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Strategies That Contribute To The Sustainability And Success Of Community College Non-Credit Workforce Development Programs, Amy Lovin Henecke
Strategies That Contribute To The Sustainability And Success Of Community College Non-Credit Workforce Development Programs, Amy Lovin Henecke
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
Several factors contribute to the challenges community college leaders face in maintaining and sustaining noncredit workforce development programming. For example, these factors include funding reductions from state legislators and corporations using internal training departments for workforce development. There are community colleges that do overcome these challenges and achieve sustainability, provide revenue to the college, and increase and expand programming. The purpose of this case study was to identify strategies that contribute to the sustainability and success of community college noncredit workforce development programs.
The research focused on two community colleges in the United States that are nationally recognized for achieving …
Exploring Learning Experiences Of Community College Faculty Short-Term Study Abroad Leaders Using Ipa And Visual Research, Rachel Ann Simpson
Exploring Learning Experiences Of Community College Faculty Short-Term Study Abroad Leaders Using Ipa And Visual Research, Rachel Ann Simpson
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
As short-term study abroad programs increase in popularity and number at community colleges, it is vital to examine the effect on the faculty who lead these programs. The purpose of this research study was to explore how community college faculty who lead short-term study abroad programs perceive personal learning including social and cultural factors and how they apply any change in perspectives to their non-study abroad courses. At the community college level, faculty-led short-term study abroad courses play a key role in addressing the growing importance of intercultural competence within undergraduate education. Despite the critical role that faculty play in …
Narratives From Appalachia: The Current Stories Of Lgbtq Community College Students, Todd A. Cimino-Johnson
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 …
Leading Hispanic Serving Community Colleges: Latinx Faculty Perceptions About The Aacc Competencies, Sanjuanita Chavira Scott
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. …
Chief Academic Officers And The Aacc's Leadership Competencies, Josh Philip Lavorgna
Chief Academic Officers And The Aacc's Leadership Competencies, Josh Philip Lavorgna
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
Chief Academic Officers (CAOs) hold one of the most vital senior leadership positions at community colleges. Typically thought to be the second person in charge, directly under the president, their impact on the community college is crucial. CAOs have historically been considered the next in line to the president, and community college presidents were often CAOs before assuming their first presidency. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) publishes Leadership Competencies for hopeful and current community college leaders. This study examined the perceptions of community college CAOs regarding the AACC Leadership Competencies for Aspiring Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), or presidents. …
Community College Faculty And Administrators' Perceptions Of Civic Engagement In General Education, Eric Thomas Vanover
Community College Faculty And Administrators' Perceptions Of Civic Engagement In General Education, Eric Thomas Vanover
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The President’s Commission on Higher Education (1947) firmly established civic engagement as a principle function of higher education. The report emphasized college-level learning as a democratic function by producing informed, active citizens essential to the future of American democracy. Chickering (2008) argued the United States faced a critical lack of engaged citizenship and in A Crucible Moment (2012), this concern was declared an outright emergency. In recent years many colleges and universities have re-embraced civic engagement as an important component of general education. Although the establishment of community colleges was a direct result of the Truman Commission’s report, the literature …
From Developmental Education To Transfer And Bachelor’S Degree Attainment: A Study Of Community College Students’ Long-Term Outcomes, Kathryn Mahaffey Harvey
From Developmental Education To Transfer And Bachelor’S Degree Attainment: A Study Of Community College Students’ Long-Term Outcomes, Kathryn Mahaffey Harvey
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
Community college is the only pathway to higher education for many students. Jenkins and Fink (2016) reported that 40% of new college students entered higher education through a community college. Most of these students aspire to earn a bachelor’s degree (Fink 2014). In order to achieve their dream of bachelor’s degree attainment, many of these students need to first complete a series of developmental or remedial courses to become college-ready and begin taking curriculum courses. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between developmental education course completion and transfer success by comparing the longitudinal outcomes of students …
A Workforce Development Study To Explore Current Demand For Industry-Recognized Credentials, Debra Kay Smiley
A Workforce Development Study To Explore Current Demand For Industry-Recognized Credentials, Debra Kay Smiley
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
In this descriptive research study, I identified industry-recognized workforce credentials that are or will be in high demand by employers operating in Virginia. I surveyed a targeted group of Virginia workforce development stakeholders including 17 Virginia Community College System workforce development leaders who represent each local community college, 47 Virginia local and regional economic development directors, and 11 Virginia Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act directors. Due to the economic disparity between rural and urban areas, I also examined the contrast between high-demand credentials needed by employers in rural and urban areas.
