The purpose of this study was to determine whether the matching requirement of the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant is an arbitrary administrative stipulation of the grant or whether it adds meaningful value to the program. If the GEAR UP grant's matching requirement is a detriment to the program,…

Scope and method of study: The purpose of this national research study was to examine the effects that COVID-19 had on primary flight training at the collegiate level. This study was to determine how pilot production was affected by the pandemic and its associated lockdowns and mitigation measures to help see the ripple effects it caused and…

The purpose of this study was to assess and describe the status of program evaluation within the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) sites. The National Science Foundation's REU program supports thousands of undergraduates annually in hands-on, immersive research experiences under the mentorship of…

This dissertation explores the institutionalization of sustainability studies within undergraduate programs in the United States, investigating its implications for interdisciplinary structure, faculty expertise, and curriculum focus. It specifically examines how sustainability studies differentiates itself from the established field of…

The research team in a small undergraduate social work education program explored the implementation of antiracist best practices for pedagogy and practice, utilizing transformational learning and critical race theories to guide and inform this action research study. The research team sought to explore the impact on the faculty, students, and…

This is an inquiry into the digital literacy readiness of students of First-Year Composition (FYC). Using mixed methods, an online survey and interviews, the study maps out the digital literacy skills of FYC students and accounts for the people and places that contributed to the students' acquisition of those skills. As theoretical frameworks, the…

Currently there are 85 schools that offer a bachelor's degree in Music Therapy and 243 full-time faculty in the United States (American Music Therapy Association, 2022). To be eligible to teach as a full time, undergraduate, music therapy faculty, the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) requires at least a master's degree and three years of…

The field of Cryptography is rapidly evolving, and the development of quantum computers is on the rise. Lattice-based cryptosystems are promising candidates for quantum resistance, and it is the responsibility of institutions to prepare students for related careers. Undergraduate students in mathematics and mathematics-adjacent fields can -- and…

Research is needed for us to be able to understand how Women of Color make meaning of their experiences in women's studies, especially Black women, whose experiences have not always been centered within women's studies (Elfman, 2009). Furthermore, it is important to distinguish Women of Color from Black women when investigating their lived…

This study utilized performance improvement theories, models, tools, and techniques to investigate why a new Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) Bachelor of Science program at a comprehensive university was experiencing low enrollment. The program was recently launched based on thorough research in the job market that indicated a high demand…

The purpose of this non-experimental study was to utilize a resource dependence theory (RDT) conceptual framework to examine differences between quality, affordability, and undergraduate enrollment based on private nonprofit four-year colleges and universities' (PCUs) institutional characteristics from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data…

As university-based community engagement programs expand through curricular and cocurricular initiatives, it is important to understand and assess their impact in advancing a key mission of higher education--to nurture and develop engaged citizens with a well-honed sense of civic identity. A literature review revealed a gap in the…

To meet an increasingly complex set of global challenges, undergraduate programs need innovative, well aligned curricula that prepare students to effectively address those challenges. This is especially true in programs such as sustainable food systems education (SFSE) where students learn to think systemically, critically, and reflectively, and…

With a disproportionately low number of Latinx students completing a nursing degree, it is critical that institutions of higher learning support students striving to apply to a nursing program and persisting up to graduation. This qualitative study investigated ways in which Latina undergraduate students become successful in nursing program degree…

In higher education today, there are various programs aimed at improving student retention and graduation success. These programs include both academic and non-academic initiatives aimed at increasing student engagement. One such high impact practice is undergraduate research. There has been an increase in the number of undergraduate research…