This qualitative research utilized the descriptive case study approach to examine the lived experiences of twelve 1.5- or 2.0-generation Hmong American women who occupy leadership positions in public schools (K-12) and colleges (community colleges, state colleges, and universities) in California. It delved into their gendered, racial,…

In a hypercompetitive academic culture propelled by acceptance into the nation's prestigious colleges and universities, there has been a growing number of secondary students who are fixated on pursuing advanced coursework. This phenomenon of students beginning a sequence of advanced mathematics courses at the middle school level so they can take…

During the 1980s, an influx of Cambodian Americans resettled in the United States due to the Cambodian genocide. Those Cambodian refugees who came to the United States as either infants, children or adolescents due to warfare, are members of the 1.5 generation. This thesis examines the educational trajectory of 1.5 generation Cambodian Americans…

This dissertation explored what contributed to Southeast Asian students' persistence in an urban community college in the Midwest. A qualitative case study was used to reveal how Southeast Asian students perceived personal and educational experiences and how those experiences created an impact on their persistence. This project addressed the lack…

There has been a call for teachers of Color to meet the growing diversity of the student population in the United States. Research on teachers of Color, their identities, experiences, and the ways they leverage their identities in the work they do to support students of Color has largely omitted the perspectives of Asian American teachers. Through…

In this dissertation, I empirically investigate the changes in the market structure after new entrants, and how these changes affect the welfare of market participants. In Chapter 1, using records for public and charter schools in New York City, I empirically show that public schools adjusted after charter schools entered the neighborhood. I…

Although overall access to higher education has improved for underrepresented minority students (Engstrom & Tinto, 2008), there remains a persistent equity gap in college educational attainment for men of color from low socioeconomic backgrounds. In particular, Southeast Asian male students demonstrate higher attrition rates (Museus &…

Health inequities by race are ubiquitous and persistent in the U.S., and structural racism is understood to be the cause. However, there has been relatively little research on structural racism as an exposure. This dissertation will describe three ways to conceptualize and measure structural racism with the end goal of intervening to reduce health…

Leadership skills continue to be a priority for the economy, therefore it is imperative for colleges and universities to meet this demand by developing leadership skills in their students. Although concepts of leadership have been explored throughout student development literature, there remains a lack of research on the process by which an…

This research looked at Higher Education Leaders' Perceptions of Persistence and Achievement of Afro Caribbean Immigrant Students. The research was qualitative and took a phenomenological, narrative approach. Sixteen administrators, across three campuses, one private for-profit and two public nonprofits were interviewed. The participants consisted…

Purpose: The overall purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to describe the racial/ethnic demographic characteristics of students and teachers in Texas public schools. The first specific purpose was to describe the ethnic/racial demographic characteristics of students and teachers in Texas elementary public schools for the 2010- 2011…

Prior studies on student engagement in U.S. higher education focused mainly on the experiences of Black and White students (Meyer, 2014). Southeast Asian American students also face challenges regarding engagement on campus. Due to the influence of the Model Minority Myth, which leads faculty and administration to believe that Southeast Asian…

This study explores how Southeast Asian American college students experience success in college despite systemic and institutional barriers. The underrepresentation of Southeast Asian American perspectives in higher education research has created a deficit in understanding this population's experiences on college campuses. This dissertation…

Higher education research overlooks the achievement of Asian community college students, possibly due to the stereotypes of Asian students as naturally excelling in academia, perpetuated by the model minority myth. This is concerning, because in California, many of the academic achievements that are used to assess the effectiveness of initiatives,…

If students are not able to access internships or career-based programming, they are likely to not acquire skills necessary to be college and career ready. In short, an abundance of research supports the problem of limited preparation of all students for college and career readiness in high school, which also affects success in college and/or…