The findings revealed that the top two industry-recognized credentials were …
The Effect Of Tuition On Graduation Rate At Community Colleges, Carter Brown Youmans
The Effect Of Tuition On Graduation Rate At Community Colleges, Carter Brown Youmans
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The community college mission has long included open access through low tuition (Vaughan, 2006). Financial challenges for community college students threaten open access (Shannon & Smith, 2006). Paying tuition plays a part in a student’s ability to graduate. A community colleges’ success is measured in part by graduation rates. President Obama challenged all colleges, including community colleges, to increase their graduation rates 50% by the year 2020 (Obama, 2009). The current study analyzed whether public, community colleges’ tuitions predicted their graduation rates using recent data and if size of enrollment moderated the relations between tuition and graduation rate. A two-block, …
An Analysis Of The Impact Of Early Alert On Community College Student Persistence In Virginia, Lori Jean Dwyer
An Analysis Of The Impact Of Early Alert On Community College Student Persistence In Virginia, Lori Jean Dwyer
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
Student attrition has been a significant challenge facing higher education for decades and is particularly pronounced within community colleges. Specifically, first-time postsecondary students only experienced a 59.3 percent retention rate between Fall 2013 and Fall 2014; at two-year colleges, less than half (46.9 percent) of students were retained during the same period (National Student Clearinghouse, 2015a). As institutional leaders attempt to increase student retention rates, they often invest in early alert systems, which promise to be a key part of a student success solution.
The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) implemented an early alert system in 2013. The purpose of …
An Examination Of African American Male Students’ Perceptions Of Academic Success And Their Experiences At The Community College, Shashuna Jenean Gray
An Examination Of African American Male Students’ Perceptions Of Academic Success And Their Experiences At The Community College, Shashuna Jenean Gray
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The focus of this research is the perceptions of academic success held by African American male students attending a community college. Community colleges often serve as the gateway for unprepared, at-risk students. However, this group of students frequently fails to persist and matriculate even after six years of attendance. Understanding the perceptions of academic success within two defined groups of students, pre-enrollment and probationary, would allow community college leaders to efficiently allocate resources to ensure high levels of engagement within the college classroom.
Leadership Competency Perceptions Of Rural Community College Presidents In The Coastal Southeast Region, Keith A. Harkins
Leadership Competency Perceptions Of Rural Community College Presidents In The Coastal Southeast Region, Keith A. Harkins
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
In a 2012 study, the American Association of Community Colleges noted over three quarters of community college presidents surveyed planned to retire in the next ten years. The rural community colleges in the Coastal Southeast Region face additional and unique challenges beyond the growing leadership shortage. Rural community colleges in the Coastal Southeast Region are often the focus of both educational and cultural development within the community. The rural community college president must lead the effort to advance the mission of the college and ensure the college leads the community in a positive direction. This study explored the perceptions of …
Perceived Leadership Practices Across Two Generations Of Community College Deans: “Baby Boomers” And Generation Xers”, Donna J. Mccauley
Perceived Leadership Practices Across Two Generations Of Community College Deans: “Baby Boomers” And Generation Xers”, Donna J. Mccauley
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this research study was to examine what Illinois community college academic deans perceive to be important leadership practices to enhance faculty effectiveness. A sequential mixed-method study was performed with academic deans at Illinois community colleges across the state. In Phase I of the study, 70 of the 164 academic deans in Illinois completed an anonymous online survey ranking importance of leadership practices that enhance faculty effectiveness. Eight of the academic deans who are Generation X volunteered to participate in the second phase of the study which consisted of in-depth, one-on-one interviews to identify what leadership practices they …
Perceived Transformational Teacher Leadership And Students’ Motivation, Academic Performance, And Intent To Persist In Stem Education At A Community College, Stacy Lynn Waters-Bailey
Perceived Transformational Teacher Leadership And Students’ Motivation, Academic Performance, And Intent To Persist In Stem Education At A Community College, Stacy Lynn Waters-Bailey
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The transformational teacher leadership style has been identified as having a positive impact on student motivation, academic performance, and persistence. This study served to determine if there is a relationship between perceived transformational teacher leadership and student motivation, academic performance, and STEM persistence intentions for students in transferable general education biological science courses offered at community colleges.
