The national need for workers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is continuously growing. The National Science Foundation has called "for a focus on STEM education" in response to the deficit in the workforce (Hagedorn & Purnamasari, 2016, p. 146). Attrition rates of STEM majors are a concern with…

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 quantitative, comparative study was to determine the relationship between retention and academic success of students who participated in a College to Career Navigation exploration course and students who did not participate in the course at a rural, community college serving a 14-county area in the Southeast U. S. Archival data…

College students' persistence to academic success has been a concern for higher education institutions (HEIs). The educational attainment and academic achievement of community college students have created employment and economic opportunities for individuals. Despite the benefits of higher education, some community college students failed to…

This action study investigated the experiences of current female students, recent female graduates, and female dropouts of a rural community college in Appalachian Ohio to determine what factors led to successful college completion. Although female enrollment exceeds male enrollment, females currently and consistently rank below their male…

Zambia faces many challenges common to low- and middle-income countries as it seeks to improve its education system, including low literacy rates for young Zambians and low public expenditure on education. In the past 20 years, Zambia's school system has expanded to reach more children in rural areas, primarily through community schools, which are…

Located in Redding, California, Shasta College is an inspiring example of why serving students with "some college, but no degree" is critical to supporting the local community. Most residents in the area, which is one of the state's northernmost counties, live and work in the immediate area and serve the community through local…

The current study explores differences in transfer shock between veteran and non-veteran community college transfer students at a land grant institution in a rural state. Analysis includes institutional data for community college transfer students, including those who self-identified as veterans or used veteran tuition benefits from Fall 2015 to…

Many developing countries have experienced increasing spatial inequality, but little is known about the effect of community disadvantages on educational attainment in these societies. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (2010-2016), I examine the effect of community socioeconomic status (SES) on the transition into high school in urban…

This book brings together a series of papers on education in rural Zimbabwe. It is informed throughout by the generative theory of rurality, which sees rural communities as the most significant agents in solving the challenges they face. Against this theoretical backdrop, the 13 chapters challenge policy makers, researchers and educators to…

This dissertation examined the significance of the Undergraduate Students Together Reaching Instructional Diversity and Excellence (USSTRIDE) community of practice (CoP) mentorship program offered at Florida State University College of Medicine and its profound impact on first-generation, rural, and economically disadvantaged undergraduate student…

The COVID-19 pandemic forced universities into emergency remote learning. For universities situated in a country where internet connectivity prices are high, network coverage is low, and most students live in rural areas, this presented a unique set of problems. One of the issues is that traditional orientations were face-to-face for first-time…

Many Latinx students whose families have resided in the rural areas of the United States for generations face racist, nativist behavior particular to rural spaces that is pervasive and all encompassing. Living and learning under small town oppression affects Latinx students' educational aspirations, trajectory and achievement of higher education…

Most of international students who migrate to the U.S. or to other parts of the world to pursue their education go through many challenges that hinder their academic performance. U.S. HEIs might not achieve international student access and completion goals without identifying the "challenges that face minority and international students"…

Background: In this article, an analysis is done of the out of school factors of Foundation Phase learners that could influence the proper development of these learners' language abilities. Specific reference is made to the home environment of Foundation Phase learners in rural Mpumalanga. Aim: This article aims to draw attention to the fact that…