing need for and supply of teachers of color in the state. Therefore, the scope of this ELP centers around the University of Delaware (UD) College of…

Teacher quality has been proven one of the greatest factors leading to student success (Stronge, Ward, Tucker, & Hindman 2011; Hattie 2003). However, hiring high quality teachers has become increasingly difficult in rural districts. The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to gain insights into preferences and perceptions of…

It is critical to pave the way for more women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Despite the need for an increased workforce, women remain underrepresented in technology careers and particularly technology leadership (Tomaskovic-Devey & Han, 2018). Furthermore, there is a lack of research on how STEM recruiting and…

The United States public school system continues to be more diverse year after year. Even though the Black student population has increased significantly, the number of Black teachers has not. Although the achievement gap between Black students and non-Black students has decreased, there is still a concern about the educational outcomes of Black…

Despite concerted efforts over the course of decades to increase the number of Teachers of Color, the profession persists as being demographically homogeneous, with White women constituting the majority of teachers. As the student body becomes increasingly diverse, having educators that are culturally and racially representative of their students…

The purpose of this generic qualitative action research study was to explore the perceptions of minority groups towards a career in law enforcement. Police organizations are experiencing significant challenges in recruitment, hiring, and retention. The crucial research questions are "How do minority college students perceive careers in law…