This quantitative research study was conducted in two phases at one campus of a large, multi-campus community college in a major urban area in a Mid-Atlantic state. In the initial phase, the researcher administered the survey to students who volunteered to participate in …
Presidents' Perceptions Of Entrepreneurial Strategies In Community Colleges: A Disruptive Innovation, James Tyler Hart
Presidents' Perceptions Of Entrepreneurial Strategies In Community Colleges: A Disruptive Innovation, James Tyler Hart
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The community college, like all of higher education, has been significantly impacted by a shifting business model and changes in funding. The purpose of this mixed methods, sequential study was to examine community college presidents’ perceptions of entrepreneurial strategies in the higher education industry. The shifting business model requires presidents to look for alternative ways to innovate and adapt as community college funding models change. Community college leaders have also been proactively seeking out alternative revenue streams in order to help offset decreased state funding. Findings of this study show that community college presidents perceive that they must be entrepreneurial …
A Phenomenological Inquiry Of Leadership Competency Perceptions Among Community College Leaders In South Central Appalachia, Matthew S. Mcgraw
A Phenomenological Inquiry Of Leadership Competency Perceptions Among Community College Leaders In South Central Appalachia, Matthew S. Mcgraw
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
Combined with other economic development challenges in the region, this context presents unique challenges for community college leaders in this part of Appalachia. The American Association of Community College Six Competencies for Community College Leaders are considered within this context to explore how those leading community colleges in the region feel about the competencies, what is unique to leading in Appalachia, and their most useful professional development experiences. Those competencies are: organizational strategy, resource management, communication, collaboration, community college advocacy, and professionalism.
The Appalachian Regional Commission subdivides Appalachia into several regions which share similar topographical, demographic, and economic characteristics. South …
Baccalaureate Degree Attainment Of Students Who Transfer With Or Without A Transferable Associate's Degree, Janina Arrington
Baccalaureate Degree Attainment Of Students Who Transfer With Or Without A Transferable Associate's Degree, Janina Arrington
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to identify how demographic characteristics (age, gender, and race) impacted baccalaureate degree attainment for transfer students who transferred from a large, public community college located in an urban area in the Southeastern U.S. to two large public universities also located in urban areas in the Southeastern region of the United States. The study also assessed transfer services and support services for transfer students received at a large, public four-year research institution in the same region.
The quantitative phase of this study employed descriptive statistics to analyze the length of time to baccalaureate degree …
Ethical Leadership In Today's Community Colleges: Presidents Respond To The Completion Agenda, Monica Parish Trent
Ethical Leadership In Today's Community Colleges: Presidents Respond To The Completion Agenda, Monica Parish Trent
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The role of ethical leadership for community college presidents is of concern (Anderson, Harbour, & Davies; Wood & Nevarez, 2014), especially given the added pressure on community colleges to increase completion rates for student populations that have historically underperformed academically. In these times of increased scrutiny to produce more college-educated people ready to enter the workforce, college CEO’s are facing a completion agenda climate that is rampant with financial constraints, greater demands from stakeholders, and governmental mandates. The purpose of this descriptive, multiple case study was to examine how community college presidents execute ethical leadership in responding to institutional policy …
Engaging Community College Students Using An Engineering Learning Community, James Maccariella Jr.
Engaging Community College Students Using An Engineering Learning Community, James Maccariella Jr.
