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Theoretical Considerations in the Study of Minority Student Retention in Higher Education

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... However, research aimed at informing rural student-focused practice and policy efforts unjustly trends toward framing the lived experiences of rural Americans as deficient. In postsecondary research, scholars have pointed to the importance of not employing these types of deficit frames when examining experiences of minoritized and marginalized college students (Harper, 2010;McNamee, 2023;Mwangi, 2015), asking instead to critique the postsecondary systems that minoritize and marginalize groups (Rendón et al., 2000;Smit, 2012) and highlight valuable attributes students possess to thrive within such environments (Harper, 2010;McNamee, 2023;Means et al., 2016;Smit, 2012). Yet this type of critical, non-deficit research regarding rural students in higher education is limited. ...
... In turn, the rural participants perceived that their institutions did not always recognize or value the rural-centric strengths they had to offer, creating environments where rural students felt othered and inferior to their suburban and urban peers. These findings align with other critical scholarship, which highlighted how postsecondary environments misunderstand and systemically minoritize and marginalize specific student populations who are underrepresented and underserved in higher education (Rendón et al., 2000;Smit, 2012), including rural students (Davis et al., 2019;McDonough et al., 2010). The findings also reflect the lived experiences of many rural students who go to college in contexts that can feel alienating to rural people (Peine, 2023;Steffenauer, 2023). ...
... Future critical, non-deficit research can build upon this study by advancing understanding of rural assets and how those can be incorporated into and recognized by postsecondary institutional systems. Doing so will ensure that higher education scholars reframe their research mind-sets around students from rural areas, as well as other underrepresented and marginalized populations at colleges and universities, to conduct assetbased research that highlights students' strengths and urges institutions to advance identity-based equity, inclusion, and belonging for such students (Rendón et al., 2000;Smit, 2012). ...
... An additional critique of Tinto's theory is that it is self-deterministic, overemphasizing the responsibility of the individual student while failing to adequately acknowledge institutional responsibility to foster student success (Rendón et al., 2000). ...
... Early research on student retention began before ethnic and racial minority students represented a large portion of the college student population (Rendón et al., 2000). Students of color accounted for very small aggregated samples in some studies and were completely excluded from others (Rendón et al., 2000). ...
... Early research on student retention began before ethnic and racial minority students represented a large portion of the college student population (Rendón et al., 2000). Students of color accounted for very small aggregated samples in some studies and were completely excluded from others (Rendón et al., 2000). Various scholars have expressed concern about the failure of dominant persistence theories to account for the experiences of students of color (Museus, 2014;Rendón et al., 2000;Tierney, 1992). ...
Thesis
Demand for online college degree options continues to increase in contrast to declining undergraduate enrollment. Historically, online education was sought by students who faced barriers to on-campus learning. More recently, online education has become a primary source of enrollment growth. Prior research has yielded conflicting results regarding differences in student outcomes between modalities. This study addressed a gap in the student success literature by assessing thriving among online learners. The Thriving Quotient™, a 24-item instrument that measures academic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal well-being, was used to examine the differences in thriving levels and pathways among a sample of 6,875 students from 35 institutions. Results of MANOVA and ANOVA indicated that online learners reported significantly higher thriving scores than on-campus learners; however, a factorial ANOVA revealed a significant interaction effect of age and modality. Adult online learners (over 23) were found to thrive at significantly higher levels than their same-age on-campus peers and their younger online and on-campus counterparts. When examining only traditional-aged undergraduates, no difference in thriving was observed between online and on-campus learners. Structural equation modeling with multiple-group analysis revealed significant differences in the pathways to thriving between the two groups. Distinct structural models accounted for 70% of the variance in thriving among on-campus learners and 93% among online students. Sense of community, faculty commitment to diverse students and perspectives, institutional integrity, and spirituality were the largest contributors to online students’ thriving. The study suggests implications for practice and policy to support thriving in online students and, specifically, adult learners. Recommendations include strategies to enhance sense of community online, such as incorporating cohort models and faculty training in online pedagogy.
... English language competency, discrimination, isolation, homesickness, financial, housing, gap between international graduate students' expectations and the ones of graduate school, food, the relevancy of the curriculum, uncertainty about graduation, career after graduation, and different learning patterns, impact international graduate students' campus integration (Almurideef, 2016;Knight, 2007;Trice, 2003Trice, , 2007. One of the most appropriate theories that can explain the integration of international graduate students is the Theory of Student Integration, created by Tinto (1987Tinto ( , 1993 and later expanded by other authors to include international and other nontraditional students (Astin, 1999;Braxton, Milem, & Sullivan, 2000;Bean & Metzner, 1985;Kuh & Love 2000;Kuh, 2009;McCubbin, 2003;Rendón et al., 2000;Rovai, 2002;Tierney, 2000). Tinto's (1975) theory of student integration argues that educational experiences, socioeconomic status, community backgrounds, as well as social relations and interactions with domestic and other international students, including the availability of opportunities to get involved in student groups and extracurricular activities, and the interactions with professors and the social dynamics in class all have a significant impact on international students' integration into campus (Almurideef, 2016;Guan, 2017;Poteet & Gomez, 2015;Kwai, 2010;Rienties, 2012;Tinto, 1975Tinto, , 1987Tinto, , 1993Yao, 2015). ...
... Some critics argued that Tinto (1975) placed full responsibility for integration on the students and less on the institution. Instead, they believe the institution should strive to create a supportive environment that fosters student interactions and development, particularly for students from historically underrepresented groups (Kuh & Love 2000;Rendón et., 2000;Tierney 1992Tierney , 2000. Tierney (2000) refuted Tinto's idea that underrepresented students should abandon their pre-existing cultural backgrounds to integrate into their new campus environment. ...
... The adapted theories of student's integration, which I will use in this study, posit that educational institutions should strive to create a supportive environment that fosters student interactions and development, particularly for underrepresented or international students (Kuh & Love, 2000;Rendón., 2000;Tierney 1992Tierney , 2000. They put the burden of integration on both students and the campus community. ...
