Community college transfer students represent a diverse and talented group to recruit to PhD and other graduate programs. Yet, little is known about practical strategies to support community college transfer students' access to graduate training. Focusing specifically on transfer students in computer science and guided by social cognitive career…

This study describes course withdrawal behaviors in the Texas public higher education institutions and examines the predictors of course withdrawal by using statewide administrative datasets. The findings showed that two-thirds of the college students in the sample withdrew from at least one course, highlighting course withdrawal as a prevalent…

Approximately 30% of students who enter the postsecondary education system do so through 2-year colleges. The majority of these students intend to earn a bachelor's degree, but most leave college before earning a diploma from a 4-year institution. The discrepancy between bachelor's degree aspirations and degree attainment rates of students who…

Over the past 30 years, a shift occurred in higher education that saw more of the burden for paying for postsecondary education placed on students. Combined with rising tuition and fees, this has led students to take on increasing amounts of student debt. Despite the historic rise in student loans, surprisingly little attention has focused on…

Community colleges have been an educational source for individuals to increase capital and social mobility. But the reality of these opportunities is not the same for all. First generation, low income, non-traditional minority students make up a large percentage of students enrolling in community colleges yet retention rates, primarily for African…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational-predictive study was to examine Physical Activity and BMI as potential predictors of Academic Performance among community college students at a community college in Southern California. The foundation for this study was provided by physical activity, BMI, social cognitive theory of self-regulation,…

Employee retention is an ongoing challenge for higher education student affairs professionals, who account for the largest employee group across the higher education workforce. Job satisfaction and organizational commitment have previously been identified as correlated with college and university employees' decision to stay or vacate their…

Objective: The purpose of this paper was to examine variables associated with food insecurity among community college caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We used data from a multi-institutional survey of 15,051 caregivers enrolled at 130 community colleges in 42 states in fall 2020. We used a logistic regression to examine whether…

This dissertation is composed of three studies linking general education astronomy to student performance, course-taking, graduation, and identity. The first study examined demographic and academic predictors of astronomy performance among a cohort of N=1,909 community college students enrolled in astronomy courses in a large suburban community…

Community colleges enroll millions of students across the United States in urban, suburban and rural communities. Specifically designed to address the unique needs of the communities they serve, these institutions are often the engines of the local economy and at times the only pathway out of poverty. Community colleges strive to uphold their…

This dissertation investigates the dynamics of adult online learners within an urban community college setting, exploring relationships between specific adult learning predictor variables and online course grades. Understanding these relationships is crucial for informing educational policies, designing effective online learning environments, and…

In this study, associations among emotional intelligence, background variables, and academic performance in prelicensure nursing students enrolled in associate and baccalaureate degree nursing programs are explored. A gap in the literature exists regarding the specific background variables utilized in this study and the population. This study used…

This study contributes to a line of research that examines the relationship between study abroad participation and academic success among students attending two-year institutions. We offer a multimodal narrative that comprehensively accounts for both student-level characteristics and indicators associated with students' geographic origins in…

This article examines the role of first-generation status and financial aid on the academic performance of technical college students who are beneficiaries of a fee-free policy. Students enrolled in two-year technical programs in 2017 at Chile's largest higher education institution were considered. A quantitative panel longitudinal design was used…

Self-efficacy in writing is increasingly studied among undergraduates; however, less is specifically known about the variables that are associated with community college students' confidence in their capacity to succeed on writing assignments. In this study, 434 community college students who have completed at least one semester of a freshman…