Education Commons^™

A Framework For A Peer Mentorship Program To Promote Student-Athlete Success At Grand Rapids Community College, Brianna D. Greenough

Culminating Experience Projects

Research has shown community college student-athletes have a complex transition to their first year of college and there are many resources and programming available to support them. Navigating and learning how to adjust when entering college can be confusing and overwhelming, but the transition can be made easier with the help of an older student-athlete as a mentor. This unique population of students has differing needs from the general student population and requires some extra guidance to maintain their responsibilities. This project analyzed community college student-athletes’ needs, supportive resources, and peer mentoring programs. The desired subsequent outcome of this project …

Authentic Narratives Of Successful Pathways To Undergraduate Completion For Black Men, Tara M. Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative narrative study examined the authentic lived experiences of eight Black male participants who successfully completed their college undergraduate degree at a private college in the southeast United States. The participants were recruited via LinkedIn, a professional social media, networking site. It explored family, K-12, co-curricular, and community factors that contributed to the academic success of the participants throughout their educational journey. This study drew upon Harper’s (2012) antideficit theory framing the study from the lens of the positive aspects of their academic experiences rather than focusing on the negative aspects of Black men that graduate college at the …

Narrative-Driven Educational Practice: Guiding Principles For Academic Success Of Black And Latinx Male Collegians, Christopher T. James

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

On the heels of America grappling with various racial and ethnic inequities, this dissertation explored the experiences of Black and Latinx males who graduated with bachelor’s degrees from 4-year institutions. Participants navigated through different environments, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities [HBCUs], Hispanic Serving Institutions [HSI], and Predominately White Institutions [PWIs]. The study inquired about topics concerning their unique experiences and how they informed their collegiate academic success. Narrative Inquiry was the basis for 20 qualitative interviews (10 Black and 10 Latinx; interviewed for 60–90 minutes). Participants identified as U.S. citizens and graduated with a cumulative grade point average [GPA] …

Academic Success, Erin Mahar

COR 101 Slides

It is always important to strive for success in life, but we need to know how to use our resources to succeed. Most students struggle with studying habits. Studying is essential for academic success. Communication with professors is a new form of formal communication that many people are nervous about when starting college.

The Effectiveness Of The Educational Opportunity Fund Program On Collegiate Success, Ka'lynn Ruth

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to examine the characteristics of the EOF program participants at Rowan University to determine if services currently being offered are sufficient given the students' backgrounds. Different characteristics can be indicative of different needs. Being able to determine who the Rowan University EOF students are will be beneficial in evaluating services and determining implications for future practice. The study took place at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ in the spring 2022 semester. Although the sample size in this study is small and findings may be limited, data suggests that EOF students are using very few of …

Wellbeing @ Work: The Holistic Development Of On-Campus Student Employees, Matthew Mciver

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

In this action research project, I sought to learn how on-campus student employment affects students’ academic success, their leadership development, and their mental health. This project worked with current student employees in the Campus Recreation department at the University of San Diego (USD) to learn both how day-to-day responsibilities and commitments affect a students’ ability to succeed academically, and how it relates to their mental health. The project also sought to help depict whether the department’s student development system successfully or unsuccessfully develops students’ transferable and leadership skills. Participants completed a survey and participated in a one-on-one interview to share …

Students' Experiences With Academic Advising And Their Perceived Academic Success, Antonia Marie Hannon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand undergraduate students' experiences with academic advising and how it may have impacted their academic success. A survey was distributed to undergraduate students enrolled at Rowan University in the Spring 2022 semester. This survey consisted of questions regarding students' experiences with academic advising and their academic advisors, how it impacted them, and their perceptions of their academic success as it relates to their advising experiences. The findings of this study suggest that most students who receive academic advising from Rowan University have effective and positive experiences, find themselves to be academically successful by …

The Use Of Dining Data To Increase Retention And Academic Success In Residential First-Year Students, Hailey A. Manicone

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

Higher education leaders have been conducting research over the last 50 years to pinpoint why students enroll in college and then end up leaving. Research shows that there is not a single factor that influences a student’s decision, but it is a variety of factors. Influential factors include class attendance, a sense of belonging, motivation, academic rigor and performance, finances, and more. A student’s physical wellness and mental state can also impact their academic success and life while in college. First-year students often experience depression, anxiety, and loneliness as they try to successfully transition to college. Most of these influential …

The Impact Of Participation In Co-Curricular Activities On Academic Performance And Retention Utilizing Data Collected For The Co-Curricular Transcript, Harry Mars