Thesis
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International graduate students are a unique population that face specific challenges that affect their campus integration (Arthur, 2017; Burdett & Crossman, 2012; Sharma, 2019). The role of student affairs professionals and staff includes developing and integrating all students, including international graduate students, on-campus (Di Maria, 2012; Braskamp, 2011; Kuh, 2009; Wilcox, et al., 2005). However, many student affairs professionals and staff feel unprepared to serve or work with international graduate students (Brandenburg, 2016; Cierra, 2004; Di Maria, 2012; Yakaboski & Perozzi, 2018). There has been little empirical research conducted on student affairs professionals and staff members’ perspectives about their role in integrating international graduate students on their campuses. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to understand the perspectives of student affairs professionals and staff about their role in integrating international graduate students into campus and the policies, services, programs, and other elements they consider most helpful in integrating these students. This study was conducted at a four-year public higher education institution in the Midwestern United States that has committed to internationalization. The study design included data gathered from multiple in-depth semi-structured interviews, site observations, and documents shared by student affairs professionals and staff members. Inductive thematic analysis was used to examine the perspectives of each participant. It consisted of identifying, analyzing, organizing, describing, and reporting themes found within a data set. The data analysis revealed that student affairs professionals and staff play five roles in integrating international graduate students: educators, adapters, liaisons, career shapers, and barrier breakers. Within their roles of serving international graduate students, student affairs professionals and staff face challenges, such as limited on-campus resources for international graduate students, limited understanding of university policies, limited intercultural training, and limited intercultural exposure. To respond to the needs and challenges of international grad students, student affairs professionals and staff adapt the existing programs and support services initially designed for undergraduate domestic students, while some of the needs and challenges of these students are different. My findings recommend that institutions create support structures that allow student affairs professionals and staff to work with these students and learn more about their needs and challenges related to integrating into their campus.
... For instance, among racially minoritized students attending historically white institutions, experiences of discrimination and racial stereotyping in the classroom may drive them to disengage from this space, decreasing their opportunities for engaging in learning activities such as interacting with peers and faculty (Quaye et al., 2015). On the other hand, when educators take the initiative to center students' backgrounds in their engagement efforts, students may have markedly different and more positive college experiences (Pendakur, 2016;Quaye et al., 2015;Rendón et al., 2000). Thus, postsecondary leaders and educators are in critical positions to create policies and practices that promote equitable engagement among all students, with a particular emphasis on meeting the needs of students with minoritized identities since they have not regularly been centered when promoting engagement. ...
... However, several scholars have challenged these theories' applicability to racially minoritized students since integration into campuses that center whiteness requires assimilation and separation from one's home culture(s). Furthermore, these scholars have noted that these student success theories emphasize the frequency of interactions without regard to context and assign most of the responsibility for achieving these goals to students (Hurtado & Carter, 1997;Museus et al., 2017;Quaye et al., 2015;Rendón et al., 2000). ...
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While student engagement has long been associated with students’ learning, development, and success, the climate and culture of historically white institutions often create barriers to engagement among racially minoritized students. Given the institutional responsibility to facilitate equitable engagement, there is a need for new policies and practices that meet students’ needs. One increasingly popular intervention is comprehensive college transition programs (CCTPs) that provide multipronged approaches to promote the success of underrepresented students. While there is growing evidence that these programs benefit students’ outcomes, very little research has explored how they might shape students’ engagement—a prerequisite for student success. Therefore, this sequential explanatory mixed methods study used longitudinal data from a multicampus CCTP to understand various aspects of engagement among students with different racialized identities. We found that racially diverse students participating in a CCTP engaged similarly across groups with their peers, faculty, staff, and CCTP academic courses. Key explanations for the similar levels of engagement among racially diverse students that emerged from our analysis included the compositional diversity among students and educators, structured opportunities for meaningful interactions across racial groups, and the identity-conscious approaches used by educators in this CCTP. Our qualitative findings aligned with previous research on college environments, providing empirical evidence that such environments foster similar levels of engagement among racially diverse students. Thus, this study offers important implications for researchers, educators, and administrators to promote equitable engagement among increasingly racially diverse college students.
... Tinto's model placed the students' background characteristics (i.e., family background, socioeconomic status, precollege educational experiences) as individual characteristics that lead into the academic system where institutional academic and social integration then predicted dropout decisions. However, because studies involving integrative behaviors and attitudes among diverse student populations have shown mixed results, research involving minority populations is theoretically crucial in determining the generalizability of Tinto's model in this changing U.S. demographic context (Rendón et al., 2000;Tauriac & Liem, 2012). ...
... This study adds an important piece to the institutional integration puzzle by testing the primary integration constructs that have remained central to Tinto's model throughout multiple revisions (Braxton et al., 1997;Rendón et al., 2000). Several important findings emerged during the analysis that extended the retention literature for diverse college student populations. ...
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Tinto (1975) created a college persistence model, emphasizing institutional academic and social integration, that continues to guide U.S. university retention strategies. This longitudinal study followed 584 college Freshman from diverse backgrounds, testing for group differences in the relationship that Tinto’s key constructs have on college persistence, over time, for U.S.-White, U.S.-minority, and immigrant-origin groups. We found significant positive associations between Academic Integration and Intentions to Persist for all ethnic groups, but group differences in Social Integration and Intentions to Persist. Additionally, Intentions to Persist was a significant predictor of actual persistence for all groups, suggesting predictive power overall.
... Global institutions have started to embrace and adapt the learning community model, acknowledging its capacity to improve both academic performance and student welfare, as well as foster institutional loyalty. The development of these learning communities demonstrates an increasing comprehension of the intricate learning process and the significance of creating environments that facilitate students' collaborative interaction with their peers and instructors in meaningful and transforming manners (Rendón et al., 2000). ...
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Introduction The global issue of first-year student retention is a significant concern, generally associated with poor academic performance resulting from insufficient social and intellectual integration. Freshman Learning Communities (FLC) have arisen as a promising approach to tackle these difficulties. This study aims to assess the influence of FLC on the scholastic achievement of first-year undergraduate students. Methods The study utilizes quantitative research to determine if involvement in FLC has a favorable impact on academic performance by comparing the performance of students participating in FLC to those who are not part of the program. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including t-tests and ANCOVA, were employed to identify significant differences between the two groups. Results Significant differences were identified, with findings indicating that students participating in the FLC exhibit superior academic performance, reflected in higher grade point averages (GPA). No significant difference was observed in registered and earned credit hours between FLC participants and non-participants. Discussion The results suggest that FLC participation is associated with improved academic performance, supporting FLC as a potential strategy to enhance scholastic achievement among first-year students.
... Among the groups, one is the host group in this study, which consists of students with prior accounting learning and a minority group that does not have prior accounting knowledge. Rendón, Jalomo, and Nora (2000) highlighted that assimilation is the process of cultural adoption in which minority individuals break away and reform to the host's traditional, cultural, values, language, and knowledge. Based on the lens of assimilation, there is a need for students without an accounting background to assimilate and adjust to the new subject meta-within the new learning environment. ...
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Enrolling students in accounting programs based on their proficiency in English, Mathematics, and Accounting is a prevalent practice in many South African institutions of higher learning. However, certain institutions admit students into accounting programs based solely on their proficiency in English and Mathematics. This study posits that such students encounter challenges in acclimating to the accounting science milieu, consequently impeding their academic success. The research draws from the assessment of 112 first-year BCom (Bachelor of Commerce) Accounting Sciences students during the 2023 academic year. The findings affirm that students enrolled based on competency in Accounting, English, and Mathematics outperform those enrolled solely based on English and Mathematics competency. This underscores the necessity for further investigation into the determinants of success among students in accounting programs. Nonetheless, the study corroborates that self-determination and proactivity are significant contributors to success, notwithstanding students' lack of prior exposure to accounting principles.
