Competency-based education (CBE) is a learner-centric framework that emphasizes what students "know and can show" more than how much time they spend in the classroom. CBE advocates claim that by allowing students to take as little or as much time as they need to demonstrate their mastery of course competencies, students develop higher…

The purpose of this study was to determine how resilience factors impact doctoral degree completion after a significant delay of one year or more. The non-completion of doctoral degrees has been a concern due to its economic, social, and personal consequences. The research questions being examined were: (1) What were the various reasons shared by…

Latinx working adults without bachelor's degrees face significant barriers to economic stability and upward mobility, thereby reducing generational wealth. There are significant benefits of degree completion to individuals, such as increased earnings and employment, and benefits to society through greater economic contribution, increased…

Using descriptive statistics and logistic regressions, this study compared U.S. Census data from 22-24-year-old women in 1980 and 2020 to determine the individual and contextual variables most predictive of bachelor's degree attainment. The regressions were conducted for women overall, women who have ever enrolled in college, mothers, and mothers…

Previous research demonstrated the variety of learning environments in which experiential learning is used, as well as how constructivism plays a role in education and learning. This study was designed to fill the gap in literature by examining the extent to which participants viewed an experiential learning opportunity as beneficial in relation…

The United States faces challenges in retaining students of color (SoC), women, and nonbinary individuals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). This study explores the impact of a residential bridge program on STEM persistence for these groups. Participants, who were all women or nonbinary individuals and were 56% SoC and 30%…

Although African Americans report the lowest graduation rates in the United States--approximately 35% at undergraduate level--the rate is lower for African American males (30%) than African American females (37%). The performance of African American males in higher education is influenced by faculty role models and faculty expectations of their…