Despite a multitude of possible explanations for racial and ethnic group differences in collegiate achievement, scholars have continued to call for new research and theories to better explain this ongoing phenomenon. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the relationship between grit, racialized campus experiences, and college…

LGBTGEQIAP+ people experience mental health distress at higher rates than cisgender heterosexual people, which can be connected to added layers of stress due to patterns of negative treatment on the basis of their identities (Meyer, 2003). LGBTGEQIAP+ community college students are at especially high risk for experiencing challenges,…

While Black students have gained increased access to college, the data reflect that there are fewer Black students completing or earning bachelor's degrees. Existing research reflects findings on various factors, both academic and non-academic, that influence student retention and success in higher education. Historically, theories on student…

Enrollment of vertical transfer students across four-year colleges and universities has been increasing over the past decade (Shapiro et al., 2018). From 2012 to 2017, data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS) survey showed that White students represented the largest group of transfers to four-year colleges and universities. Racial and…

When examined more thoroughly, the complexities created by the discrepancies between admission and graduation of African American students point to the impact of their psychological orientation to community college. It simultaneously highlights the degree of their mainstream orientation experience and its impact on their perceptions of…

This mixed-methods study of 507 trans and gender-nonconforming students (75% undergraduate, 25% graduate) aimed to understand (a) what institutional factors are associated with the presence of more trans-inclusive policies/supports, (b) what trans-inclusive policies/supports are viewed as important by different groups of trans students, and (c)…

Objective: Despite the growing representation of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) among community colleges, relatively little is known about student perceptions of the campus climate at these institutions. Although perceptions of campus climate may differ by race and adversely affect students of color, most research has been conducted at…

"Mentoring through the Transitions: Voices on the Verge" highlights the individuals, programs, and institutions succeeding in assisting STEM students through critical junctures such as high school to college, community college to four-year institution, and four-year institution to graduate school and beyond. It features the authentic…

Racial identity salience is an important component of identity development that is associated with a number of educational outcomes. Using the Diverse Learning Environments Survey, this study identifies precollege and college experiences that contribute to a heightened salience of racial identity, and its relationship to perceptions of campus…

Community colleges in Northern and Southeastern Virginia have struggled with enrollment and retention of adult learners. Addressing adult learners' needs is an important focus for instructors, yet few studies have addressed how instructors can use andragogy, the art and science of adult learning, to influence their instructional practices to…

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) defines service learning as the combination of classroom instruction with community service, focusing on critical, reflective thinking as well as personal and civic responsibility. Service learning programs involve students in activities that address local, community-identified needs while…

This paper explores the issues of what would constitute a positive organizational climate for women and minorities within the community college setting and ways in which such a climate might be achieved. It first describes some traditional or standard measures of a positive organizational climate for women and minorities and then evaluates how…

This study examines the stress factors associated with college persistence among a sample of four undocumented Mexican immigrant women from a small rural community in the Rocky Mountain region. Using Chicana feminist epistemological techniques to analyze data collected from in-depth interviews, this study yielded four major findings that include:…

While students of color make up more than 30% of Ohio's student population, many students will graduate high school without ever having a teacher of color. Teachers of color comprise only 5% of Ohio's teaching workforce, and similar disparities persist in other education professions including educational aides, principals, and superintendents.…

Although critical thinking skills are important for all citizens participating in a democratic society, many community college students appear to lack these skills. This study addressed the apparent lack of research relating critical thinking instruction to campus climate. Critical thinking theory and Moos's organizational climate theory served as…