This study examines how first-generation (FG) college students make meaning of their social class during their first-year of college. As a method, photovoice allowed for the creation of a rich set of data using student photos and accompanying narratives, through which three key themes were derived: (a) broken American dream, (b) honoring family…

Mature-age students who are the first in their family to attend university have navigated a challenging road to higher education. The aim of the present study was to understand the influence and interaction of familial and personal stories of this cohort and their choices about university study -- why they initially did not go after high school,…

Even though the sophomore year in college is a pivotal time when students make important decisions impacting their college experiences, the provision of a structured sophomore-year program has not been a priority in higher education in the United States. For the first-generation, low-income students participating in TRIO Student Support Services…

The increasing demand for a computationally trained workforce that reflects Latinx population growth in America has encouraged institutions to revisit exclusionary practices and develop initiatives that support Latinx undergraduate student persistence in Computer Science (CS). CS is necessary not only to keep pace with the rapid change in…

This qualitative study examines how first-generation Latina undergraduate students perceive their Mexican immigrant parents' engagement in their college experiences. Employing a community cultural wealth framework (Yosso, 2005), this study challenges deficit views on Mexican immigrant parent engagement in higher education. Through semi-structured…

The STEM Scholars program at Bucknell University was originally supported with a five-year National Science Foundation STEP grant to begin recruitment for a summer program in 2014. The grant, with a one-year no-cost extension, supported six cohorts of students. The recruitment of participants was specifically designed to attract typically…

This phenomenological qualitative study examined the intersection between TRIO Upward Bound participation and resilience theory to determine how participation in TRIO Upward Bound impacted the resiliency of its at-risk youth participants. Accordingly, the participants of this study are alumni of the federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program, a…

The primary objective of this study was to examine the differences between historically black colleges and universities and predominately white institutions, and their effectiveness on minimizing depression, stress, and anxiety for African American first-generation graduates. The second objective was to examine the unique advantages that HBCUs…

First Generation College Students (FGCS) account for one third of all doctoral degree recipients in the USA, however, very little is known about their educational experiences. Using a narrative inquiry approach, this study employed a Cultural Proficient framework to explore the barriers that prevent FGCS from pursuing post-undergraduate…

The mastery learning pedagogical approach recognizes that mastery is not always achieved on the first attempt, and learning from mistakes and perseverance is fundamental to learning. Research has suggested that mastery learning can have a positive influence on underrepresented engineering students' learning and course performance. Yet, there is a…

This quantitative study investigated factors influencing first-year student retention at a midsized regional comprehensive university. Using archival data from the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, the research examined the retention rates of Standard Admit students and conditionally admitted Success First students. The study explored…

Globally, candidate preference for hybrid learning continues to increase at the expense of in-person learning, while interest in predominantly online learning remains flat. This increase is evident across regions and demographic groups, with overall preference highest among candidates who have traditionally demonstrated the most interest: women,…

Given the need for Latinx/a/o health care providers in the United States, understanding how students choose these fields is critical to achieving more equitable systems. This study uses community cultural wealth to investigate how Latina first-generation college students choose and pursue health care careers. Findings show that women employed…

Past research demonstrates that familial and community support can aid the academic success of Latino/a students. However, few studies explore how older siblings influence their younger siblings' education trajectory including primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. Drawing on 25 in-depth interviews with Latino/a first-generation college…

Extensive research exists on students who are the first in their families to pursue post-secondary education, i.e. first-generation college students. But what about first-generation students who pursue careers in education? This study highlights the experiences of first-generation college students, then graduate students, turned teachers and may…