<p> This quantitative study examined the transfer and degree aspirations of African-American and Latino males enrolled in California community colleges. Carter's (2002) theoretical and conceptual framework on the degree aspirations of African-American and Latino students was utilized to frame this study. Using secondary data from CCSSE, t-tests, factor analyses and logistic regression analyses were completed to compare the experiences of African American and Latino males and predict their transfer and degree aspirations. Findings include that self-reported data on GPA, obtaining or updating job skills, changing careers, and institutional size were predictors of associate degree aspirations. For the outcome transfer aspirations, predictors were race, sources used to pay for their tuition, and experiences that contributed to their academic, cognitive, and technical skills at the community college. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.</p>

<p>Traditional classroom educators face the challenge of teaching online due to the increasing demand of online courses at higher education institutions. Educators who transition from the traditional classroom to online instruction experience the need to incorporate different skills and strategies in order to become an effective online instructor. This qualitative study sought to investigate the difficulties experienced by traditional classroom instructors who are attempting to transition to an online classroom format and what strategies can be used to overcome these difficulties. A qualitative meta-synthesis design was used for this research study because the research questions and approach position towards the appropriateness of meta-synthesis research. Four themes presented themselves from the meta-synthesis of eight research studies. The following four themes captured the experience of educators transitioning from traditional instruction to online instruction: increased workload, changing roles and skills, enhanced support and training, and various communication and engagement strategies. The findings from this study found that traditional educators transitioning to online instruction face many challenges as they attempt to create an engaging classroom environment that echoes engagement in a traditional classroom. The results of this study can assist educators in developing their online teaching skills.

<p> The purpose of this qualitative research guided by resilience theory was to investigate the experiences of four Black women senior student affairs administrators at predominantly White institutions in order to understand the strategies for success that led to their advancement to senior level positions. Participants included four deans of students and/or vice presidents for student affairs (reporting directly to the president of the institution) at four-year small private predominantly White institutions (enrollment under 5,000). The participants' recounted experiences of tokenism, perceptions of the appearance, perceptions of communication styles, and inequitable compensation. They also reported support systems such as mentors, giving back, and spirituality that influence their thoughts, actions, reactions, decisions, and motivation to continue in the field, in their position, and ultimately in higher education. The implications of the study encourages institutions to provide funding, personnel resources, and training for all employees as well as encourages current Black women administrators to discuss their professional experiences to continue to inform scholarship and practice.</p>

