Set in 2023, this study was deployed at the lowest point of enrollment in the California Community College (CCC) system since 2008, which was the highest point of enrollment in the system's history. The purpose of this qualitative, grounded theory study was twofold: (a) to understand the phenomenon of California community colleges (CCCs)…

Community college enrollment has seen a significant shift in student demographics, including the decline of White students from 60% in 2001 to 46.2% in 2017 (American Association of Community Colleges, 2019), whereas efforts to diversify senior leadership have had little success (Rodriguez, 2015). Examining literature from peer-reviewed journals,…

In the 21st century, the exponential growth of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education and the corresponding critical need for STEM graduates in the profession have both outpaced the number of STEM graduates joining the workforce. This is a global problem, one to which the U.S. can relate. A literature review of research…

This dissertation examines the troubling underrepresentation of staff of color in Pacific Northwest community colleges. Despite the proven benefits of racial staff diversity in promoting student success, community colleges face challenges in recruiting and retaining staff of color. Existing literature concerning non-teaching staff at community…

"The Laboring Scholar: Community College Geographies and the Politics of Care" is an institutional ethnography that investigates the personal, political, and economic costs to student caregivers seeking a college degree. Through a critical analysis of student interviews and a close examination of community college structures and…

In October 2022, the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) dashboard reported 5,266 full-time White faculty and 714 Black faculty. Only 10% of full-time curriculum instructors were Black, whereas 82% were White (Admin, 2019). Since Black faculty are underrepresented, their voices are often unheard. This qualitative research described the…

Adjunct faculty are important to academe and have been part of community colleges since the early 20th century, providing community colleges flexibility with student enrollment by filling instruction needs while keeping salaries manageable. Rural community college adjunct faculty bring industry expertise and many other positives to their work.…

The problem examined in this study was that student progression suffers from the lack of structured pathways for noncredit health science college students to credit-bearing health science programs. The problem is compounded by inconsistencies in reporting funding and enrollment data at the state level and the lack of existing research on noncredit…

Strong, consistent nursing academic leadership is needed in this time of rapid technological advancement and constantly evolving healthcare environments, but the recruitment and retention of first-level nursing academic administrators can be difficult. Existing literature did not offer a complete picture of the social processes that nurse faculty…

Digital engagement as a tool for communication offers a variety of formats for reaching and potentially attracting prospective college students. While printed materials were once the primary means for colleges to communicate with and subsequently influence student's choice, the internet has created a virtual world for digitally engaging with…

Marketing strategy involves selecting a target market and determining the desired product positioning to attract the desired customers (Silk, 2006). Recently, community colleges have seen a decrease in student enrollment. In some cases, this was brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic; in other cases budget constraints have posed challenges to…

Purpose: This study addressed issues of chief diversity officers who often face diversity challenges when attracting, recruiting, and retaining, faculty of color in community colleges in California. Perceptions and meaning-making of chief diversity officers were explored as they encountered racism and shaped the discourse on race embedded in the…

This study examined the role that community college faculty plays in students post associate degree decisions and how that correlates to university center partnership awareness. Prior research shows that higher education faculty play a role in student decision-making. Faculty plays a role in the recruitment of students, student success, and a…

This study investigated the mentorship experiences of TK-12 teachers of Color (TOCs) with community college students aspiring to be teachers and how it informed their growth and development into Murrell's (2000) definition of a "community teacher." Through analysis of 15 interviews with teachers of Color involved in the Community…

This qualitative research study focused on the importance of storytelling as an effective marketing tool in a higher education setting, specifically, community college. The study was conducted to guide Cumberland County College's (CCC) administration, recruitment, and enrollment staffs to strategically share stories from engaged students through a…