College student retention is an important concept in higher education. For individuals, college retention translates to earning a degree, and for institutions, it translates to maintaining revenue. Many factors put college students at risk for withdrawing from college, including being a student from Appalachia, being considered a first-generation…

In this qualitative study, we took a novel approach of adopting an asset-oriented mindset based on Yosso's community cultural wealth framework. We conducted individual interviews at a large land-grant institution to understand the experiences of Black- and Latinx-identified on-campus collegians. Our goal was to explore the types of resistant…

Although improvements have been made in terms of enhancing the number of students that enrol in higher education, the long-term educational pathways of adolescents to university studies are understudied. This calls for further research into the mechanisms that underpin the long-term educational pathways of adolescents who study at university…

Artificial intelligence (AI) may be the new-new-norm in a post-pandemic learning environment. There is a growing number of university students using AI like ChatGPT and Bard to support their academic experience. Much of the AI in higher education research to date has focused on academic integrity and matters of authorship; yet, there may be…

Black people have been actively engaged in US higher education for over a century, and it is important to highlight traits that promote positive outcomes, particularly psychological constructs (Danoff-Burg et al., 2004; Kolluri & Tichavakunda, 2022). Thus, there is a need for continued research on obstacles in college environments and…

This mixed methods study explored the lived experiences of first-generation college seniors to develop a deeper understanding of the presence of impostor phenomenon during their college journey. Through a social constructivist lens, this study focused on the lived experiences of first-generation college seniors. This resulted in the understanding…

Unlike university classrooms, academic support services provide students opportunities for enactive mastery of a skill with immediate feedback in a low-risk learning environment. Given that this environment likely alters affective states, this study tracked support-seekers' perception (n=107) of their anxiety and confidence before and after…

First-generation college students (FGCSs) are the first in their families to receive a baccalaureate degree. As a result, they face multiple sociological, familial, and cultural challenges as they navigate their college and professional environments. The purpose of this study is to explore the cognitive "soundtracks" that FGCSs create to…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the learning was conducted by online system. The objective of the research was to understand the commitments and preferences of students in online learning. A total of 516 students participated in filling out an online questionnaire. The data were analysed descriptively referring to the critical success factors…

Higher education in countries like Ghana faces significant challenges, including financial barriers, which usually hinder students' educational progress and graduation rates. While some students usually rely on family support and personal savings, these resources are generally insufficient for covering all educational expenses. Although student…

Independent students pursue higher education without financial, practical, and sometimes emotional support from family. For these students, asking for assistance when needed is key for college persistence. Decisions around help-seeking are shaped by multiple factors but are often portrayed as a solely individual decision. This study examined…

Psychological capital (PsyCap) is a higher-order construct comprised of four psychological resources: hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism (HERO), and has been linked to academic achievement and engagement (Hazan Liran & Miller, 2019; Luthans, et al., 2012). Interventions designed to build PsyCap may be particularly helpful for…

In line with increasing attention being paid to the role of positive emotions in second language (L2) proficiency and knowledge, this study set out to examine the relationships between domain-specific emotions (L2 grit, language learning curiosity, foreign language enjoyment, and foreign language classroom anxiety) and L2 vocabulary knowledge. To…

The purpose of the qualitative phenomenological study was to understand and describe the lived experiences of adult English language learners previously enrolled in English as a Second Language Noncredit (ESLN) courses who were persisting in credit coursework through the lens of Bean and Metzner's (1985) nontraditional student attrition model. The…

First-generation college students (FGCS) experience high rates of attrition compared to continuing generation college students. FGCS frequently identify with several other historically marginalized identities on college campuses. The development of a sense of belonging on-campus is one of the main drivers of retention. The current study examines…