This study addressed the issue of retention rates among the nation's private, not-for-profit, baccalaureate degree-granting Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In doing so, it examined the potential presence of relationships among revenue sources and retention rates. In order to conduct a comprehensive research study, the following…

This study set out to examine factors that influence and motivate foundations in their decision-making strategies to support Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and how decisions are shaped by the identity, characteristics, and institutional advancement offices at these institutions of higher learning. Twelve semi-structured interviews were…

This dissertation systematically explores the origins and evolution of the charter school movement in the United States from 1985 to 2015. I begin by analyzing the role of governors in K-12 education policymaking and find that while governors have generally placed greater emphasis on K-12 education policy over time, Republican governors have…

Because philanthropic support from alumni and their families is an important source of revenue for American colleges and universities, identifying ways to connect with Chinese students and cultivate philanthropic support from their parents is an essential component of fundraising efforts. In this study, I explored how American university…

Institutions of higher education nationwide are looking for new fundraising strategies to generate revenue. Many are turning to their faculty and staff in an effort to create a culture of philanthropy across their universities and to attract new donors. Texas Christian University (TCU) in Forth Worth, Texas has implemented an annual faculty and…

The cost for higher education increased nearly 55% from 2002 to 2012, while state appropriations decreased 12% over the same time period (Government Accountability Office, 2014). The cost burden has been shifted heavily on students and their families as institutions have raised the cost of attendance in order to make up for declines in state…

The purpose of this study was to empirically analyze the determinants of charitable giving rates generationally among alumni of a private business college in the northeastern United States, with a focus on three areas: the unique cultural component of giving as it relates to the college and its entrepreneurial focus; the level of connectedness and…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have a history of "doing more with less" and this is often reflected in their effectiveness in securing financial resources from private donors. The purpose of this study is to probe and explore how the Kresge Foundation's HBCU Initiative strengthened HBCU fundraising capacity from…

Across the United States, state legislative funding declines are forcing colleges and universities to rapidly adjust to a variety of shortfalls in revenue. Even the most prosperous universities, normally immune to decreases in funding, find themselves experiencing financial difficulty. To offset fiscal gaps caused by budget shortfalls and…

Through an examination of primary sources and the established historiography, this study exposes the hidden world of student philanthropy at Indiana University (IU) between the launch of the Memorial Fund Campaign in 1921 and the founding of the IU Student Foundation in 1950. This study demonstrates that IU students in the early-mid twentieth…

This study examined the relationship between a non-Power Five Cinderella team in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament and institutional financial and admissions factors. The purpose of this study was to examine what, if anything, changes for a non-Power Five school who makes the March Madness tournament as compared to those similar…

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the impact participating in S.T.R.I.P.E.S., a leadership and extended orientation program, had on the philanthropic giving of recent alumni at a research university in the Southeastern United States. The dependent variable for this study was philanthropic giving to the institution during the…

Due to periodic decreases in government funding for higher education, higher education institutions have relied increasingly on philanthropic gifts. As a result, private funding, including alumni giving, has increased over the past half-century, climbing from $2.1 billion in 1965 to $57.48 billion in 2016 (Giving USA 2016). The purpose of this…

In an increasingly challenging financial period for K-12 public education in Pennsylvania, more school districts are turning to school-supporting foundations to fill the funding gap. Initially spurred by reduced investments in public education in California in the 1970s, school foundations did not begin gaining traction in Pennsylvania until two…

Intercollegiate athletics is a $10 billion marketplace (Suggs, 2012), with some Division I athletics operating budgets approaching $200 million. College athletics programs are charged with maximizing revenues in an effort to support and enhance the student-athlete experience. This study provides an examination of the perceptions of ice hockey…