Floyd, Deborah L.

While students are the center of dual enrollment programs, high school counseling professionals, often called guidance counselors, and college/university administrators are vital to the success of these programs. High school guidance counselors coordinate schedules and ensure student awareness, registration, and participation in the program. College/University administrators facilitate dual enrollment partnerships between the school district and the post-secondary institution, guided by formal articulation agreements. COVID-19 has impacted both secondary and post-secondary school systems. Since dual enrollment is a formal bridge program between these systems, the pandemic may have long-term effects on access, equity, and the learning environment associated with dual enrollment.
This case study focused on high school guidance counselors and school district administrators in Broward County, Florida schools as well as the college/university staff and administrators who oversee dual enrollment programs at three post-secondary institutions that offer classes for Broward County students. By collecting the participants’ perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on dual enrollment programs, this study found out what worked, what did not work, and the lessons learned.

In this qualitative grounded theory study, I interviewed participants from and analyzed documents associated with three community/state colleges in Florida. Additionally, I have included the perspective of key informants from the state and/or the Florida College System. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to develop a substantive theory to explain the process by which senior administrative leaders engaged in fiscal decision-making due to shifting funding sources during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although prior decision-making theories exist, such as rational choice theory and garbage can theory, these theories do not address how fiscal decisions are made in higher education institutions during times of extended crisis exemplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. This research study found that during the COVID-19 pandemic leaders sought to establish resilience as part of their fiscal decision-making process to ensure their ability to lead and maintain viable institutions of higher education. Moreover, through the fiscal decision-making process, the leaders in this study did not permit themselves or their institutions to accept the status quo, rather they extended themselves and their organizations to stretch beyond prior capabilities to respond to ever changing needs of students as well as external stakeholders brought about from the COVID-19 pandemic. The collective experiences of these leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the resilient stretching theory of community college fiscal decision-making, which will be further expounded upon throughout this research study.

In this qualitative study, spirituality, and leadership among 15 Black collegiate men enrolled at higher education institutions were examined. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe and explore the essence of spirituality within the lived experiences of undergraduate Black men student leaders. The objective was to understand the intersection of spirituality and leadership within Black men, and how it informed their decision making and influenced their career aspirations post their undergraduate collegiate experience. In this study, spirituality is defined as an “internal process of seeking personal authenticity, genuineness, and wholeness as an aspect of identity development” (Love & Talbot, 1999, p. 364).
Guided by descriptive phenomenological methodology, four research questions were asked: (1) What is the meaning of spirituality for Black men student leaders? (2) How do Black men student leaders apply spirituality within their daily leadership practices and behaviors? (3) How do Black men student leaders define the connection between spirituality and leadership development? (4) How does spirituality inform the pathways and career aspirations of Black men student leaders? Four findings emerged as a result of the data analysis: (1) The Spirit and the Struggle: Spirituality Empowers Black Leadership, (2) The Spirit of Black Leadership is Service to Others, (3) Leading from Within: Spirituality is the “Backbone” of Black Men Leadership Identity, and (4) Spirituality Influences Black Men Career Aspirations.

Excelencia in Education (2016) reported that 21% of traditional age college male students were Latino males, second only to White males. The report further noted that Latino males are ranked the lowest in degree attainment – of whom only 20% have earned an associate’s degree or higher (Excelencia in Education, 2016). As an insufficient number of Latino males are graduating with post-secondary degrees, more research must be conducted to explore their educational journey from the community college to the university and how to best support them through their transition. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative narrative research study was to explore the stories of Latino male students as they transfer from a community college to a university. To capture the essence of Latino male students’ stories through the community college transfer experience to university, the research questions focused on what motivated and influenced their journey through the community college to a university. The research questions that guided this study were: What motivated and influenced Latino males’ decisions to enroll in a community college? What motivated and influenced Latino males’ decisions to transfer from a community college to a university? How do Latino male transfer students describe their transition from community college to a university? In this qualitative narrative research study, 10 participants participated in in-depth, semi-structured virtual interviews and completed two journal prompts. To assist in triangulation and validity, participants reviewed the data for accuracy, and thick rich descriptions were used to provide breadth and depth to their narratives. Once the data were collected, it was organized through the qualitative research data management software MAXQDA and analyzed using in vivo, descriptive, and pattern coding. The conceptual frameworks that informed this narrative study were the hero’s journey by Joseph Campbell (2008) and transition theory by Nancy K. Schlossberg (2011).

A review of the literature revealed the need to further explore continuing-generation college students attending community colleges. This case study sought to understand the choice process of continuing-generation, direct-entry college students who enrolled in Miami Dade College (MDC), a baccalaureate community college. This research was planned prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, yet was conducted during the pandemic, creating a unique context for the study. A total of 25 participants were interviewed, including continuing-generation students, parents/family members, and high school personnel. This study used Hossler and Gallagher’s (1987) choice model as the conceptual framework to address how and why continuing-generation college students decided to pursue higher education in a community college rather than a traditional four-year college or university.
The study derived five findings: financial considerations, addressing affordability and cost in the choice process; family influence and support, describing the role family play in the college selection process; proximity and accessibility, addressing how MDC is a good choice for being “close to home” and being accessible to students who may not have otherwise accessed higher education; institutional reputation, and its importance in the selection process as related to students’ knowledge of MDC, transferability options, faculty and opportunities; and college preparedness, addressing the choice process in terms of student exposure, academic readiness, and college transfer preparedness.

