The recent increase in mental health concerns and service utilization for students has been characterized as the "mental health crisis in higher education." At the same time, there are social inequities on who "gets" to be well and under what conditions. This three-paper dissertation analyzes the well-being support networks of…

Because the dominant narrative in the media around teachers is fixated on the burnout and unhappiness they are experiencing, this dissertation study explored the joy female Critical Teachers of Color experienced while teaching during the COVID-19 global pandemic. In this qualitative study, I employed both autoethnography and portraitures as a way…

Trauma has been shown to cause poor academic performance, high drop-out rates, lack of confidence, lack of connection to peers, difficulty regulating emotions, and more (Bishop et al., 2019; Duncan, 2000; Gaywish & Murdoch, 2018; Hallett & Crutchfield, 2017; Hallett et al., 2018; Redford, 2015; Warnecke & Lewine, 2019). The student…

Full-time enrolled students participating in full-time employment is a growing trend on college campuses. This dissertation serves to explore the perceptions of full-time employed, full-time enrolled graduate students' perceptions on the impact of their support systems on their ability to persist. The proposed study utilizes Laura Perna's…

Emerging adulthood is a time of significant transition, and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this time of instability for many individuals. College students are increasingly seeking counseling services for heightened anxiety, depleted motivation, and increased academic distress and procrastination. It is essential for universities to identify…

Attrition in higher education is an issue that continues to plague students and institutions alike. The attrition of second-generation millennial college students is important due to their unique generational circumstances and positioning in society. However, there is little known about the experiences of college-educated parents when their…

This report exam­ines how demographics and outcomes changed when schools that had enrolled a dis­pro­por­tion­ate share of the sys­tem's white stu­dents entered the city's cen­tral­ized enroll­ment sys­tem in New Orleans. It finds that the schools enter­ing that sys­tem (OneApp/?NCAP) led to increased access to those schools for Black and oth­er…

While racially minoritized students are gaining access and enrolling in post-secondary institutions at higher rates, institutionalized oppression and exclusionary practices impact students' experience and success. Colleges and universities have an obligation to create environments that are welcoming, just, and fair for all students who choose to…

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact COVID-19 had on the student and faculty resilience. This study focused on the resilience of participants to overcome obstacles to learning, financial planning and maintaining a strong sense of belonging. A sense of belonging is an important variable because it is linked to feelings, values,…

This study investigated whether instructional modality in an undergraduate degree program, either traditional on-campus or asynchronous online, and racial/ethnic group could predict students' reports of satisfaction with the institution, retention year-over-year, and graduation within an eight-year award rate. Data from surveys and enrollment…

This study investigates racial disparities in school closures both within California and nationally. Findings highlight an alarming pattern: Schools enrolling higher proportions of Black students are at significantly increased risk of closure relative to those enrolling fewer Black students, a pattern that is more pronounced in California than…

This mixed methods case study examined how a student success program at a private four-year college in the eastern region of the United States may enhance student success and students' associated feelings of a sense of belonging. Results and findings add to the overall student success literature and may benefit other institutions in higher…

This research study investigated the trauma that teachers experienced and the coping mechanisms that they found effective while attempting to complete their duties during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study will be beneficial for school districts to be able to provide effective stress management and resources for their employees. The following…

Coding learning can promote the development of computational thinking (CT) in young children. The effect of coding learning on CT may vary between different cultures. However, it lacks studies to evaluate the effect of coding learning on the various dimensions of CT in young Chinese children. To provide insight into this question, we recruited…

Higher education has yet to address the deeper causes of inequities in student participation rates in study abroad programs across student demographics. Factors contributing to inequities include disparities in access to social and cultural capital and neglect of identity-related experiences of racially minoritized and first-generation,…