Dual enrollment has continued to increase in popularity as an effective means of introducing students to college and encouraging postsecondary enrollment. Students are introduced to the academic rigors and expectations of a college environment, while developing college readiness to transition to postsecondary institutions beyond high school…

This qualitative study aims to establish a knowledge base and learn about the experience of first-generation transfer students who have completed their Associate in Art (AA) degree from a community college and have transitioned to a four-year public university. The study aims to examine first-generation transfer students' sense of belonging and…

Adolescents and young adults living with chronic illness experience more complications and challenges when transitioning to adult-oriented care. Despite various interventions to support medication management, goal setting, and collaboration with care teams, AYAs continue to struggle, affecting their health and life outcomes. In this dissertation,…

The experiences students have as they pursue graduate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are governed by numerous dynamics that are at play outside the context of any classroom. The relationships students share with their peers, advisors, administration, and university significantly impacts their trajectory as…

First-generation college students make up one-third of the undergraduate population of college students in the United States. It is essential to understand all aspects of a first-generation student, their desire to persist in college, and their experiences while in college. Once they are enrolled in college, first-generation students will need…

The transition from high school to college is both scary and unfamiliar to each year's new participants. For high school students attending school in underserved communities, this transition can be lonely and often inaccessible. To combat this, nonprofits and other community organizations provide additional support services to students during this…

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…

This qualitative study provides insight into the perceptions and experiences of local homeless liaisons supporting students experiencing homelessness who are preparing for and transitioning to college. Findings suggest that when it comes to preparing students experiencing homelessness for college, liaisons are very involved by addressing students'…

The emergence of college autism transition programs, aimed to support students' needs and leverage their strengths, is illuminating the rise of autistic students in academia. Raising acceptance of autistic college students, and truly understanding their experiences in navigating higher education, has been minimally addressed. Even more, few…

This qualitative research study employed the Diverse Learning Environment Model to examine how dual credit/dual enrollment course participation by Native American students impacts their college readiness and transition to college. Literature shows that students who take dual credit/dual enrollment in high school are more likely to graduate from…

Starting university studies, students must experience the transition from the familiar to the unfamiliar, encountering cognitive and social challenges. Universities need to be aware of this transition and provide an appropriate support mechanism that should be adapted to both first year students and senior year students. The aim of the study is:…

The transition from secondary education to the first year of higher education is a phase in which students are faced with many challenges. First-year students may lack the academic capital that is needed to understand explicit and implicit rules of higher education. We investigated students' participation in a preacademic program and the…

Change is an inevitable part of life, more so for gender non-conforming students who have to confront prejudice and hostile environments as they transition from school to university. An understanding of the issues faced by first year students with diverse sexual and gender identities is important to ameliorate many of the challenges presented…

Lower-income students with outstanding academic credentials often lack the knowledge and support to apply to highly ranked colleges and universities that they would be eligible to attend. This study investigated a national e-mentoring program, CollegePoint, that provided one-to-one mentoring to low- and moderate-income, high-achieving high school…

Higher learning institutions have encountered increasing student-veteran enrollment rates due to the surge of servicemembers discharged from the military in recent years. Community colleges have also experienced increased rates of student veterans choosing two-year institutions either to pursue a technical degree or to enroll in courses…