African American males represent one of the smallest demographics reflected within the student population in higher education within the United States. Colleges and universities continue to face the challenge of articulating their value as they seek to recruit, retain, and support students. However, African American male undergraduate students…

Persistence of first-year, full-time students toward graduation at U.S. community colleges poses concerns for administrators, faculty, and policymakers. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of faculty members teaching a college success seminar at an urban multicampus community college on what impedes or supports the persistence…

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of 11 African American participants who completed a bachelor's degree at a Hispanic-serving university in the Chicagoland region (Illinois) and exploring the academic and social factors that influenced their persistence to completion. Data for this study was obtained through semi-structured…

College completion rates among Latina/o undergraduate students represents a crisis in our national educational system. Latina/o students are seeking higher education, but experiencing multiple barriers which inhibit degree completion. This qualitative case study offers an opportunity to explore components of degree completion of Latina/o graduates…

Background and Context: Despite over 30 years of research on broadening participation, women are still underrepresented in Computer Science (CS) education. While enrolment in CS majors has increased, women earn only 18% of the CS baccalaureate degrees in the US. Objective: Most research focuses on why women leave CS. This study explores factors…

Exploring the lived experiences of academically gifted African American men at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) can lead to a better understanding of the institutional barriers this student population endures, the successes related to their journey, the factors that aid in their retention and persistence, and how institutions…

First-generation and economically marginalized (FGEM) college students are attending higher education institutions with increasing regularity. The unique experiences of these students call for career frameworks that capture their specific strengths and challenges. This article outlines a new model from which to conceptualize FGEM college students'…

Graduating from college can enhance one's life significantly, however Black and Latinx students may face significant barriers in this process. This a problematic concern at Lehigh Carbon Community College which is in the predominantly white area of the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. The local demographics have rapidly changed and so has the…

Addressing the needs of students of color in higher education more effectively must no longer be an optional priority for college leaders and policymakers. To devise a strategy for change, more data are needed. Of particular note is the fact that few researchers have explored persistence for students of color at rural institutions, many of which…

Student-parents compose a significant proportion of the student population at community colleges across the United States and Canada. The conflicting demands they face as they navigate academic, financial, and family responsibilities are considerable. Drawing on interviews with student-parents and administrators at two community colleges, we focus…

Community colleges are a vital source of students in the STEM career pipeline. Yet, research indicates that rather than diversifying the STEM workforce, community colleges may be perpetuating gender imbalances. This qualitative phenomenological study was designed to examine differences in male and female experiences in two male-dominated community…

This article reviews how orientation programs perpetuate or combat an ideology of invisibility for families of Color during the transition into college. Findings identify the ways in which ideologies of invisibility or support are constructed through institutional messaging of dismissal or welcome that influence the engagement of families of…

California community colleges account for the overwhelming majority of Latinx student enrollment in public higher education institutions. However, student equity or parity in educational outcomes in California community colleges continue to be a problem, especially for Latino men. While the research concerning these men has increased in recent…

Students with disabilities (SWDs) often lack the requisite skills for responding to the academic climate challenges they face in postsecondary education. The purpose of this study was to examine these challenges with a specific focus on the extent to which 14 demographic variables influence their perceptions. An expanded version of the…

The present study employed phenomenology in order to understand how Hispanic nontraditional students describe academic persistence. Using purposeful sampling methods, 10 Hispanic nontraditional students in their last semester of a bachelor degree program were recruited from two Hispanic Serving Institutions in the southeast United States, each…