The low transfer-out and degree completion rates amongst community college students transferring to four-year institutions demonstrates an issue that leaders within higher education should seek to address. In investigating the challenges transfer students encounter, I discovered that undergraduate students transferring from a community college to…

Black males with mental health diagnoses face substantial barriers to gaining and maintaining employment. Tailored employment support services may help increase employment access, yet utilization remains low among this demographic area. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study is to explore the employment challenges for Black males with mental…

This study explored the unique leadership journeys of Latinx women holding principal positions in K-12 schools across New Jersey. The research findings revealed that these women's career paths were significantly influenced by their social identity characteristics, specifically as female Latinx individuals. The study serves as a crucial reminder to…

This dissertation investigates the relationship between stigma, knowledge, and help-seeking attitudes among high school students in two New York City Jewish day schools: a Modern Orthodox all-boys high school and a Sephardic Orthodox Jewish all-girls high school. The primary focus is on understanding how these factors: stigma about mental illness…

Despite mental illness related to learning, social life, and overall well-being being prevalent among students, college students may not feel comfortable disclosing their mental health issues due to stigmas and campus barriers. Consequently, a high number of students experience mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation,…

Career technical education and skilled trades have been the subject of a social stigma that continues to make it a habit of mind that career technical education is inferior to a 4-year college education. This stigma is partially responsible for a shortage of skilled labor. This study aimed to explore how educators describe and understand the…

I was a person who identified as culturally Deaf but at the same time had progressive vision loss. I embraced my Deaf identity, but I did not embrace any inkling of identifying myself as a DeafBlind person considering the stigma associated with it. Due to that stigma, the journey of identifying as a DeafBlind person is difficult mentally,…

Inclusive research based on collaborative partnership with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has the potential to lead to relevant and meaningful research outcomes. An inclusive research approach is necessary for research endeavors which strive to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people with intellectual and developmental…

This dissertation explores the use of place-based pedagogy as a tool for teaching for transfer in a college composition class in West Virginia. Although existing composition scholarship indicates that themed classes (such as a place-based class) are unlikely to facilitate transfer among the students, this is mostly due to instructors of themed…

This study sought to understand the perceptions of African American males enrolled in remedial education courses within two-year institutions. The researcher gathered information by interviewing ten African American male students at community colleges in southern urban locations. This qualitative research allowed the researcher to learn directly…

Ten participants who demonstrated consistently high resiliency were nominated by their teachers of the visually impaired for this study. They were asked to complete an initial survey consisting of basic demographic information as well as the Walsh Family Resiliency questionnaire. Those who scored with a 4 or higher and indicated interest in…

Over the past several generations numerous policies and laws have been established that have allowed people with disabilities to further their education. Students with disabilities enter higher education with varied experiences, which allows for a wide array of perceptions of the services and support provided on this level. The purpose of this…

According to the Centers for Disease Control's (2020) current statistics, one in four adults, approximately 61 million Americans, or 26% of the U.S. population, have a pathologically diagnosed and classified disability. There are medical, moral, and social perspectives of disability that have evolved over time, creating certain stigmas and…

Millions of students enroll in community colleges each year because of their open enrollment, lower cost of tuition, and flexible class schedules. Once enrolled at a community college, many community college students aspire to transfer their credits to a 4-year institution. One way to transfer credits from the community college to the 4-year…

Food insecurity (FI) is a concern for many college students, and contributes to significant physical, mental, and academic stressors. Experts have described the need for qualitative research. A better understanding of the experience of FI among college students may help to inform future research and interventions to support students on their…