Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Sydney Parent

Abstract

At a southeastern U.S. university, the low retention of postsecondary, traditional-aged first-year students persisting to second year was a problem, importantly decreasing their ability to graduate and gain a career. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that have motivated postsecondary traditional-aged, first-year students to return to the university as second-year students and to learn from students what they perceived that the institution could do to increase persistence. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was Tinto’s institutional departure model. The research questions explored the factors that motivated first-year students to persist into their second year of college and perceptions of these students of what the university could do to increase student persistence. A basic qualitative study was the research design; nine students who had returned for the second year were interviewed. The data were transcribed, and open and axial coding were used to identify four themes: student application of college readiness skills advanced first-year success; support from family and friends was useful for increased student persistence from first year to second year; increased faculty-to-student communications could increase students’ persistence and retention; and the action of university personnel, faculty, and advisors influenced the persistence of students. The findings were used to design a professional development program to inform and train academic advisors about factors related to persistence and retention. Positive social change may result in increased retention at the local university through increased advisor strategies that help students to persist and graduate.

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