Community College Baccalaureate (CCB) programs have proliferated during the past two decades but research on post graduate educational pathways CCB graduates follow is limited. The purpose of this multiple case embedded design comparative study (Yin, 2012) was to describe and further understand the experiences of CCB graduates as they explored educational pathways after they graduated from the community/state college, specifically post degree education. The study also examined if faculty in master’s programs at universities are aware of the CCB graduates’ intentions to enroll in their master’s programs. A multi-case study was conducted in South Florida utilizing qualitative research methods. Building on literature from scholars about 2+2 Transfer, articulation of programs between community/state colleges and universities, and the CCB (Cohen et al., 2014; Floyd et al., 2012; Floyd & Walker, 2009; Ignash, 2012; Skolnik, 2016), as a conceptual framework, this study explored educational pathways for CCB graduates and the students’ perceptions about their experiences.

Helping through acts of philanthropy is a cultural norm in the United States. People of all generations give to a variety of causes, including their alma maters. Research shows that millennials had positive experiences at their institutions and want to stay engaged. However, they are more likely to donate to their favorite cause than their alma mater. This study investigates what motivates the millennial generation to give to their undergraduate alma mater. Building on existing work targeted at giving, it asks: To what extent does personal experience affect millennials giving to their alma mater before graduation, during the process of graduation, and after graduation?
Based on the review of literature on generational giving, and the theory of planned behavior, a survey was distributed targeting millennials who met the following two criteria: 1) born between 1980–2000, and 2) graduated with an undergraduate degree
between 2005 and 2015. A secondary analysis of data was employed to correlate the findings from the close-ended survey and examine the giving trends among millennials and how those trends vary among the other three giving generations: mature/silents, baby boomers, and Generation X.

The purpose of the multi-site case study was to gain an understanding of the impact on human resources that public community colleges in the State of Florida experience when the institutions expanded their degree offerings to include Community College Baccalaureate degrees. The researcher was able to identify that there were changes in human resources in the areas of compensation plans, job descriptions, and credentialing of faculty members. The researcher determined the other impacts on human resources, such as changes to the organizational structure, and to the culture of the organization, in a positive way. Qualitative research methods were used that included personal, one on one interviews, observations, and review of documents. The sample for the study consisted of 2 of the 27 community colleges in the State of Florida that have offered baccalaureate degrees at their institutions. The conclusion of this study resulted in additional literature being available for community colleges, policy makers, and other decision makers interested in understanding the challenges faced by community colleges seeking to be successful in offering baccalaureate degrees at their institutions.

This phenomenological study explored the perceptions and lived experiences of female West Indian immigrant students as they academically and socially acculturated while attending Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Snowball techniques were employed to select 11 female immigrant West Indian undergraduate and graduate students living in southeastern Florida and attending FAU. Data were gathered from two in-depth one-on one interviews with each participant. Stories emerged that highlight the immigrant experiences of these female West Indian students. Such narratives have been lacking in the higher education literature about how this population of women persists in colleges and universities in the United States (U.S.). Six findings emerged that constituted the acculturation and adjustment experiences of these women: 1) family influence, 2) financial difficulties, 3) emotional and physical challenges, 4) institutional support, 5) women’s empowerment, and 6) host society adaptation. In conclusion, female West Indian immigrant students are a valuable asset and provide a tremendous benefit to higher education institutions in the U.S. in terms of cultural and academic contributions that they offer. More attention needs to be paid towards better preparing university staff, administrators, and faculty. This can lead to increased retention and graduation rates. The study gives voice to these women whose lived experiences in higher education have been so seldom addressed. Analysis of their experiences suggests a plan of action that includes: family engagement programming, on-campus financial support, student health services outreach, healthier dining options, mentorship programs, immigrant student support services department, online community support, faculty, cultural awareness, and immigrant student programming. Recommendations for future research are also discussed.

Collegiate leadership development opportunities that enhance student’s leadership
skills are on the rise. This study sought to understand how students perceive their own
leadership development prior to entering college and at an institution that has prioritized
leadership development in recent years. Through this single-case study, 51
undergraduate student leaders completed a questionnaire that resulted in a descriptive
student leader profile and open-ended responses. From those 51 students, 14 were a part
of focus groups. There were three focus groups in total with four, seven, and three
participants respectively. From the 14 participants, five volunteered for individual
interviews to identify their perceptions of their leadership development in their own
words. The research questions for this study were: What are the inputs and
environmental influences that shape college students’ leadership development output
from the student perspective; and, how do college students describe and understand their leadership development? The descriptive profile and close-ended responses are reviewed
in chapter four and report four major findings. The first finding was “Mom made me do
it”: The Influence of Family and Experiences Precollege, and the second finding was The
What and Who Behind These Students’ Leadership Development in College: Purposeful
Experiences and People. The third finding was The Why Behind These College
Students’ Engagement in Leadership Development, which encompassed four themes to
describe the reasons these students’ are interested in leadership development:
encouragement from others, aspirations, self-development, and motivation to support
causes they have grown to want to serve and for which they want to develop. The fourth
finding was Soft Skills - Not Clear in the Terminology of These Student Leaders, Clear in
Their Behaviors and included ways of defining soft skills and the exemplification of
student leaders’ soft skills. Conclusions and recommendations are offered in chapter six
including the proposal of a new model, Closing the Loop in College, developed from the
pattern of findings that emerged in this study inclusive of reflective meaning making in
college as essential for these leaders’ development.