College students in the United States today are failing to be academically engaged, and there is a critical need to analyze why this is occurring. The research conducted in this study was used to examine student engagement as a means to promote learning in higher education. Student engagement can lead to knowledge development and foster academic success in a fast paced, postindustrial, global era that demands creative, analytical, and problem solving approaches to education. The study conducted here examined how students in the United States underperform on multiple academic levels, both in K-12 education and beyond, and asserts that a lack of student engagement is the primary problem in education today. Student engagement is crucial to the development of the skills needed for academic achievement and the future employee readiness of college graduates. The promotion of student creativity, and the ability for students to collaborate with educators as co-creators in their educational processes, increases the chances for student engagement and supports academic success. To address the problem of student attrition in higher education, a qualitative research methodology was used. The research questions in this study were, "how do students perceive the role of innovative strategies in encouraging their own participation in academic pursuits as a means to garner achievement?" and "how do students perceive the role of innovative strategies in influencing their success in the workforce as college graduates?" A case study approach was used to address these questions, and ten students from two different colleges in Florida were interviewed. The primary themes identified were those of relevancy and interaction, and the need to promote these in college classrooms. The key findings in this study demonstrate the considerable lack in current approaches used to foster student engagement, and point to the need for educational practices that are based on teachers embracing more substantive manners of teaching. The dynamic that occurs between students and teachers in today's colleges warrants further research and informed practice to meet the needs of college students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]