The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand how 11 adult learners with ADHD described the academic, social, and institutional factors that influence their persistence at one community college in Arizona. The research questions asked study participants to describe their academic, social, and institutional experiences in…

The stringent demands and lofty expectations placed on collegiate student athletes can significantly impact performance, both on the fields of play and in the classroom. Minority community college student athletes are a unique student population with distinct experiences which have historically been overlooked and understudied. The focus of this…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how nontraditional community college students experienced, understood, and applied mathematical reasoning skills while engaged in active-learning pedagogy in an introductory biology course in a Southwestern United States Community College. The underlying theory was the Wigfield and Ecles…

The research described in this paper examines the role of sense of classroom community, intrinsic motivation, and academic integration on academic achievement (using persistence and course grade as the dependent variable) for community college students in online courses. A total of 72 students enrolled in online community college courses…

Support is interpreted in various ways; however, the purpose of study is to examine the influence of family support and social support on student retention and completion at community colleges. This research explored the two means of support to point to best practices for student services administrators and personnel to more effectively assist…

More than three-quarters of Delaware Technical Community College (Delaware Tech) students graduate without a work-based learning (WBL) experience. In the 2017-2018 academic year, only 14% of Delaware Tech students statewide participated in a WBL activity. This figure was the same for the two previous academic years as well. These participation…

This research study examined the campus culture of two community colleges in North Carolina. These colleges were selected based on language included in their mission statements. The campus culture of each institution was explored through the lived experiences of minority (African American and Hispanic) students attending those colleges. Native…

Nearly two thirds of students are not ready for college level work in mathematics as evidenced by the inability to succeed on standardized math placement tests. Unfortunately, this necessitates developmental coursework, which is not credit bearing, and ultimately makes these students significantly less likely to earn a college degree. This study…

Individuals coming from low-income backgrounds, particularly women and people of color, are disproportionately underrepresented in STEM fields. The low representation is often attributed to low enrollment and completion rates in STEM programs. Community colleges play a crucial role in increasing diversity in the workforce. However, there is not…

The purpose of this study was to implement a redesign of developmental education at Delaware Technical Community College and to evaluate its effectiveness in improving overall First Time Ever in College (FTEIC) student success through gateway English and math completion, fall-to-fall persistence, and narrowing or closing of opportunity gaps…

Persistence and graduation rates for community college students are consistently low. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and other traumatic experiences have an impact on community college students' academic success; however, trauma should not be approached from a deficit standpoint. Individuals can bounce back and achieve as resilient learners…

This dissertation delves into the intersections of social and cultural capital, self-advocacy, sense of belonging, and the experiences of mental health help-seeking among rural, first-generation college students. Rural, first-generation college students face unique challenges throughout their academic journey, this dissertation aims to contribute…

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the association of both grit and self-efficacy to student outcomes at Dallas College, their association with each other, their combined consequence to student outcomes, and how these associations manifest across race, gender, and age. The literature gap in this review provides an overview of the research…

In the spring of 2020, many colleges and universities had to move their classes online due to COVID-19. This move to the virtual environment highlighted a growing problem in higher education, being increase failure rates for online students. This study addressed two research questions: 1) To what extent does the use of short lectures and small…

Arab Muslim students continue to face various forms of islamophobia on campus despite efforts from the college to make campus more welcoming and inclusive. As Muslim students express concern about the rise of islamophobia on campus and bigoted rhetoric on social media, college leaders, administration, and faculty have an imperative role to play in…