Within the United States, international student enrollment in institutions of higher education has been climbing sharply over the past decade. However, despite this increase, colleges and universities largely do not adequately support these student and their unique needs within higher education. International students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans,...
More than any other single factor, access to community college education depends on proximity. The advent of the community college branch campus has opened higher education to broader segments of the population.
The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to discover services that students who attend a branch campus...
Low income, first-generation college students face many barriers in their pursuit of a college degree. As a result, the retention rates for this student population have traditionally been lower than for other student populations. In order to support the persistence of this student population it is important to study the...
This qualitative thesis explored the experiences of self-identified Master-level graduate students who worked four or more years in higher education before enrolling into a student affairs graduate program. The researcher utilized a sample of six semi-structured student interviews along with a review of relevant literature. The data analysis yielded five...
The purpose of this case study is to explore a mentoring program designed for African American male community college students at a Pacific Northwest community college. Community college practitioners can use the knowledge gained from this study as a best practice to increase the persistence and success of African American...
The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of foster alumni in community and technical colleges, with a focus on Washington State, using a qualitative research approach. Foster alumni may be considered a sub-set of first generation students, yet they have needs that extend beyond those of other...
Over the past twenty years, the national three-year graduation rate for community college students has ranged from 44% to roughly 31% in 2013 (NCES, 2013). As a way to address such low graduation rates, colleges have implemented a myriad of services and programs (i.e., tutoring, mentoring, etc.). Another intervention is...
This qualitative study explored the experiences of transgender students at a large, public university. The focus of this study was to identify where transgender students found support systems and obstacles at Rivera University. Six students, who self-identified as transgender, participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews directed by three research questions: (a)...
Student engagement with faculty is positively associated with increases in the retention and graduation rates of students enrolled in institutions of higher education. Although a considerable amount of research has focused on understanding the engagement experiences of students enrolled at four-year colleges and universities, little emphasis has been placed on...
Research universities in the United States recognize the importance of attracting graduate students from around the world to make global collaborations possible and to take advantage of the worldwide demand for higher education. Educational research has developed a large body of literature on the specialized supports that improve successful outcomes...