Ángel González, Marissa C. Vasquez, Melissa Abeyta
{"title":"\"The Traits That a Woman Has, a Man Can Have, Too\": How Collegiate Latino Men Navigate Masculinity Performance","authors":"Ángel González, Marissa C. Vasquez, Melissa Abeyta","doi":"10.1353/csd.2024.a919348","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2024.a919348","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Abstract:</p><p>Latino men hold a contradictory position within patriarchal privilege that offers them advantages yet undermines their racial and cultural capital. Underpinned by Latino feminist masculinities, this phenomenological study explored how participants redefined characteristics of masculinity. This study provides critical insight into how 26 self-identified cisgender men of Latino or Hispanic descent made meaning of their masculinity performance. We offer three prominent findings that illustrate how Latino men deconstructed traditional masculinity and conceptualized an asset-based consciousness: (a) resisting traditional notions of machismo, (b) navigating racial and gendered expectations in academic settings, and (c) challenging cultural and gendered expectations at home. These findings illuminate the identity development process for Latino men as they negotiate their masculinities within different contexts. We provide recommendations for research and practice that encourage further exploration of the nuanced understanding of masculinity and its relation to structures that perpetuate cisheteronormativity, as well as opportunities to further deconstruct masculinity for Latino men.</p></p>","PeriodicalId":15454,"journal":{"name":"Journal of College Student Development","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139750740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An Exploration of Collaborative Learning Experiences for Black STEM Students","authors":"Christen Priddie","doi":"10.1353/csd.2024.a919354","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2024.a919354","url":null,"abstract":"<span><span>In lieu of</span> an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:</span>\u0000<p> <ul> <li><!-- html_title --> An Exploration of Collaborative Learning Experiences for Black STEM Students <!-- /html_title --></li> <li> Christen Priddie (bio) </li> </ul> <p>Researchers continue to investigate the under-representation of Black undergraduate students in STEM majors. Hostile racial environments (George Mwangi et al., 2016) and the lack of culturally relevant resources (Johnson & Elliott, 2020) inform participation and persistence for Black students in STEM majors. There are increased pushes for faculty to foster more inclusive and equitable STEM learning environments, but not all STEM faculty buy into this vision. Some faculty view a perceived dissonance between STEM subjects and culturally relevant concepts (Fairweather, 2008), while others are resistant to race-conscious discussions, value objectivity, and uphold a Eurocentric lens (Haynes & Patton, 2019; McGee, 2020; Miriti, 2020). Buy-in from STEM faculty is critical to create and sustain equitable and inclusive pedagogical practices, but it is also important to assess whether students are initiating these collaborative experiences on their own, given faculty resistance. Therefore, one way to assist STEM faculty hesitant to introduce equitable pedagogical practices into their classrooms is to reassess a practice they likely already implement, such as collaborative learning.</p> <p>Collaborative learning is an instructional method designed to foster interactions among students in small groups working to achieve a similar goal (National Survey of Student Engagement, n.d.). The incorporation of collaborative learning and other active learning techniques has been used to counter the competitive and individualized \"chilly climate\" STEM culture perpetuates (Kennedy & Odell, 2014). Moreover, increasing the quality of collaborative learning experiences can work to improve Black students' engagement within STEM environments. Black STEM students often lean on the support of their peers to help them overcome the barriers they experience within STEM environments (Morton et al., 2019). Given the protective factor community is for Black STEM students, collaborative learning can be a practice that would greatly benefit them because it naturally fosters a communal aspect in their learning experience. However, Black STEM students repeatedly note that their non-Black peers often avoid them in classroom interactions, making it difficult to sustain relationships and develop a sense of belonging (Dortch & Patel, 2017). Such experiences may be due to Eurocentric practices upheld in these spaces. Therefore, collaborative learning experiences may become harmful if not implemented in intentional ways to lessen the marginalization of Black students.</p> <p>I framed this study through the collectivist cultural orientation indicator of the culturally engaging campus environments (CECE) model (Mus","PeriodicalId":15454,"journal":{"name":"Journal of College Student Development","volume":"116 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139766758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hope and Obstacles in Black College Students","authors":"Laila I. McCloud, Eugene T. Parker III","doi":"10.1353/csd.2024.a919355","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2024.a919355","url":null,"abstract":"<span><span>In lieu of</span> an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:</span>\u0000<p> <ul> <li><!