This dissertation served as a study to address opportunity gaps that exist in urban education. The focus was exploring the problem of college academic readiness of First-generation community college minoritized students enrolled and placed into developmental English courses. One community college in the state of California was used to highlight…

The Honors College at Texas A&M University-Kingsville was established in 2010. At that time, student retention rate at Texas A&M-Kingsville was at 56%, one of the lowest rates in Texas. In an effort to determine if the establishment of the Honors College on campus has made a positive impact on First Time In College (FTIC) student retention…

While quantitative research has determined that first-generation college students (FGS) are less likely to interact with faculty than are their non-FGS peers, this qualitative study examines how incoming first-year college students, both FGS and non-FGS, perceive faculty-student interaction and whether they consider it important. Addressing…

First-generation college students (FGCS) are a unique group and face their own set of unique challenges when they start college. For example, they may need support in basic campus navigational skills or help communicating with professors. Existing research on FGCS tends to examine topics such as socioeconomic backgrounds and graduation rates.…

Purpose: This qualitative, phenomenological study explored the effect of mentoring in the degree attainment and career paths of first generation Mexican American women who are employed in senior administrative leadership roles at Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs). Methodology: This exploratory study employed a phenomenological research…

Research focused on first-generation college students has developed considerably in recent years, yet an area that remains relatively unexplored is students' perceptions of the academic library as place. Exploring such perceptions is important for deepening understanding of how the library, as a central academic resource on campus, can best serve…

Low-income, first-generation students face numerous barriers to earn a college degree. Of these students, Latino male students have some of the lowest levels of college enrollment and persistence. This study used a phenomenological design to identify the perspectives of low-income, first-generation (LIFG) Latino male college students on how social…

A college degree is becoming increasingly necessary in order for young people to attain the jobs they want, and yet getting to and through college in some ways has never been more challenging. Many students are ill-prepared when they arrive, others lack the "soft" skills necessary to succeed in a postsecondary environment, and the cost…

This study explored the impact of attending an Inclusive STEM-focused High School (ISHS) by interviewing 30 students from ISHSs and matched comparison high schools 2 years after graduation. Interviewees were students who in 12th grade reported being first-generation college goers, strongly interest in a STEM career, and planning to go directly to…

While much of the research on formal mentoring programs considers their impact on underrepresented students, there is very little research on formal mentoring programs which examines the utility of these programs for underrepresented students who are also first-generation and limited-income students. The authors addressed this gap in the…

Purpose: Black and Latino males face challenges to college-going that may alter their decision to attend college. However, many Black and Latino males have successfully enrolled and matriculated through college. This study aims to explore the precollege factors that influenced the college enrollment and persistence for first generation Black and…

St. Olaf College recently restructured its Summer Bridge Program (SBP) course for incoming low-income (LI) and first-generation (FG) college students from a non-major biology course, "Issues in Biology," to an interdisciplinary "Explorations in Science" course. Two significant changes were made with the intention of giving…

There is a growing recognition of the need for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workers who provide diverse perspectives enabling companies to keep up with the demands of the 21st -century workforce. Creating a diverse workforce requires improving access to STEM education for historically underrepresented students,…

Higher education is seen by society as an opportunity for doors to be opened for high school graduates in achieving their personal and professional goals. It has long been held that a college education is vital to creating engaged and productive citizens. A bachelor's degree has become necessary for forward mobility for oneself and future…

Low-income students enrolled in a four-year, public institution are three times more likely to drop out after their first year of study than their higher-income peers (Engle & Tinto, 2008, p. 11). The exorbitant price of college tuition plays a significant role in how low-income students are underserved by the current postsecondary system.…