Despite many theories on student success as well as many resources to help students make the transition from high school to college, many students do not persist in or graduate from college. The purpose of this dissertation is to provide insight into what takes place when students leave P-12 institutions and enter institutions of higher education…

The current study is among undergraduate students at a mid-sized regional doctoral-granting four-year public university in the Southwestern United States. The purpose of the study was to compare the self-efficacy and sense of belonging of students who experienced a transition program before beginning their college careers to those who did not.…

The purpose of this formative program evaluation of a military-to-civilian transition program at a university sought to evaluate participant perceptions of the program. The evaluation focused on the perceptions of program effectiveness after one year of program participation. Because the program was in its first year, it was appropriate to examine…

This research explored the concepts of Sense of Belonging and Campus Cultural Capital among first-generation transfer students who were accepted to attend the EOP Transfer Bridge Program in 2018 and 2019. The methodology employed for this study was a transformative and mixed methods design that utilized the lens of Student Validation and Critical…

This study sheds light on the assets First Generation Students of Color bring with them to a Research I University and highlights the role a small learning community plays in helping them identify and activate their assets. Through a qualitative case study consisting of five synchronous online focus groups and document analysis, I delve into the…

Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Summer Bridge Programs (SBP)across the California State University (CSU) system vary in design and delivery. This mixed-methods study investigated six CSU SBP designs, delivery, and 4-year graduation rates of SBP participants during the 2015 through 2019 years. The qualitative portion of this study consisted…

This study investigated the transfer pathway between a rural university and a community college to understand what procedural barriers exist for student degree attainment within existing structures. Process mapping was used as the intervention to examine the influence of enrollment and student services processes and investigate the perceptions of…

This mixed methods case study examined the intervention strategy of a veteran transfer success course (TS 250) offered at West University. The study examined the TS 250 course and how it contributes to student success by creating a sense of belonging and easing the transition from service to university. The mixed methods study utilized student…

The purpose of this qualitative evaluation was to understand how the Ascent program, a bridge initiative at Plymouth State University, programmatically addressed institutional concerns regarding student retention and persistence during its three-year pilot phase, according to the perceptions of past participants, faculty, and administrators. The…

This study explored the journeys of Formerly Incarcerated Latino Men (FILM) who are turning to higher education as a reentry support for their lives after being released from prison. Offering programs like higher education during reentry is not just about creating new paths and opportunities, something higher education already does for many. The…

The purpose of this explanatory case study was to learn how a designated veteran services office on a university campus supports student veterans preparing to transition into the civilian workforce after their college graduation. This study provided an in-depth understanding of the operations of a nationally recognized veteran services office by…

The current high school schedule is more of an advanced version of middle school than it is a preparation for college/university life. The general structure of the high school day is introduced by the time a student reaches sixth (6th) grade. The continued pattern of dipping back into previous levels of school leaves high school students with…

Summer bridge programs (SBPs) are a popular programmatic intervention of colleges and universities to assist students with the transition from high school to college and provide students with the academic and social tools they need to be successful. Despite their popularity, a survey of relevant literature indicated that bridge programs are not…

This qualitative intrinsic case study explored the institutionalization of a Transition and Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) grant-funded program into a public four-year university in the Midwestern U.S. The study employed an ecological framework, and analyzed interview data from program stakeholders and…

Although researchers have investigated the role of new student orientation and transition programs on college campuses, the focus has been primarily on issues such as retention and persistence rates of program participants, academic preparation techniques, and program content or logistics. Little research has been reported on student volunteers or…