-- html_title --> Hope and Obstacles in Black College Students <!-- /html_title --></li> <li> Laila I. McCloud (bio) and Eugene T. Parker III (bio) </li> </ul> <p>Scholars have documented the ways that Black collegians engage with and are impacted by personal, academic, and societal obstacles (Beasley & McClain, 2021; Salami et al., 2021). Accordingly, there is an increased need for additional exploration into how Black college students navigate these obstacles (Williams et al., 2020). Black people have been actively engaged in US higher education for over a century, and it is important to highlight traits that promote positive outcomes, particularly psychological constructs (Danoff-Burg et al., 2004; Kolluri & Tichavakunda, 2022). Thus, there is a need for continued research on obstacles in college environments and particular traits (e.g., hope) in Black students.</p> <p>Snyder (1995) defined hope as \"the process of thinking about one's goals, along with the motivation to move toward those goals (agency), and the ways to achieve those goals (pathways)\" (p. 355). Given the mental and psychological development associated with pursuing postsecondary education, hope has emerged as a positive psychological trait for student success (Duncan-Andrade, 2009; Gallagher et al., 2017). A few studies have explored the influence of hope in relation to the retention of first-year undergraduates (Bryce et al., 2021), on-campus support networks (D'Amico Gutherie & Fruiht, 2020), and veteran adjustment to college life (Umucu et al., 2020). Studies specifically investigating hope and Black students have focused on experiences with discrimination (Banks et al., 2008; Danoff-Burg et al., 2004; McDermott et al., 2020). The purpose of this study was to expand the conversation about additional ways that Black students engage hope to persist in their collegiate experience.</p> <p>The COVID-19 pandemic, intertwined with state-sanctioned antiblack violence, led to a disruption in educational plans and to inconsistent institutional support for many college students (Anand & Hsu, 2020; Liu, 2021; Martinez et al., 2022). We have been reminded that college campuses are not immune to the side effects of racialized inequities that the pandemic has emphasized (Harper, 2020). As the US moves to a new phase of responding to a variety of compounding societal and health crises that disproportionately impact Black people, there is an opportunity to explore how Black college students respond to obstacles and persist in meeting their goals. This study centered on the psychological construct of hope in Black college students, particularly dimensions of hope agency and hope pathways. We used Snyder's (2005) hope theory to operationalize our conceptualization and interpretation of the study results. For this study, the students' goals related to overcoming academic or f","PeriodicalId":15454,"journal":{"name":"Journal of College Student Development","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139766659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Centering our Humanity: Responding to Anti-DEI Efforts Across Higher Education","authors":"Alex C. Lange, Jasmine A. Lee","doi":"10.1353/csd.2024.a919356","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2024.a919356","url":null,"abstract":"<span><span>In lieu of</span> an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:</span>\u0000<p> <ul> <li><!-- html_title --> Centering our Humanity:<span>Responding to Anti-DEI Efforts Across Higher Education</span> <!-- /html_title --></li> <li> Alex C. Lange (bio) and Jasmine A. Lee (bio) </li> </ul> <p>The US is in a culture war. Visible, conservative forces continue to challenge the existence of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) units. Practitioners, staff, faculty, and administrators alike are not just a part of the culture war; they are directly impacted by it. As such, responses to navigating the onslaught of anti-DEI bills, expectations, and practices must include not only systemic responses to such legislation but also deeply human ones. As educators who have navigated campus climate issues for much of our careers, we know this task is easier said than done. However, not facing this issue head-on has led campus leaders and practitioners to be caught by surprise by these swift legislative moves and community outcry. No matter one's context, having a proactive defense for the necessity of DEI programs is paramount. Furthermore, such defense cannot only center the attack or what we as educators are fighting <em>against</em>; it must also simultaneously center our humanity and what we are fighting <em>for</em>. We offer four recommendations to help administrations and practitioners respond to these DEI attacks while thinking about more human ways to do our work. Specifically, we speak to those charged with DEI work and those interested in education equity, particularly those folks who are historically marginalized and affected by these trends. We want people to be proactive while helping them navigate their reactions to current events.