<p> The increasing numbers of incoming student orientation programs, combined with greater parental involvement aimed at facilitating their children's arrival on campus and smooth transition to college life, has resulted in a surge of parent orientation programs, over the past two decades (Lynch, 2006; Merriman, 2007). New student orientation programs are designed to prepare them for the academic and social changes which occur upon entering college. Although orientation is often used as a retention tool, the possible ramifications parental attendance on students during this critical transition into college, has been overlooked (Coburn &amp; Woodward, 2001; Mann, 1998; Tinto, 1993; Wartman &amp; Savage, 2008). Since Tinto's first publication in 1985, much of the research related to student retention has been directly tied to his Student Integration Theory (Pascarella &amp; Terenzini, 2005). </p><p> Although Tinto acknowledges the contributions economic and psychological experiences may have on the student's likelihood of being retained, unlike theorists before him, Tinto's model focuses more on experiences the student encounters after coming to college, rather than those occurring prior to college. Tinto's findings call for students to separate themselves completely from their past communities, in order to successfully transition into their new community. This study challenges Tinto's logic of complete separation from one's past and explores further the relationship and impact parent attendance during student orientation has on full-time, first-year retention rates. </p><p> The results of this study indicate there is a positive relationship between parent attendance during orientation and first-year student retention. Moreover, parent attendance in student orientations was found to be a positive-predictor of student retention. These results are in opposition to Tinto's imperative that retention is enhanced when students make a complete separation from pre-college communities, and reveals instead the positive impact parent involvement has on first-year retention. While the study is not intended to answer all questions surrounding parent inclusion as related to college student retention, it does point future researchers in a new direction when seeking additional insight regarding policies and practices surrounding parent involvement and student retention.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating influences of core self-evaluation, emotional intelligence, and extraversion on the career success of master's level business graduates. Much was known about the relationship between this study's three dispositional variables and career success, but far less was known about how these items interact with one another to influence extrinsic and intrinsic career success. Our research involved the collection of data from master's level business alumni from a large Southeastern university who graduated between 2000 and 2012. Established measures were used as gathering instruments for the three dispositional variables, the CSES for core self-evaluation, the WEIP-S for emotional intelligence, and the IPIP proxy of the NEO-PI-R for extraversion. In total, 4,790 alumni were surveyed and 534 alumni successfully completed the survey. The survey results found partial support for 2 of the 4 hypotheses. We found a moderating effect of emotional intelligence on the relationship between core self-evaluation and extrinsic career success. We also found that extraversion moderated the relationship between core self-evaluation and participant's response to the question `time spent happy at work'. The data also produced a strong, positive relationship between core self-evaluation and intrinsic career success, and a modest relationship between intrinsic career success and both emotional intelligence and extraversion. This study concluded that personality does matter when it comes to career success of master's level business graduates. These results have implications for business schools administrators that aim to improve the career success of their master's level business graduates. By understanding the core self-evaluation traits and emotional intelligence abilities of applicants and students, business school leaders can seek to understand how these items are associated with higher performance in terms of job placement and career success. This knowledge could be incorporated into a more sophisticated approach to attracting student talent, developing student talent through curricula advances, and connecting student talent to hiring organizations. In doing so, business schools can advance their mission of providing not only knowledge and skill development to their students, but also more long term career success and improved results for the organizations that hire their graduate talent.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to report a more inclusive postsecondary graduation rate figure, improve the ability of postsecondary institutions to predict the likelihood that a student will graduate, and to help address challenges presented by the United States President and by the Kentucky General Assembly. The more inclusive graduation rate calculation is in contrast to the prevailing National Center for Education Statistics' (NCES) Graduation Rate Survey (GRS) calculation. The calculations used in this study incorporated data from the National Student Clearinghouse's (NSC) StudentTracker systems. The research population used in this study consisted of students who initially enrolled at the University of Louisville (UofL) in academic years 2000-01, 2001-02, or 2002-03. Using a more inclusive graduation rate calculation that counted a student as having graduated from any postsecondary institution, not just the institution where they initially enrolled yielded a graduation rate that was 10 percent higher for the research population than was reported under the prevailing methodology. The study created a Graduation Likelihood Model (GLM) to predict the likelihood that a first-time, full-time bachelor-degree-seeking student will graduate within six academic years. Eight independent variables were examined through chi-square and logistic regression (logit). The eight variables examined were gender, race/ethnicity, ACT, High School Grade Point Average (HSGPA), public high school (HS) vs. private HS, HS distance from campus, state/federal-grant/scholarship financial aid, and federal loan financial aid. In addition to running chi-square and logit on each variable, the procedures were run on the variables after they were included in four distinct categories: demographic, academic, pre-postsecondary academic and financial aid. The chi-square results showed that with the exception of HSGPA there was an association, albeit small, between the variables and successful graduation. All variables including HSGPA are to be used in the GLM, which can be used by postsecondary institutions to predict, at the time a student applies to the institutions, the likelihood that a student will graduate within six academic years. The GLM and the new calculation of graduation rates relate to initiatives set out by both the state of Kentucky and current US President Barack Obama. The new calculation provides a better way of assessing student achievement. At the time of initial enrollment, the GLM can be used to identify students, who may need additional assistance to obtain their degrees. .</p>

