Research shows that youth in foster care experience poor academic performance and disciplinary actions in school more frequently than do non-foster care youth. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to further examine youth in foster care and the relationship between individual/intrapersonal factors (future orientation and school…

Background: Students with chronic absences tend to struggle academically and may not benefit fully from all school has to offer. A positive school climate has been shown to reduce absenteeism and promote academic success. In this study, we explored how a positive school climate and high satisfaction with school may influence absences and academic…

Background: Transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming (TNG) young people are a diverse group, including young people with gender identities beyond the gender binary. Whereas nonbinary youth experience disparities in victimization and mental health, school belonging, support, and resources have not been well described. Methods: We conducted…

Selecting a college major is a big decision for college students and research suggests the majority of first-year students are unsure of their career and major plans (Foote, 1980; Kramer, Higley, & Olsen, 1994; Theophilides, Terenzini, & Lorang, 1984; Titley & Titley, 1980). Although the research is dated, studies suggest that the…

While partnership is widely encouraged as an approach to advancing the inclusion of disabled postsecondary students, these collaborations are largely taking place between staff offices and failing to meaningfully integrate disabled students as partners. In this case study, we describe the successes and challenges of a pilot project where students…

Emerging adult, first-generation college students (FGCSs) face academic and social challenges in their adjustment to college. FGCSs are more likely to be students of color and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who may face particularly difficult challenges when they attend highly selective, predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) that have…

International students are integral to Canadian higher education institutions and Canada's economic gain, contributing $37.3 billion to the economy in 2022, up from $21.6 billion in 2018 (Statistics Canada, 2024). They also add to the cultural enrichment and diversity of institutions and are a major source of bridging the gap in Canada's labour…

Alumni can be of enormous value for higher education institutions because of the time and money they can spend on their former institution. Going beyond prior research that has as yet mostly considered alumni giving, this study focuses on exploring drivers for non-monetary alumni behavior (i.e., alumni loyalty). Modeling analysis was conducted on…

Doctoral student attrition is often referred to as a silent epidemic whereby students tacitly withdraw without ever being given an exit interview or follow-up. While most studies focus on the departing students, few studies focus on the institution's implicit and explicit policies and practices that encourage silence. Drawing upon the "Exit,…

Background: In this study, we investigate the moderated association of school connectedness and alcohol expectancies with adolescent drinking. Methods: Two large community samples were obtained with 2 repeated attempted censuses of all students attending a large suburban school district. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire…

Engagement is an essential part of a meaningful life, no less so for students than for adults. Students who are in healthy relationships are engaged by their friends and family. Students who are productive learners engage in learning activities. Most important, students who stay in school do so because they are engaged. Coaches should play a role…

How does a university create a culture of affinity where students seek and maintain life-long connections to the institution? The purpose of this action research study was to examine how affinity increased or developed for undergraduate students at the Arizona State University Polytechnic campus through meaningful student-centric activities. Three…

Relying on semi-structured, qualitative interviews with 13 Latino male undergraduates in engineering, this study explored students experiences and sense of belonging within a Minority Retention Program at a 4-year public university in California. Findings support extent research on the importance of structural interventions in science, technology,…

This study aimed to explore the effects of mattering, social media addiction, online activity, school connectedness, age, and gender on anxiety/depressive symptomatology among U.S. adolescents. A nationally representative Qualtrics panel sample consisting of 441 adolescents (M[subscript age] = 17.3; SD[subscript age] = 1.67) participated in this…

When students have a strong sense of belonging in their school community, they are more likely to thrive academically. In a study of 55,000 secondary school students across the United States, Challenge Success found further evidence of the bilateral relationship between students' experiences of academic engagement and their sense of belonging,…