The financial and competitive challenges facing higher educational institutions have created a dire need for universities and colleges to evaluate the value of the different departments within their institutions. Athletic administrators in higher education are committed to providing adequate opportunities for students, coaches, and staff to…

Hispanics, and women in particular, continue to be underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The purpose of this study was to analyze cognitive and motivational factors that inspired Hispanic female college students to major in STEM programs and aspire to academic success. This mixed methods study…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the career paths and preparation of female vice-presidents employed in community colleges in the state of Mississippi. There is limited qualitative information available that describes the career paths of vice-presidents in the state's community colleges. Community colleges are making great…

It was not known how the visually disabled perceived gaining employment or how perception affected employment seeking behaviors within this population. The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to explore how the visually disabled perceived gaining employment and how perception affected employment seeking behaviors within this…

The California State University (CSU) system is the largest public university system in United Sates. In 2014, female student population was 56% and 42% were male. Overall, there are higher percentage of female students than male students in the CSU system, yet there are only 10 female Provosts in the CSU system. The purpose of this qualitative…

The context and experiences of student-parents is an important topic for higher education. Educators need to know who these adult students are and where they come from. Due to the additional responsibilities that student-parents carry, educators are challenged by the fact that most of these adult students are enrolled in higher education on a…

As America's K-12 student population continues to become more diverse, it is important that the ethnic background of the teacher population reflect this change. A crucial aspect of this diversification effort includes black male teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore and examine the experiences and perspectives of African American male…

For the last 10 years, the California Department of Education has reported that female teachers in California outnumbered male teachers two to one. The imbalance in teacher gender is a problem that affects elementary-age students and teaching staffs because the educated and caring male teachers who could be role models are largely absent from…

The purpose of this systematic grounded theory study was to explore the process of change in teacher attitudes toward including Roma ("Gypsy") students in non-segregated schools in Romania. The theories guiding this study included Mezirow's (1991, 2000) theory of transformation, Gay's (2002, 2013) theory of culturally responsive…

The qualitative descriptive case study explores the underachievement phenomenon of fourth-grade African American boys in New York City public elementary schools. Numerous studies have been conducted at the middle school through college levels. However, very little is known about the underachievement phenomenon of fourth-grade African American…

This dissertation covers the purpose, findings, and implication of a 10-week ethnographic research study in a dual language immersion (DLI) third-grade classroom in the northeastern U.S. The purpose was to promote a better understanding of the processes and products of identity development in a DLI setting. Sense of belonging and language…

The focus of this dissertation is on the impact that zero tolerance policies have had on public education, and the need for an alternative approach to addressing student discipline. This research study introduces restorative practices as an alternative approach that has shown to be successful in changing school culture, by building positive…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of informal mentoring on the leadership development of women in leadership positions in Vietnamese universities. Methodology: This study was qualitative in nature; therefore, ethnographic design methodology was utilized to collect data. The data collection was performed in three stages:…

Low-income, first-generation students face numerous barriers on the path to college. However, millions of these students persevere and ultimately enroll. How do these students remain motivated on the road to higher education despite these challenges? This collective case study explored influences on the motivation of low-income, first generation…

The purpose of this study was to explore the degree to which Native American culture impacts the resiliency of Native American students earning degrees at three tribal colleges in the southwestern part of the United States. This study was a qualitative case study that was based on the following research question: "How does Native American…