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The study investigated whether community college engineering student success was tied to a learning community. Three separate data collection sources were utilized: surveys, interviews, and existing student records. Mann-Whitney tests were used to assess survey data, independent t-tests were used to examine pre-test data, and independent t-tests, analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), chi-square tests, and logistic regression were used to examine post-test data. The study found students that participated in the Engineering TLC program experienced a significant improvement in grade point values for one of the three post-test courses studied. In addition, the analysis revealed the odds of fall-to-spring retention were …
The Effect Of Delayed Enrollment, Regional Wealth, And First-Generation Status On Community College Student Success, Sunita Etwaroo Hines
The Effect Of Delayed Enrollment, Regional Wealth, And First-Generation Status On Community College Student Success, Sunita Etwaroo Hines
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
For many students, the path to earning a postsecondary educational degree is often met with personal and social obstacles, but first-generation students are less likely to even enroll in postsecondary education and they have a higher probability for attrition when compared to their counterparts. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between delayed enrollment, regional wealth, and first-generation status on community college student success. This study analyzed differences in student success for students who enrolled at the community college immediately after high school graduation, for those who delayed enrollment up to two years, or delayed enrollment more …
Helicopter Parents Of Community College Students: How Community College Professionals Operationally Define And Address This Phenomenon, Helen C. Hightower
Helicopter Parents Of Community College Students: How Community College Professionals Operationally Define And Address This Phenomenon, Helen C. Hightower
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
This study examined whether the phenomenon of parental over-involvement occurred in the Virginia Community College System. Concern has been expressed in the popular and academic literature in recent years over the increased level of parental involvement at four year institutions whose student bodies consist almost exclusively of traditional-aged students. With a mix of traditional-aged and non-traditional students at community colleges, this study investigated whether or not community college employees expressed similar concerns as their counterparts at senior institutions.
The study was designed using a mixed methods approach and utilized a triangulation of results in order to answer four research questions. …
Impediments To Serving Students With Learning Disabilities In A Rural Community College Setting: The Administrative Perspective, Seth Gent
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
This qualitative study examined the challenges rural southern Appalachian community colleges officials face when serving students with learning disabilities. Upon entering community college, learning disabled students are often unfamiliar with many of the expectations that may be necessary to ensure their academic success such as self-disclosing to ensure they are provided adequate services, becoming self-advocates, and navigating requirements of post-secondary education. This study consisted of 15 interviews from five different community colleges across the rural southern Appalachian region in which senior level, mid-level, and front line community college officials dealing with students with learning disabilities were interviewed. A document review …
From Homeschool To The Community College: A Multiple Case Study, Benjamin G. Kramer
From Homeschool To The Community College: A Multiple Case Study, Benjamin G. Kramer
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The number of U.S. homeschooled students has steadily risen from the 1980's to the present, and many eventually choose to attend community colleges (Cogan, 2010; Mason, 2004; Ray, 2004a; Sorey & Duggan, 2008a). Homeschoolers who make community colleges their first structured educational setting outside the home do so for various reasons: (a) to obtain skills to prepare for a chosen career path or educational goal; (b) for economic reasons; and (c) to stay close to home (Ray, 2004b; Sorey & Duggan, 2008a). Presently, limited research explores the homeschooled population's transition during the first year of college experience. Community colleges are …
An Ex Post Facto Study Of First-Year Student Orientation As An Indicator Of Student Success At A Community College, Amanda Ellis-O'Quinn
An Ex Post Facto Study Of First-Year Student Orientation As An Indicator Of Student Success At A Community College, Amanda Ellis-O'Quinn
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this ex post facto study is to determine if a relationship exists between certain student success indicators and students completing an orientation course their first semester at a small, rural community college in comparison to those students who do not complete an orientation course their first semester. The study will compare three instructional methods used in teaching orientation; a two-day, ten-week, and distance learning format. This emphasis will identify the impact of the delivery format on success measures. The measures representing student success are retention from the fall to concurrent spring semester and grade point average (GPA). …
A Study Of Two Generations Of Culturally Diverse Community College Students Views On Leader Attributes In Self And Others, Paula Jeanine Hodkowski
A Study Of Two Generations Of Culturally Diverse Community College Students Views On Leader Attributes In Self And Others, Paula Jeanine Hodkowski
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
One community college mission is preparing students for the expectations and opportunities of the workplace including roles as collaborators and leaders. Increasingly, representatives from “cultures” of generation, gender, and diverse ethnicities are gaining an education in community colleges. Research supports that cultural aspects and views of others impact an individual's leader identity.
