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This study examined the perceptions of institutional research practitioners in advancing racial and ethnic equity, including understanding if institutional researchers view themselves as change agents and whether institutional researchers feel equipped or have the capacity to advance racial and ethnic equity at their institution. Further, this study explored if there was any difference based on institutional characteristics and institutional researcher demographics. A mixed-methods approach was employed that included a national survey of institutional researchers and semi-structured interviews. The results of this study illustrate the current perspective and engagement of institutional researchers in advancing racial and ethnic equity within their respective institutions. Additionally, recommendations for future research are discussed. / Educational Administration

Previous studies have found that overall first-generation college students have lower levels of student engagement than non-first-generation college students in higher education (Pascarella, Pierson, Wolniak, & Terenzini, 2004; Pike & Kuh, 2005). However, more recent research has brought into question the extent of these differences in engagement (Dong, 2019). Additionally, while a growing body of literature has focused on the engagement of first-generation college students, fewer studies have addressed this population’s participation with support services (Volet & Karabenick, 2006) and career services more specifically (Tate, Caperton, Kaiser, Pruitt, White & Hall, 2015). The purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of first-generation status on students’ use of in-person services at a university career center in a large, public research institution. A conceptual framework infusing social capital theory and intersectionality was developed to assess the effect of first-generation status alongside several other at-risk demographic factors. While first-generation status was not found to be a significant factor in students’ use of the career center, gender and student work did have an effect. The results of this study have implications for researchers studying the career development experiences of first-generation college students as well as administrators seeking to improve data tracking methods within career services offices. / Educational Administration

Women mid-level career professionals continue to face obstacles as they move forward in their careers. Opportunities for advancement and balancing personal and professional commitment remained challenging. Supportive relationships were integral in career guidance, navigating decision-making and office politics, and networking. This qualitative study explored the shared lived experiences of women mid-level career professionals in higher education. The focus was to examine their professional experiences, focusing on the challenges faced, perception of leadership, supportive relationships in the workplace, and institutional support via professional development. In addition, leadership self-efficacy, social capital, and intersectionality between race and gender were highlighted to understand further the experiences of mid-level career professionals in higher education. The research questions were: (1) What are the shared experiences of mid-level women professionals in higher education? And (2) How do work relationships influence the experiences of mid-level women professionals in higher education? There were fifteen participants in this study who were recruited via email and self-identified as mid-level career professionals. They were required to complete an interest form, demographic survey, and two 60- 90-minute interviews. Seven themes emerged and were organized into three categories: (a) perceptions of leadership styles & professional identity, (b) challenges, support, & morale in the workplace, and (c) work relationships influence on career growth. There were several findings in this study. There was ambiguity around the definition of mid-level career professionals. Perceptions of effective leadership styles were contradictory. Advancement opportunities continued to be challenging, and often, women hit a wall. There was invisibility due to lack of support from supervisors, and title- consciousness played a factor in seeking guidance and learning opportunities. The balance of personal and professional lives was difficult and influenced decision-making in terms of career trajectory. An increase in women supporting women was imperative to creating connections between mid-level and senior-level. Lastly, the experiences of Black women mid-level professionals did not differ much from the experiences of participants who identified as white. However, all the women of color in this study spoke to sponsorship for validation. Overall, this research contributed to a deeper understanding of women mid-level career professionals’ experiences in higher education. / Policy, Organizational and Leadership Studies

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of faculty members who teach courses to high school dual enrollment students. Existing literature on dual enrollment focuses mainly on academic achievement and grade point averages; few studies explore the lived experiences of those who participate in dual enrollment. Although there is limited research on how students perceive their experiences with dual enrollment, a missing piece of the existing literature is in how faculty members perceive their experiences with dual enrollment students. The research questions sought to explore professors' experiences with dual enrollment students, to what extent they believe their students were prepared to perform in a college course, and to what extent they believed their students were prepared to access resources on a college campus. The method included interviewing professors who have taught dual enrollment students in the last 10 years and exploring their experience working with high school students. Interviews were transcribed, codes were applied to the data, and a thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. Five themes were discovered as a result of the thematic analysis. Data showed that faculty members perceive that dual enrollment students show regularly improvement, are responsive to feedback, are as prepared or more prepared than their peers who do not participate in dual enrollment, have academic related soft skills that help them succeed, and they are just as resourceful as their peers. Additionally, a common perception among faculty members is that they think dual enrollment students benefit from committed professors. The data suggested from this study has implications for the recruitment of dual enrollment students and the way programs are structured. Additionally, it recommends further research on students' lived experiences of their participation in dual enrollment. / Educational Leadership

The purpose of this study is to ascertain whether a student’s sense of financial security can increase the degree of predictability of retention over and above the more traditional predictors typically found in the literature, and to get a better sense for how student financial security impacts student persistence decision-making in college. To determine whether or not a student’s sense of financial security can increase the degree of predictability of retention over and above expected family contribution (EFC) and grade point average (GPA), data on these variables were collected from students at Mid-Atlantic University between the years of 2017 and 2019. Each variable was run separately at the univariate level through correlations (or chi square for race) to answer the question of whether the variables high school GPA, EFC and financial security (both as a percentile, and as a raw score) correlate with retention. What was found was that only high school GPA significantly predicts retention, with financial security having no effect. To obtain additional information on how students’ sense of financial security impacts student persistence decision-making in college, a series of interviews were conducted with students who made the decision to persist, despite identified financial insecurities. To better understand the decision-making of students from both a relatively high socioeconomic (SES) status, as well as the decision-making of students from a relatively low SES, students from both the 1st EFC quartile, as well as students from above the 3rd EFC quartile at Mid-Atlantic University were interviewed about whether financial security had impacted their persistence decision-making. A thematic analysis of the six student interviews revealed that students are: (1) Averse to risk and sometimes reluctant to take on debt; (2) Unmoored from traditional financial support systems; (3) Lacking general money management knowledge, (4) Employed on and off campus, and (5) Committed to reaching their educational goals. If institutions of higher education are going to help students better navigate persistence decision-making, they need to understand the nuances of how student financial concerns influence such decisions. This study provides valuable insights into the multi-dimensional nature of student persistence decision-making, especially as those decisions are impacted by student financial pressures and insecurities. Such insights can help institutions develop effective interventions and initiatives to promote greater financial confidence in students, encouraging student persistence and educational goal achievement. / Educational Leadership