</p> <p>First, <em>we encourage those working in DEI areas to practice radical honesty with themselves and others</em>. We have witnessed colleagues who feel they must remain in their roles as their students' last line of care. And in many cases, that fear feels closer to reality. We encourage those doing this work to have honest conversations about their needs. The work of justice is lifelong. What are you doing to sustain yourself in that lifelong practice? If you choose to stay in the work, great; if you need to make a different career decision, do so. If you can be geographically mobile and moving is necessary for your survival, do it. Choosing to stay or choosing to go is in and of itself revolutionary. Brown & brown (2022) argued, \"If you are miserable in your job, you need to be a part of the revolution,\" but that is not always an option. There are many ways to contribute to this work while showing up for students and ourselves. Being clear with ourselves about our values and principles and staying aligned with them regardless of the environment should guide what we do, how we do it, and even our orientation to the concept of work itself. This orientation toward principled alignment and values-gui","PeriodicalId":15454,"journal":{"name":"Journal of College Student Development","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139766603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring Factors Affecting Students' Deep Approach to Learning in Higher Education: An Empirical Study","authors":"Hui Yang, Xixi Zhang","doi":"10.1353/csd.2024.a919352","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2024.a919352","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Abstract:</p><p>Survey responses from 858 undergraduates were examined to determine the key factors affecting students' deep approach to learning at two public institutions. Principal component analysis was adopted to eliminate multicollinearity among factors and extract the key influencing factors. A robust multiple linear regression model was built to explore the collective and individual impacts of the key factors on students' deep approach to learning. Data analysis revealed that institutions should put emphasis on 13 key factors that had significant positive influences on students' deep approach to learning, with the strongest impact (β = 0.695, p < .001) coming from educational goals emphasizing synthesizing, analyzing, evaluating information or experience, and problem-solving; and the weakest impact (β = 0.014, p < .001) related to discipline.</p></p>","PeriodicalId":15454,"journal":{"name":"Journal of College Student Development","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139750542","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"\"It's Not Therapy, But It Feels Right\": A Duoethnography on Trauma and Healing in the Student Affairs Profession","authors":"Pasha Sergeev, Ahjah Johnson, Erik Sorensen","doi":"10.1353/csd.2024.a919349","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2024.a919349","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Abstract:</p><p>In this duoethnography, the co-authors share their experiences and reactions to trauma as student affairs practitioners in the wake of a car and knife attack at Ohio State University. Our goal in sharing these stories is for readers to join us as collegiate educators in this journey of exploring trauma and the healing process. We want to continue normalizing conversations about trauma, acknowledge the differences in trauma healing due to existing systems of oppression, and encourage readers to consider how we can better support trauma survivors in higher education. We offer considerations for practice moving forward and hope that others can find support and affirmation through the conversations in this study.</p></p>","PeriodicalId":15454,"journal":{"name":"Journal of College Student Development","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139750927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Emerging Symptoms of and Institutional Support for Students with Long COVID in Higher Education","authors":"Katherine Aquino, Jane Jarrow, Lisa Vance","doi":"10.1353/csd.2023.a917025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2023.a917025","url":null,"abstract":"<span><span>In lieu of</span> an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:</span>\u0000<p> <ul> <li><!-- html_title --> Emerging Symptoms of and Institutional Support for Students with Long COVID in Higher Education <!-- /html_title --></li> <li> Katherine Aquino (bio), Jane Jarrow (bio), and Lisa Vance (bio) </li> </ul> <p>Since its emergence in December 2019, SARSCoV-2 and the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic have had a significant impact worldwide (CDC, 2022a). As of April 2023, there have been over 104 million cases of COVID-19 and more than 1.1 million deaths in the United States (CDC, 2022b). Emerging research has shown that individuals with previous SARSCoV-2 infections may experience persistent symptoms known as long COVID, which can include cardiac abnormalities, cognitive impairment, fatigue, and other issues (Crook et al., 2021). Still, the long-term risks associated with and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 are not fully clear (Taquet et al., 2022). Hastie et al. (2022) found that approximately 1 in 20 people who were diagnosed with COVID-19 had lingering symptoms associated with long COVID 6 to 18 months following the initial infection.