The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental study was to determine if participants representing millennial and generation X self-report leader behaviors of “modeling the way” and “enabling others to act”; and rate leader traits in others responding to “fits my image of a leader;” And to determine if their …
Exploring Entrepreneurialism In Community Colleges In The Appalachian Region, Sharon Lynn Hatfield
Exploring Entrepreneurialism In Community Colleges In The Appalachian Region, Sharon Lynn Hatfield
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
The combination of a weak economy with a corresponding decline in tax revenue has created deficits in state and local budgets which adversely affect the financial stability of community colleges. This leaves community colleges struggling to continue to provide education in support of their missions. To provide a source of alternative revenue, community colleges are embracing the spirit of entrepreneurialism and transforming themselves into profit-seeking businesses.
This quantitative study, using a web-based survey and descriptive and inferential statistics, focuses on factors perceived by college presidents and workforce development officers to affect the practice of entrepreneurialism in 71 community colleges in …
Moderator Effect Of Financial Aid On Predictors Of Community College Graduation Rate, Richard Wilt
Moderator Effect Of Financial Aid On Predictors Of Community College Graduation Rate, Richard Wilt
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
This study examined the resource allocation decisions community colleges make in order to gain insight into the relationship of those decisions to graduation rate and whether those relationships were influenced by the percentage of students at the college receiving financial aid. Much of the literature on persistence and graduation rate in higher education is based on student characteristics such as SAT scores, high school GPA, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, or on college selectivity. This study switches the focus to the characteristics of the college rather than the student.
The relative lack of literature on community college graduation rates and the …
Internationalization Efforts In United States Community Colleges: A Comparative Analysis Of Urban, Suburban, And Rural Institutions, Natalie Jean Harder
Internationalization Efforts In United States Community Colleges: A Comparative Analysis Of Urban, Suburban, And Rural Institutions, Natalie Jean Harder
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
Research demonstrates employers value international experiences when hiring employees. Community college students who do not have global or international experience risk being less valuable to employers than students who have such experience. With community colleges educating up to one-half of all U.S. undergraduates, more focus on internationalization is warranted in order to ensure student competitiveness in today's global labor pool. This ex post facto study of 2006 survey data from the American Council on Education (ACE) found a low level of internationalization occurring at most community colleges. Delineating community colleges according to their urban, suburban, or rural Carnegie classification found …
The Philanthropic Motivations Of Community College Donors: A Study Of The Educational Foundation Of A Mid-Sized, Multi-Campus Community College In Virginia, Linnie Smith Carter
The Philanthropic Motivations Of Community College Donors: A Study Of The Educational Foundation Of A Mid-Sized, Multi-Campus Community College In Virginia, Linnie Smith Carter
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
This study examined the philanthropic motivations of the donors of a mid-sized, multi-campus community college in Virginia as part of a plan to enhance relationships with donors and increase the amount of private funds raised. Dependence on dwindling, traditional and limited funding sources leaves community colleges vulnerable and constantly struggling to fund the ever-increasing needs of their internal and external stakeholders (Sheldon, 2003). Community colleges are attempting to address the problem by enhancing their fundraising efforts and strengthening relationships with donors.
A mixed-method, multi-step approach was used for this research study. The approach in this study involved five steps. The …
Leadership Development Programs In Two-Year Colleges: Critical Components, Delivery Methods, And The Role Of Distance Learning Technology, Mary Clare Digiacomo
Leadership Development Programs In Two-Year Colleges: Critical Components, Delivery Methods, And The Role Of Distance Learning Technology, Mary Clare Digiacomo
Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations
Post-secondary education will face an impending shortage of leaders in the near future. Two-year colleges in particular are facing a dearth of leadership. Many administrators and faculty that were part of the great growth period in community colleges in the 1960's are near retirement. Therefore, developing or sustaining sufficient institutional leadership is a critical and urgent issue that must be addressed. Two-year colleges need to develop and implement leadership development programs in a timely manner to ensure a qualified pool of faculty and staff are ready to ascend to leadership positions.
The purpose of this study was to examine the …