While counselors do gain knowledge on advocacy in their educational program, little is known about how school counselors communicate and advocate in their relationships with principals. The purpose of this study was to seek clarity on how school counselors describe their experience in their relationships with school principals as they communicate…

Autistic students are enrolling at higher educational institutions at an increasing rate. To keep up with the population of pupils, colleges and universities are finding ways to support students. Yet, a small percentage of students who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder do not succeed in attaining a degree. This trend is significant and…

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a lifelong chronic medical condition diagnosed through screening at birth. Complications of SCD can significantly burden affected children as they learn to manage their health needs. This study sought to investigate the perceived obstacles that may hinder children with SCD from receiving the necessary support and…

Students seek out individualized supportive networks to navigate challenges, and they use different strategies to overcome adversity in their lives (Greene et al., 2003; Zolli & Healy, 2012). Transgender students may navigate campus in different ways, experiencing a cross-section of varying challenges and issues unique to their understanding…

Twice-exceptional students are dually identified as academically gifted and talented and learning or medically disabled. These students face greater challenges to success in school and often have social and emotional issues that require accommodations and supports beyond those available in the general classroom. These students may not be receiving…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the students' perspectives of attending and participating in their own Individual Education Program (IEP) meeting. The conceptual frameworks of disability theory and empowerment worldview highlight the need to better understand perspectives from the students themselves with regard to…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to explore how do secondary and postsecondary educators perceive the variety of barriers and support that directly impact the successful completion of SWD (students with disabilities) undergraduate in the Midwest. The accessibility of higher education to students of various backgrounds has…

Studies on Black male athletes and their educational experiences have been conducted for quite some time, whereas research on Black female athletes, despite its emergence, remains limited. Recent research on student-athletes focuses on the rise in socioeconomic status in relation to their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Hence, the focus on…

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…

This study aimed to address research gaps and disparities among adult Vietnamese English as a second language (ESL) learners in adult education due to the model minority myth and broad generalization of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population. Despite their aspirations for an improved quality of life and integration into the U.S.…

This generic qualitative research study was designed to explain the benefits associated with applying self-regulation skills such as time management, being organized, staying focused, and prioritization, to avoid dropping out of an online college program. The theoretical framework for this study is social cognitive theory and self-regulation…

Three of four high school students with special needs become unemployed after graduation. These students, referred to as "bridge students" as they transition into postsecondary life, seldomly escape lifestyles of criminal, sedentary or dependent behavior. Certain protocols enacted at the high school level may act as either barriers or…

Over 65,000 undocumented immigrant high school students graduate each year, and many have strong aspirations to continue into a post-secondary institution (Drachman, 2006; Perez, 2010). However, less than 13,000 are actually able to do so (Diaz-Strong, Gomez, Luna-Duarte, & Meiners, 2010). I posited that a major barrier between these students…

This dissertation is an exploratory study on self-determination in students with disabilities in a postsecondary environment. Two questions were asked on self-determination levels in higher education students with disabilities and vital self-advocacy skills in higher education. A survey with closed-ended and open-ended questions was administered…

Federal disabilities legislation (the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act," or IDEIA of 2004) continued the movement of disabled ("differently-abled") persons from segregated public educational institutions to fully integrated general education classrooms, with appropriate accommodations for the…