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact that participation in co-curricular activities has on the academic performance and retention of students at an urban community college. This study utilized archived data to make quantitative analyses of the impact of participation in co-curricular activities on GPA scores and one-semester retention. The study included all of the students at Metro Community College who participated in one of the following activities during the 2018-2019 academic year: club member, club leader, leadership training, and mentee by a peer. Multiple regression was run to test the impact of participation in these activities …

Information Literacy Data Group 1 And 2, Taralyn Mcmullan, Clista Clanton, Jo Ann Otts, Wilma Powell Stuart, Angela Rand

University Research Data and Datasets

Objective: This exploratory study examined perceived self-efficacy in information literacy skills in nursing students and discusses how collaborative relationships between nursing faculty and librarians can strengthen curricular efforts to support information literacy.

Methods: Using the Information Competency Assessment Instrument, a survey research design was used to determine student perceptions of their information literacy skills. Participants included nursing Baccalaureate, Master's and Doctoral students in each of these programs.

Results: The Information Competency Assessment Instrument identified low self-efficacy in the following categories: using an index, determining information needed for assignments, use of governmental documents, media sources, producers of information and citing sources. …

Social And Emotional Learning Difficulties Of Refugee High School Students In An After-School Tutoring Program, Xiaofei Xu, Xibei Zhu, George Zhou

Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students in Open or Online Learning Environments: A Research Symposium

School-aged children constitute a significant portion of the large number of refugees who have resettled in Canada in recent years. Due to the lack of cross-cultural competencies, a social justice focus, and transformative leadership skills, Canadian schools are often challenged to effectively address refugee students’ socio-psychological problems. Moreover, educational literature and policy, which specifically target Canadian refugee students, are scarce. To help with the issue, this study examined eight refugee high school students through an online after-school tutoring program and evaluated their performances in the five domains of social-emotional learning competencies: social awareness, self-management, relationship skills, responsible decision making, and …

Promoting Success For First-Generation Students Of Color: The Importance Of Academic, Transitional Adjustment, And Mental Health Supports, Sophie W. Schuyler, Jonique R. Childs, Timothy A. Poynton

Journal of College Access

Nearly 1 in 3 college students (30%) are first-generation students of color (FGSOC), possessing the intersectional identity of being both a first-generation college student and a racial minority. FGSOC face increased psychological and social difficulties in college when compared to students in other groups, resulting from cultural differences, lack of academic preparedness, stigma surrounding socioeconomic status, racial discrimination, and marginalization. This article summarizes peer-reviewed literature related to three types of supports that can improve the college experience and promote the academic success of FGSOC: academic supports, transitional adjustment supports, and mental health supports. The reviewed literature is framed by a …

Student Perceptions Of Their Academic Success At Higher Education, Faith-Based Institutions, Amber Nicole Grady

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this manuscript is to examine any existence between student academic success and faith-based engagement experiences in higher education.Higher education, faith-based institutions provide spiritual support to help ensure students’ academic success. Student fit, especially for faith-based institutions, is critical to student persistence and involvement. As faith-based institutions and practitioners explore these student experiences, they can maximize their resources to provide substantial and quality programming to engage all students. Religiously focused programming at these faith-based institutions is intended to support students’ academic relationships and success.

“Helping Me Learn New Things Every Day”: The Power Of Community College Students’ Writing Across Genres, Tanzina Ahmed

Publications and Research

Although community colleges are important entry points into higher education for many American students, few studies have investigated how their students engage with different genres or develop genre knowledge. Even fewer have connected students’ genre knowledge to their academic performance. In the present article, 104 ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse students reported on classroom genre experiences and wrote stories about college across three narrative genres (Letters, Best Experience, Worst Experience). Findings suggest that students’ engagement with classroom genres in community college helped them develop rhetorical reading and writing skills. When students wrote about their college lives across narrative genres, they …

Baseline Data Collection On The Overall Health Of First-Year Engineering Students At The University Of Arkansas, Braeley George

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many factors contribute to college student's success both inside and outside of the classroom. Physical activity, mental health, sleep, and grit are key influences for academic achievement and retention. Exercise is Medicine (EIM) On Campus is part of a worldwide initiative through the American College of Sports Medicine that recognizes the importance of physical activity for health by both assessing and promoting physical activity to all students, faculty, and staff. The EIM survey is a tool for collecting general health information about a campus population, as it consists of questions on demographic information, health status, familial health history, diet choices, …

Effects Of Aromatherapy On Academic Success, Perceived Stress, And Coping Skills Of Graduate Students, Lakisha S. Witter

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This quasi-experimental study will explore whether the use of aromatherapy increases students’ academic success and coping skills and decreases the level of perceived stress in graduate college students.

