A little less than half of the students of higher Ed institutions in the US graduate in four years, and only around 60% finish in six years. Retention rates are also less than ideal. Colleges have been experimenting with a variety of programs and policies to address this issue, especially less selective institutions whose rates are significantly…

At many institutions of higher education, first-year seminars are meant to help students transition to college life and to provide them with resources and skills to develop socially and academically, supporting persistence (Jamelske, 2009; Janz, 2004). Since their inception, researchers have evaluated the effectiveness of these seminars and their…

The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to investigate the role of mentoring on preventing attrition of females in STEM pathways. This particular study examined mentoring sampled women currently in cybersecurity and engineering professions, though the study and subsequent results could be easily applied to other professions. The…

This paper presents a comprehensive research project aimed at investigating the transitional supports necessary for nontraditional students both prior to and following their entry into higher education. The overarching research question guiding this study is, in which states does the YouthBuild Program appear to be most effective? This research…

The second year of college is a time when students remain at increased risk of departure. Compared to widely available first-year resources, institutional support for second-year students is more limited. The purpose of this study was to compare second-to-third year retention between students who participated in a comprehensive second-year…

Research has yielded much evidence that investing in postsecondary interventions increases retention and success for Hispanic/Latinx undergraduates. This study examines one such intervention, funded by Title V and implemented at a large public Hispanic-Serving Institution, developed to improve semester-to-semester retention. Faculty and peer…

Retention, persistence, and academic achievement for first-generation students have become increasingly prevalent with increasing access to higher education. Beyond access, the most discernible challenge relates to their identity as a first-generation college student and the lack of mentorship from their parents in navigating the college…

Undergraduate research experiences offer a range of positive academic and affective student outcomes. However, these benefits often do not reach all students, as research experiences are often selective, favor high-achieving students, focus on STEM fields, and typically target students in their third or fourth year of undergraduate studies. To…

Many institutions of higher education struggle with low retention rates. One state liberal arts college addressed this concern by assigning an academic case manager to higher risk students. This project evaluated the effectiveness of the case manager on student credit hours and retention using a randomized control trial. The case manager contacted…

Underrepresented minority (URM) students face unique challenges when pursuing graduate education, with some not even considering the possibility of pursuing a graduate degree. This paper describes a nontraditional approach to the graduate application process that involves identification of potential applicants by graduate faculty and staff at The…

Beginning in 2016 and with funding from the National Science Foundation, the Rural and Diverse Student Scholars Program at George Mason University supported two cohorts of diverse undergraduate students from rural Virginia in their pursuit of a STEM degree. A holistic program design and individual components aimed to combine to support student…

California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) continues administering its five-year grant, "Promoting Excellence in Graduate Education and Increasing Hispanic STEM Related Degree Completion," that began in the Fall of 2019 to strengthen the STEM program support for students of Latino origin and develop a Graduate School-Going culture…

The sustained recruitment and retention of students in STEM majors is a national concern. Although the rate of attrition in these majors is comparable to other majors, the demand for trained scientists to enter the workforce with a baccalaureate degree is high. To enhance retention and support of STEM students from their first year until…

While research demonstrates that family support is essential for doctoral students, research detailing institutional efforts to involve families is limited. We developed the GAIN Scholars program, consisting of two 3-week-long boot camps for incoming first-generation and historically marginalized doctoral students. Quantitative data were collected…

The United States higher education system has developed strategies to prepare students for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers as the STEM labor market expands. One set of educational interventions, known as STEM Intervention Programs (SIPs), employs extracurricular activities to engage and retain STEM major students. These…