Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership Studies, Xavier University, 2019, Leadership Studies and Human Resource Development

Summer melt is a national phenomenon that occurs when high school graduates who intend to matriculate into higher education following graduation end up not doing so. This phenomenon is widespread across the country and enables the poverty cycle to continue. Over the last decade, national studies conducted to understand the summer melt phenomenon have identified three factors that create barriers to matriculation for high school graduates who succumb to summer melt: financial, paperwork, and home circumstances. The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to describe the experience or transition for a group of low-income graduates of a single school district in Southwest Ohio, all of who intended to matriculate into higher education. A sufficient number of matriculated and non-matriculated graduates were recruited to identify factors that contributed to the summer melt phenomenon among a small group of graduates who did not matriculate, and to describe how another small group of matriculated graduates overcame similar factors. Factors identified were compared to factors previously reported by national studies of the summer melt phenomenon. Emergent factors not previously identified were also reported, as well as factors matriculated graduates reported assisted in their successful transition from high school to higher education. Due to the small sample size, results cannot be taken as representative of all graduates of this school district, but may serve as a starting point for conducting future studies.

Committee: Gail F. Latta Ph.D. (Committee Chair); D. Mark Meyers Ph.D. (Committee Member); Ahlam Lee Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education; Secondary Education

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2024, College of Education

This dissertation investigates the factors influencing the matriculation trends of former College Credit Plus (CCP) participants to host institutions in Ohio, utilizing Perna's (2006) College Choice Model as a framework. The study examines variables such as course modality, geographical proximity to the host institution, course load, and grade point average, utilizing three postsecondary institutions: a private 4-year, a public 4-year, and a 2-year community college. High school cohorts from the past three graduating years (2021-2023) were analyzed to provide current insights into dual enrollment trends. Significant associations were found between matriculation and variables of course modality, course load, and proximity. The study's limitations include a restricted sample size, exclusion of homeschooled and online high school students, and a focus on a limited set of variables. Future research should explore additional qualitative and quantitative factors influencing dual enrollment students' college choices, including socioeconomic status, parental education levels, and institutional characteristics.

Committee: Peter Ghazarian Dr. (Advisor) Subjects: Education; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Leadership Studies

The current study examined the impact of a pre-matriculation social belonging intervention on the academic achievement of incoming first-time, full-time college students at a four-year public university in the Midwestern United States utilizing a secondary analysis of existing data. The theoretical framework was viewed through the lens of Bandura's (1997) Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) which focused on social and cognitive abilities with an emphasis on social influences, self-efficacy, and motivation. Bandura's (1986) Triadic Reciprocal Determinism Model undergirded the study as the conceptual framework and captured learning as (a) behavioral, (b) personal, and (c) environmental. The secondary analysis of existing data included College Transition Collaborative (CTC) pre-matriculation social belonging intervention data, student demographic and achievement data. Given the large dataset and variability in data, the final sample population (N = 2,138) was collapsed and randomly equalized based on the treatment condition (standard, customized, and CTC control) and no-treatment control groups to create a unique custom secondary analysis of existing data to analyze the research questions. Additionally, race and ethnicity data were collapsed into White and non-White student groups. Factorial analysis of covariance (factorial ANCOVA) was used to examine if there were statistically significant main effects or individual impact of each independent variable (race and ethnicity, gender and CTC Intervention) on the dependent variable (first-year cumulative GPA). Additionally, the researcher examined if there was a statistically significant two-and three-way interaction effect or influence of the relationships between the independent variables and the dependent variable. Overall, the results of the current study suggested that students who participated in the CTC pre-matriculation social belonging intervention saw a positive difference in first year cumulative GPA compared (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Judy Jackson May Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Hee Soon Lee Ph.D. (Other); Patrick Pauken J.D., Ph.D. (Committee Member); Julia Matuga Ph.D. (Committee Member); Charlene Alexander Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Higher Education

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2023, Educational Administration

In the City of Chicago, a collaboration between the City Colleges, the Chicago Public Schools, the philanthropic community and the mayor's office has berthed a unique program called the Chicago Roadmap for Success (The Roadmap). The Roadmap aligns resources to ensure that more students have more access to college. One of the keystone features of the Roadmap is the Navigator program. This program is a mentoring program that is designed for high school juniors and seniors as they plan for their postsecondary lives. The Navigator program is run by the City Colleges of Chicago. It has a strong focus on students attending the City Colleges after high school, but Navigators can help students with any postsecondary pathway. This program evaluation study examined the Navigator program from both a quantitative and qualitative viewpoint. Surveys were completed by over 40 students. Interviews were conducted and included both students and Navigator mentors. The results showed a very strong connection between students who had a strong relationship with their Navigator and their matriculation to City Colleges. Additionally, the interviews showed that the mentoring program helped immensely with students understanding how to and wanting to matriculate to college. Interviews also showed an improved perception of both the City Colleges as well as going to college. This dissertation also includes an action plan. The action plan, which is based on the results of the study, calls for an expansion of the mentoring program to not only help mentors be in their schools more often, but also to target Black and Latino male students through specialized Navigator programming. Finally, there is a call to support the Navigators more strongly through better ties to City College resources and an increase in availability to students.

