Education Commons^™

First-Generation College Student Baccalaureate Attainment: Investigation Of A Psychological Model Of College Student Retention, Timothy Wasserman

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation examined predictors of retention and graduation for first-generation (FG), first-year students at a selective, private, residential university in the northeastern United States. The theoretical framework was Bean and Eaton's (2000, 2001/2002) Psychological Model of College Student Retention. The purpose of the study was to test the Bean and Eaton model and ascertain how students' entry characteristics, experiences, psychological outcomes, attitudes, and intent to return impacted retention and graduation outcomes. Previous research shows that FG students face challenges in persisting (Cataldi et al., 2018; Choy, 2001; Ishitani, 2016); yet it is through graduating from a prestigious four-year institution that …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Emergency Grant Persistence Rates, Rachel Sherlock

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

I conducted a correlational quantitative study to determine whether an emergency grant program at a four-year public institution is correlated with increased student persistence, and if students’ socioeconomic status and race are correlated with their likelihood to persist after receiving an emergency grant. I studied how students’ demographics influenced persistence rates based on race, socioeconomic status, gender, first-generation status, age and grade level. I found that Black or African students, students 24 years and older, and first-year students had significantly lower persistence rates than other categories of students after receiving the emergency grant. In comparison, white students, students 23 years …

Retention Rates And Pre-Matriculation Variables Of First-Time, Full-Time Students At Three, Small, Private, Liberal Arts Universities In Georgia, Bonnie Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this non-experimental, correlational, quantitative study was to provide an

in-depth understanding of the relationship between pre-matriculation variables on retention of first-year, full-time students from fall-to-fall semesters at three small, private, liberal arts institutions in the Southeast United States. The findings will help to determine the significance of the relationships between retention and pre-matriculation variables on first-year, full-time students who entered each institutions the fall 2017 and fall 2018 semesters.

Archival data at the participating institutions were used to test the significance of the relationships between retention rates and pre-matriculation variables (standardized test scores, high school GPAs, gender, …

First-Year Seminar And Its Impact On Retention At A Small Liberal Arts College In South Carolina, Michael A. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

First-Year Seminar (FYS) courses have been the foundational building blocks for academic and nonacademic success for first-year college freshman since the late 1970s. With the focus on improving retention and persistence, FYS courses have been viewed as the resource that connects freshmen to the faculty, staff, student, and campus environment. Therefore, it is vital to see the impact that it has had on students and how it can further develop persistence through graduation. The researcher conducted this basic qualitative study to look for emerging themes of sophomore experience in the FYS courses and how that impacted their persistence and retention …

Non-Cognitive Skills And Student Perception Of Importance, Laura Adriano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to look at student perception of non-cognitive skills and if they put an importance on those skills as they relate to academic achievement. Surveys were distributed to students at a midsized university located in the northeast, who had earned senior status by earning 90+ credits. Additionally, interviews were also conducted to take a more in-depth look at themes discovered in the survey. Findings show that students recognize the importance of non-cognitive skills, also referred to as soft skills. They felt that acquisition of those skills was critical to their academic success, while there were …

The H.E.R.O. Within: An Examination Of Psychological Capital And Intent To Graduate Among Doctoral Students, Tiffany Stange

Theses & Dissertations

Understanding the factors contributing to a student’s ability to persist toward graduation is paramount to the success of an institution’s doctoral program. This study explored specific psychological factors (psychological capital) as they relate to persistence factors for doctoral students. Additionally, this study expands upon the research and literature on psychological capital using an established instrument, Compound Psychological Capital scale (CPC-12), in a new context. Finally, this study expands the research and literature on doctoral student persistence by applying the College Persistence Questionnaire (CPQ), designed for undergraduate students, to the doctoral student population. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was used to …

The Impact Of The Online Learner Advising Model On Retention And Grade Point Average, Julie Delich

Doctorate in Education

As more students experience online learning environments, the academic community must invest more energy into improving retention of these learners. The purpose of this research was to study the impact of an advising model designed to support online learners, the Online learner advising model (OLAM). This study examined new student retention in the first 3 terms and GPA outcomes to measure the impact of the advising approach. OLAM was designed to address the specific needs of online learners through bringing together elements of proactive advising, shame resilience theory, and appreciative advising.

