Increasing student retention is one of the greatest challenges faced by community colleges. First-year community college students face a complex set of issues in grappling with their new academic roles and identities. Therefore, there is a need for effective retention efforts that support students during this time of transition. First-Year…

Entrepreneurship education (EE) is a hot topic and has gained the attention and interest of scholars in the United States and globally. Despite the growth of EE, scholars have been marginalizing the impact of EE at the community college level and there is a dearth of studies in this area (Liguori et al. 2019; Mars & Ginter 2012). Therefore, I…

Mathematics placement and courses can be a key factor in determining the pace and success of student educational pursuits. This study delves into the potential effectiveness of Directed Self-Placement (DSP), also referred to as Guided Self-Placement or Self-Directed Placement, as opposed to traditional placement methods, in fostering successful…

Community colleges prepare nontraditional students for a variety of careers. Although the colleges promote flexible class schedules and faculty who understand their students' social and economic statuses, nontraditional students often need help prioritizing their college responsibilities. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was…

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of nursing program students with grant funding investment in a nursing, allied, and physical health program at a rural community college in Western New York. This rural institution is a member institution of the State University of New York…

There is a steady decline in Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) graduation rates, especially from two-year institutions. These institutions have been an integral part of U.S. higher education system, and access for underrepresented groups has been a top priority in recent decades with the passing of specific legislation. Despite growing efforts to…

This research aimed to assess students' perception of the campus climate as it relates to issues of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation at a community college in Hawai'i. Despite LGBTQ+ individuals' historical acceptance in Hawai'i, little research explores their current experiences within higher education, specifically…

The purpose of this study was to examine student experiences from Mid-Atlantic community colleges during the COVID-19 pandemic and the related impact on their perceived stress levels and academic performance. Adopting a cross-sectional survey research approach, this study aimed to critically examine how students navigated their academic lives…

Student retention is a critical factor in higher education that impacts many essential areas. However, the average retention rate among community college students within their first year is only 61%. In addition, demographics for community college students demonstrate the challenges students encounter; for example, over 60% are employed, and 65%…

In 2020, students categorized as Black, Hispanic, Asian, and two or more races comprised over 50% of community college enrollment nationwide. However, current internationalization models in community colleges are rarely intentionally designed for and with students of the global majority. This study addresses a gap in the research by exploring the…

Community college women do not obtain the HPV vaccine at the same rate as university women. The aim of this study was to discover the perceptions of community college women in relation to the human papillomavirus (HPV) and associated cancers, the perceived barriers and benefits of obtaining the HPV vaccination, and how health behavior decisions…

This dissertation investigates the dynamics of adult online learners within an urban community college setting, exploring relationships between specific adult learning predictor variables and online course grades. Understanding these relationships is crucial for informing educational policies, designing effective online learning environments, and…

Criminal justice scholars and practitioners have sought to identify strategies to increase and improve diversity in police agencies since the 1960s Civil Rights era. Moreover, the difficulties recruiting racial and ethnic minority police officers indicated there is distrust and fear of the police, which includes police culture/practices that…

Academic coaching has emerged as a potential strategy for enhancing student success within higher education, particularly in online learning, where self-regulated learning skills (SRL) are crucial for student achievement. The problem addressed in this study is student achievement in community college asynchronous online courses is low, and there…

This qualitative study aimed to conceptualize how Oregon Community College Career and Technical Education program administrators perceive Professional Skills attainment in their students. The overarching themes that emerged from analyzing interviews with administrators at several community colleges were administrators' belief that Professional…