This study is a mixed-methods research project designed to measure the effectiveness of a peer mentor program in meeting institutional goals such as increased academic performance and retention. The results suggest that peers are useful in helping students manage the demands of the first year by normalizing the experience and linking the students…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the lasting impacts of students who attended outdoor orientation programs. This research sought to explore a critical gap in outdoor recreation research: longitudinal research about lasting impacts of outdoor orientation programming. We asked the following research questions to guide the…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the relationship between participation in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) at California Valley College (CVC) (one of the 113 California Community Colleges in California) and several measures of student learning. An embedded survey design was developed using William…

The mixed method research study was designed to evaluate the effects on a mentoring initiative on 40 African American and Hispanic males in an urban high school. The study took place over a three-month period in a traditional public school with 2,000 students. Data collection methods used included individual interview with student mentees, surveys…

Latinos, a growing population on U.S. college campuses, historically have had lower college enrollment and four-year degree-attainment rates than other racial/ethnic groups. The Latino Student Success Pilot (LSSP) is a novel program designed to support first-generation low-income students of Latino origins at Rhode Island College (RIC)--an…

The use of alternative schools as exclusionary discipline for students found guilty of committing behavioral infractions raises questions about the effectiveness of these schools in producing improved student outcomes. Educators' justifications for alternative placements are highly relevant, because decisions regarding placements are often…

A review of the literature indicates that international undergraduate students need significant support to adapt both academically and socially to American university life; however, there are few studies that evaluate program effectiveness through an examination of students' perceived struggles and needs. Thus, this study summarizes current…

The relational mixed methods study assesses success of a college-wide critical thinking program to the academic success of community college students. The research compared the pretest and posttest results of the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) given to associate degree graduates during their first semester and last semester of…

Over the past few decades, institutions of higher education have experienced an increase in the enrollment of women, people of color, and those of lower socioeconomics. The literature suggests that some students from these populationsfirst-generation college students (FGCS)have contributed to a decrease in college retention. To address persistence…

The purpose of the study was to examine the role of a middle college as a viable educational alternative to the traditional school environment and as one that supported student transition from high school into post-secondary education. Middle college is a unique transitional program in which students can participate in high school and college…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine and explore the institutional policy levers that facilitate successful educational outcomes in a TRiO funded Student Success Program at a large, urban research university in the Mid-South. Three research questions guided the study: (1) how do the educational outcomes of the university's TRiO…

This dissertation presents an analysis of the effectiveness of a Research I University's College of Education FYE seminar program's influence on the key factors of social and academic integration of freshmen students in the program. This project provides significant analysis of one of the most recent trends in First-Year Experience programs--the…

Community colleges in the state of Missouri began to offer a two-year degree known as the Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) in 2007. Because this was a new degree for the state and only a few other states in the nation offered the degree, community colleges in Missouri were eager to measure the efficacy of the degree. The purpose of this…

One of the many concerns of parents, teachers, and school administration is the lack of student discipline and its effect on academic achievement. Many schools have adopted different models of prevention to support positive behaviors and increase academic achievement. For those schools that adopt and implement the School-wide Positive Behavior…

Changing demographics, low Latino graduation rates, and changes to education funding--nationally and locally--challenge society to develop innovative strategies to navigate transformations affecting public education. This article presents findings from a collaborative community-engaged evaluation of a dropout prevention program for at-risk male…