This case study examines reciprocal mentoring in a community-based program (CBP) serving immigrant Latino families with school-aged children. University student volunteers shared technological and college knowledge and grew in leadership skills. Simultaneously, they gained familial and cultural support and belonging from program families. The CBP…

Nearly two hundred students, faculty, staff, and community members gather in a series of events to read and respond to poetry written by incarcerated authors. The program engages inmates in poetic self-expression, reflection, and personal growth while challenging honors students to consider what they have learned in literature classes in a broader…

Can verse mediate between the educational institution and the wider community of which it is a part? Utilising a case study of a specific taught module, this essay considers whether the performance of poetry as an experiential learning activity has a role to play in the emerging concept of the university as an anchor institution, a term that…

Due to institutional and systemic barriers, few BIPOC students transfer from community colleges to 4-year institutions with aspirations to attain a STEM degree. This descriptive case study utilizes the community cultural wealth framework, funds of knowledge, and the role institutional agents play during and after the transfer and transition…

Like every student enrolled in a higher education institution, students from refugee backgrounds are not only concerned about how to get into college, but how to connect with the support systems available to them on campus. The purpose of this research was to examine the social support systems available to college students from refugee backgrounds…

While Black students have gained increased access to college, the data reflect that there are fewer Black students completing or earning bachelor's degrees. Existing research reflects findings on various factors, both academic and non-academic, that influence student retention and success in higher education. Historically, theories on student…

Whilst university-community engagement has become an important aspect of modern universities, it often tends to re/produce inequalities and power imbalances, reinforcing stereotypes and negative identities. Much attention on these inequalities has focussed on the experiences of community members. Students' identities and challenges in these…

This study describes course withdrawal behaviors in the Texas public higher education institutions and examines the predictors of course withdrawal by using statewide administrative datasets. The findings showed that two-thirds of the college students in the sample withdrew from at least one course, highlighting course withdrawal as a prevalent…

Female student-athletes encounter unique challenges in navigating their social and mental well-being, often intensified by various stereotypes and pressures within athletic culture. This study explores the experiences of female student-athletes in community creation as well as how the various communities contribute to their growth and development.…

Degree completion of engineering students is a national concern, and research points to the first few years as points of departure. We used photovoice, participatory action-based research to illuminate the experiences of sophomore-level engineering students. Using thematic analysis and assets-based Community Cultural Wealth as our framework, we…

Students who feel accepted, valued, and connected to their institution have a more developed sense of belonging. Sense of belonging can be strengthened by building relationships on campus through a variety of ways such as friendships, mentorships, and campus activities. This allows students to feel a connection with faculty and peers. A strong…

This study explores learners' sense of community in the linguistics department at a Christian university in Western Canada. Since sense of community is an important factor in students' satisfaction, retention, and learning, it is important for educators to know how to support their students' feelings of community. Theological research on Christian…

This study is concerned with the fact that commuter students persist at a lower rate than their residential peers. As colleges and universities seek to increase educational attainment rates, understanding why commuter students struggle with retention is important. Research shows sense of belonging can positively affect intention to persist. As…

Using a case example from a mid-sized town in East Central Indiana, this article illustrates the development and implementation of a community-academic partnership (CAP), a novel approach to addressing substance misuse in local communities. A CAP can be defined as a formal, strategic partnership between the local community and university faculty,…

Service-learning (SL) activities provide multifarious benefits for students, faculty members, and community members. Although the literature includes considerable research on students' and faculty members' outcomes, it also reports a lack of attention to benefits for community members. This study sought to address this gap, giving voice to…