Opportunities In Manufacturing Of Advanced Materials For Second Career-Seeking Students, Oleksandr Kravchenko, Konstantin Cigularov, Tancy J. Vandecar-Burdin

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Many non-traditional students face similar challenges including lack of institutional support network, challenges to connecting with other students on campus, which may negatively affect degree persistence rates. The lack of financial support has been acknowledged nationwide as a barrier for STEM students including second-career seeking (SCS) students. The term career is defined as an occupation or course, which relates to a range of aspects of an individual’s life, learning and work and is undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress. We target academically talented SCS students at Old Dominion University (ODU) with demonstrated …

Single Parents Level Of Hope To Achieve Graduation From College, Rhoda Maunupau Robertson

Student Research Posters

Despite the growing number of single parents returning to college to gain a better future for their families, 53% of student parents leave college within 6 years without a degree (Beeler, 2016). However, being hopeful enables student parents to focus on success which increase the probability to attain their goals and success (Snyder et al., 1991). The ability to achieve those goals comes from help-seeking, mentoring, and the ability to seek resources (Snyder et al., 1991). The goal of the present study is to examine levels of hope which enhance help-seeking skills to increase academic success within this population. The …

Explicit Inclusion Of Fun In Instruction As A Catalyst For Academic Success, Kimberly Tyskiewicz

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Low graduation rates, rising drop-out rates, and increasing apathy and disengagement in learning has prompted the need for new strategies and interventions in education. This case study provides an analysis of the perceptions of high school teachers related to the impact of the explicit, intentional inclusion of fun in direct instruction. The participants included approximately 20% of the faculty in a semirural high school of approximately 1,325 students. The case study involved individual interviews with half of the participants and the other half participating in a focus group conversation. Six participants in each group were observed. All comments and concepts …

What Do We Know About The Health Of First-Generation College Students? A First Look At Compensatory Health Beliefs And Behavior, Kristel M. Gallagher

Perspectives In Learning

First-generation college students are less likely than continuing-generation students to reach graduation. Many colleges are working to bridge this divide, however little is known about the physical health of first-generation students. As physical health is associated with academic success, it is important to understand the beliefs and behaviors underpinning the physical health of first-generation college students. The present study examined the relationship between a specific type of unhealthy belief, compensatory health beliefs (CHBs), and the health behaviors of college students, with a focus on eating practices. Participants were first- and continuing-generation students attending a liberal arts institution who completed an …

College Adjustment, Belongingness, Academic Self-Efficacy, Persistence, And Academic Success Among First-Generation College Students, Heather R. Highhouse

Dissertations

Previous research has compared the impacts of college adjustment, belongingness, and academic self-efficacy on first-generation and continuing-generation college students. However, the impacts of these factors on academic success (GPA) and persistence of first-semester, first-generation college students have not been investigated. The primary purpose of this study was to examine college adjustment and belongingness for first-semester, first-generation college students, with a focus on race and gender. This study also examined the impact of academic self-efficacy (i.e., course self-efficacy and social self-efficacy), college adjustment, and belongingness for academic success (GPA) and persistence of these students. The roles of race and gender in …

The Effects Of Writing Proficiency On Cognitive Skills Development Among International Students, Christie Curtis

Journal of Global Education and Research

Utilizing data from the 2012 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES), the following question was addressed: What are the direct and indirect effects of writing proficiency on cognitive development among international students? Because many international students have chosen to study in the United States to improve their academic achievement, the higher education community has needed greater understanding of those factors which contribute significantly to the success and satisfaction of international students. Writing proficiency is one such factor, and the findings of this research study have suggested the importance of providing support and designing programs for improved writing skills.

