This qualitative study used phenomenological research methods to explore the lived experiences of single parents attending community college. The phenomenological research design was used to better understand participant experiences by examining the participant's view of their situation. Thirteen single-parent students in community colleges in the…

An indicator of college readiness is the participation in advanced courses in junior high school. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to examine the social capital of 7th and 8th grade students enrolled in advanced mathematics courses. This study examined junior high student perspectives in the areas of attitude toward college, teacher…

In the United States, there is a disproportionately low number of Black physicians in comparison to the demographic composition of Black people in the nation. This underrepresentation gap is result of historic systemic racism that led to Black people being abused and left out of healthcare and medical education. Despite improvement in healthcare…

This qualitative study explores the transition to kindergarten special education of four Somali autistic children in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This dissertation answers a single, two-part research question: What aspects of the transition to kindergarten process do stakeholders find facilitate the transition process? What parts of the transition do…

Despite a college degree being a prerequisite for economic and social mobility, many low-income students graduate at far lower rates than students from wealthier families. Existing research suggests that low-income students are more likely to attend college less prepared to succeed once they get there, experience financial challenges, have…

This qualitative phenomenological study utilized high school graduate perceptions to identify pedagogical methods, educational structures, and school supports that improved their participation, inclusion, and growth within their classrooms and coursework. The research was focused on students identified at-risk to graduate high school and how…

This qualitative narrative study explored the lived experience of high achieving Black men who recently graduated from very highly selective historically White institutions (HWI). The research was guided by Nancy Schlossberg's (1989) theory of marginality and mattering and Shaun Harper's anti-deficit achievement framework. Building on the work of…

This study evaluates if persistence and completion rates increased after (a) establishing a centralized advising center for entering freshmen, (b) developing a mandatory new student orientation program, and (c) revising the curriculum for the college's student success course. For this study, persistence is defined as the percentage of first-time…

This study included quantitative and qualitative methods to provide an in-depth exploration of the parameters of at-risk student virtual education environment. Surveys were administered to teachers, students, and support staff. The connection between school resources and learning are discussed in this study. The results of the study provide…

Autistic postsecondary students reportedly experience significant social anxiety and loneliness, which has become a growing concern for colleges and practitioners alike. The social-emotional experiences of autistic students entering postsecondary education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at 4-year institutions are not…

The educational resilience of African American males has been extensively studied from elementary, high school, and undergraduate perspectives. Topics such as the "School to Prison Pipeline," which characterizes the educational and life trajectories of African American males in America with regards to criminalization and mass…

Since the introduction of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, veteran student support services have expanded in higher education in response to the growing veteran student population and to improve the academic achievement of veteran students. The problem addressed in this study was a lack of knowledge regarding the effect of veteran students' participation…

Honors colleges have offered an academically rigorous option for growing numbers of diverse students. This study took place at a large, public university that required undergraduate students to complete a thesis to graduate from the honors college. In 2017, 97% of students who began the honors thesis prior to senior year completed it. Thus, the…

This study was designed to determine the effect of writing center usage on the self-efficacy of nontraditional students in regard to their academic writing. The purpose of this study was to discover if more can done by post-secondary institutions to address the unique needs of nontraditional student writers through the use of auxiliary academic…

Students with disabilities have not been fully welcomed in higher education in spite of litigation, court cases, and positive shifts in public perceptions. The transition from high school to college is challenging for students without disabilities. Students with disabilities often get overlooked by their institution and overwhelmed during this…