This study investigates the impact of summer bridge programs on the transition, engagement, and retention of Black male students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Black males continue to face significant challenges in higher education, including low retention rates and limited feelings of belonging. The purpose of this mixed-methods…

The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to better understand the lived experiences of students enrolled in the Boyker-Anoroc Bridge Program. The Bridge Program was designed to increase the persistence of underrepresented minority (URM) graduate students in STEM doctoral programs. The participants in the study recounted their…

The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to better understand the lived experiences of students enrolled in the Boyker-Anoroc Bridge Program. The Bridge Program was designed to increase the persistence of underrepresented minority (URM) graduate students in STEM doctoral programs. The participants in the study recounted their…

St. Olaf College recently restructured its Summer Bridge Program (SBP) course for incoming low-income (LI) and first-generation (FG) college students from a non-major biology course, "Issues in Biology," to an interdisciplinary "Explorations in Science" course. Two significant changes were made with the intention of giving…

Retention of students in university or other postsecondary education programs is a common problem for many institutions, with retention from first year to second year of study being particularly problematic in Canada and the United States. A number of factors are known to affect retention, and a number of measures have been identified which can…

As a residential college within Michigan State University that focuses on STEM fields, Lyman Briggs College developed a STEM learning community to support students with low mathematics placement test scores, the Instilling Quantitative and Integrative Reasoning program (INQUIRE). INQUIRE serves some of those students considered historically…

Senior year of high school can be a pivotal time in a young person's life. For some, it is the last step on the path to college and work. For others, finding stable employment or attending university after high school is far from guaranteed. Urban Alliance, headquartered in Washington, DC, helps students at risk of becoming disconnected from work…

Three out of four jobs now require education or training beyond high school, yet some students face formidable barriers to attending college. Disruptions to K-12 education, trauma, loss, food insecurity, and housing instability are known impediments to the educational success of youth who have been in foster care. These types of challenges may…

Student attrition from colleges in the United States is a widespread phenomenon, posing real stresses to students, their families, and to universities. We examined the causes of poor academic performance in students' first semester through interviews and questionnaires and administered a small intervention course to freshmen on academic probation…

The 2006 Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act required that all career technical education (CTE) programs offer secondary to postsecondary programs of study (POS), which integrate rigorous academics, offer dual enrollment options, and lead to an industry-recognized degree or credential. Focused on improving students' transition to…

Despite efforts by educators, full participation by Alaska native students in the state's colleges and universities has not yet been achieved. Alaska Natives are the state's only racial group that is underrepresented in enrollments at the University of Alaska (UA). This report examines the contribution of the Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI)…

This mixed method study examined secondary student matriculation to two selected community colleges offering career and technical education (CTE) transition programs through partnerships with K-12 and secondary districts having numerous high schools. The study had two distinct components: (1) a secondary study that compared CTE and non-CTE…

Project STAR was designed to demonstrate model instruction, retention, transition, and preparation practices for use with hearing-impaired community college students. The project consisted of a detailed student assessment, an extensive faculty inservice training component, and extensive instructional and counseling support for project students.…

The federally-funded Success Through Transitional English Program (STEP) at EL Paso Community College (Texas) is described and evaluated. The program is designed to provide limited-English-speaking adult basic education graduates with the English skills to succeed in vocational, college credit, and non-credit courses at the college. Evolution of…

The report details the results of a 2-year followup study of immigrant students in South Australia high schools. The students (n=91) had all been participants in a New Arrivals transitional program, then scattered in different high schools. The study focused on the status, 2 years later, of students leaving the New Arrivals program in the second…