This quantitative research study examined the experiences of multiracial college students regarding racial identity and perceptions of discrimination against multiracial people, as well as college belonging, compared to their monoracial peers. Multiracial individuals can encounter microaggressions and racism as a result of not fitting into…

The purpose of this study was to describe the essence of the acculturation experiences of post-9/11 student veterans as they navigated within the dominant higher education culture of civilian postsecondary educational institutions (PEIs). Specifically, this study aimed to conceptualize the acculturation experiences of post-9/11 student veterans by…

This dissertation investigates the nuanced portrayal of higher education in superhero comic books, particularly the 13 years of publication from 1965 to 1978 when Peter Parker/Spider-Man was an undergraduate at Empire State University. Depictions of higher education and how they can influence perceptions of academia and its intersections with…

Due to the high risk associated with collegiate aviation programs, the need to increase safety is paramount. Previous research has established a link between safety culture and safety performance in industry as well as in collegiate aviation programs. This study sought to evaluate changes in students' perceptions of a university's aviation safety…

An ongoing concern in higher education is the disjunction between how faculty teach and how students learn best. A primary objective of higher education is to produce content experts, which does not automatically translate to expert teachers of content. Lacking formal instruction on how to teach their content, faculty often teach in the same…

One of the challenges faced by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) has been frequent turnover in crucial executive leadership positions. As of 2022, there were 99 HBCUs; two-year and four-year private and public institutions (NCES, 2024). In the fall of 2023, at least 18% of the HBCUs in the country were without a permanent…

To better inform key stakeholders in student affairs divisions, an investigation was conducted to determine whether student affairs perceptions of assessment culture varied according to years of experience in higher education. A quantitative study was conducted to determine whether years of experience in higher education have any effect on the…

It is becoming ever more challenging to address the changing landscape faced by California Community Colleges. Change agents strive to implement needed interventions but are often disappointed in the outcomes. However, the literature shows that the odds of successful change increase when interventions align with the organization's culture. The…

Despite an understanding amongst scholars for several decades that research must explore the contexts and cultures of institutions and disciplines if efforts to improve faculty teaching are to be successful, much of the interrelationships between these two cultures and faculty identities were little explored. In this exploratory study, I addressed…

As campus leaders called students, faculty, and staff back to in-person courses and student activities after the COVID-19 global pandemic, they were faced with employee retention challenges, burnout, recruitment limitations, and the changing nature of on-campus learning; there is ongoing discourse around these challenges and the extent to which…

Jesuit Catholic higher education in the United States is immersed in two seemingly incongruent missions: the advancement of the educational apostolic mission of the Catholic church and the advancement of U.S. secular culture. Understanding how Jesuit institutions have engaged the Catholic identity is becoming a concern because colleges need to…

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) students are attending colleges and universities that are woefully underprepared for serving the unique needs of TGD students. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experiences of TGD post-secondary students in the context of pervasive genderism and cisnormative collegiate…

Mental health impacts students on human, academic, and economic levels. A growing national mental health crisis over the past decade has left higher education institutions struggling to meet students' mental health needs. Understanding the scope and impact of these experiences for engineering graduate students is critical to supporting their…

Leadership, organizational culture, and commitment are pivotal to the effectiveness and success of higher education institutions (HEIs). This phenomenological study explored the impact of leadership on organizational culture and commitment among academic staff and academic support staff in Jamaican HEIs. Guided by Schein's Organizational Culture…

Mental health issues among college students are increasing, and a better understanding of the issues may lead to more effective solutions. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore mental health culture at a college setting for first-year students by exploring communication methods used by students. Ajzen's theory of planned…