This dissertation examines the implementation of peer-based career seminars as an intervention to analyze career counseling services in the community college setting and delineate potential benefits for students. Highlights include identifying barriers to access, discussing a student-centered approach to service utilization, and implementing…

Through this research I explored the challenges faced by first-generation and low-income students during their transition to higher education, focusing on the role of pre-college programs like TRIO. The study aims to identify barriers to college accessibility and success for these underrepresented students and assess the effectiveness of TRIO…

Many collegiate student athletes dream of professional careers in athletics for their entire lives. However, it is estimated that only 2% of college athletes will have the opportunity to continue their sports career after graduating college (NCAA, 2018). An extensive review of existing literature revealed a lack of support for student athletes as…

The purpose of this study was to show the impact of community college transition programs on adult learners and on adult learners transitioning to post-secondary institutions. The research has shown that there is a great need for transition programs because adult learners, specifically those who have entered English as a Second Language (ESL) and…

Despite legal protections within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and school requirements in place to provide educational access to students with disabilities, once they graduate from high school these students enroll and persist in college at lower rates compared to peers without disabilities. In addition, graduates of rural…

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and lived experiences of some low-income and first-generation students of color who participated in and graduated from the UB program. This qualitative study utilized the narrative inquiry research method to understand the lived experiences of seven former Upward Bound students. Program…

The problem addressed in this study is that students with disabilities are improperly prepared for postsecondary college and career outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to gain insight into the experiences of current and past teachers and transition service providers of students with disabilities, specifically regarding…

High school students from low-income backgrounds experience academic under-preparedness, financial distress, and socialization challenges when entering college. For these students, challenges may begin in the K-12 setting, where this population is more likely to face limitations in college counseling, lack highly qualified teachers, and have…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine the impact of Riverside Middle Prep's Newcomer Program on academic achievement by using quantitative test scores and a case study design to analyze teacher and student perceptions about the newcomer program. The researchers wanted to determine whether there was a difference between EL…

In this study I explored how the experience of forced virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and then going back to in-person learning impacted African American elementary school students from the perspective of their school counselor. I think this study is important because there is scarce qualitative research on the effects that forced…

The diagnosis of individuals on the autism spectrum (AS) has received international attention in recent years. This is partly due to the potentially distressing and challenging barriers individuals and their families face as well as a rise in prevalence rates (Weiss & Rohland, 2014). Research has indicated an increase in individuals on the AS,…

While community colleges have traditionally been the leading providers of adult learner programs and the entry point for many minority students into higher education, very few English language learners (ELLs) transition to higher education. This qualitative gap analysis of the systems in place at a large urban public community college in the…

This study explores to what extent principals perceive "instructional program coherence" (IPC) and vertical collaboration occur in high schools and their mid-level feeder schools. It also measures IPC and its five components' association with different measures of student achievement. The study took place in the state of Missouri, and…

The purpose of this study is to provide a basis for understanding how new student-affairs professionals transition from their graduate preparation programs and into community-college work within zero to 3 years after having completed their master's degree. The study was guided by three specific research questions: (a) How do individuals experience…

Reentry programs are designed to help returning citizens successfully reenter society following their incarceration. Recidivism is a complex phenomenon, but research has shown certain practices and policies can reduce the tendency to reoffend. There is a need for continued development of evidence-based programs to reduce recidivism and social…