The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry is to explore how first-generation community college students perceive major and career goals, the factors that impact career decision-making and the development of key employability skills. It is important to understand how to develop or promote programs that can help expose students to various…

This interpretive qualitative study examined how professional socialization experiences shape the student affairs specialty choice of higher education and student affairs (HESA) master's-level students. This research utilized Perez's (2014) conceptual model to comprehend participants' socialization, sensemaking, and self-authorship as they reflect…

The manufacturing industry is crucial to the United States economy, constituting more than 10% of the gross domestic product (National Association of Manufacturing [NAM], 2022). However, the sector faces challenges such as a shortage of skilled labor and underrepresentation of women, which threaten its sustainability (NAM, 2023). Various…

With the new era of the workforce dawning, employers emphasize the need for educators to educate young people about the skills and knowledge employers are looking for in the 21st century. In fact, 88% of employers indicated the importance of colleges and universities ensuring all students are prepared (Hart Associates, 2015). In terms of the broad…

Politicians, legislators, and educational policy decision-makers are in agreement with education scholars that the enrichment and productivity of creative businesses, technological innovations, medical advancements, and a sustained global competitiveness are contingent on a nation acquiring a robust STEM-ready workforce. The problem addressed in…

Online learning is experienced by students and instructors at many universities, and enrollment has continued to increase in recent years (Legon & Garrett, 2017; Legon & Garrett, 2018). Several researchers have identified elements of instructor presence or the various roles instructors play in courses (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer,…

Although ABET has outlined educational outcomes to help prepare students with the necessary competencies to succeed in professional engineering practice, it is unclear how confident students are in their professional engineering skills. "Competency" refers to the "generic, integrated and internalized capability to deliver…

This study examines the career decision-making process for college-aged Third Culture Kids at an elite university in an urban setting in the United States. This qualitative study engaged students (sophomores, juniors and seniors) and recent graduates from a range of passport cultures (U.S and non-U.S.) in individual semi-structured interviews…

Economic conditions require a workforce of lifelong learners. Regional Occupational Programs (ROP) provide career technical education that engage every student in high-quality, rigorous and relevant education to help students become career and college ready. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to gather both quantitative and qualitative…

Federal legislation and educational programs such as "No Child Left Behind" (2001) and "Race to the Top" (2009) identify school leaders as one of the major catalysts to improving academic achievement. Increasing accountability demands call for replacement of the principal when adequate gains in student achievement are not met,…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to provide insight into Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) graduates' reflections on their cooperative education (co-op) experiences and resulting career self-efficacy. Wichita State University houses a cooperative education program, the only one of its kind in the state of Kansas. This program…