... Frequent criticisms of work based on Tinto's framework point out that an emphasis on institutional integration can lead to deficit overtones [9], [10]. For example, by comparing and contrasting the minoritized group to the majority population, implies the need for the underrepresented group to adapt to the institutional environment to be successful [11], [12]. ...
... Notably, failure to integrate into both the social and academic systems can lead to students leaving college, a phenomenon well-documented in the literature [48]. This departure poses a significant challenge, and its impact is particularly noticeable for underrepresented minority (URM) students [49]. The unique challenges faced by URM students in navigating cultural and social identities underscore the importance of addressing their nuanced experiences of oppression. ...
... Minority students often struggle with cultural and social integration into predominantly white institutions, which can lead to feelings of isolation and alienation. Others further elaborate that these students frequently face di culties in assimilating into the college environment, which can impede their academic and social integration 27 . ...
Preprint
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The underrepresentation of women and minority students in STEM graduate programs remains a significant challenge, compounded by biases in traditional admissions processes and barriers to effective mentoring and retention. This study develops and validates the Quinn Miller Competency Assessment (QMCA), a tool designed to assess emotional and social intelligence (ESI) competencies crucial for STEM graduate student success. The QMCA was created through an iterative process involving literature review, expert consultations, and empirical studies. It evaluates five key competencies: self-awareness, self-control, adaptability, achievement orientation, and teamwork. The tool's validity and reliability were tested using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on diverse samples of STEM graduate students and applicants. Results demonstrated strong construct validity and reliability, supporting the QMCA's use in both admissions and student development contexts, in conjunction with other measures. By providing a more holistic evaluation of applicants’ competencies, the QMCA aims to improve access and retention for underrepresented groups in STEM fields, fostering a more inclusive and diverse scientific community. Future research will focus on expanding the QMCA to include additional social competencies and testing its applicability across broader disciplines.
... Transfer has been conceptualized as a form of persistence in higher education (Hagedorn et al., 2009) and many early transfer studies adopted Tinto's (1993) integration model to identify factors associated with student persistence from community college to a four-year institution. Subsequent studies, however, found Tinto's model does not sufficiently reflect the experiences of racially and ethnically minoritized students (Guiffrida, 2006;Hurtado & Carter, 1997), nor does it wholly address the experiences of community college students (Reason, 2003;Rendon et al., 2000). Promisingly, more recent advancements in persistence theory have attached greater importance to issues salient for historically underrepresented minoritized students (Hurtado et al., 2012;Museus, 2013;Strayhorn, 2015). ...
Article
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Longstanding disparities in four-year transfer rates for Black/African American and Latinx/Hispanic community college students, relative to their Asian and white peers, raise important equity questions about the vertical transfer function in the U.S. higher education system. Using data from one of the nation’s largest and most racially and ethnically diverse community college systems, we examined whether differences in early academic momentum (e.g., first-year cumulative GPA, summer enrollment, number of first-year credits attempted and earned) were a root cause of gaps in transfer outcomes between different racial and ethnic groups. Multi-group structural equation modeling (SEM) results revealed a strong relationship between early academic momentum and vertical transfer success for community college students. However, the results showed academic momentum did not operate in the same manner for all racial and ethnic groups and some indicators were particularly important for improving transfer outcomes for Black/African American and Latinx/Hispanic students. These results have important implications for community college research and practice pertinent to vertical transfer outcomes.
... The drive to persist and thrive within the campus environment is a fundamental factor for all students (Rendón et al., 2000). Attitudes toward persistence are characterized by students' sentiments regarding their commitment to stay and advance through higher levels at their institutions (Castillo et al., 2006). ...
Article
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Self-determined motivation, self-regulated learning, and academic persistence are recognized as pivotal non-cognitive factors shaping students’ academic advancement (Watts-Martinez, 2015). The increasing public interest in higher education outcomes propels researchers to explore the factors contributing to persistence and successful college completion. Motivation may function as a mediating factor between self-regulated learning and academic persistence. Despite their significance, the interrelation between these factors, particularly in the context of learning English as a foreign language, has not yet been thoroughly examined. This review delves into the theoretical foundations of this interrelation, shedding light on its importance and potential impacts, especially in non-English-speaking contexts such as Iran. The literature suggests that understanding how orientations of self-determined motivation, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, influence EFL students’ academic persistence is crucial. This gains particular significance in the context of English language education, especially at the tertiary level, warranting further analysis.
... Even today, after an abundance of educational studies show the efficacy of Inquiry when used to close equity gaps ( [36], [12], [37], [38], [39], [40], [41], [42], [24], [43], [44], [9], [21]), and that, still today, engineering instructors primarily rely on delivering content through Transmission ([4], [46], [47]), telling students what they need to know and do, and continuing to tell them until they appear to get it ([6], [46], [14], [48], [32]). Transmission teaching perpetuates and widens equity gaps because it restricts learning environments by failing to recognize different ways of understanding and knowing for URM students, ( [49], [11]) does not allow students to build from their prior knowledge and unique cultural frames [1], is not student-centered ( [50], [51]) or Constructivist ( [52], [53], [11], [2]), does not allow for deep and expert learning ([4], [11], [36]) and fails to foster a sense of belonging correlated with success to degree ( [44], [50], [54], [55], [56], [57]). Transmission teaching fails to scaffold or offer footholds that URM students need to learn at par with the majority peer group that are likely to have had greater prior advantages and resources for learning ( [60], [10], [62]). ...
