This dissertation contains three chapters, each investigating a question in American economic history. The first chapter is co-authored with Ran Abramitzky, Santiago Perez, and Joseph Price. In this work, we conduct a large-scale digitization of historical college registers, encompassing 2.7 million students at 65 elite US universities. We use…

Institutions of higher education have mandated COVID-19 vaccinations for students wishing to return to an on-campus, in-person learning experience. However, some groups have expressed a hesitancy to be vaccinated, while others are unsure about the vaccine's side effects and/or efficacy. Yet, an under-researched aspect of COVID-19 vaccinations and…

In 2016, State University (a pseudonym) implemented a proactive advising approach known as Monitoring Advising Analytics to Promote Success (MAAPS). The initiative was designed to improve academic achievement and retention measures for first-generation students and students from limited-income backgrounds. Using a qualitative methodological…

This qualitative case study explored if and how a first-generation focused student success program fostered sense of belonging amongst first-generation college students. Utilizing the theoretical framework of sense of belonging (Strayhorn, 2012), the following research questions guided this study: (1) How do first-generation students experience a…

The objectives of the study were as follows: (1) to study of the component of the student relationship management system process with intelligent conversational agent platform, (2) to design the student relationship management system process with intelligent conversational agent platform, and (3) to evaluate the student relationship management…

Student pre-departure preparation has been identified as essential if study abroad programs involving work-integrated learning are to deliver the numerous benefits they intend, while mitigating the many risks they involve. However, little is known about what preparation is provided to the academic and professional staff who implement these…

In recent years, transfer and articulation has become a hot topic within the higher education research and policy literature. This is evidenced by the myriad of terms whose roots trace to the broader issue of transfer and articulation. Common course numbering across public 2- and 4-year sectors, guaranteed acceptance of the associate's degree by…

This paper investigates the student perspective on Maryland's Early Childhood Education/Special Education Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree: the factors that affected their experience, especially with the transfer process, and whether their experiences differed by institution. Viewpoints were gathered through focus groups and individual…

The transfer pathway from community college to university holds promise for advancing equity in STEM because it is followed by disproportionately high numbers of underrepresented students. Among the challenges these students face is cultivating belonging in multiple institutional settings. By combining belonging and validation theories, this…

This report provides a look at the Fall 2024 term enrollment in categories such as student load, location and demographics of the community college student population. The content and format of this report have been developed through a collaborative effort between the Wyoming Community College Commission (WCCC), the Executive Council and the Data…

The corequisite model is a promising developmental education reform effort that is helping students transition into college-level coursework more quickly. The purpose of this Brief is to offer recommendations to college leaders, faculty, and staff involved with implementing the corequisite model at their institution. Our recommendations are from a…

It is becoming more and more common for adults to delay their education and enroll in college one or more years after they have graduated from high school. Typical reasons why a student starts later in life may include military deployment, a career change, lack of financial resources, and/or learning disabilities that hinder academic success.…

Campus public safety plays an essential role in student retention and success at any university or college. To best support students' emotional and physical security, campus police should be aware of their perceptions and expectations of the police as the law enforcement entity directly responsible for their safety. This quantitative study…

Transfer shock can have a detrimental impact on lateral transfer students as they seek to successfully transition to their institution. The purpose of this Action Research study was to investigate and improve the transitional first-semester experience for lateral transfer students. Participants and data collected in Cycle 1 consisted of interviews…

Amidst the growing diverse student population, community colleges are enrolling an increasing number of adult immigrant-background students. However, recent research trends tend to focus on students who enter community colleges from the U.S. K-12 system (Generation 1.5 learners), leaving a significant gap in the research and a lack of cohesion in…