State and national initiatives focused on meeting student completion goals have been established for higher education to help produce a stronger workforce and meet economic labor market demands. Some of these initiatives have been centered around improving adult learner enrollment and completion. More adult learners are returning to higher…

Using institutional data from University of California, Merced (UC Merced), this dissertation explores the relationship between enrolling in academic units in the summer term immediately after the first year of college (first-summer) and four-year degree completion at a Hispanic- and Minority-Serving Institution, through the lenses of Academic…

Many community college students do not finish their 2-year degree on time, and there are several institutional barriers that prevent students from taking 15 college credits per semester. Students are not aware of the academic and economic benefits of taking 15 college credits per semester. A 15 to Finish communication campaign, which has been…

Some college, no degree (SCND) students are adults aged 25-64 who have earned college credit but no degree (Shapiro et al., 2019). There are currently 36 million adults in the United States with some college but no degree (Lumina Foundation, n.d.; U.S. Census Bureau, 2018). Reengaging this population to complete a degree or credential will assist…

In May 2013, the governor of Florida signed into law Senate Bill 1720, which fundamentally changed how institutions of higher education manage remedial programs. Institutions seemed to be responding to the high demand for education by channeling large percentages of incoming first-year students to remedial classes based on assessment test scores,…

Misconceptions on affordability remain a barrier to postsecondary access for millions of potential students. When students recognize financial aid availability during secondary school years, they gain the capability to better establish a curricular path that aligns with postsecondary aspirations. This dissertation assesses the use of…

Most research about college students concentrates on credit students, with relatively little research focusing on noncredit students and why some transition from noncredit courses into credit classes. This dissertation research examined factors that may contribute to students transitioning from noncredit courses into credit classes at Mississippi…

Service-learning has roots deep in higher education. Community colleges and service-learning have an organic relationship as they both strive to represent and support their local communities. This study implemented propensity score matching to study the impact of service-learning on student outcomes for community college students. Much of the…

This research was designed to expand the applications of Psychological Distance (PD) Theory by studying the effects of time on the importance of criteria used to evaluate institutions of higher learning. It is intended to help administrators market more effectively by determining how future intentions (to go back to school someday) transition into…

Research self-efficacy refers to a person's confidence in their ability to perform research activities (Bailey, 1999; Bard et al., 2000; Deemer, 2010; Holden et al., 1999; Kahn, 2001; Mulliken et al., 2007; Phillips et al., 2004; Unrau & Beck, 2004, Unrau & Grinnel, 2005). Little has been written on this topic in relation to Counselor…

Due in large part to their open access and affordability, community colleges have long played a central role in providing students with immigrant backgrounds who are English language learners (ELLs) with access to postsecondary education. Researchers have noted that English as a second language (ESL) courses have been the primary form of support…

The objective of this research was to identify specific factors that contribute to underrepresented minority (African American, Hispanic, Native American) undergraduate students' success in STEM disciplines at a regional university during the 2007-2010 timeframe. As more underrepresented minority (URM) students complete STEM degrees, many will…

In recent years, legislative constituents have made requests of public colleges and universities that place them center stage in the debate over the value of the financial investment of state monies and the documented outcome of institutions of public higher education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting success…

The purpose of this study was to gather more information about the influence of beginning higher education at a two-year college versus beginning at a four-year college on a student's educational achievement. The three outcomes of interest were: (1) whether a student remains continuously enrolled throughout college; (2) total number of college…

The purpose of this study was to identify academic factors that might predict online course success for community college students. Online course success was a focus of national research and debate as studies consistently indicated lower success rates in online courses as compared to traditional courses; however, research that identified academic…