</p> <p>The COVID-19 pandemic also negatively impacted the educational sector, including higher education (NCES, 2021a). According to NCES (2022), 16% of adults “who had household members planning to take post-secondary classes in fall 2021 reported that all plans to take classes in the fall had been canceled for at least one household member” (para. 1). For those able to return to or enter higher education, many students may now come to campus with long COVID symptoms (Magee & Imad, 2022). Long COVID cases continue to increase within the higher education environment, and disability resource professionals (DRPs) warn that postsecondary institutions must better support this emerging student disability group (Redden, 2021).</p> <p>Researchers have noted that students with disabilities are less likely to enroll in, persist within, and graduate from postsecondary education (Kutscher & Tuckwiller, 2018; Pingry O’Neill et al., 2012). Currently, there is a lack of research on students with long COVID in higher education, an emerging group of students with disabilities needing support and potential accommodations. Therefore, it is essential to explore how the higher education community supports this group as they enter or return to higher education with this new condition. The symptoms reported by students with long COVID can provide vital information on emerging trends related to support for this population within the higher education environment. The research questions guiding this study were: (a) What long COVID symptoms are students reporting to disability support services? and (b) According to DRPs, how have <strong>[End Page 715]</strong> institutions addressed questions related to supporting students with long COVID?</p> <h2>METHODS</h2> <p>Data for this project were collected through a survey instrument","PeriodicalId":15454,"journal":{"name":"Journal of College Student Development","volume":"100 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139411289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Heterogeneous Academic Achievement Profiles of Initially STEM-Intending Students Over the College Years","authors":"Tong Li, Chris Kirk, Leticia Oseguera","doi":"10.1353/csd.2023.a917027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2023.a917027","url":null,"abstract":"<span><span>In lieu of</span> an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:</span>\u0000<p> <ul> <li><!-- html_title --> Heterogeneous Academic Achievement Profiles of Initially STEM-Intending Students Over the College Years <!-- /html_title --></li> <li> Tong Li, Chris Kirk, and Leticia Oseguera (bio) </li> </ul> <p>Academic achievement, often measured by GPA, has been extensively studied in the literature of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, including its impact on student persistence and success in college (Rask, 2010). However, most research has only looked at students’ performance at a single point in time, such as their first-year GPA, and has not explored how their academic performance changes over time. As a result, there is a gap in our understanding of the longitudinal aspects of students’ intellectual journeys through college. While some evidence has suggested that students follow different paths of development or academic progress over time (Fesseha et al., 2020; Hong &You, 2012; Robinson et al., 2018), only a few studies have investigated features of college students’ academic achievement changes over the long term, particularly in STEM fields. The literature on college students’ academic performance over time has suggested that while it can be unstable, many students can improve their GPA throughout their college studies. Humphreys (1968) made this observation, and more recent longitudinal studies have supported this idea, including a study by Mabel and Britton (2018). Factors affecting the variability of college students’ academic performance over time, such as GPA slope and variance, have also been investigated. Cheng et al. (2012) found that female students performed better over time and experienced less GPA instability when they had higher levels of family social support. However, research has identified persistent disparities in academic achievement in specific student populations. Sharkness et al. (2010) found that graduating seniors who entered college with an interest in STEM majors exhibited a significant cumulative GPA difference between White students and their Black and Latino peers, even after controlling for precollege academic preparation, college experiences, and institutional contexts.</p> <p>While these studies attempted to uncover the longitudinal features of college students’ academic performance, there has been relatively little research into the different change patterns, particularly among those who entered college with an interest in a STEM major. This study aimed to fill this gap by adding a nuanced understanding of the academic performance change patterns of a group of initially STEM-intending college students at State University and was guided by two research questions: (a) What are the change patterns in those students’ academic performance across different semesters? (b) How are these patterns related to their background and college experiences? <strong>[End Page 7","PeriodicalId":15454,"journal":{"name":"Journal of College Student Development","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139411340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kristen J. Mills, Steven Stone-Sabali, Bridget A. Parler