Conference Paper
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The educational literature provides a roadmap for instructors and institutions that want to close equity gaps in coursework pass rates and degree outcomes for underrepresented minority (URM) students which include students who identify as Black, Hispanic, and/or Native American. It is to transition teaching methods from Transmission, telling students how to do things, to Inquiry, which has been shown to improve teaching and learning outcomes by incorporating students’ prior knowledge, ideas, and life experiences into the learning process, including unique questions, backgrounds, and connections they make to course content. In contrast to Inquiry, the ubiquitous Transmission method is mainly relied upon by instructors teaching large, gateway undergraduate engineering courses where the instructor is the keeper of the static knowledge that matters to students and students report they rely on their instructors to learn and are not developing their own learning methods and expertise. Inquiry encourages students to engage, identify their questions and misconceptions, design experiments and use evidence in the process of improving their understanding. By adopting Inquiry as the primary teaching method in engineering, instructors facilitate and guide students in the learning process, clarifying student prior knowledge, incorporating student questions and misconceptions, and eliciting student ideas about how they learn. This paper presents findings from our research partnership, consisting of a psychometrician who is also Curriculum Advisor of Computer Science at Baskin Engineering at UC Santa Cruz and two faculty members in Computer Science and Engineering . We met weekly over the course of the academic year 2021-2022 to explore and refine our own understandings of what it means to teach and assess with Inquiry, and to develop practical examples to demonstrate Inquiry teaching as applied to engineering content. During our meetings, we unpacked evidence of equity gaps, explored methods for teaching that close them, and innovated practical examples of engineering content that illustrate pre and post differences, teaching before and after making the transition. Our efforts allowed us to design the Inquiry Teaching and Learning (ITL) framework as it relates specifically to the challenges engineering instructors face and offers a suggested pathway forward for faculty and programs that intend to transition from Transmission to Inquiry teaching, improve student learning to better resemble the thinking and work of engineers, and reduce persistent and historic equity gaps in engineering education. By using institutional outcomes and pass rate data from our large, high stakes, foundational computer science course, CSE12 or Computer Systems and Assembly language, we were able to measure the efficacy of Inquiry teaching for improving student achievement by comparing results to previous course offerings before this pedagogical transition. The data analysis and course outcomes comparison suggest a significant reduction in the equity gap between URM and non-URM students because of the transition to Inquiry. We present the evidence of this and propose Inquiry and the ITL framework as what is needed to foster a new teaching mindset for faculty, undergraduate tutors, and teaching assistants that will improve student learning and close equity gaps between student subgroup populations.
... Here, we argue that to work towards the goal of the decolonisation of the student experience, there must also be greater intentionality built into the system. This implies that, while we are aiming to improve efficiencies through being agile and adaptable (Abdi, 2012), we must also make a commitment to un-marginalising the marginalised, and value and accommodate student differences (Braxton, 2000;Kuh & Love, 2000;Rendón, et al., 2000). These attempts at inclusivity imply not only problematising the effects of structures of power but also having practical strategies to address challenges to inclusivity such as facilitating individuals' access to facilities and information (Nyoni, 2019;Bazana and Mogotsi, 2017;Davids, 2020). ...
Article
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The student protests of 2015 and 2016 (re)surfaced the call to decolonise South African higher education (HE), highlighting the alienation experienced by black students within historically white institutions. This article describes how an academic development unit at one such institution responds as part of its reconceptualisation process. We consider the interplay between policy, structure, and practice within our context, and the extent to which these enable decolonial work. We also show how approaches to decolonisation within HE work to reinscribe coloniality and argue that these must be holistic and intentional to transform exclusionary institutional practices and the structures that sustain them. Drawing on the area of support services, which is typically designed around individualistic approaches to help-seeking, we illustrate, through a case study, how systems thinking principles enable productive decolonial work within colonial structures, and their affordances to inform policy for an integrated and responsive student support system.
... For instance, students may think they have to speak, behave, or dress in a certain way to fit in. Such a process, described as one-way assimilation (Fredrickson, 1999;Rendón et al., 2020), is less likely to assist genuine inclusion. These students, regardless of their efforts to fit in, may feel misunderstood, disrespected, or socially marginalized when their cultural identity is not valued (Navas et al., 2005). ...
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Abstract This study investigates the inclusion of students with migration backgrounds and international students in Dutch higher education, focusing on their social and academic integration, exclusion experiences, and confidence in diversity policies. Using data from the Belonging@VU survey of 1,778 students at VU University Amsterdam, the study identifies four inclusion profiles: Low Overall Inclusion (LOI), High Social Inclusion (HSI), High Academic Inclusion (HAI), and High Overall Inclusion (HOI). Findings reveal that students without migration backgrounds experience the highest overall inclusion, while non-OECD migrant students face the greatest challenges in social and academic integration. International students demonstrate stronger academic than social connections, highlighting the impact of cultural and linguistic barriers. The results emphasize the importance of peer relationships, institutional habitus, and effective diversity policies in fostering inclusion. The study concludes with several recommendations for enhancing inclusive practices emphasizing the importance of peer-to-peer interactions, contributing to equitable academic outcomes in diverse learning environments.
... Attrition rates provide a measure of the proportion of students who drop out of an institution each year. [2] , this is one of a range of indicators of outcomes of higher learning institution that should be viewed in conjunction with other measures to make judgment of the quality of the institutions. Some higher institutions include data on completion rates as indicators of performance, although there is a concern that the practice may implicitly force academic departments to lower standards of performance to attrition. ...
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Objective: The main purpose of this study was to examine major contributing factors for student attrition at Gondar University. Methods: A questionnaire was used as a means to obtain students' responses, simple random sampling was used, and four hundred fifty participants were involved. The data analyses were done based on the percentage, rank order, and percentage comparison. Results: Lack of time management, carelessness, tension, fear of failure, and lack of adequate effort were the top five personal factors for student attrition. Among the major challenging factors in the university environment, lack of facilities, adjustment problems with campus life, and lack of special support services were identified as reasons for dropout. High workload, use of difficult assessment techniques, low grades, style of learning, and poor quality of teaching were the top five reasons for attrition in the academic aspect, and variations had been observed in sex; male students had reported low grades as the first most reason for attrition whereas females reported high workload. Lack of money for learning (coping, buying books, for assignment typing), and shortage of money to support oneself (pocket money) were reasons for students dropping out. However, there is a gender difference, and male students attributed these economic factors more to students' attrition than females. Further, friends, parents, partners, academic advisers,s and instructors were the nearest people students would like to seek advice from or share their secrets when they were thinking of dropout. And, there had been gender differences in the people to whom students discussed; male students prefer to consult with an academic adviser, whereas females prefer to discuss with their parents. Good preparation/orientation program at the beginning of a semester, participating in short-term training (study skills, time management, life skills), increased support from an academic advisor, improvement in financial situations, and domestic (family duties) were the top five possible solutions that improve students attrition problems. There is the gender difference in the possible solution that changes students less likely to drop out; male students ranked participating in short-term training, making friends on campus, improvement in financial situations, whereas female students had agreed to good preparation orientation ahead of a semester, increased support from the academic advisor and teaching staff were identified as a solution for the problem.
... Nevertheless, other scholars (e.g., Rendón et al., 2000) who study the experiences of Latinx students in college, problematize the literature (e.g. Gloria & Kurpius, 1996;Gloria & Pope Davis, 1997) on this population as narrowly focused on Latinx cultures, especially because much of the literature consistently presents those within this community from a deficit lens. ...
