Education Commons^™

Genius: Scie-Nce Access For Unde-Represente-D University Parties, Kaitlin Palmer

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The School of Natural Sciences (SNS) houses the biology, marine science, and environmental science, technology, and policy majors which have low retention rates. The Science Student Success (S3) Program was created as a toolbox for first-generation and low socioeconomic college students to receive support and access to the resources they need to help them succeed. Three S3 Program students were interviewed to obtain their viewpoints on what should be done to improve the success and retention of first-generation and low-income SNS students. From an analysis of the students’ interviews and the scholarly literature, three factors emerged as important to increase …

First-Generation Latinas’ Perspectives Of College Involvement: A Phenomenological Study, Melissa E. Aponte

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this study was to understand how first-generation Latinas define college involvement and how they feel this involvement contributed to their successful graduation from a community college. Because more Latinas are successfully completing college than their male counterparts (Latinos), this study sought to better understand the validating and student involvement factors that allow Latinas, who are also first-generation college students, to graduate from college. Community colleges are the primary entry into higher education for this student group; therefore, the study sought to explore college involvement at this type of institution. This study utilized a phenomenological approach to describe …

Two Roads Diverged: Understanding The Decision-Making Process And Experiences Of First-Generation And Low-Income Students Who Chose Different Paths In Pursuit Of A Baccalaureate Degree, John A. Drew

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Despite gains in expanding the student pipeline to postsecondary education, first-generation and low-income (FGLI) students complete college at disproportionately lower rates and have limited access to the resources necessary to make informed decisions about higher education. Research has shown that FGLI students are less likely to apply to college after completing high school, and when they do, they often enroll in institutions that are less selective than they were academically qualified to attend. Moreover, although access to higher education has expanded, the increased concentration of students at community colleges has not led to increases in earned credentials.

This study used …

From Providing Access To Promoting Success: Transforming A Community College System’S Advising Services, Staci L. Grasky

All Theses And Dissertations

The economy of the early twenty-first century endured the Great Recession, demanded an increasingly skilled workforce, and saw technological advancements that enabled new levels of scrutiny and accountability. Within this environment, institutions of higher education felt the impacts of recession and recovery, changing workforce demands, and heightened scrutiny. For community colleges, student demographics shifted and challenges grew as they admitted high numbers of students who faced obstacles to attaining their academic goals, such as a lack of preparation for college level work, low socioeconomic status, unclear goals, and first-generation status. With little ability to control these factors and mounting pressure …

A Basic Qualitative Research Study: How Marginalized Students’ Ability To Succeed Is Impacted During Freshman And Sophomore Years In College, Ronald Gordon

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The transition between high school and college is inconsistent and uncertain. Many marginalized students do not understand how to seek out assistance without guidance and mentorship. Although the number of marginalized college students enrolled in 4-year colleges in the United States is growing, many marginalized college students struggle to find and maintain a sense of stability during their first 2 years of college. The problem is marginalized students do not utilize the assistance offered to them or they do not know how to ask for help. The purpose of this basic qualitative research study is to explore what impacts marginalized …

First Generation College Parents: Bridging The Gap Between The American Higher Education System And Latino Families, Georgina Pérez

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

This paper explores the gap that exists between the American higher education system and the families of Latino first-generation college students. Research conducted for this paper details the many barriers immigrant Latino families encounter when navigating the American education system, as well as how parent involvement is key to student success no matter where the student is in their educational career. Furthermore, this paper offers a possible solution to closing that gap by implementing a program that would mentor and support the parents of first-generation college students through the transition from high school and up until students graduate from college. …

What Career Development Practitioners Share With First-Generation College Students: A Grounded Theory Study Of Self-Disclosure In Career Counseling, Pamela Eve Cohen

Theses and Dissertations

Financial security is cited among reasons why first-generation college students pursue higher education (Bradbury & Mather, 2009; Brooks-Terry, 1988; Shelton, 2011; Walpole, 2003), but the emphasis on perceived value of a bachelor's degree fails to account for the importance of career planning (NACE, 2014; Parks-Yancy, 2012). The purpose of this qualitative, grounded theory study was to examine how career counselors use their personal experience to support first-generation college student. The study was inspired by Knox and Hill's (2003) therapist self-disclosure types and their use in the counselor/client discourse. The findings suggest that first-generation college students benefit from hearing their career …

Investigations Of The Impostor Phenomenon Among Female First-Generation College Students And A Research University, Martina A. Martin

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated whether first-generation female students experience the Impostor Phenomenon, and the extent these students suffer from the phenomenon. A convenience sample was used to draw from a targeted group of 205 first-generation college students. The method of data collection was a self-reporting survey, the Survey of First-Generation College Students, which consisted of a demographic survey and the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS). Descriptive statistics found 90% of students in this study experienced impostor feelings. Of those experiencing IP, 31.7% experienced moderate feelings, 45% experienced frequent feelings, and 13.3% of participants reported intense feelings. Fear and hesitation of potential …