Committee: James Olive (Committee Chair); Meredith Wronowski (Committee Member); Peggy Korelis (Committee Member) Subjects: Community Colleges; Continuing Education; Counseling Education; Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory

PHD, Kent State University, 2022, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The high-stakes nature of national board exams in podiatric medical education calls for robust studies about student preparation and the strategies that correlate most with academic performance. Curricular and co-curricular programming can boost students' self-regulated learning aptitude and national board exam pass rates. The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to explore self-regulated learning in podiatric medical students in the context of their preparation for the APMLE-Part I exam and participation in a pre-matriculation program. This analysis was achieved using both quantitative techniques and Q methodology. Quantitative data were collected through 30 second-year students who completed a Likert-type survey and a Q sort. Academic performance was measured by the scores on the mock board exam, which simulates and highly correlates with the APMLE-Part I exam outcomes. Pearson's correlation was used to determine which characteristics are associated with academic performance. The Independent Samples t-test was used to determine differences in pre matriculation and non-prematriculation students. Q sort data were analyzed through factor analysis. There were significant positive correlations between exam scores and intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, control of learning beliefs, and self-efficacy. Significant negative correlations were found between exam scores and the rehearsal and help-seeking subscales. Three factors emerged during the Q sort. Factor one displayed consistency and confidence. Factor two described determined learners who preferred to study alone. Factor three described social learners yet demonstrated test anxiety. The findings identified characteristics of learners that can be used to implement and refine co-curricular programming.

Committee: Mark Kretovics (Committee Co-Chair); Steven Brown (Committee Member); Erica Eckert (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Education; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Agricultural and Extension Education

Lower retention and graduation rates continue to persist among urban and Appalachian student cohorts. However, these two groups have historically been viewed as different and needing different supports to persist in their educational pursuits. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of, and integrational supports utilized by college graduates from Ohio's urban and Appalachian regions. Specifically, this study explores the differences and similarities in institutional support services/resources and experiences urban and Appalachian graduates identify as having been instrumental in their collegiate success. Using a qualitative research multiple case study approach, the researcher examined the academic and social experiences of urban and Appalachian college graduates from Ohio's Urban Eight and Appalachian regions. The methodology for this study includes a qualitative approach where the researcher conducted in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 college graduates from a large, land-grant institution. Data gathered from this study yielded several similarities in experience and institutional integration across the urban and Appalachian groups. A strong reliance on support systems, such as campus organizations, peers, and faculty/staff, in addition to their yearning for identity-based support services was salient among both groups. Due to the relatively small sample size of this study, n=15, the findings cannot be generalized to the entire urban and Appalachian population. Overall, the findings of this study revealed substantial similarities and a few very critical differences in the academic and social experiences of urban and Appalachian graduates. These experiences support the critical role of student integration efforts and specialized support services for students from minority and underrepresented identities. The findings of this research may ultimately have the potential to reexamine and reframe how higher education institution (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mary Rodriguez PhD (Advisor); Emily Buck PhD (Committee Co-Chair); James Moore PhD (Committee Member); L. Brian Raison PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Agricultural Education; Education; Educational Sociology; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2008, Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering (Engineering)

Enrollment is a critical measure of the health of a university. And, a component to enrollment is the number of new freshmen that matriculate each year. This research investigates, through statistical analysis, factors which contribute to an applicant's decision to matriculate. There are several predictive models in the literature which attempt to forecast who will or how many students will matriculate at a university. Khajuria (2007) developed a model to predict which applicants to Ohio University would matriculate. However, it was shown that the behavior in the subsequent year was not consistent. To examine this effect, models from three years were developed and the changes in which factors effected matriculation and their effect was analyzed. For example, being an applicant from Perry County had a positive effect on matriculation for the year 2004, a negative effect in 2005 and did not significantly effect matriculation in 2006. Finally, a summary of factors important across all three years of study is presented.

Committee: David A. Koonce PhD (Advisor); Gary Weckman PhD (Committee Member); Dale Masel PhD (Committee Member); Michael Williford PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Engineering; Industrial Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2006, History

This study constitutes a history of the policies and politics surrounding the massification of university education in Nigeria between 1952 and 2000. The concept of massification as used in this study refers to a program of expansion of facilities and mass access to university education in post-independent Nigeria. In 1948, the British colonial administration in Nigeria established the first university, the University College of Ibadan (UCI). However, from 1948 through 1959, the British consistently ignored the growing demand for more access to university education. To address this problem, the Nigerian government set up the Ashby Commission to study the country's higher education needs on the eve of independence. Following the report of the Commission, the Nigerian government realigned university education policies and vigorously embarked on policies of massification. This study shows that the policies and politics of massification were embarked upon largely in response to the critical needs for human resources, economic development, and national integration. Furthermore, it examines how the divergent and, sometimes, inconsistent interests of the pluralistic society of Nigeria, the politics of oil revenue and state creation, the ideologies of civilian/military governments and international forces shaped policy initiatives, shifts, and outcomes of massification. Between 1960 and 1983, successive civilian and military regimes controlled not only university development but also policies of expansion of facilities and access to university education for all Nigerians regardless of class, gender, ethnicity, and creed. However, the economic decline of 1983, the intervention of the military in governance, and the implementation of the IMF/World Bank-induced Structural Adjustment Program adversely affected the funding of universities. Consequently, universities facilities deteriorated as the establishment of private universities in the 1980s and 1990s became a welcome innov (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Apollos Nwauwa (Advisor) Subjects: History, African