<p> Using Wylie's (2004) Model of Non-Traditional Student Attrition as the theoretical framework, results of the analysis revealed student- and nursing-program-related factors that facilitate or hinder successful completion of the program. Barriers of completion included (a) amount and difficulty of course requirements, (b) difficult test rubrics, (c) ineffective instructors, (d) full-time teaching, (e) difficulty in balancing work, family, and school responsibilities, (f) language barriers, and (g) separation of work and school environment. Results of the study further showed that resolution of students' personal obstacles hindering program completion included (a) time and financial management, (b) establishing good relationships with instructors, and (c) use of student support services. While there is a plethora of extensive studies that have developed theories to explain students' early departure from nursing programs, there are only limited studies conducted with respect to nurse programs' retention or attrition in terms of the factors that lead to success in nursing programs. This current study investigated the lived experiences of students currently enrolled in an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program as well as those who have dropped out of the program at a Midwest community college. Data were collected from 13 participants who participated in the semi-structured interview and were analyzed through a modified Moustakas (1994) van Kaam method. Results can be utilized by educational institutions to create ways to eliminate these barriers. Colleges might be more willing to provide additional student support during enrollment if the external factors that help students achieve success could be identified.</p>

<p> Matriculating to college is a critical time in the life of transitioning students. Students in their first year of college face change the transition to being independent and meeting people from diverse backgrounds. Colleges and universities recognize the first year of college as one of the most impressionable aspects of student life. Colleges and universities have created experiences designed around the concept of assisting in the integration of students in their first year of college. First-year experience (FYE) courses or first-year seminars (FYSs) were designed to provide students with tools and skills they needed as first-year students in college, as well to help students persist from one year to the next. </p><p> This study sought to determine which aspects of a FYS demonstrate the best approach to assisting students with successful integration to college, which can affect increased persistence to the sophomore year or increase persistence to graduation using secondary data from the 2006 National Survey on First-Year Seminars (NSFYS). Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regressions were employed to analyze the data and to answer the research questions. The sample used for this study included respondents who participated in the 2006 NSFYS and agreed to release their responses anonymously for research purposes. Results indicated course topics are a significant predictor of persistence to the sophomore year for moderate-selective institutions. When examining the persistence to graduation model, course topics, course objectives, and other course characteristics are significant for low-selectivity institutions.</p>

<p> Strategic enrollment management is a process where desired enrollment outcomes are achieved through the orchestration of several core functions of an institution including marketing, recruitment, admissions, pricing and aid, retention programs, academic support services and program development. The problem is that small private colleges may face significant demographic and economic challenges that could negatively affect future enrollment levels. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how three small private institutions in the Midwest increased full-time undergraduate enrollment by more than 100% within a 10-year period. Those colleges were Aurora University, Benedictine University, and Notre Dame College. The enrollment growth strategies utilized at each institution were examined in an attempt to combine various strategies to develop a model for enrollment growth that might be used by other small, private colleges and universities. The institutions in this study implemented several parallel strategic initiatives including those that focused on athletics, campus building investments, financial aid, academic programs, admissions recruiting, and pricing that yielded significant enrollment gains over a ten-year period. This research project achieved its purpose as the results of the study led to the development of a model of enrollment growth strategies that may be utilized by other small private institutions to explore future potential enrollment growth strategies. Recommendations for additional research include a) enrollment growth strategies at other small private institutions in different areas of the United States, b) enrollment growth strategies at larger institutions, and c) institutions that experience enrollment growth within a future ten-year period.</p>

<p> The overall intent of the study was to understand the role of emotional intelligence in school leader preparation programs in the Nazarene university system. A qualitative exploration of the understanding and presence of emotional intelligence (EI) theory and associated concepts in two Nazarene university principal preparation programs was conducted along with an investigation of the need, hindrances, and solutions to including such topics in the universities' programs. Two educational leadership program directors from each university acted as participants by responding to semi structured interview questions about the topics. </p><p> The results revealed a perceived need for the inclusion of EI theory and associated concepts in the universities' principal preparation programs. Hindrances and possible solutions for including EI in the curriculum resulted in clear guidelines for incorporating the topics in the universities' courses of study. Implications for application of the results to other universities were discussed as well as the potential for development and implementation of training in EI for a broader set of educational leaders, including preservice and existing principals, teachers, education specialists, various levels of school leaders, and community partners in leadership roles affecting schools. Recommendations were made for further research extending the study of EI theory and associated concepts into universities outside the Nazarene university system as well as employing a quantitative approach to further investigate the ten themes which emerged regarding the relationship between EI and principal leadership. A comparison study using the same methods to explore the topic of servant leadership was also suggested.</p>