Second-term general chemistry is a key gateway course at our institution for a variety of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) majors. Herein, we examine data on DFW% (i.e., % of D and F grades and withdrawals) in our general chemistry courses over roughly a quarter-century period, focusing on sections taught by the authors.…

Background: Students face many challenges completing a postsecondary education program, including both administrative hurdles (e.g., course registration) and course management challenges (e.g., scheduling study time, finding academic support). Text-based nudging in the postsecondary context has been a particularly effective tool when targeting…

Student-parents' bachelor's degree completion timelines are protracted, yet insufficient research examines this phenomenon. Studies show most student-parents take between 9 and 15 years to earn a bachelor's degree (Augustine, 2016; Attewell & Lavin; 2007; Institute for Women's Policy Research [IWPR], 2020; Lindsay & Gillium, 2018). What…

The disappointing Supreme Court decision in the Students for "Fair Admissions v. Harvard/UNC" cases--in which the Court held, 6-to-3, that race-conscious admissions processes at private and public universities were a violation of the Equal Protection Clause--must be met with new resolve to go further to achieve equity in higher…

In recent years, increasing research attention has been devoted to "first-generation" or "first-in-family" university students. For a sizeable cohort of students there is still little or no family tradition of supporting new university entrants into, and few expectations of, the novel and unfamiliar territory of university life…

Despite a marked increase in study abroad participation in recent decades, first-generation students and Students of Color remain vastly underrepresented. The current study sought to expand the extant literature on first-generation and Latino/a students' study abroad participation by applying an intersectional approach to identifying predictors of…

College learning depends on belongingness and personal motivation. First-generation (FG) college students are at risk for lower belongingness and motivation compared to non-FG students. We examined self-reported belongingness with the Psychological Sense of School Membership scale, and intrinsic and extrinsic motivation with the Motivational…

Although information literacy has been fundamental to the work of teaching librarians for decades, the ways in which students develop their information literacy is not well understood. In addition, the sociocultural nature of information literacy is often neglected when attempting to assess students' information literacy development. The purpose…

In America, it is promised that self-discipline, hard work, and ambition will be met with equality of opportunity. That is a promise that has failed to be kept far too often. Now more than ever, it must be ensured that talented college students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, are prepared to compete for strong jobs before they…

We assess whether a light-touch intervention can increase socioeconomic and racial diversity in undergraduate Economics. We randomly assigned over 2,200 students a message with basic information about the Economics major; the basic message combined with an emphasis on the rewarding careers or financial returns associated with the major; or no…

Online learning has become a significant part of the strategic plan to increase enrollment and college access (Crawley, 2012). Allen & Seaman (2013) noted that more than 65% of U.S. higher education institutions believe that online education is necessary to sustain and continue progress toward their strategic planning goals to increase…

Online learning has become a significant part of the strategic plan to increase enrollment and college access (Crawley, 2012). Allen & Seaman (2013) noted that more than 65% of U.S. higher education institutions believe that online education is necessary to sustain and continue progress toward their strategic planning goals to increase…

First-generation college students represent a significant percentage of all college students and comprise various sub-identities and unique backgrounds. Compared to continuing generation college students, many first-generation students arrive on college campuses without complete understanding of how to navigate college life. Factors, such as…

This quasi-experimental pilot study addressed the need for financial literacy services to assist in increasing and providing financial literacy skills development to first-generation, low-income students through a TRIO Student Support Services program. Identification of student needs and support implementation to provide effective services is…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) serve a disproportionate number of first-generation students who are less likely than their counterparts to persist to graduation. One way they are working to retain first-generation students is through social engagement. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the social…