This three-article dissertation examined the implementation and impact of corequisite mathematics courses at four North Carolina community colleges located in urban areas. The first article was a multiple case study that examined student and instructor experiences to determine the characteristics of corequisite courses that students and…

This action research study aimed to investigate and identify ways to increase persistence among underrepresented minority (URM) students who were pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors at a community college. Retaining STEM students is a concern for student success in community colleges, especially for underrepresented…

The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of effective teacher mentorship that positively impact teacher experience and practice, to better understand how to mentor novice teacher mentees, and to learn how to support veteran teachers through mentorship by exploring teacher mentorship programs and teacher experience. The…

Fieldwork education is a critical component in occupational therapy education, aiding in the transition from classroom learning to practical application. It has been cited recently that therapists have expressed concern regarding student preparedness for fieldwork in a hand therapy setting. Hand therapy is a specialty practice area where…

Shifts in the healthcare environment, particularly the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, have resulted in the cancelation of most Level I experiential learning opportunities for occupational therapy students limiting required hands-on learning experiences and impacting the required academic content for graduation for…

Apprenticeship programs in North Carolina act as a crucial talent pipeline and economic development solution. These registered apprenticeships have also been proven to address many workforce challenges directly by matching well-trained, highly skilled, invested jobseekers to organizations choosing apprenticeship as an economic solution. Despite…

The purpose of this manuscript is to examine the importance of student leadership development programs on undergraduate students using the framework of the Social Change Leadership Model. This document will specifically examine the MPower Leadership program held at the University of Mississippi. Student engagement and leadership is extremely…

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are highly stigmatized health conditions, exhibiting significant disparities in prevalence at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities (Eisenberg et al., 2022; Jones et al., 2021; Wakeman & Rich, 2018). This pervasive stigmatization represents a profound social injustice and public health crisis,…

The proposed work focused on the development and feasibility of a project aiming to introduce college readiness skills to youth who were in the foster care system in order to increase their perception of self-efficacy in an educational setting. With this increase in self-efficacy, foster youth who are generally disadvantaged when attaining and…

Exploring principals' experiences with early career mentorship is relevant to the overall success of schools. However, scholars explain there is more to understand about mentorship for school leaders. Guided by Kram's (1983) Theory of Mentoring, this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study explored how principals with recent mentorship…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of university admissions staff and faculty reviewers who have attended an implicit bias, unconscious bias, or diversity training session while working at a higher education institution. The theories guiding this study were Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (TPB)…

The role of school principal, often deemed crucial for school success, is under strain due to high stress levels, isolation, and demanding responsibilities, especially in high-poverty districts, leading to a significant turnover rate. This study employed a mixed methods approach, involving an electronic questionnaire completed by 156 principals,…

A local community college was experiencing poor retention rates among African American students, an issue that has challenged community colleges across the United States. To improve this group's retention, college administrators instituted a mentoring program; however, they later indicated a need to better understand which mentoring strategies…

This study explored how a poverty simulation experience influenced educators' social empathy levels and educational practices. More specifically, twenty-nine educators' levels of social empathy were measured using the Social Empathy Index (Segal, Wagaman, & Gerdes, 2012) in a pre/posttest design. Influences on educational practices were…

Each year the expectation of teachers by many politicians, educational administrators, and the media is to raise the academic performance of students. This is a reasonable expectation since teachers have the most consistent contact with students and control over the learning environment and its components. Standardized tests, the teacher's report…