Article
Traditionally, imposter syndrome is defined as feelings of inferiority regardless of one’s accomplishments and experiences. Imposter syndrome is often viewed as an experience that racially minoritized populations in higher education must encounter. But these traditional understandings frame imposter syndrome as a personal flaw rather than a product of structural oppression. Consequently, these limited and deficit focused ideas of imposter syndrome urge scholars and practitioners to disrupt normative conceptualizations of imposter syndrome by examining the phenomenon from a structural lens and to expand the literature on the experiences of Latinx college students at PWIs. As such, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to illuminate Latinx students’ strategies to cope with imposter syndrome within the hostile and unwelcoming environments of predominantly white institutions. Three major themes emerged from the data: a) code-switching, b) consejo de las personas más cercanas, and c) strategic consciousness: committing to survive the toxicity of imposter syndrome at PWIs; these findings highlight three major ways that Latinx students cope with feelings of imposter syndrome. Implications for future research and practice are outlined to further explore how institutions of higher education can dismantle structures, systems, policies, and procedures that perpetuate imposter phenomenon.
... In it, he argues that the more socially and academically integrated students are into a college setting, the better chance they have of completing a degree. To what extent the social and academic integration is successful depends on a number of student characteristics, and systemic issues specific to institutional and programmatic cultures (Rendon et al., 2000). ...
... Sense of belonging captures a student's view of whether they feel included and connected to the campus community (Hurtado & Carter, 1997). Additionally, a sense of belonging is illustrated by the mutual responsibility between the institution and the student (Johnson et al., 2007;Rendón et al., 2000). Latina/o/x students felt an increased sense of belonging when they perceived a supportive racial climate on campus (Hurtado & Carter, 1997). ...
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“Safe spaces” denote areas where students show up as they are and express themselves without fear of being made uncomfortable because of their sex, cultural background, or other status. Many dismiss the importance of safe spaces for students by accusing the institution of becoming a “therapeutic institution” concerned with their well-being, and/or viewing them as victims. We recognize the value of safe spaces to promote inclusion, and a sense of belonging for students. Utilizing photovoice with a LatCrit framework, we demonstrate the power of community-based participatory research to help Latina/o/x and Chicana/o/x students 1) explore and articulate which spaces at an emerging HSI support their sense of safety; 2) illuminate unsafe spaces and how they navigate them; and 3) center student voices in safer spaces issues. We also identify factors that make university spaces feel safer and unsafe so as to provide guidance to those interested in being supportive of this student population. The findings provide insight into the factors that impact Latina/o/x and Chicana/o/x students’ sense of safety and offer greater understanding of communal approaches that might support navigation of unsafe spaces and the increased creation of safer spaces.
... Scholars argue that traditional frameworks associated with ideas of "fit" can perpetuate an assimilationist perspective that students, particularly students of color, are asked to set aside their cultures and backgrounds in order to integrate socially and academically into an environment (Dowd et al., 2011;Museus, 2014). This approach can neglect the millions of students who come to class and leave because they have work and familial obligations and seek out support systems that maintain critical ties to their cultural heritages (e.g., Kiyama et al., 2015;Rendón et al., 2000;Torres, et al., 2019;Zerquera et al., 2018). Because many retention models were based on samples of white students, Rendón et al. (2020) called on challenging traditional models of retention to center the experiences of students to uncover how race, gender, class, religion, and different identities influence the retention of students in diverse learning environments. ...
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Though theories about retention and student development have been in the literature for decades, they have mainly existed in silos with little exploration of how they could or should be used together. This scholarly paper seeks to engage with the idea that there are synergistic connections between student development and retention theories that could further promote student success.
... As a result, different groups within higher education may have greater or lesser ability to demonstrate civility as a shared norm. First-generation, working-class, and racially or culturally underrepresented students, as well as faculty members, may be excluded from unspoken power and civility codes (Bassett, 2020;Collier & Morgan, 2008;Kezar, 2013;Rendón et al., 2000;Tinto, 1993). ...
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The aim of this study was to understand how incivility is viewed across multiple academic programs and respondent subgroups where different institutional and cultural power dynamics may influence the way students and faculty perceive uncivil behaviors. This study used the Conceptual Model for Fostering Civility in Nursing Education as its guiding framework. The Incivility in Higher Education Revised (IHE-R) Survey and a detailed demographic questionnaire were used to gather self-assessment and personal perspective data regarding incivility in the higher education setting. This approach aspired to collect a comprehensive perspective of incivility in higher education. With data from 400 students and 69 faculty, there was limited agreement between faculty and student participants about perceptions and experiences with incivility. Faculty and students did agree that the solution to incivility may be found with the creation of a code of conduct that defines acceptable and unacceptable behavior, role-modeling professionalism and civility, and taking personal responsibility and standing accountable for actions. Despite significant differences in participants’ perceptions of incivility, they shared common solutions. With a shared goal, faculty and students can work toward cultivating civility in higher education.
... The results of this study indicated that CAS, despite facing many challenges as a result of COVID-19 and regardless of their size, location, and populations served, persisted in supporting their students. To do so, most of the organizations prioritized their core values around building and maintaining relationships, which has been found to be integral to student persistence (e.g., Rendón et al., 2000). Indeed, many of the organizations went to great lengths to continue communicating with and hearing from their constituencies so they could modify programming according to community needs. ...
Article
The current study uplifts the efforts of community‐based college access and success programs (CAS) to support the college preparation, matriculation, and persistence of underserved students during COVID‐19. Fifty‐eight CAS across the United States completed an online survey that gathered information about organizational demographics, COVID‐19 challenges, responses to challenges, and communication with constituents and funding needs during COVID‐19. Results suggested CAS faced multiple challenges due to COVID‐19 that affected the organization, staff, and constituents. Results also revealed organizations of varying sizes, locations, and demographics responded to challenges by revising existing programming for students, creating new programming for students and caretakers, and updating staff policies to meet ongoing and emergent needs despite limited resources. CAS are essential service providers for students who are under‐ and mis‐served in formal education systems. Recommendations are provided for how such organizations can be invested in and better prepared for future disruptions.
... Theoretical Framework and Literature Historically, many researchers believed college students were most likely to succeed when they fully integrated with their institution's academic, cultural, and social life (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005;Tinto, 1987Tinto, , 1993. Higher education scholars have since moved away from this integration viewpoint, believing that it unfairly assigns students the responsibility of acculturating to campus life (Bensimon, 2007;Berger, 2000;Rendón et al., 2000;Tierney, 2000). Campus organizations have historically been-and in many ways remain-exclusive environments dominated by racist, sexist, and classist norms, which explains why it is burdensome for students from systemicallyminoritized communities to assimilate to university life (Hurtado & Carter, 1997;Museus, 2014). ...
Article
In 2016, State University (a pseudonym) implemented a proactive advising approach known as Monitoring Advising Analytics to Promote Success (MAAPS). The initiative was designed to improve academic achievement and retention measures for first-generation students and students from limited-income backgrounds. Using a qualitative methodological design, the purpose of this study was to learn about students' experiences with MAAPS advisors and their overall perceptions of the program. Findings confirm prior research that suggests some students may benefit from advisors' proactive communications and holistic approach. However, the design and implementation of MAAPS discouraged many from participating in the initiative, highlighting several implications for improved future practice.
