Community leadership development programs (CLDPs) purport to train and equip individuals for leadership role participation in 5,500 communities across the United States. These communities seem to see value in these programs, yet there is little accountability for what graduates are actually doing in the community after program completion. The…

Despite the many benefits associated with obtaining a college degree, many of our nation's public-school students, particularly marginalized students, remain ill-equipped to pursue their desired post-secondary goals (Morgan et al., 2014). The researcher uses published literature to define and substantiate the systemic challenges that lower…

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to explore the participants' perceptions of how Midwest Elementary School (a pseudonym) serves as a community hub. A school that is a community hub is a school that partners with community organizations--such as businesses, churches, and services--to meet the needs of students, families, and the…

This study provides valuable insights into effective interagency collaboration strategies for supporting students experiencing homelessness. Through qualitative analysis, three overarching themes and seven sub-themes emerged, highlighting the importance of partnership building, support system enhancement, and addressing the complex needs of…

When looking at large, urban school districts across America, one may observe many common issues that act as limitations for students. However, when taking a closer look at the data, each district and school has unique barriers that impact students and families. This study focuses on Buffalo City School District (BCSD), the second largest school…

This dissertation explores how the political economy particular to southern Dallas, Texas impacts a community-based college-readiness program for high school students in a Latino community. A community-based educational space (CBES) operated by a civil rights organization serving Latino youth who would be the first-generation to attend university,…

The New Normal is rooted in adult learning theory, which explains how adults learn and why they learn in these aspects. This foundation is then supported by two pillars: cultural capital and the career pathways model. According to Bourdieu, cultural capital is the non-fiscal aspect of a person's education, social status, and language. Career…

This phenomenological study sought to understand the lived experiences of graduate students engaged in STEM-related Academic Service-Learning (AS-L). For the purposes of this study, Academic Service-Learning is a form of experiential learning whereby students complete a service project as a component of a specific course. This study looked at…

Understanding youth relationships with nature--what nature is, where nature is located, and why nature is meaningful--is important for a range of contemporary issues, from promoting health and well-being to advancing a sustainable future. Relationships with nature are profoundly influenced by the lived experiences of youth, as they form social…

Research, nonprofit, and philanthropic organizations have increasingly had a larger influence in public educational institutions as they support particular programs, practices, and policy reforms. This study investigates the case of local organizations that have initiated and institutionalized high school dropout prediction systems called ninth…

California Community Colleges (CCC) served over 20,000 Justice-Impacted Individuals (JII) between 2021 and 2023, and the California State University (CSU) system saw a 280% growth in the number of justice-impacted students participating in their PRb program pursuing graduate studies between 2018 and 2021. (CCC Chancellor's Office--Data Mart, n.d.;…

School reform has been a topic of discussion for many years. As a result, policy makers have sought to remedy the problems plaguing America's school systems by creating high stakes accountability and testing systems. Recognizing the fact that many factors influence student achievement and the associated gap, creations and reauthorizations of these…

This study examines the impact that My Other Brother (MOB) has on college Black male students in the MOB community organization. In critically examining the narratives of 12 first generation college Black male students in MOB: This study utilizes Tupac Shakur's construct of Thug Life as a theoretical and analytical lens in assessing how Black…

The purpose of this research study was to explore the benefits and challenges of cross-racial mentoring experienced by both first-generation BIPOC student mentees attending predominantly white institutions, and their white mentors, who participated in a non-profit college success program. First-generation BIPOC college students experience greater…

The aim of this three-article dissertation was to examine potential relationships between workload environments and career persistence-related outcomes for faculty of color employed in U.S. higher education institutions. Evidence has suggested that amid disparities of workload assignments and devaluation of their scholarship, exclusion from…