The problem investigated in this study was the trend of decreasing student retention of first-year, degree-seeking college students at an independent community college located in northeastern New Mexico. The purpose of the study was to examine the association between student retention and program utilization. The research question was to determine…

In developing countries like Cameroon, students' participation in higher education can improve on the social, economic, and political status of the country. However, the mismatch between students' program choices and the preferences of the admission board may undermine this vision of national development. Surprisingly, even when students are…

This dissertation was a multiple case study research project designed to identify whether the "Men of Merit Program" (MOMP) met its goal of increasing persistence, retention, and graduation rates of African American male students at a Western New York Community College. Earlier statistics reported that other American colleges had shown a…

The study explored the relationship between how many student success programs and which programs first-year students of color at the University of Kansas (KU) participated in and how this was related to outcomes of retention to sophomore-year and first-year GPA. The study used data from the University of Kansas of students of color who…

The study examined how the NSF-funded, Maryland , the Summer Success Institute, functions as what is known as a third space. Ten African American doctoral students in STEM disciplines shared their perceptions of the benefits of being in a third space. The study hypothesized that SSI operates as a third space, promotes persistence, and combats…

Academic Development Programmes (ADPs) are a distinct category of South African Higher Education that aims to provide alternative access to students who meet the minimum entry requirements for university but not necessarily for the particular academic programme of their choice. Although these programmes have existed for over 30 years, limited…

Access to post-secondary education for first-generation college students (FGCS) has become even more important after COVID-19 brought to the forefront the most affected in the workforce: those who had a high school degree or less. College access programs play a vital role to move the needle in closing the educational achievement gap. These…

With a decade-long stagnant 34% Black male college graduation rate, there was little understanding of how and why Black male initiatives, designed to improve Black male persistence and graduation in 4-year colleges, affected retention and graduation-related behaviors, as understood by the Black male participants in such initiatives. This…

With community colleges struggling with the completion rates of their students, it is important to understand the social and academic integration of community college students and their relationships to retention and completion. Research focuses on the critical role of internal college actors such as faculty, staff, and students in these…

Promise programs have grown in popularity as a way to provide college tuition/fees and other student supports in the hopes of increasing college access and success. This chapter presents results from a comprehensive mixed-methods evaluation of the Lake Tahoe Community College Promise Program. Using rich administrative data and interviews with…

The migrant student population in the United States has significantly increased in the last few decades. While these students are enrolled in K-12 institutions, the challenges they face as migrant children and the educational systemic barriers they encounter continue to present obstacles for their college completion. Educational agencies must seek…

Education is an inherent right for all individuals, and lack of access to education has remained a significant issue of fairness. Historically underrepresented students have encountered obstacles to achieving academic success within higher education institutions. Efforts and academic studies spanning several decades have concentrated on equalizing…

Student retention at the study site community college had decreased, which negatively impacted funding. Increased student support that incorporates elements of the positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment (PERMA) model could improve retention rates. This mixed-methods case study examined the effectiveness of a…

This article describes the Catch the Next Ascender model, developed under the aegis of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as a corrective to increase persistence and completion rates among the Texas Latinx college population.

Community colleges have recently begun supplementing nonacademic support services with student success coaching to increase retention. While preliminary research indicates that coaching may positively influence student retention, little is known about the student experience with coaching. The objective of this dissertation was to understand how…