This study explored the experiences of multiracial and multiethnic students at a Central Valley University in California, aiming to understand their engagement opportunities and support-seeking behaviors on campus. Employing a narrative inquiry approach, qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews, complemented by digital…

The number of women, Students of Color, and LGBTQIA+ students enrolled in institutions of higher education have increased significantly over the past several decades (Hanson, 2021; National Center for Education Statistics, 2010). Though gaps in higher education degree completion have improved in recent years, gains for Students of Color have not…

This study aimed to understand why and how community college practitioners act for institutional change in support of undocumented students--drawing on concepts from the tempered radicals framework. I used qualitative inquiry and exploratory interviews to understand how community college practitioners make meaning of the changes they have been…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of students of color enrolled in graduate counseling education (GCE) master's-level programs in California. A phenomenological approach was used, and participants included 25 students of color from five GCE programs who were enrolled in terminal master's-level counseling…

This study examined how faith community interaction and faith community harmony relate to both state and trait body dissatisfaction, loneliness, and sociocultural pressures on appearance among college undergraduates. Participants (N = 1519) were college undergraduate students attending a private university in California. Participants included 546…

In the current K-12 educational system, there is a lack of mentoring programs for novice principals, and as a result, a substantial number of principals are not well prepared to do the complicated job of a principal. The nation's report card shows how United States students have regressed in reading and math and which states experienced the most…

In the face of environmental adversities, Latina college students demonstrate resilience. A psychosocial framework was applied in this study to evaluate perceptions of barriers (i.e., environmental risk), COVID-19 distress (i.e., personal vulnerability), social support (i.e., environmental protective), and mindfulness (i.e., personal strength) as…

Educational practitioners, researchers, and policymakers have focused on increasing community college transfer rates as an equity strategy for improving social and economic mobility among historically underserved populations. While there is a vast amount of research on students who have successfully transferred, there is limited evidence base on…

This qualitative study examined the stories of women of color (WOC) executive leaders working on a California State University (CSU) campus, exploring how they have achieved success and persevered in the face of systemic barriers. Drawing on in-depth interviews with eight WOC leaders, this dissertation explored their individual experiences and…

Both parasympathetic nervous system regulation and receipt of social support from close relationships contribute to prosocial development, although few studies have examined their combined influences in adolescence and particularly within racially and ethnically minoritized populations. In this longitudinal study of 229 U.S. Mexican-origin…

This study examines how Southeast Asian American students develop their ethnoracial identities at an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) and a non-AANAPISI, and if there are differences between the two institutions. Drawing on interviews with 26 Southeast Asian American undergraduate students, I find…

Given the time and resources invested in professional development, it makes sense to find ways to extend positive outcomes over the long term. However, there is little research investigating what elements and structures help to support teachers once professional development ends. This research is based on an intervention of modest, targeted forms…

The current study investigated the value of faculty mentoring among first-generation college students (FGCS). We examined mentored FGCS in general, and, more specifically, the impact of levels of quality of faculty mentoring on ratings of life purpose, perceived well-being, and perceived well-being subscales. We hypothesized that faculty-mentored…

Objective/Research Question: Master narratives, as theorized using a critical race perspective, are stories of the majority that function to obscure and normalize the oppressive operation of power in society. Counternarratives are the stories of minoritized individuals which expose and challenge the stories of the majority. This study examined…

Objective: Changes in surroundings and social relationships may heighten feelings of loneliness, suggesting the need to measure as a state. This study tested whether loneliness fluctuates within and across days and the resultant associations with psychological distress. Further it tested familism as a moderator as endorsing this cultural value may…