... Další důvod je pak ten, že mají na integrační procesy podstatně méně času, neboť jejich přítomnost ve škole bývá kratší a obecně disponují menším množstvím volného času (Brücknerová & Rabušicová, 2019). Možná právě proto netradiční studenti nevnímají, že by sami měli vyvinout iniciativu pro svou lepší adaptaci, naopak mají za to, že by někdo jiný měl převzít tuto aktivní roli a podat jim pomocnou ruku (Rendón et al., 2000). ...
Book
This publication is devoted to the topic of non-traditional students in tertiary education. The key criteria for our definition of this group are age and a break in the formal educational trajectory after high school. From among all the non-traditional students in Czech higher education, we selected those who chose university studies in study programs that qualify them for work in education (e.g., teachers, counsellors, youth workers, teacher assistants, social educators, and adult educators). The book is divided into 11 interconnected chapters presenting theoretical background, methodology and results of mixed design research conducted by the team of authors.
... More opportunities for all of us in education to share our stories and tell our truths are needed. Offering opportunities for cultural reflection, selfauthorship, and testimony is very important in the education of Black college students (Harper, 2010;Patton et al., 2017;Rendon et al., 2004) and the educators who teach and advise them. Understanding ourselves as cultural beings has been affirmed as the critical first step in anti-racist work (Gorski & Dalton, 2019;Helms, 1995Helms, , 1997Kendi, 2019). ...
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In this essay, we center hip-hop culture and Black cultural legacies. We envision and offer a two-fold framework which illuminates the intersection between the two. We explore ways that the Black cultural experience (or better yet Black cultural praxis) has always brilliantly and organically demonstrated the shape and form of a scholarship of consequence. Black cultural praxis, or reflective action with a Black emancipatory influence, has always allowed freedom of movement, freedom of body, freedom of tongue, and freedom of voice. We translate what this cultural praxis teaches and urges regarding the transformation, unbinding, and freeing of both educators and educational spaces. We demonstrate how the intersection of hip-hop culture and Black cultural legacies can be instructive and transformative to educators. We invite educators to reimagine their classroom spaces by not only focusing on learning about hip hop but from it as well.
... For instance, Bean and Metzner (1985) proposed a model that focuses specifically on the experiences of commuter students and Okun et al. (1996) highlighted the need to examine the experiences of part-time students as distinct from full-time students. Several scholars have called for the need to examine the experiences of students of color via alternative models that include variables that are unique to the persistence decisions of students of color (Johnson et al., 2014;Rendón et al., 2000;Tierney, 1992). Others have emphasized the need to consider the specific experiences of students who receive financial assistance from their institutions and the impact it has on retention (Nora, 1990;Porter, 1991). ...
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In this quantitative survey study of 1,299 undergraduate students at a College of Agricultural Sciences (CAS), we explored possible factors impacting students’ decisions to prematurely depart their academic pursuits before degree completion. One of the objectives of the study was to determine differences between students of color and white students’ departure likelihood. However, student race/ethnicity was not a significant predictor of students’ self-reported departure likelihood. Support from family, support from friends, and students’ satisfaction/comfort with the CAS environment were negative predictors of students’ departure likelihood. When comparing departure likelihood based on student race/ethnicity, no differences were found between students of color and white students. There were some differences when comparing students’ perception of the CAS environment based on student race/ethnicity. White students reported somewhat higher levels of comfort/satisfaction compared to students of color. Based on these findings, CAS should consider involving students’ family and friends in students’ educational pursuits to improve retention of all students. CAS should also pay particular attention to how the environment can be more welcoming and supportive of students of color.
... Some scholars have voiced criticism of integration models, suggesting they place too much burden on the student to adapt and change to integrate into a community (Hurtado & Carter, 1997;Rendón, Jalomo, & Nora, 2000). Rather, they argue greater attention should be paid to a student's subjective sense of belonging, measuring a student's feeling of inclusion at the college. ...
Thesis
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More than half of the students who start this year at a community college will not return to the same institution the following year. This persistent problem negatively impacts students, institutions, and society at-large. However, institutions that experience greater success in retaining students place academic advising initiatives at the core of their retention efforts. The Appreciative Advising Model (AAM) may be uniquely suited to promoting student persistence because the AAM engages a student in long-term planning, showing how their current and future academic efforts can be aligned to achieve their goals. Employing the AAM, advisors use open-ended questions to uncover a students' dreams, and then co-construct, with the student, a set of systematic goals uniquely tailored to help the student reach their dreams. As part of this study, the AAM was implemented as an innovation at a community college advising center. Guided by a framework that includes theories of social constructivism, positive psychology, and appreciative inquiry, this qualitative action research study employed semi-structured interviews and focus groups with students and advisors to explore their perceptions and experiences related to the AAM as a potential tool to enhance community college retention. The goal of this study was to chronicle the implementation of a new advising model for a community college-the AAM-study the perceptions and experiences related to the new model, and to assess the model's influence on a student's likelihood of persisting at their community college. This work increases the understanding of the AAM in a community college setting and results may have implications for community colleges, advising centers, and retention efforts.
... Due to critiques of Tinto not being sensitive to the experiences of underrepresented students (e.g. Braxton et al., 1997;Guiffrida, 2006;Rendon et al., 2000) we have chosen to use organizational socialization theory as a framework to help us understand the experiences of students in bridge programs preparing to transfer into college. Organizational socialization is a specific application of general socialization theory. ...
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This qualitative study examines the experiences of seven students who were selected to attend a summer bridge program (SBP) located in the U.S. Midwest. Utilizing semi-structured interviews and organizational socialization theory, the study illuminates students’ preconceived notions about what it means to be in an SBP, experiences while in the program, and how those experiences help facilitate a successful transition into the first year of college and beyond. Findings revealed that participating in the SBP positively influenced students’ college experiences and ultimately their persistence to graduation. Recommendations drawn from the study are offered to higher education staff and administrators interested in starting or improving summer bridge or similar programs.
Article
This study examines the core discourses within strategic policy documents of the Georgian government concerning language policy in education. These documents are categorized into three language orientations: language as a resource, language as a right, and language as a problem. The study employs Critical Discourse Analysis as its research method. Findings reveal that despite the apparent positive goals and the consistent reference to language as a fundamental right in these documents, a closer examination exposes an overarching focus on strengthening and promoting the state language. This emphasis is presented as a crucial factor for the country’s stability and unity, reflecting an assimilationist approach to societal integration. Additionally, the treatment of minority languages, languages from smaller linguistic groups, and Kartvelian languages in these documents portray a deficit perspective that views bilingualism as a challenge rather than an asset. Moreover, the study highlights that critical facets of language policy linked to long-term individual and societal growth have not been recognized as substantial resources within these strategic policy documents. The study’s significance lies in its comprehensive dataset, which provides an opportunity to expand the overarching theoretical framework introduced by Ruiz.