{"title":"Responding to Racial Microaggressions: Resilience Among Black Undergraduate Students","authors":"Kristen J. Mills, Steven Stone-Sabali, Bridget A. Parler","doi":"10.1353/csd.2023.a917020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2023.a917020","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Abstract:</p><p>The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how Black undergraduates demonstrate resilience in response to experiencing racial microaggressions. Given that racially hostile and unwelcoming campus environments persist and that some response strategies have been associated with mitigating the effects of microaggressions, there is a need to further explicate how Black students resiliently respond to microaggressive environments that assail their beingness. We used resilience theory as a conceptual framework to uncover positive adaptations that contributed to Black undergraduate students’ resilience. Focus group interviews were conducted with 17 Black undergraduates at a public research university in the Midwest. Findings indicated that students engaged in five positive adaptations that contributed to their resilience: (a) making sense of racial microaggressions, (b) increasing awareness of racism and racial microaggressions, (c) focusing on academics, (d) developing assertiveness, and (e) resisting cultural discontinuity. We offer recommendations for supporting Black undergraduates’ resilience and systematically confronting racism and racial microaggressions.</p></p>","PeriodicalId":15454,"journal":{"name":"Journal of College Student Development","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139411334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of an Internet Grant on Student Retention During COVID-19","authors":"Ximena Burgin, Beth Ingram","doi":"10.1353/csd.2023.a917026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2023.a917026","url":null,"abstract":"<span><span>In lieu of</span> an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:</span>\u0000<p> <ul> <li><!-- html_title --> Effect of an Internet Grant on Student Retention During COVID-19 <!-- /html_title --></li> <li> Ximena Burgin and Beth Ingram (bio) </li> </ul> <p>In spring 2020, a worldwide pandemic caused many postsecondary institutions to pivot from face-to-face to online learning for the remainder of the semester. While some institutions reverted to face-to-face teaching in fall 2020, many institutions mainly remained online. As a result, the effect of students’ disparate access to enabling technology like internet services became more apparent. A fall 2020 study (Gierdowski, 2021) of more than 8,000 students at 54 institutions reported that 36% of students indicated “they always, very often or sometimes struggled to find an internet connection that met their academic needs” (para. 1). In addition, students reported sharing internet connections with siblings and parents, slowing down access for downloads and class participation. Students who relied on mobile phones for access cited affordability as a concern, noting mobile plans with limited data access.</p> <p>Concurrently, institutions faced financial burdens associated with the pandemic, so the federal government made funding available to support students and institutions of higher education. The state of Illinois distributed a portion of those relief funds through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) initiative, a competitive process designed to “support the students’ progress toward degree completion by closing digital equity gaps” (IBHE, 2020, p. 1). Through this competitive grant program, the state awarded nearly $500,000 to a regional public institution (RPI). A portion of those funds was allocated to providing internet grants to students who might not have reliable service and needed better or faster service to meet academic requirements. Interested undergraduate students were required to apply for the grant, which was widely advertised on campus (NIU Today, 2020), and RPI relied on advisors, resource centers, and faculty to refer students for the grant. The application asked students to self-report a need for new or upgraded internet services. Students who lived on campus were not eligible for the grant because internet service is available in residence halls, classrooms, and other spaces. RPI did not require proof of purchase or upgrade of internet services for the cash grant.</p> <p>This study investigated the influence of the GEER internet grant on student persistence or graduation in the academic year after the grant was awarded and was guided by the question, “Was there a significant difference in student retention or graduation between GEER internet grant recipients and non-recipients?” <strong>[End Page 721]</strong></p> <br/> Click for larger view<br/> View full resolution Table 1. <p>Study Variables</p> <p></p> <h2>THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK</h2> <p>The framewor","PeriodicalId":15454,"journal":{"name":"Journal of College Student Development","volume":"49 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139411339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}