Education Commons^™

Understanding Community College Student Perceptions Of Academic Advising, Benjamin Umbarger, Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate community college student perceptions of academic advising for 12 first-time first-generation (FTFG) General Studies students attending a rural southeastern community college. The phenomenological research approach was utilized to better understand participant experiences by exploring participants' perceptions through their lived experiences. Applying purposeful sampling techniques, five females and seven males were identified, with 11 classified as full-time students and one classified as part-time. One-on-one interviews and focus group were conducted in-person or virtually, using Zoom and Microsoft Teams, with each participant to better understand student perceptions of their initial academic advising …

How Do Faculty And Staff Perceive The Effectiveness Of Student Support Systems That Promote The Retention Of First-Generation College Students?, David Shawn Wolff Dr.

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Research showed faculty-student interactions impact student engagement and was a primary factor to student retention (Kuh & Hu, 2001; Means & Pyne, 2017; Swecker et al., 2013; Tinto, 1987). The literature revealed while retention may be an issue for many institutions, there is a greater need to address retention specifically related to first-generation college students (FGCS). Students often seek advice from faculty and staff when faced with questions about their academic progress. Faculty and staff voices need to be collected regarding their perceptions of the effectiveness of the support systems used within an institution that promote retention for FGCS. This …

Lived Experiences Of Latino(A) College Students Enrolled In A Historically Black College & University (Hbcu), Gabriel Crosby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many first-generation Latino(a) college students, the college-setting is a new and scary place. Without the support of family and friends, the chances for them dropping out or not finishing their college education grow. Recognizing that Latinos(as) make up a growing segment of the college-going population, higher education institutions and their leaders must not only recruit individuals from this demographic population, but must also work to help these students remain enrolled and guide them to graduation. Institutions must be able to provide a welcoming campus culture and environment as a means of fostering student success. Historically Black College and Universities …

A Quantitative Study Of Mathematics Anxiety In First-Generation Pre-Service Teachers, Wendi Malenfant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many pre-service teachers suffer from mathematics anxiety which can lead to mathematics avoidance, poor mathematics performance, and the potential to pass on mathematics anxiety to their future students. More and more first-generation college students, who also suffer from math anxiety, are attending four-year universities and studying to be teachers. School leaders, educators, and researchers must recognize the serious nature of mathematics anxiety, how it negatively impacts learners, and how the cycle is perpetuated if the root causes of mathematics anxiety are not mitigated, especially in elementary teachers.

This quantitative study, which utilized an anonymous mathematics anxiety survey, examined the prevalence …

The Influences Of Social Capital On College Enrollment For First-Generation College Students, Sarah Behrens

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The purpose of the study was to examine the influences of social capital on college enrollment for first-generation college students. The qualitative study allowed the researcher to examine the perspectives of 12 first-generation college students during the first semester of their freshman year at a four-year institution in Minnesota. Through a focus group, the participants identified who was influential and the resources they provided that assisted in the college-going process.

Research indicates that higher education is believed to be one of the main paths to opportunity and economic progress in the United States (Blackwell & Pinder, 2014). While more and …

First-Generation Women Students’ Perceptions Of Support While Enrolled In Higher Education Institutions: A Phenomenological Study, Erin Blankenship Messmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study used qualitative research methods to explore the perceptions of support first-generation women students enrolled in college have. Eleven first-generation women students who were enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs across the United States completed one-on-one interviews with the researcher. The participants explained the support they felt from family, friends, and members of their college or university, as well as areas where further support could be given. In these interviews, key themes emerged, such as the roles of mentorship and emotional support, the need for financial assistance, the role of family in support and providing cultural capital, the …

From The Margins: Impact Of Academic Advising On First-Generation Student Retention, Xavia Harrington-Chate

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

This study examines the influence of academic advising on first-generation student retention using secondary data via data from an online survey. Specifically, the researcher explored advising experiences to explain the retention of freshman first-generation college students from Year One to Year Two. A total of 1,716 freshman students during the 2017-2018 academic school year participated in this study. The survey's setting is a mid-sized, four-year public university in the Midwestern United States. The research questions seek to identify if first-generation students' status or self-reported data of academic advising experiences affect student retention during the critical first year of college enrollment. …

First-Gen Mental Health: The Experiences Of First-Generation Graduate Students At The University Of San Diego, Edith Mendez

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

Higher education professionals can better support struggling students by having more of an awareness of their experiences and how their mental health is related to the identities they hold. As a first-generation Latina college student, I am reminded of my own experiences and struggles, which impacted my sense of belonging and academic success. My action research responds to the question: "What are the mental health concerns that first-generation students studying at the University of San Diego (USD) encounter?" After making changes to my research because of unforeseen circumstances, I designed a study focusing on graduate students with cycles consisting of …

First Generation College Students’ Connection To Campus Involvement At The University Of San Diego, Ashley Ortega

