Cognitive factors that influence entrepreneurial behavior, such as decisions to become an entrepreneur and remain an entrepreneur, have received considerable attention. However, we do not yet understand how changing life dynamics and cognitions influence entrepreneurial entry decisions among wage employees and entrepreneurial commitment among…

The ongoing teacher shortage has created major concern across the nation. While much research has sought to understand sources of teacher dissatisfaction, less attention has been paid to how general education (GE) and special education (SE) teachers differentially experience workplace challenges. To construct a more detailed and domain specific…

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the issues of teacher attrition. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, from January to November 2021, there was a 40% increase in the quit levels of teachers within the state and local education agencies (John, 2022). While prior research has examined early-career teachers leaving the profession,…

Technology and innovation are reshaping our societies and economies at an accelerated pace, requiring new skills for individuals to thrive in economy and society and new educational models to support these changes. In response, world organizations seek solutions rooted in sustainable human development to ensure that future educational models are…

The main purpose of this study was to understand what encouraged principals who were previously special education teachers to transition to the role of principal. Considering special education teachers for leadership positions can working within the district. Special education teachers have unique skills and knowledge that sets them apart from…

Teacher shortages in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields have long been a concern, yet contemporary challenges present a unique predicament. Despite historical recruitment successes, the persistence of this issue has led to temporary solutions that often fall short of addressing the root causes. Consequently, school…

In this Dissertation in Practice (DIP), the lived experiences of professional women who have chosen to leave their jobs in higher education in Indiana are explored. The purpose of the qualitative phenomenological study is to communicate the essence of their lived experiences with leadership development in Indiana higher education. The aim is to…

There is a shortage of special education teachers, particularly in rural locations. The revolving door of special educators is a burden on district taxpayers, administrators, and students in need of special programming. Therefore, increasing and improving special education teacher longevity is a need in most school districts in rural areas. The…

This qualitative, phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of former K-12 principals who left their leadership positions in favor of non-administrative roles in K-12 education or jobs outside of K-12 education. Principals leaving their roles in K-12 education is a problem because of the significant impact principals have on student…

Housing and residence life as a functional area serves as a major entry point for careers in higher education and student affairs. With the majority of annual job postings within entry-level, live-in housing roles, the future of the field may well be predicted in these high-impact, high-turnover positions on college campuses. As these functional…

Teachers are leaving the profession at record rates, but the reasons that they are leaving and the contributing factors to their departures involve emotional and physical safety. This qualitative study aimed to examine the experiences and perceptions of teachers who have left the profession as a result of emotional and/or physical safety concerns.…

This mixed methods study examined teacher attrition and burnout, along with factors contributing to teachers' intent to leave their positions due to job dissatisfaction, work-related stress levels, and student behavior. The following questions guided this study:What was the relationship between teacher job satisfaction and intent to leave? What…

Despite copious research discussing student veterans, minimal literature addresses military veteran faculty members. To address the gap, this study used qualitative interviews to describe the perceptions and experiences of military veterans (N = 12) who successfully transitioned into faculty roles within U.S. postsecondary institutions. A…

This dissertation studies the labor market outcomes of college graduates. The choice of college major is one of the most direct ways for college graduates to acquire skills and earnings differences between college majors rival those between high school and college graduates. In each chapter, I combine rigorous descriptive analysis methods with…

There has been a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teacher shortage in K-12 schools across the United States (Klassen et al., 2021; Luft et al., 2005). To help provide a possible solution to the nationwide STEM teacher shortage, this study investigated the factors that influence STEM majors to change careers from STEM…