The purpose of this quantitative correlational-predictive study was to examine if, and to what extent, cultural competence, community orientation, communication skills, location of clinical placement for nursing practicum, and childhood residence location, predict preference for job location after graduation. Maslow's hierarchy of needs (Maslow,…

Problem: This study aimed to assess the influence of ethnic identity, spirituality, and social support on resilience among Black males (BM) who were born in the United States of America and are recent college graduates. The achievement gap between BM and their counterparts is among education's most infuriating problems. Educators are more likely…

Using descriptive statistics and logistic regressions, this study compared U.S. Census data from 22-24-year-old women in 1980 and 2020 to determine the individual and contextual variables most predictive of bachelor's degree attainment. The regressions were conducted for women overall, women who have ever enrolled in college, mothers, and mothers…

Having a job immediately after graduation is the dream of every IT graduate. However, not everyone can achieve this outcome. The study's primary goal is to develop predictive models to forecast IT graduates' chances of finding a job based on factors such as academic performance, socioeconomic status, academic habits, and demographic data.…

This study sought to examine if students' self-perceptions of learning skills and abilities predict timely graduation at an elite university. The study investigated potential differences or disparities in specific student groups (i.e. underrepresented students, sex) with regard to these perceptions and assessed how these perceptions were related…

There have been few research findings related to what specific characteristics or attributes might predict whether students who graduate from programs are likely to secure employment after graduation. The purpose of this non-experimental quantitative study was to identify the characteristics that differ between community college students who…

The effects of childhood adversity on health and socioemotional outcomes have received increasing examination in recent years. However, the impact of childhood adversity on academic outcomes has garnered little attention. This study aimed to explore the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on college graduation rates and whether…

The current study examined the moderating effects of resilience on the relationships between gendered racism and sense of belonging and gendered racism and academic self-efficacy for Black women at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). Data from 118 Black women (22.9%, undergraduate students, 26.5% graduate students, and 50.6% alumni/graduated…

Albeit college success predictors such as hs-GPA, SAT I, and SAT II have been widely addressed in the literature, most of the studies have covered total scores and cognitive factors while barely investigating the potential interaction of demographic factors (e.g., STEM versus Non-STEM) and specific academic domains that might drive academic…

Numerous studies have examined the association between pre-admission and/or during nursing program variables and the outcome on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®; National Council of State Boards of Nursing [NCSBN]; 2015) but very few studies have examined post-graduation variables. This study examined…

The federally funded Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is designed to "increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education" (U.S. Department of Education, 2021). Despite this stated purpose, the majority of research on GEAR UP program…

This dissertation contains three essays discussing government policy in higher education, the effects of online social networks during college on students after graduating, and how to use search data as a tool to recover characteristics of both products and customers to estimate demand. In the first chapter, co-authored with Shengmao Cao, we study…

Various determinants have been found to explain the donor status and giving levels of college alumni. Limited research exists on what motivates college alumni to give repeated donations to a higher education institution. The purpose of this study was to determine if commitment and trust significantly related to higher education institutions…

This study sought to examine the impact of financial, academic, and demographic institutional factors on the graduation rate of male student athletes. Specifically, this study was concerned with the predictive power of financial (total athletic operating expenses, recruiting expenses, and student aid for athletes), academic (SAT verbal, SAT math,…

This research investigated the attainment of bachelor degrees by students from different immigrant generational backgrounds and income levels in the United States through the additional family capital variables of student educational expectations, parental educational attainment, and two-parent households. As the nation continues to mature, gaps…