The sample was selected from Concordia University, St. Paul …

Understanding First-Generation Latinx Students' Experiences In A Predominantly White Private Institution: A Grounded Theory Study, Jacqueline Aparicio

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Latinx student enrollment in higher education institutions has increased over the years. Despite their increased number of enrollments, there is also an increase of Latinx first-generation students dropping out of higher education. Not only are they not earning a degree, but they are leaving these institutions with debt. This is a concern because students dropping out affects the institution's overall graduation rates. This qualitative study examined factors that contributed to ten first-generation Latinx students’ persistence and success at a predominantly White, private institution. The study used grounded theory methodology and methods to develop an initial exploratory theory. The dissertation study …

What Matters Most For Successful Student Persistence: Student Perceptions About The Influence Of Their Participation In An Educational Opportunity Fund Program, Brett Pulliam

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

First-generation and low-income students more often find pursuing and completing a college degree challenging, compared to their second-generation peers who come from higher income households. However, in order to mitigate the challenges faced by this marginalized group of students, opportunity programs, such as New Jersey’s Educational Opportunity Fund Program (EOF), have been developed to provide these students with resources to assist them in not only gaining access to a post-secondary education but also to provide services to assist in their path towards degree completion. This program is a critical resource in providing orientation as well as needed skills for post-secondary …

A Barrier Or Conduit? Analyzing The Perception Of Support Services In Higher Education On The Academic Persistence Of Black Male Students, Laquan Dyce

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study aimed to illuminate the perceptions of whether higher education support services function as a barrier or conduit to Black male undergraduate students’ academic persistence. The relationship between 13 Black male undergraduate students and their higher education institutions were examined. The researcher proposed a model of qualitative exploratory methodology. This study was motivated by three research questions: (1) What resources are instrumental in helping Black males persist academically? (2) How do Black male students navigate and make sense of institutional support for their academic persistence? and (3) In what ways do Black male students perceive the quality of the …

Persistence And Retention Strategies Implemented At Hbcus That Support Successful Degree Attainment Of African American Men, Fetera D. Henry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While minority students are enrolling in college at record numbers, their completion rate is significantly lower than their Caucasian peers. This gap is particularly evident among African American men. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe persistence and retention strategies implemented by HBCUs which support successful degree attainment of African American men. Framed by Tinto’s model of institutional departure, a descriptive instrumental case study design utilized data from semistructured online interviews and voluntarily submitted artifacts to explore the academic and social experiences of nine African American men who successfully completed a degree from an HBCU within the …

Exploring The Lived Experience Of Kumeyaay College Graduates, Ricardo Rafael Ramos

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience during participation in higher education of Kumeyaay Indian Nation college graduates. Specifically, the study investigated the factors graduates perceived to contribute to their persistence and attainment of a baccalaureate degree within six years of enrollment at a four-year institution of higher education. Participants included twelve participants who self-identified as members of the Kumeyaay Indian Nation who had earned at least a baccalaureate degree from a four-year institution of higher education within six years of enrollment. MaxQDA was used to organize, code, and synthesize interview transcripts to develop themes pertaining …

Women In Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics (Stem): Pre-College And College Factors Of Success, Jada Russell

Doctoral Dissertations

Scholars have reported that the competitiveness and innovation of the United States’ workforce in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics [STEM] fields are critical to maintaining our nation’s security and economic edge (Chen, 2009; Carlone & Johnson, 2007; Espinosa, 2011). Indeed, STEM is one of the fastest growing fields in the employment industry, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce (Langdon, et. al, 2011), and between 2008 and 2018, the number of STEM jobs is expected to increase 17%. Fostering learning pathways for all individuals interested in pursuing careers and education in STEM disciplines is necessary for us to meet the …

The Experiences Of First-Generation Master's Students, Dominique A. Pierson

Theses and Dissertations

First-generation college students are a heavily researched student population who are represented as being first in their family to go to college and graduate. Scholars suggest there are many barriers impacting their college accessibility, affordability, retention, and overall success, therefore, have called for specific services and interventions of support within higher education to help first-generation students persist. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of first-generation students who do persist and pursue advanced educational aspirations. Specifically, first-generation master's students are the subject of this phenomenological study designed to explore the experiences of eight students through one-on-one interviews. …

The Impact Of Learning Communities On First-Generation Minority Student Persistence At Rowan University, Briana Vogel Collins

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to analyze Rowan University's Flying First and ASCEND learning communities in regard to first-generation minority student persistence. The study took place at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ in the spring 2020 semester. The purpose for this qualitative study is to explore the impact that the Flying First and ASCEND/RISE learning communities have on first-generation minority student persistence using an outcomes assessment. Researchers have conducted a plethora of research on learning communities, marginalized first-generation students, and persistence/retention rates. However, there has been little research done on the topic of all three themes and how they …

