Educating engineers should be for the benefit of students and their aspirations, whether that is helping their communities and/or environment, achieving financial stability, or achieving the goal of earning a degree in a lucrative field. Obtaining an engineering degree positions students as capable agents for societal change, which are not limited…

Latina students are the least likely to succeed in college. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that motivate and influence Latina students who are first-generation in college to enroll and stay in college. In this quantitative research the following questions were used to guide the study: (1) What are the key motivational…

Previous studies have found that overall first-generation college students have lower levels of student engagement than non-first-generation college students in higher education (Pascarella, Pierson, Wolniak, & Terenzini, 2004; Pike & Kuh, 2005). However, more recent research has brought into question the extent of these differences in…

This research brief provides insights on first-generation candidates in graduate management education including data on their motivations, financial plans, and barriers to pursuing higher education. These findings can help business school professionals to better understand and support this population of business school students. The brief draws…

Loneliness is a common concern among university students, as these individuals experience many of the risk factors associated with loneliness. This experience of loneliness tends to lead to numerous consequences such as negative self-evaluations, anxiety, and depression, which in turn lead to impaired concentration and a decline in academic…

The Office of Correctional Education was created through an Act of Congress in 1991 to oversee and coordinate prison education programs as a way to reduce recidivism (Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, 1990). However, correctional education completion rates are extremely low. Therefore, we used secondary data from the…

At-promise students (low-income, first-generation college students, and/or racially minoritized) have long encountered disproportionate barriers in navigating higher education, resulting in disparate impacts during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we examined how higher education practitioners in three comprehensive college transition…

Social support is a crucial factor for first-generation students' (FGS) integration at university and their educational success. FGS are often assumed to lack social support and integration, but research shows mixed results. By means of a mixed-methods approach (combination of interviews and online survey), we aimed to shed light on the…

The strength of alignment between Student Housing and its functions with Student Life may impact its ability to promote the retention and persistence of first-generation and historically excluded students who live on campus. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate the role of Student Housing, as a Public-Private Partnership,…

This qualitative action research case study examined the high school to college transition experiences of 11 Latino/a parents of first-generation college students. Participants attended a two-day workshop series, the purpose of which was to provide parents with college knowledge information to better support their children when transitioning to…

First-generation community college students face barriers and challenges when they transfer to four-year institutions that can impact bachelor-degree completion. This action research study aimed to investigate ways to improve academic success and persistence of first-generation community college transfer students at a four-year college. Data…

The challenges facing first-generation college students are well-documented in the literature, but interestingly, outcomes-based literature for this population is limited. Overall, first-generation college graduates are less likely to enroll in graduate study. Specifically, female first-generation college graduates are less likely than males and…

Underrepresented students (URS) in graduate occupational therapy (OT) programs often struggle with a sense of not belonging due to a lack of representation in their cohort and curriculum. This has been evident among students who are from racial/ethnic backgrounds, first-generation college students (FGCS), and have had low-income experiences.…

The COVID pandemic has transformed American higher education in ways that have yet to be fully comprehended. The abrupt shift toward online instruction was the first reaction to the growing threat of COVID. The effects of this shift were far-reaching. Specifically, this realignment to online delivery models created new links between or among…

The primary purpose of this mixed-methods study is to define the problem and to understand the system that has been leading to unacceptably low graduation outcomes for historically excluded Trio Student Support Services (Trio SSS) students at Mid-Atlantic University (MAU), a pseudonym. To achieve the primary purpose extant documents and…