Education Commons^™

Telling Our Stories: Exploring The Path Toward Successful Mathematics Degree Attainment At An Under-Resourced Predominantly Black Institution, Lauren E. Mckittrick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The under-representation of Blacks in mathematics related professions stems from an American educational system of inequity. Many Black students, including a substantial proportion of those who enroll at Predominantly Black Institutions, attend elementary and secondary schools in under-resourced districts with limited access to quality teachers and rigorous, culturally-relevant instruction that would adequately prepare them for college attainment in mathematics.

The primary research question guiding this study was: What are the challenges and opportunities associated with building and sustaining a successful mathematics degree program at an under-resourced Predominantly Black Institution? Concurrently, this interpretive case study examined and documented the experiences of …

Surviving And Thriving: The First-Year Transition Experiences Of Chinese Undergraduate Students In The United States, Kerrie Anne Montgomery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The number of international students pursuing degrees at U.S. institutions at the undergraduate level surpassed those at the graduate level for the first time in 2013. Additionally, the majority of international students coming to the U.S. are from China. This phenomenological study used a conceptual framework of Schlossberg's Transition Model (1995) and the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments Model (Museus, 2014) to analyze the experiences of Chinese undergraduate students in their first year of college in the United States. Three transition types were identified - academic, social/personal, and linguistic - and the students' preparation, sources of institutional support, and coping strategies …