The purpose of this study was to explore preservice music teachers' (PSMTs) perceptions of teaching contexts. Specifically, I examined the experiences and beliefs PSMTs (n = 91) had related to rural, urban, and suburban settings for student teaching and future employment. Findings revealed that most PSMTs preferred teaching contexts that were…

All higher education institutions have concerns about their fiscal health, and many have engaged in fundraising practices to augment and supplement other sources of revenue. Community colleges have been slower than their 4-year counterparts to engage in fundraising. Despite enrolling almost half of all students in postsecondary education, they…

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…

Although the community college's original intent was to fulfill a mission dedicated to offering a low-cost, high-quality education to its community, fulfilling its mission is has become more difficult based on ever-increasing financial stresses being placed upon it by various constituent groups. As such, a growing piece of the community college…

As the diversity in the United States increases year after year, it is critical for teachers to be provided with the skills and knowledge to teach diverse learners, whether through their pre-service educational program, higher degree courses, or professional development. To meet the needs of diverse students in the classroom, educators need to be…

Working conditions have been shown to have a significant influence on teachers' retention decisions. Despite disparities between rates of retention for Teachers of Color (TOC) and their White peers, extant research related to links between working conditions and retention tends to treat teachers as a monolithic group. The goal of this study was to…

Community colleges across the United States are increasingly linguistically diverse, with populations that often include immigrant students who have grown up with a language other than English but have spent a significant part of their childhood in the U.S. and as such received a substantial part of their -K-12 education there. In this paper, we…

This qualitative study explored the use of the terms high-, low-, and no-tech among preservice teachers during a sudden shift to virtual instruction. Focus areas included how preservice teachers and mentor teachers described the role and purpose of these varied levels of technology for their teaching in a virtual setting. The findings show that…

This study explores the impact of advisory periods on teacher-student relationships, assessing perceptions from both groups over time. Conducted during the 2023-2024 school year in a Midwestern suburban high school, the study involved 44 students and 26 teachers. Using the S-TSRI and TSRI surveys, data was collected in May 2024 to compare…

This research study examined student perceptions of advisement experiences with a primary role advisor in a centralized advising office. The intent was to explore the connection between academic advising and student connectedness to the institution. This study utilized Tinto's theory of student departure to provide an understanding of how student…

This qualitative study examines the experiences of Latinx youth and mainly white staff of the Academic Scholars Program, a college access program that operated in an affluent suburban high school. Guided by Critical Race Theory and Critical Whiteness Studies, the findings highlight the constraints Latinx youth and staff faced and how they resisted…

Background: Thriving in associate degree nursing students has not been well studied. Nursing students frequently describe their education as very stressful. When self-care and stress management are inadequate, students' well-being is adversely affected, adversely affecting patient care. Objective: This study examined whether creative thinking by…

Students who enroll in college come from many different, unique communities to pursue a degree. For the intent of this study communities were categorized into four types--city, suburban, town, or rural. The purpose of this study was to understand if there is a relationship between school community type (i.e., city, suburban, town, or rural) where…

Objective/Research Question: Community college graduation rates are typically quite low, and developmental mathematics enrollment and coursetaking patterns may constrain academic outcomes. To identify ways in which community college graduation rates may be improved, decision trees were utilized to examine the STEM coursetaking patterns of N =…