Article
Increasing the collegiate success rates of men of color is an important goal, as it provides for the economic empowerment of this population and supports social justice and equity. While some interventions have been found to be impactful for men of color, the current study was designed to assess the bicultural education model and an innovative program called the fortified classroom. The bicultural education model suggests that students of color simultaneously commit to both Black and mainstream cultures and step in and out of the repertoires of both. The fortified classroom is an immersive first-year experience that includes academic support that is built into the classrooms. Results suggest that supporting students through this program has a significant positive impact on course completion, term-to-term retention, and graduation rates.
Article
Objective: Hope is a malleable, cognitive, motivational skill that supports college student outcomes. We evaluated a college-level curriculum that taught hope skills. Participants: Using a voluntary response sampling method, a total of 50 participants were included in the present study with 25 in each the control and intervention group. Methods: All students completed surveys on hope at the beginning and end of the semester. The intervention group participated in a 10-week curriculum; students in the control group completed their regular introductory course. Results: The intervention group had a significant increase in hope over the semester. Completing the hope course predicted significantly higher end-of- -semester hope, accounting for the beginning-of- semester hope. Conclusions: Hope can be taught via a classroom setting using a curriculum that requires limited financial and time resources. Improving college student hope has implications for their academic and well-being outcomes.
Chapter
Chapter 5 focuses on the concept of belonging. To belong in a fundamental way for humans in general and culturally for those persons who might be on the “outside.” The stories in this chapter underline the experiences of being made to be an “outsider” even in a context where the female Muslim students are “members” of the community of scholars. This chapter demonstrates the range of experiences by the students. The need and quest for belonging is a constant among all students and a steep incline for those on the “outside.”
Chapter
The COVID-19 pandemic forced liberal arts educators into an unplanned dive into online learning. Though many schools had little experience with online learning, some liberal arts colleges had already begun experimenting with online learning before the pandemic. This chapter begins by examining the perceptions, practices, and lessons learned from online liberal arts education before and during the pandemic. Based on this insight, this chapter discusses the ways that liberal arts educators can leverage online environments for learning in future. As the chapter illustrates, crisis and constraints can prompt new thinking and unexpected innovation. The chapter closes with advice and suggestions for future research, theory, and practice of online liberal arts education.KeywordsOnline learningHybrid learningLiberal learning outcomesOnline learning community
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bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Background: This case study presents graduate recruiting strategies developed and piloted in Fall 2018 and 2019. We initiated relationships with majority-minority universities, aiming to recruit underrepresented students to Utah State University's technical communication graduate programs. Research question: How may technical communication graduate programs at predominantly White institutions craft customized recruiting strategies to center multiply marginalized or underrepresented (MMU) applicants? Situating the case: Scholars have long advocated recruiting strategies that develop new ways of working with institutions that enroll large numbers of minoritized students to attract those students. Recruiting strategies that build and strengthen these relationships can decenter the academy and focus on the lived experiences of potential applicants. How this case was studied: Serving as the framework of our research methodology, the four tenets of alternative epistemology based on Black Feminist Theory directly informed specific recruiting strategies that we piloted in Fall 2018, then revised and piloted again in Fall 2019. About the case: Given the homogeneity of our field, it was important to develop recruiting strategies focused on marginalized groups. With this in mind, we established an annual graduate program recruiting trip to visit Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and majority-minority universities. Conclusions: In piloting recruiting strategies that center the perspectives and experiences of marginalized people, we identified two major priorities that should inform recruiting efforts: building relationships and enhancing inclusivity.
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This study examined student support services as a factor that impacts on students' progress and completion of studies at the University of Namibia's Centre for Open, Distance and eLearning. The Centre for Open, Distance and eLearning (CODeL) at the University of Namibia (UNAM) was established through a merger between the Centre for External Studies (CES) and the Centre for eLearning and Interactive Multimedia (CeLIM) in 2016 to provide and strengthen distance education in Namibia. However, one of the major challenges experienced by CODeL has been on support services which impacts on progress and completion of studies of students. The study adopted a mixed method approach to analyse student support services as a factor that impacts on distance students' progress and completion of studies at the University of Namibia's Centre for Open, Distance and eLearning. The research questions for the study were: To what extent do student support services impact on distance student's progress and completion of studies? How effective are student support services to distance students at CODeL of the University of Namibia? This study also followed a case study research design to present a real-life situation and to provide a better insight pertaining to student support services as a factor that impacts on students' progress and completion of studies at the University of Namibia. The data was collected from a sample size of 15 staff members at CODeL and 60 students. The findings of the study revealed that student viewed vacation school as extremely effective followed by administrative support. The study concluded that in-dead student support services impacts on students' progress and completion leading to delays in students' progress and completion of their studies. Students view on the types of student support services were that lecturer not turning up for classes during vacation school, short days for the vacation school and administrative support such as staff members not answering student's inquiries on time. The study recommends more attention should be given to student support services such as vacation school, administrative support and as they are the ones viewed by students as extremely effective.
Article
Purpose The study aimed to explore how student recipients of a full-tuition scholarship envision, define and experience mentorship and the types of relationships they have and expect from mentors. The study adds to the growing body of literature on mentorship as supplemental support for college student success. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews of 20 first-year college students in the Mid-West United States were collected as a part of a more extensive mixed-methods study. The authors used a four-phase process to refine, derive meaning and develop themes. Kegan's orders of consciousness explain how students make meaning of mentorship. Findings Students described mentoring as a service that could provide specific transactional features. Ten participants were unable to acknowledge a mentoring relationship at all, despite describing mentoring experiences and opportunities. Students often align with Kegan's second order, which focuses on self and valuing transactional, short-term relationships. Adjusting approaches to explaining mentorship and the value of building relationships appear to be an opportunity for research and practice. Originality/value This study illustrates an apparent disconnect between the intent of mentorship and the experiences of mentees. The students' experiences add a valuable perspective that supports the need to further refine mentoring practices in meaningful ways to impact student success, persistence and retention.
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International students pursuing higher education in the United States are faced with a multiplicity of challenges such as navigating an unfamiliar educational system, relocating to an unfamiliar country, overcoming negative stereotypes associated with being an educational student, and, in some instances, having to learn a foreign language. Despite such challenges, international students remain motivated to pursue higher education in the United States. This qualitative study, utilizing Schlossberg’s adult transition model as a theoretical framework, explored the lived experiences of 16 international students pursuing higher education in the United States. Emphasis was placed on their transitional experiences in relation to their learning. The major theme that emerged was “major adjustment.” Subthemes that emerged regarding these students’ adjustment included (a) diversity and cultural differences in the learning environment, (b) comparative differences in the learning environment, (c) language barriers, and (d) combatting stereotypes. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Chapter
This study was designed to test Tinto's theory of college student integration by measuring the social and academic integration of multiracial students. Policymakers and public interest have increased pressure on higher education institutions to address low degree completion rates among historically underrepresented racial minority students, leading to a targeted shift to assess and address factors that facilitate or hinder minority college student persistence. The participants for the current study consisted of a convenience sample of college students (n=173) classified as seniors at a mid-sized public four-year institution in Texas. The researcher collected pertinent demographic data and used the Institutional Integration Scale-Revised (IIS-R) to measure social and academic integration. The results of the analyses suggested a statistically significant correlation between being multiracial and social integration, but no significant correlation between being multiracial and academic integration.
