Undergraduate capstone courses in sociology are designed to integrate students' knowledge in the discipline and to culminate the classroom experience with field application. Are capstones achieving these goals in a durable way? Although the short-term outcomes of capstone courses have been researched, fewer studies have documented the long-term…

Graduate tracer studies have come to represent one of the key approaches for enhancing study programme effectiveness in contemporary higher education. This has led to a surge in graduate tracer studies by Ghanaian higher education institutions. However, reflective practices on challenges and lessons from these studies are lacking. Through…

We explore the understudied role of program staff in an out-of-school time (OST) program at a large science museum, which may be especially relevant for supporting underrepresented minority (URM) youth's interest in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) careers. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-method design, we surveyed 167 program…

How does the United States maintain the highest-quality research and teaching in its professional science workforce and ensure that those in this workforce are effectively trained and representative of national demographics? In the pathway to science careers, the postdoctoral stage is formative, providing the experiences that define the…

The authors present a multidimensional assessment of the outcomes and benefits of an income tax preparation assistance (ITPA) service learning program. They measure the perceived proximate benefits at the delivery of the service program, the actual learning outcome benefits prior to graduation, and the perceived long-term benefits from a…

This article examines the outcomes of the ACEE program, which is a one-year transition program for youth with disabilities, preparing them for the workplace and adult life. In a mixed methods approach, the investigators surveyed sixty-six youth with disabilities who were alumni of the program and followed up in depth with ten alumni in in-depth…

The High School Summer Research Program (HSSRP) is a rigorous eight-week research experience that challenges high school students to a novel scientific question in an engineering laboratory at the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science (HSSEAS) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The program collates highly…

This study surveyed 289 alumni of a specialized Title IV-E program that prepares undergraduate social work students for careers in public child welfare, examining factors such as turnover rates, adherence to strengths-based practice principles, perceptions of work conditions, and intent to stay. Findings indicate that graduates of this program…

This article focuses on the experiences of alumni adolescents on the contribution of a Youth Opportunities Programme, a non-profit after-school education programme presented in Namibia. A qualitative descriptive design was used to provide insight into the contribution of this programme. Five focus groups were conducted with 32 participants. The…

Many young adults enter college without the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed. The purpose of the study reported here was to determine if 4-H helps develop life skills needed for the transition to college and overall college success. An online survey was sent to college-attending 4-H alumni and a comparison group, with a final sample size…

With six-year degree completion rates for undergraduate students at a dismal 50% nationally (Weddle-West & Bingham, 2010), many institutions of higher education strive to develop programming to increase student retention rates. Summer bridge programs, an example of commonly used retention programs, seek to increase retention rates by…

Alumni of an undergraduate Deaf studies program completed an online survey about their education and employment after graduation and their perceptions of their internship and undergraduate academic program. Demographically, this population of Deaf studies alumni represented a higher percentage of women and dual-major graduates than was present in…

The purpose of this study was to determine the continued impact of a short-term international student teaching experience on participants during the first five years following graduation from their teacher preparation program. We investigated the sustainability of pedagogical skills and personal growth through a comparison of alumni initial…

Gifted students have different learning, social and emotional needs to their peers. The needs of some gifted students can be met within their mainstream school. Other gifted students need learning, social and emotional support beyond the school gates. The New Zealand Ministry of Education (2000) advocates for a continuum of provisions for gifted…

Radical acceleration from middle school to university is an unusual option in the United States. The Early Entrance Program and the University of Washington (UW) Academy for Young Scholars housed in the Halbert and Nancy Robinson Center for Young Scholars are two of only 21 early university entrance programs offered in the United States. Due to…