Education Commons^™

Experiences Of Low-Income Student-Parents At A Community College During The Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, Marlena Yvonne Jarboe

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Twenty-two percent of United States undergraduate students are parents (Cruse, et al., 2020). Referred to as student-parents, they are most likely to have low-incomes and attend community colleges (Cruse, et al., 2019; Gault et al., 2014). They tend to reduce their course loads and drop out of college due to work-life balance challenges even though they typically have better grade point averages than their non-parent peers (Cruse et al., 2019; Manze, et al., 2021; Peterson, 2016).

The problem to be addressed was how community college instructors, leaders, and legislators can support low-income student-parents’ persistence toward a postsecondary credential. There is …

Undergraduate Classroom Incivility From The Faculty Perspective, Erin M. Bunton

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Classroom disruption, more recently referred to as civility, changes the in-person classroom experience. This study investigated the impact of gender, race, age, and teaching experience on faculty perceptions of classroom incivility.

Faculty at a large, public institution in the Southeastern United States participated in the research for this study. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to understand the relationship between the demographic variables of the participants and their perception of classroom incivility.

Study findings yielded significant results, with positive relationships between the demographic variables and perception of classroom incivility. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

Faculty Member Experiences When Identifying And Addressing Prohibited Speech In The Classroom, Scott Jeffrey Bye

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe faculty member experiences related to identifying and addressing prohibited speech in the classroom. The researcher studied faculty members at University of North Carolina (UNC) system institutions using a multiple case study research approach based on the constructivist paradigm. For the purposes of this study, prohibited speech was defined as behaviors that fall into any category deemed not protected or prohibited in case law by the Supreme Court of the United States. These prohibited behaviors included Harassment, Obscenity, Defamation/Libel, Incitement, and True Threats.

Researchers found that faculty members are unable to determine if …

Narratives From Appalachia: The Current Stories Of Lgbtq Community College Students, Todd A. Cimino-Johnson

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

LGBTQ students are ubiquitous on community college campuses across the United States. The exact number of LGBTQ students is unknown and often their needs are ignored. LGBTQ students face harassment and discrimination at higher rates than other minority groups. This study was conducted to gather the current narratives of LGBTQ students attending community colleges in the Appalachian Region. This study aimed to determine what LGBTQ students are experiencing on community college campuses across Appalachia. Fifteen students took part in a one-on-one semi-structured interview for this qualitative study. All students were currently enrolled in a program of study when the interviews …

The Puente Project: Bridging The Achievement Gap For Latinx Students, Nelly Fabiola Brashear

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

For Latinx students, attaining a higher education is one the most important achievements they can pursue. According to Gándara and Moredechay (2017), Latinx students encounter many socio-economic struggles such as a lack of familial support and limited educational resources. In fact, many Latinx students come from low-income households, which further widens the minority education gap.

The Puente Project program aims to increase the number of Latinx student transfers from community colleges to four-year institutions thereby increasing the number of bachelor’s degrees earned by this underserved population of students. However, this program is not without its limitations. Surprisingly, the results of …

The Role Of Community College Faculty In Encouraging Student Enrollment Following Dual Enrollment Participation, Kathryn Page Moore

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Dual enrollment participation promotes college attendance following high school, and college administrators view the program as a valuable student recruitment opportunity. Yet, less than one-third of participants choose to matriculate with the host institution, especially at a community college. The literature contains minimal information regarding how dual enrollment participation serves as a context in college choice.

Using Perna’s college choice model, this qualitative study explored how dual enrollment participation shaped students’ choice to attend the host institution the semester after high school graduation. Through semi-structured interviews, field notes, and a document review, I answered the following question: How does participation …

A Narrative Inquiry Of Long-Term Learning Outcomes Of Community College Education Abroad, Heidi Fischer

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Since 2007-08, the number of community colleges who reported sending students abroad has tripled. Community college students represent diverse demographic backgrounds, socio-economic statuses, and life experiences that are often underrepresented in higher education and education abroad (EA). The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to explore the long-term learning outcomes gained by 27 community college alumni who studied abroad between Fall 2015 and Fall 2019. Data collection consisted of two rounds of in-depth, individual semi-structured interviews as well as a pre-interview survey. Participants had graduated within the past five years and participated in both short-term, faculty-led and mid-length, faculty-in-residence programs …

