This qualitative narrative inquiry study explored the lived experiences of African American boards of trustees within community colleges around race, barriers, and influencers. Research reveals an underrepresentation of racial diversity among community college boards of trustees that fails to emulate the racial and ethnic diversity of their…

This three-article format dissertation presents a comprehensive examination of the 2017 Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), focusing on its measurement properties across diverse community college student populations. Study 1 centered on the validity of the internal structure of CCSSE. Exploratory and confirmatory factor…

Community college enrollment has seen a significant shift in student demographics, including the decline of White students from 60% in 2001 to 46.2% in 2017 (American Association of Community Colleges, 2019), whereas efforts to diversify senior leadership have had little success (Rodriguez, 2015). Examining literature from peer-reviewed journals,…

We examine the potential to expand and diversify the production of university STEM degrees by shifting the margin of initial enrollment between community colleges and 4-year universities. Our analysis is based on statewide administrative microdata from the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development covering enrollees in all…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how educators and students described the socio-cognitive aspects of collaborative learning in community colleges of Midwestern US. The theoretical framework of this study included the social cognitive theory which speculated three main elements of learning such as behavior,…

Guided Pathways is a systemic reform movement focused on increasing community college completion rates and student achievement (Bailey et al., 2015b). Within the California community college (CCC) System, every college is implementing Guided Pathways, and the California Community College Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) continues to use this framework…

This dissertation examined how California Community College leaders have been engaging in responsive practices to create and sustain equitable and inclusive learning environments for students who have been historically excluded in higher education. Through a case study of five critical leaders of color, this research illuminated how these leaders…

We examine the potential to expand and diversify the production of university STEM degrees by shifting the margin of initial enrollment between community colleges and 4-year universities. Our analysis is based on statewide administrative microdata from the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development covering enrollees in all…

Two decades of growth in dual enrollment, also accelerated during the COVID pandemic, demands attention to equal opportunities available in rural areas. We use the IPEDS database to explore geographic equality of dual enrollment availability offered by two-year public postsecondary institutions in rural America. Shifts in economies and demographic…

We compiled the first longitudinal data set with detailed state funding information to examine whether different funding strategies for public higher education correlate with college access and completion, with a focus on outcomes among racially minoritized students. We found no relationships between funding mechanisms and student outcomes at…

Black women leaders in higher education face a double bind of gender and racial disparity and biases within the education workforce and their institutions. The literature does not fully articulate Black women's considerations when pursuing community college presidencies and the strategies they use to overcome the hurdles and discrimination they…

African American women in executive-level leadership positions at three community colleges across southern New Jersey are underrepresented. Initial data found that women in five southern New Jersey community colleges make up 42% of executive leadership positions, where 38% are White women, and 4% are African American women. This data led to this…

The purpose of this study was to identify and explore how curricula in queer studies at Community College of the Bay (CCB) reflect and ignore the lived experiences of Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (QTBIPOC) by engaging queer studies students as co-researchers in virtual participatory action research (VPAR). This research…

The research for this dissertation is a study of one case example of programs and classes put into place for African American males at community colleges around the United States with a focus on how these programs were successful or not in assisting in the persistence, retention, and graduation of these students. The purpose of using Cross' (1991)…

Standard assessments of cognitive ability have been the preferred method of assessing the probability of student achievement at community colleges, but there is a growing trend in the use of noncognitive factors to assess student potential. Factors related to a student's race/ethnicity and family income have been shown to be correlated with…