The "First-Generation CORE Project: Cultivating Opportunities, Resources, & Equity" was designed to better understand and support first-generation college students. First-generation college students are defined as individuals whose parents have not yet attained a four-year college degree and are considered an underrepresented student…

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to describe the personal experiences of Latina women who excelled in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) despite challenges amidst overlapping systems of discrimination. This study highlights the experiences of 10 Latina women who have attained or were in…

Pursuing education overseas is a high impact practice in higher education. Students who identify as LGBTQIA + --commonly referred to as "queer," an umbrella term--may be more likely to participate yet face additional unique challenges. Using a systematic review of literature across multiple disciplines, this paper explores LGBTQIA +…

This review of research conducted between March 2020-April 2023 summarizes the impact of COVID-19 on the learning and school experiences of children and adolescents with special educational needs and dis/abilities (SENDs) including youth with neurodevelopmental disorders, learning differences, intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities.…

Guided by a combination of LatCrit and intersectionality this study examined the challenges Latina Multilingual Learners' (ML) experienced in STEM and how their multiple marginalized identities (i.e. being Latina, female, and non-native English-speaker) and the oppression related to class, gender, race, and ethnicity influence their perspectives.…

While there has been a sustained focus on widening participation in higher education internationally, there are few empirical accounts of the experiences and perceptions of 'equity' students in STEM subjects, and even less that examines this in the elite university context. Reporting from the Australian higher education context, this article…

This phenomenological study delves into the experiences of Black female college (BFC) students at predominately white institutions (PWIs), focusing on their conceptualization and experience of belonging within the academic environment of a PWI. Grounded in social constructivist epistemology, the research employed qualitative interviews and…

Study abroad is often hailed as a unique and important learning experience that prepares students for life and work in a global society. Many benefits and learning outcomes such as language learning, personal growth and development, educational and career attainment, and the development of intercultural competence are ascribed to study abroad.…

This dissertation investigates the influence of racialization on the attrition rates of African American male students in predominantly white institutions (PWIs). The study examines whether these students experience cultural shock or face more profound systemic challenges. The research explores how African American men navigate and perceive their…

Consensual Non-Monogamy (CNM) is an umbrella term for relationships in which all partners explicitly consent to engage in romantic, intimate, or sexual relationships with multiple people. In a recent study on polyamory, one form of CNM, data from a nationally representative sample of 3,438 single adults in the U.S. from a range of backgrounds…

The COVID-19 global pandemic provided an opportunity to reassess pedagogies, practices, and policies in higher education. In this dissertation, I explored the experiences of undergraduate and graduate students with dis/abilities (SWDs) in higher education before and during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The first manuscript is a descriptive study…

Though school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic affected all students globally, the effect was significantly more for students from marginalized and vulnerable communities. In Nova Scotia, Canada, the concern was the racial achievement gap that the education system is addressing through an inclusive education policy. The worry, especially for…

College completion rates among Latina/o undergraduate students represents a crisis in our national educational system. Latina/o students are seeking higher education, but experiencing multiple barriers which inhibit degree completion. This qualitative case study offers an opportunity to explore components of degree completion of Latina/o graduates…

This qualitative research study explored current graduate students with disabilities personal and academic experiences. The three theoretical frameworks utilized were Disability Studies in Education (DSE), intersectionality and Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) to connect how race, gender, sexual orientation, and disability identities…

This mixed methods study yielded two explanatory models for better understanding of the association between socioacademic factors and gendered racial identity among African American community college women. The quantitative portion explored the degree to which racial identity attitudes and sense of belonging with faculty were predictors of…