Swirling To Graduation: Student Reflections On Their Educational Journey, Steven A. Hirsch

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

Many students who wish to receive a post-secondary undergraduate degree do not take a linear path. Instead, they opt for a multiple educational institution pathway (swirling) to accomplish an undergraduate degree. Unfortunately, swirling has its complexities and challenges, and many students will drop out of college and not return to obtain a degree. While there is research on this growing population, there is little specifically from the viewpoint of the student, thus lacking the complete story from the swirling students themselves. This study adds to the literature on swirling students and to understanding the cognitive, social, and institutional challenges and …

The Role Of Parental And Family Involvement In The Persistence Of Freshman First-Generation College Students, Ray O. Grant

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The number of first-generation college students has increased steadily over the years. These students faced many barriers to their academic success as they transitioned to college including limited support from family members. This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological approach to understand what role, if any, the support of parents and family helped first-generation students to persist in their academics during the first year of college. Six sophomore first-generation college students from a private Catholic institution in an urban setting in the Midwest were interviewed for the study along with six of their family members. The sophomore first-generation students reflected on …

Community College Student Success: Connections To Student Perceptions Of Faculty Behaviors, And Classroom Motivators, Victor A. Henry Ubiera

Dissertations

This study explored how community college students perceive certain faculty behaviors, its relationship with students’ classroom motivators and how the perception of those behaviors and motivators predicts students’ persistence and academic success. The statistics about the low rates of completion in higher education institutions is an issue that researchers and educational organizations are concerned about (Apolinar, 2013; Kolodner, 2015). Addressing this issue, a body of inquiring is focusing on the student-faculty relationship (Kezar & Maxey, 2014) revealing that faculty behaviors and student motivation are related to several students’ outcomes (Lancaster & Lundberg, 2019; Wilson & Ryan, 2013). However, less is …

First-Year Computer Science Students: Pathways And Perceptions In Introductory Computer Science Courses, Christina A. Leblanc

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined student perceptions and experiences of an introductory Computer Science course at the University of Maine; COS 125: Introduction to Problem Solving Using Computer Programs. It also explored the pathways that students pursue after taking COS 125, depending on their success in the course, and their motivation to persist. Through characterizing student populations and their performance in their first semester in the Computer Science program, they can be placed into one of three categories that explain their path; a “continuer” (passed COS 125 and decided to stay in the major), a “persister” (did not pass COS 125 and …

Understanding Latina Undergraduate Engineering Student Persistence, Yarissa I. Ortiz-Vidal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In summary, this study focused on understanding the persistence of 20 Latina undergraduate engineering students enrolled at two public four-year Hispanic Serving Institutions. Key findings in this study showed that in order to contribute to their own persistence in engineering majors these Latina students activated their community cultural wealth: (a) not only to resist different forms of oppression, but also to thrive and excel in academic settings, (b) to take control of difficult and challenging experiences, (c) to take/receive knowledge from others, but also to give/share their knowledge (cyclical tendencies of CCW), (d) as well as revealing that helping others …

Cultural Wealth And The Racialized Experiences Of Persisting Latinx Business Students In A Predominantly White Institution: A Study On Sense Of Belonging, Rebecca Sue Sanchez

Dissertations and Theses

The changing landscape of higher education calls for a shift in approach to ensure that all students are given not just the opportunity but also the environment in which to succeed. In order to facilitate the growing demand for a diverse workforce, universities must work to retain students and support them sufficiently as they move toward graduation. Student persistence rates from year one to year two show markedly different rates based on race and ethnicity with the lowest persistence rates associated with Latinx and Black students. National projections of college attendance by race and ethnicity predict that Latinx students will …

Factors Influencing Hmong College Students’ Persistence And Retention In Laos: A Case Study, Kou Xiong

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Student persistence and retention in higher education is a phenomenon that has been studied for years, yielding many theories and frameworks. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors influencing the persistence and retention of Hmong college students in Laos. This study adopted a qualitative method with a single-case study design to explore the experiences of 10 Hmong students who were attending a university in the Lao’s People Democratic Republic (LPDR). Data for the study were collected via individual interviews and reflection journals. The findings of the study showed that there were seven emergent themes that influenced Hmong …

The Relationship Between Academic Advising And Student Motivation On The Persistence Of Freshman Exploratory Studies Students, Marlene N. Fares