Promise, Potential, Opportunity: Successful Hbcu Presidential Fundraising Strategies, Felicia D. Blow

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

With roots going back to the early 1830s and up to today, African-Americans continue to choose Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) for their post-secondary education needs. To understand the fundraising strategies utilized at HBCUs, this dissertation examines the efforts of a targeted group of HBCU presidents who have excelled in the philanthropic enterprise of fundraising for their institutions, achieving success in ways their fellow presidential peers have not. Due to a multitude of issues, HBCUs have historically been underfunded, and many are facing challenges from a resource development perspective. Because of this chronic issue, the area of fundraising strategies …

A Comparison Of Impostor Phenomenon In Community College And Public University Students, Shanda Jenkins

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Impostor Phenomenon (IP) is a feeling of illegitimacy or fraudulence despite evidence to the contrary. Most people experience feelings of impostorism in their lifetime, and it has been associated with several outcomes in the literature. Although there is some evidence higher education may facilitate feelings of IP, community college students have been largely excluded from the literature.

The current study expanded the research by examining the prevalence of IP in community college (CC) students and analyzing differences based on demographic variables: gender, under-represented minority (URM) status, first-generation status, Pell Grant eligibility, and disability. Comparisons were made between CC students and …

Institutional Context Drives Mobility: A Comprehensive Analysis Of How Academic And Economic Factors Relate To International Student Enrollment At United States Higher Education Institutions, Natalie Irby Cruz

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

International student enrollment (ISE) has become a hallmark of world-class higher education institutions (HEIs), particularly as global student mobility has grown exponentially worldwide in the last several decades. Although the United States (U.S.) has welcomed the largest numbers of international students since the 1950s, ISE shrunk by 10% in the previous three years from an all-time high of 903,127 students in 2016/2017 (IIE, 2019). A synthesis of research studies about international student mobility and enrollment highlights the significant role that academic and economic rationales play for international students who choose the United States. This quantitative, ex post facto study focused …

The Use Of Counter Narratives As A Prevention And Countering Violent Extremism (P/Cve) Communications-Based Measure: A Study Of Muslim-American Undergraduate Students In Universities And Colleges In California, Mohamed Ahmed

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to contribute to efforts on countering violent extremism and radicalization. This research study measured attitudes towards violent extremist groups and the appeal of violent extremist ideologies among Muslim-American undergraduate students in universities and colleges in California. The target sample group for the study was drawn from Muslim-American undergraduate students from a university and community college within the state. The sample constituted 20 participants, comprised of four focus groups with 5 student respondents each. The researcher used the nomination process to identify participants from the target population. As part of the study’s methodology, a counter-narrative …

Leading Hispanic Serving Community Colleges: Latinx Faculty Perceptions About The Aacc Competencies, Sanjuanita Chavira Scott

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Latinx students are likely to enter postsecondary education at a community college. This phenomenon has led to the increase in community colleges being designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions. The designation of Hispanic Serving is not driven by mission, but rather by number of enrolled students who identify as Latinx. This preliminary descriptive study examined the perceptions of faculty at four Hispanic Serving community colleges in Texas regarding their proficiency on leadership competencies for faculty, whether there were differences in the perceptions of Latinx and non-Latinx faculty members, and whether certain leadership competencies influence faculty members’ decisions to pursue leadership opportunities. …

Exploring The Role(S) Of Community Colleges In Addressing Wicked Problems Through Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: An Entrepreneurial Approach To Sustainability, Samantha Bryant Steidle

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

For years, scientists, policymakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs have warned of social, environmental, and economic risks throughout society. Although researchers have explored the role of baccalaureate-granting institutions in addressing wicked problems of sustainability through multi-stakeholder initiatives, the role of community colleges in addressing wicked problems of sustainability through multi-stakeholder initiatives was largely unknown. Additionally, a research gap existed regarding how the mission of community colleges is aligned with addressing wicked problems of sustainability, such as poverty, inequality, hunger, homelessness, and climate change.

This qualitative case study aimed to answer two research questions: (1) How do leaders of multi-stakeholder initiatives describe …