As the cost of higher education has continued to rise, public interest in the proportional economic return on investment in higher education has also grown. While research associating the quality of education and institutional attributes with graduate earning potentials exists in the university sector, fewer studies have focused on earning…

This study examined the mediation and moderation of membership in a demographic group underrepresented in physics classes on course outcomes measured by course grades and Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE) post-test scores. The study used a large dataset (N ¼ 4490) of course grades, SAT and ACT mathematics scores (ACTM), and matched…

Naturally-occurring mentoring relationships with caring, nonparental adults can provide critical support to underrepresented students during the transition to college. The current study sought to examine the nature of underrepresented students' relationships with natural mentors during their first three semesters in college. Results revealed that…

The experiences of first-generation college students are not monolithic. The nexus of identities matter, and this book is intended to challenge the reader to explore what it means to be a first-generation college student in higher education. Designed for use in classrooms and for use by the higher education practitioner on a college campus today,…

Hispanics comprise the fastest-growing ethnicity in the United States. One in five college students is Hispanic. While Hispanics are gaining access to higher education, their college completion rate is dismal, compared to Whites and other ethnicities. Hispanics face unique academic and social challenges in college. This phenomenological study was…

The six-year university graduation rate for minority, first-generation, and low-income students is significantly lower than it is for non-minority students, students whose parents went to college, and students from high-income families. The problem addressed in this study was small private, faith-based institutions do not have a viable model for…

This action research study explored implementing a remote summer bridge program that was offered in a synchronous format to comply with the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the action research study was to address the problem of a high attrition rate of Educational Opportunity Program students through the…

Higher education institutions have implemented many initiatives to support first-generation college students' (FGCS) persistence to degree completion; however, many FGCS fail to persist beyond their freshman year (Forrest Cataldi et al., 2018). Many FGCS are able to benefit from secondary and postsecondary supports as they move from kindergarten…

First-generation college students are a diverse at-risk population and have continued to face challenges obtaining 4-year degrees. Access to postsecondary education has increased for first generation students. Academic and social programs and services at four-year institutions such as first-year seminars, summer bridge programs, service learning,…

Emergent scholarly studies on the use of social network sites (SNSs) in higher education have focused mainly on how SNSs could enhance effective teaching and learning. However, very few studies have explored how social relationships between teachers and learners could serve as a learner-centered approach to promote teaching and learning through…

Higher education leaders have repeatedly called for improved diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, but many institutions continue to fall short. Data can play an integral role in this work; key among them are data on student demographics, including race/ethnicity. Meeting diversity, equity, and inclusion goals requires a thorough and nuanced…

Recognising the authoritative de/legitimising power of education systems, this paper contributes to studies concerned with the ways in which new entrants to higher education experience the positioning of their inherited identities as they negotiate their transition to campus life. The findings emerged during a broader psychosocial study of the…

Through an examination of 13 first-generation college students' views, this paper aims to provide one possible lens to viewing the complex social and academic landscapes that impact on students' academic identity construction. Academic and social experiences within and beyond the safety net of a mentoring program are explored. The paper concludes…

This study examined stress, coping, and perceived academic goal progress among first- (n = 363) and continuing-generation (n = 325) college students. Stress was significantly related to institutional supports for first- but not continuing-generation students. In addition, institutional supports explained the relation between stress and perceived…

Despite an increased focused on developing and understanding engineering undergraduates' entrepreneurial mindsets, best practices related to assessing this mindset remain nascent. In an attempt to evaluate concept mapping as a potential assessment tool for entrepreneurial mindset and identify the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) first-year…