This chapter explores the ways in which critical community college leaders leveraged their leadership position in order to promote civic discourse and engagement in their institutions and respective communities. Five community college presidents from diverse communities across the United States were interviewed using a narrative inquiry approach…

Foster youth graduate from college at lower rates than their nonfoster youth peers. Only 10% of foster youth graduate with an associate degree, and less than 3% graduate with a bachelor's degree (Courtney et al., 2011), and there is a significant achievement gap between foster youth and nonfoster youth students (Emerson & Bassett, 2010; Hussar…

Enrichment programs make up a small but significant part of a community college's offerings. In some cases, their impact can be enormous--especially in rural areas where a community college might be the only source of enrichment for residents. Community enrichment programs also can be challenging to administer. For instance, it can be hard to find…

This study aimed to understand why and how community college practitioners act for institutional change in support of undocumented students--drawing on concepts from the tempered radicals framework. I used qualitative inquiry and exploratory interviews to understand how community college practitioners make meaning of the changes they have been…

Spurred on in part by the labor shortages caused the pandemic, a growing number of employers are eliminating their degree requirements in favor of a skills-based approach to hiring. "Skills-based hiring" focuses on the actual skills and qualifications someone brings to the job instead of just the degree they've earned. For job seekers,…

This qualitative study will investigate the unintended consequences of implementing structural change in a rural community college in the mid-South region of the United States. Specifically, this study will examine the unanticipated outcomes of merging student affairs and academic affairs into one division. Scant empirical evidence exists about…

The American democracy is experiencing strain from the erosion of democratic norms and its political, judicial, social, and economic institutions. In short, the American democracy shows signs of democratic deconsolidation. Community colleges are higher education institutions that help consolidate the U.S. democracy by representing democratic…

This study investigates the impact of GeoGebra, a dynamic, accessible, and easy-to-use mathematics software, on student confidence and perceptions of its helpfulness in the context of Calculus III courses. A quasi-experimental design was employed to compare four sections of Calculus III, with two sections integrating GeoGebra for in-class…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the work values that motivate higher education professionals, specifically those who work in TRIO programs, to persist in providing support to vulnerable student populations. Higher education professionals employed at two-year institutions are essential in assisting at-risk students with services that…

Community colleges face many challenges post-pandemic in fulfilling their open-access mission while weathering increasing complexities, resource limitations, and overall declining confidence in higher education. Ethical leadership is required for community college leaders seeking to successfully address these challenges. Ethical leadership…

This study aims to discover the current value and role of the contemporary community college library for community college executives. This dissertation informs librarians about how libraries will be able to thrive on the contemporary community college campus. The study draws on the literature and utilizes a mixed methods study approach to develop…

With enrollment down, competition increasing from company training and university associate degree programs, and people's perceptions of community colleges still lagging the robust reality of what they have to offer. Community colleges need to tell their own stories so that others do not do for them. Community colleges are often a misunderstood,…

This dissertation explores the neoliberalization of higher education and its impact on practice-based film education. Thanks to neoliberalism -- a political economic practice characterized by an emphasis on free-market capitalism, limited government intervention in the economy, and the promotion of individual and corporate selfinterest -- film…

Learning experiences are widely recognized as crucial in developing students' attitudes towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Vocationally-oriented polytechnics and universities provide distinct learning experiences that may significantly influence students' STEM self-efficacy, expectancy-value and career interest. The study…

Given the rising number of refugees in the United States, it is becoming increasingly important for individuals to understand the lived experience of refugees and foster their inclusion. World Relief refugee simulations were designed to raise awareness about the refugees' rehoming process, and these immersion activities may be powerful experiences…