Implementing An Early Alert Workflow Process In Higher Education To Enhance Retention And Student Engagement, Joseph Huston, Kiara L. Sabina, M. Lisa Valentino, Lou L. Sabina

Journal of Applied Social Science Research and Practice

This case study examines the implementation of an early alert intervention system designed to enhance retention and student course engagement at a large suburban, public two-year degree-granting college. The focus of the study was to investigate the work-flow process and labor requirements for operationalizing the in-house intervention protocol, utilizing a Success Coach model. This paper documents the intervention procedures and reports findings pertaining to faculty time commitment and participation, frequency and prevalence of raised alert flags, and labor requirements for conducting student outreach. Cost efficiency and effectiveness are discussed, as are alternative approaches for implementation, including the use of automation …

Find The Most Here: The Academic Success Of First-Year African American Students At The University Of Mississippi, Alexandria White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Three researchers, Shawnboda Mead, Earl Presley, and Alexandria White, collaborated to complete this Dissertation in Practice (DiP) which includes three manuscripts. The three-member team identified the academic success of first-year African American students at predominantly White institutions as a complex problem of practice. Bean and Eaton’s (2001) Psychological Model of Student Retention and Rodgers and Summers (2008) Revised Model of Retention for African American Students at Predominantly White Institutions provided the theoretical framework for this study. The study examines the relationship of academic success and first-year African American students who participated in the 2015 and 2016 Mississippi Outreach to Scholastic …

Service-Learning: A Powerful Pedagogy For Promoting Academic Success Among Students Of Color, Michelle C. Sterk Barrett, Isabelle Jenkins

Scholarship and Professional Writing from the J.D. Power Center

This article discusses a mixed-methods study that investigated the service-learning experiences of students of color at College of the Holy Cross to better understand how service-learning may be an effective pedagogical tool for reducing cultural dissonance and addressing related achievement gaps. Quantitative data were collected from over 1,500 students who had enrolled in 59 different service-learning classes. In addition, interviews were conducted with 13 students of color who had participated in service-learning. Findings indicated that students’ service-learning experiences paralleled study participants’ descriptions of how they learned most effectively. Furthermore, the findings suggest that service-learning may resonate for students of color …

The Role Of Support Systems For Success Of Underrepresented Students In Communication Sciences And Disorders, Akiko Fuse, Michael Bergen

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

There is limited representation in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) professions of individuals from diverse populations. This study examined the relationship among CSD students' degree of financial, emotional/moral, and academic support. The relationship between role models and admissions outcomes was also assessed. It explored how support received by CSD students differs by racial/ethnic backgrounds. A survey was completed by 57 alumni of an undergraduate CSD program, revealing information about participants’ backgrounds, support characteristics, and other factors. The study 1) highlighted the importance of emotional/moral and financial support, 2) revealed reduced access to financial and academic role models among alumni from …

On Campus Social Support And Hope As Unique Predictors Of Perceived Ability To Persist In College, Deanna D'Amico, Veronica Fruiht

Psychology | Faculty Scholarship

The psychological construct of hope, characterized by goal-directed thinking rooted in personal agency and the ability to develop pathways to achieve goals, has long been demonstrated to predict academic success. A sample of 994 undergraduates participated in this study to better understand the role of hope and on-campus social support in predicting students’ perceived ability to persist and succeed in college. Results demonstrated that on-campus support, particularly from teachers and professors, significantly predicted academic outcomes and hope. In addition, we found evidence of a support gap in which students from underrepresented ethnic minorities were far more likely to report that …

Honor College Students' Adjustment Factors And Academic Success: Advising Implications, Christina Clark, Alan Schwitzer, Tisha Paredes, Tim Grothaus

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

We examined first-semester adjustment among students in and out of an honors college because honors college participants receive relatively little attention in the advising literature. As expected, honors college students earned relatively high grades and were associated with high retention rates. Two noncognitive factors predicted these differences: self-confidence and external influences on college choice. In an interesting finding, honors students expressed less self-confidence and placed greater importance on external college-choice factors than their high-achieving peers outside the honors college. Implications for the support of honors students and their peers are discussed.

Classroom Climate, Academic Success, And Intent To Persist Among Non-Christian And Christian Undergraduate Students, Christy M. Craft, Yang Yang

Christy Moran Craft

The Efficacy Of A Goal-Based Study Skills Course For Academically At-Risk, First-Generation, African American, Female Students, Sarah Beth Garrison

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify effective intervention strategies used in a goal-based study skills course for academically at-risk, first-generation, African-American, female students. Based on the theoretical framework from goal, motivation and achievement theories (Covington, 2000; Kuh, 2007; Nicholls, 1984), this study provided an analysis of research regarding the academic success and persistence of at-risk students. An explanatory mixed-method design was employed that consisted of two phases. The first phase of the study used quantitative data to test for difference in GPA and academic status between the control and treatment group. Quantitative data was also used to identify …