The campus built environment is an omnipresent force at an institution of higher education. That force is influential during a student's transition into the post-secondary system. Literature on this subject suggests that understandings of the relationship between the campus built environment and the student experience are limited and demand…

Rising levels of burnout among medical providers have been noted with the phenomenon being identified in the academic setting for these emerging professionals (Dyrbye et al., 2008; West et al., 2018). Recognizing the link between excessive stress, burnout, and low well-being is crucial. (Dyrbye et al., 2010; Loehr & Schwartz, 2001). As…

This dissertation explores the impact of physical campus spaces on the sense of belonging among commuter students. Drawing on qualitative data collected through photography, videos, interviews, observations, and campus materials, this study investigates how the physical campus environment shape students' perceptions of connection, inclusion, and…

Following the Brown v. Board of Education decision, tens of thousands of Black educators were removed from America's classrooms (Milner & Howard, 2004). To this day, only 7% of teachers are Black (Institute of Education Sciences, 2020), meaning Black students can spend some, if not all, of their educational career taught by someone who does…

University leaders will find the results of this study significant as they develop educational programs that attract students and help them achieve their academic goals. The problem is that no known studies exist that examine instructor-student interactions and customer satisfaction from the perspective of the doctoral student using a qualitative,…

This dissertation, my scholarly professional narrative (SPN), is a self-reflection of mentoring experiences as a Latina millennial in academia and professional settings. These experiences are told through the art of storytelling using "testimonio," which promotes critical awareness of cultural intersectionality and intercultural…

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an emergency response to close businesses, shut down schools, and mandate lockdowns to mitigate the spread of the virus creating an unprecedented worldwide disruption in the family and educational environment. The problem to be addressed in this study is the unknown subjective lived experience of vulnerable…

Highly sensitive students are in every classroom, but few educators know of their presence or the problems that they face in the learning environment. This group of children often struggle in silence as twice-exceptional individuals who have both significant gifts but also particular challenges to navigate a neurotypical school environment. Both…

The migrant student population in the United States has significantly increased in the last few decades. While these students are enrolled in K-12 institutions, the challenges they face as migrant children and the educational systemic barriers they encounter continue to present obstacles for their college completion. Educational agencies must seek…

Whereas many college freshmen succeed during their first year, some struggle with transitioning. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive generic study was to examine the difficulties some high school graduates experience adapting to the college social environment. First-year college students often have feelings of homesickness, isolation,…

Students with disabilities are an underrepresented demographic in higher education institutions that is often overlooked and excluded with limited engagement strategies. It is imperative for postsecondary institutions to actively foster a more inclusive and welcoming environment for this student group. Little is understood about the impact of…

This quantitative research study examined the experiences of multiracial college students regarding racial identity and perceptions of discrimination against multiracial people, as well as college belonging, compared to their monoracial peers. Multiracial individuals can encounter microaggressions and racism as a result of not fitting into…

This mixed-methods study used the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments (CECE) model to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on college student sense of belonging. The purpose of this study was to explore how environmental changes related to the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may have altered students' sense of belonging to…

Anxiety and depression have increased for adolescent youth, particularly since the pandemic. For certain students, this anxiety and depression connects to trauma because of inequity and bias in schools. This qualitative study examined successful urban middle school teachers and their perspectives on conditions they created for hope in their…

Despite a multitude of possible explanations for racial and ethnic group differences in collegiate achievement, scholars have continued to call for new research and theories to better explain this ongoing phenomenon. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the relationship between grit, racialized campus experiences, and college…