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore undergraduate first-generation college students (FGCS) and their campus connections. The overarching research question guiding my study was: How can I, as a FGCS, graduate student and future higher education educator create more accessible on-campus resources for undergraduate FGCS at USD? A secondary question was: In partnering with the first-generation stakeholders how can we better adapt our services to meet the needs of FGCS during their time at USD? Using Coghlan and Brannick’s Cycles of Action Research as a guiding framework, I conducted one pre-cycle, a needs assessment, and three cycles of data …

Evaluating First-Generation Students’ Career Readiness, Mariana N. Robledo De La Torre

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

Research shows that first-generation students have historically had less guidance and resources to support their educational attainment and career development (Tate et al., 2015). This has resulted in considerable growth in the amount of support systems, programs, and services implemented by educational institutions across the United States to help first-generation college students thrive in higher education and their future careers. This study sought to improve my understanding of the career readiness of first-generation students at USD. By engaging with and gathering data from first-generation students, I have greater insight about ways of supporting first-generation students’ career readiness and vocational confidence …

In Their Own Voices: The First-Year College Experiences Of Upward Bound Alumni At Four-Year Postsecondary Institutions, Norma Romero

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Upward Bound (UB) projects provide educational support services to high school students in order to address inequalities in college access for low-income (LI) and first-generation students (FGS). However, access alone does not eradicate systemic barriers to positive collegiate experiences and degree attainment. As a federally funded program, UB regularly collects mandated outcome data; however, little is known about the specific academic, social, and emotional supports these programs provide. Especially lacking are in-depth qualitative studies that follow students into college and focus on students’ own stories. To address this gap in research, this study used in-depth interviews to capture the stories …

Breaking The Cycle For A Better Life: Understanding The Decision-Making Process That First-Generation, Community College Students Experienced When Making College Major And Career Choices, Francisco Ramirez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Choosing a college major and career are the most critical decisions that college students make and students are expected to make these impactful decisions early in their academic careers. First-generation, community college students are a group that are especially affected by this early decision process as they require the knowledge and experience to make informed decisions. Their parents often lack the experience to guide them through this process since they are unfamiliar with being a college student and providing the necessary support in this area. These barriers cause stress among these students and inefficiencies in the decisions that they make. …

Does Avid Higher Education (Avid He) Increase Student Term-To-Term Progression, Persistence Toward Credited Classes And Social Capital For First-Generation College Students Placing Into Developmental Education: A Mixed Methods Study, Christie M. Plinski

Dissertations and Theses

Often considered the gateway to the middle class in the United States, community colleges are struggling to find ways to support all students in career planning and preparation. Unfortunately, increasing numbers of first generation students who enter community colleges through the door of open access, place into developmental education (remedial) courses and must satisfactorily complete this often-rigid sequence before beginning college level classes. For many first-generation, under-prepared, underresourced students, this is a frustrating and often insurmountable barrier, causing many students to abort their postsecondary training.

Creating intentional conditions and instructional strategies that support student learning is essential in increasing the …

Prospective First-Generation College Racial Minority Students: Mediating Factors That Facilitate Positive Educational Characteristics For College Admission, Lisa Michiko Parkinson

Theses and Dissertations

First-generation college (FGC) students represent a small portion of the population of students on college campuses across the nation. Racial minority students are also highly underrepresented at four-year institutions. When one combines FGC students who are also racial minorities, they comprise an even smaller subgroup of students attending four-year college campuses. Research conducted to evaluate how FGC students perform their first year in college is prevalent. Additionally, research has been completed on factors that help predict a high school student's admission into and performance in college. However, very little research exists about factors identified in high school that may help …

Nuestras Experiencias: A Phenomenological Study Of Latina First Generation Higher Education Graduates, Diana Elizabeth Cruz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A review of the literature indicates that Latinos lag behind White and

African American students in higher education degree attainment. This educational gap is of concern because Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States, and the Latino population is expected to increase in the future. Higher education degree attainment for Latinos is vital because statistics show an undeniable relationship between degree attainment and income level. In order to ensure the economic well being of Latinos, it is important that Latinos persist through university degree programs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of …

First-Generation Student Success After Academic Warning: An Exploratory Analysis Of Academic Integration, Personal Adjustment, Family And Social Adjustment And Psychological Factors, Gabrielle Shoshana Zeisman

Dissertations and Theses

As many as a quarter of undergraduate college students are placed on academic probation at least once during their college career. In addition, first-generation college students are even more at-risk for stopping out or dropping out due to being less academically prepared than their non-first-generation peers. In order to examine factors that influence first generation student academic risk and success, this exploratory study examined the intersection of academic standing and four primary conceptual contributors: academic integration, personal adjustment, family and social adjustment, and psychological factors. Survey data were collected from first generation undergraduate students at an urban research university who …