This qualitative study examined the experiences of formerly incarcerated students in community colleges. In this study, participants described how they made meaning of their postsecondary education experience through their decision to start college, the college preparation, and faculty interactions that collectively influenced their academic…

Students enroll each year into post-secondary education institutions underprepared to meet college reading demands. This lack of knowledge places students at a disadvantage as they attempt to prepare for both college and career success. The purpose of this evaluation study was to ascertain the usefulness of the Reading Plus Program (RP) Adaptive…

This dissertation is a call to action for the American community college educator to create and carry out a commitment to civic interfaith leadership. The community college educator as civic interfaith leader can and should examine and revise existing curricular and co-curricular resources--especially world religions courses and student…

Previous research exploring the lived experiences of marginalized groups of students in STEM at community college settings is limited, despite the fact that community colleges have the potential to create pathways to 4-year engineering degrees and diversify the STEM workforce. This study explored what underrepresented students in STEM valued most…

For decades, the number of students enrolling in online courses has been increasing, and this trend toward online education has been further intensified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The completion rate of online courses is not as high as in-person instruction, and researchers and practitioners have long been invested in identifying ways…

Leeward Community College is committed to supporting Native Hawaiians, the Indigenous people of Hawai?i. It aims to become a "model indigenous-serving" institution (University of Hawai?i, 2012) as part of the University of Hawai?i system's efforts to empower Hawai?i's Indigenous scholars and their communities. This single-site case study…

In the last decade, the number of English Learners (ELs) in higher education has significantly grown due to the increase of immigrants and refugees coming to the United States. For these students, attending community colleges is usually the first foray into higher education. This is particularly the case in New England, which is experiencing rapid…

Community colleges serve a crucial role in providing higher education access for U.S. English learner (EL) populations. Many ELs are placed in community college academic ESL programs in order to prepare them to transition to taking courses in the wider college. Yet, the success of academic ESL programs has been mixed at best, with these programs…

Since the 1980s, postsecondary institutions have seen a steady increase in student population, particularly from students with learning disabilities (LDs) (NCES, 2019; Clark, 2017). Previous research had shown that more specifically, students from this population opted for 2-year institutions (community colleges) as opposed to 4-year institutions…

Since the Tennessee Promise's 2014 launch, "free college" or "Promise" programs have proliferated rapidly and converged on design features: a "last-dollar" award and community college applicability. Researchers who study these programs' effects generally presume they are tuition-reducing endeavors. In contrast, we…

As short-term study abroad programs increase in popularity and number at community colleges, it is vital to examine the effect on the faculty who lead these programs. The purpose of this research study was to explore how community college faculty who lead short-term study abroad programs perceive personal learning including social and cultural…

As part of its broader Student Parent Success Initiative, Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) conducted original research focusing specifically on Black single mother students. This report summarizes findings from 25 interviews IWPR conducted with Black single mother community college students, consisting of both students who were…

The purpose of this quantitative predictive correlational study was to examine if, and to what extent, a predictive relationship existed between charismatic teaching and students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in community colleges in the Northwest United States. The theoretical foundation for this research was the charismatic leadership…

Although community colleges strongly espouse student-centered approaches, the actual experience of student populations remains a source of information and insight that needs to be tapped. English Language Learners (ELLs) in particular, with diverse backgrounds, needs, and experiences, need to have those experiences heard and accounted for. Much…

Undergraduate research experiences have been widely demonstrated as a beneficial and essential component of the college experience. However, many community colleges face barriers and lack of support in implementing such research programs, which means a significant number of community college students miss out on these impactful experiences.…