Research
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The U.S. physician population lacks diversity, and this lack of diversity is reflected in the medical student population. Medical schools have implemented various types of programs to increase the diversity of their student population and, by extension, the physician population. A public Northeastern medical school implemented a postbaccalaureate premedical (PBPM) program for military-enlisted service members with a goal to increase diversity among its medical school cohorts. A quantitative causal- comparative ex post facto study compared diversity variables of the PBPM military-enlisted students with the public medical school student group as well as the national student group. Chi-square analysis found significant differences between the military-enlisted students and the two other comparison groups in four of five diversity measures. The military students were statistically different in age, marital status, number of dependents, and socioeconomic background. The groups did not differ significantly in terms of their racial/ethnic demographics. The study validated Tinto’s framework of student persistence with a military population.
Thesis
This study reformulates social cognitive career theory by going beyond the conventional emphasis on self-efficacy to provide new insight into the multiple socio-cognitive motivation predictors of STEM persistence plans among Women of Color (African American and Latina). Building on expectancy-value and role-strain theories, a reformulated socio-cognitive career model (RSCCM) was developed to better understand pivotal motivational factors that empower some Women of Color, despite facing systemic barriers, to persist in their undergraduate STEM majors, pursue Ph.D. degrees and plan STEM research careers. This theory-driven study makes unique contributions to existing higher education literature on college persistence by further clarifying multiple socio-cognitive motivation predictors of STEM persistence plans among Women of Color during the undergraduate-to-graduate studies transition. Based on a larger NIH-NIGMS funded study, multiple regression analyses were conducted on panel survey data from 179 Women of Color who applied to the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) at 14 major universities affiliated with the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA). Guided by the RSCCM, several hypotheses were tested to explore the role of STEM self-efficacy, STEM outcome expectancies, perceived STEM talents, STEM intervention-based appraisals, and perceived barriers and supports on STEM persistence plans. Findings indicate that in addition to self-efficacy, path-goal outcome expectations, strong faculty mentoring and perceived STEM talents were significant predictors of higher STEM persistence plans. Surprisingly, perceived discrimination was associated with higher rather than lower STEM persistence plans, and also moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and STEM persistence plans. The RSCCM and related study findings have important implications for theory, research and practice. First, RSCCM findings have theoretical significance for better understanding the multiple sources of motivation in STEM persistence decisions among Women of Color, especially during advanced stages of career development. Second, findings have important implications for future research to further clarify RSCCM propositions on larger and more diverse samples. Finally, RSCCM findings have policy relevance for informing strengths-based strategies that promote STEM persistence among Women of Color by reinforcing the multiple socio-cognitive motivational strengths that they bring to the BTAA-SROP and other pipeline intervention settings.
Chapter
This chapter describes how the promotion of empathy in an academic support unit at a higher education institution enabled the design thinking process to generate programs designed around student retention. Empathy empowered staff to understand retention as a complex construct called a “wicked problem,” which is a deep, structural, and pervasive issue. Priority was placed on the development of empathy among the team members to build cohesion and trust and develop deeper understanding of the complexity within the student experience in the first year of university. The results of the process were improved team cohesion, stronger commitment to student success, and reorganization of the academic support unit.
Article
England and the United States provide a very interesting pairing as countries with many similarities, but also instructive dissimilarities, with respect to their policies for higher education access and success. The purpose of this paper is to explore these similarities and dissimilarities with an eye to what each country can learn from the other with regard to reducing social class and racial/ethnic differences in higher education access and success. We focus on seven policy strands affecting higher education access and completion: student information provision; outreach from higher education institutions; student financial aid; affirmative action or contextualisation in higher education admissions; higher education efforts to improve retention and completion; performance funding; and degree of reliance on sub-baccalaureate institutions. While not exhaustive, this list of interventions is meant to focus on key policies affecting the undergraduate student experience and to give a sense of their range. We explore possible lessons that England and the United States might draw from each other’s experiences, mindful of the dangers of uncritical “policy tourism”. In the case of the United States, we note why and how it might benefit from following England in the use of Access Agreements to govern the outreach efforts of its universities, making more use of income-contingent loans, and expanding the range of information provided to prospective college students about the programmes and institutions they are considering. Meanwhile, in the case of England, we examine how it might benefit from greater focus on the role of further education colleges, sceptical consideration of proposals to make greater use of for-profit higher education, greater use of grant aid in its financial aid system, more policy attention to decisions students are making in primary and early secondary school that affect their preparation for higher education, greater use of contextualised admissions, and very careful consideration of the possible downsides of performance funding.
Article
Research demonstrates a clear connection between socialization initiatives and college student retention. Less clear are the ways transgender students select an institution to attend and transition into postsecondary education. As scholars dedicate efforts to understand trans college student success, more information is needed to determine how socialization initiatives fit in the success puzzle. Drawing upon an extensive qualitative study of trans college students, this article seeks to identify the factors that affect trans students’ college choice process and their experiences with anticipatory socialization initiatives moving into their first semester of study. Findings indicated that students attempted to grasp an institution’s commitment to transgender inclusion through various questions and online tools. Additionally, participants indicated the normalization of discussions concerning chosen names and pronouns suggested a supportive campus environment that helped them feel secure in selecting the institution.
Chapter
Preparation for STEM majors requires pre-college-level enhancements. Through interviews, Tofel-Grehl and Callahan (2017) examine the elements of the STEM pipeline at the high school level and find that teachers have specific expectations of students who excel in STEM areas. Several resources can aid the college transition for first-year STEM students. Financial resources, staff, academic support, and programming contribute to a successful transition during the first semester (Seidman et al., 2012; Gardner et al., 2001; Slovacek et al., 2011). Initial post-secondary-school support includes advising that encourages students to enter STEM fields of studies and to declare STEM majors early in their college careers to minimize the time and money required for degree completion (Frehill, 1997; Chen and Upah 2020).
Article
This article reports qualitative findings from interviews with 41 transfer students at a large public research institution in the Western United States. This study applied an asset-based action research approach. Transfer students shared their experiences with public libraries as children, in primary and secondary school libraries, and with libraries at their previous academic institutions. The findings demonstrated the power of students' memories and emotions associated with libraries. We identified student identities, relationships, and associations with library spaces as important sub-themes. We suggest practical actions for academic librarians working with transfer students.
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