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Academic advising is associated with increased student retention and academic success. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate a relationship with the student-advisor relationship and locus of control as an essential variable to understand Exploratory Studies students’ success. This study investigated the influence of the advising relationship with Exploratory Studies students and their locus of control as it impacts their overall retention and persistence. Based on Kutztown University (KU) institutional data sources, over 9 percent of freshmen Exploratory Studies students fail at least one course in their first semester at KU. In addition to satisfaction with advising and …

Cultural Capital, Habitus, College Persistence And Graduation Among Black Immigrant-Origin Undergraduates: A Basic Interpretive Qualitative Study, Erica M. Richards Chew

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Black immigrant-origin students are a significant sub-population of the total Black college student population, and they are persisting and graduating more frequently than Black U.S.-origin students. This study explored cultural capital and habitus and how they shaped the college persistence and graduation of Black immigrant-origin undergraduates and alumni from four-year postsecondary institutions. A basic interpretive qualitative design, guided by cultural capital theory, was used to explore thirteen Black-immigrant-origin students’ and graduates’ perspectives in-depth; and to describe their subjective meanings, actions, and social contexts from their point of view. Participants grew up with a habitus of achievement that came from the …

A Study On The Influence Of Social And Academic Integration On Student Retention Through The Lens Of Academic Discipline, Kyle Demitri Warren

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between student retention and social and academic engagement and how it varies by academic discipline. Research indicates that students may have varied experiences within higher education based on their academic discipline. Such varied experiences may be due to integration factors related to their social and academic experience. How these differences lead to varied retention outcomes and the degree to which that is the case is an area of inquiry that is minimally explored throughout the retention literature. As such, this study explored the disciplinary differences in college student retention along …

The Perceived Factors That Influenced African American Male Students’ Persistence At A Southeastern Community College, Phygenia Flowers Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This basic qualitative study examined the perceived factors that influenced African American male students’ persistence to acquire community college completion in the U.S. Southeast. It investigated the academic, cocurricular, and environmental intrinsic and extrinsic support systems of African American community college students who were successfully persisting toward degree obtainment. While the work highlights the challenges of these students as outlined in the published literature to frame their concerns, the study drew on Harper’s (2015) invitation to consider shifting the emphasis from Black male disadvantage to strategies that create an advantage using an antideficit framework. Harper’s (2010, 2012) antideficit achievement framework …

Exploring How Community College Transfer Students Experience Connection In A Commuter University, Christa Michelle Zinke

Dissertations and Theses

Over the last 40 years, the expansion of the U.S. community college system resulted in a growing number of students choosing to begin their undergraduate education at a two-year institution and then transfer to a four-year institution. However, many students struggle to establish connection after transferring, especially if they transfer into a commuter university. For many college students, feelings of engagement and connection influence their persistence decisions. Using Tinto's (1975; 1993) and Astin's (1984) theories of student persistence as a framework, the purpose of this in-depth interview study is to explore how commuter community college students who transfer to Portland …

Experiences Of Southeast Asians At A Community College In The Midwest, Emmanuel Canlas Esperanza Jr.

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explored what contributed to Southeast Asian students’ persistence in an urban community college in the Midwest. A qualitative case study was used to reveal how Southeast Asian students perceived personal and educational experiences and how those experiences created an impact on their persistence. This project addressed the lack of research on Southeast Asians and their challenges attaining academic success in higher education. This study is critical, as there is a lack of research on Southeast Asian students’ experiences within higher education institutions, particularly within community college settings. The majority of research has focused on Asian American or international …

College, At What Cost? African American/Black Women Undergraduate Students’ Perception Of Institutional Policy Levers, Tamara D. White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is exploring how institutional policy levers impact retention for African American/Black women undergraduate students at a private four-year predominantly white institution in a mid-western state of the United States. Retention of African American/Black women undergraduate students is not a widely researched area. In this exploratory case study, eight African American/Black undergraduate junior and senior women, ten administrators and one focus group of six African American/Black women were interviewed. Artifacts were collected from the administrators. The data collected was analyzed using the culturally engaging campus environment model. The experiences of the African American/Black undergraduate women were examined in academic …

Persistence Of African American Students At Predominately White Institutions, Candace Thompson

Masters Theses

Using qualitative methodology, the persistence of African American students at predominately White institutions was analyzed. This was conducted through semi-structured interviews by six participants which evaluated African American students’ overall persistence. Participants expressed what determined their selections of institutions as well as what institutional and personal factors negatively and positively affected their matriculation throughout the institution. In addition, the study provided recommendations to student affairs professionals to better serve this population.