Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Briana Nicholson

Abstract

Colleges and universities have used programs like the summer bridge program (SBP) to improve academic abilities and retention. The research on the effectiveness of SBPs is inconclusive. With a focus those on who required remediation in writing, the purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was to evaluate the influence of a SBP on first-generation Latino students' weighted grade point average (GPA) and retention. Tinto's theory of student retention was used as the framework. To determine the effectiveness of the SBP on first-generation Latino students, this study focused on comparing the variables between those who took the SBP versus a remedial English class. Archival data of 24 first-generation Latino students took part in the SBP for writing and 40 who took remedial English was used to analyze and compare the SBP effectiveness between 2013 and 2017. The results of the Chi-Square and t-test showed statistically significant differences between students in the SBP and remedial English with weighted GPA (p = .008) and retention (p = .011) being significantly higher for students in the remedial English course compared to the SBP. The results indicate the SBP was less effective than the remedial English course and the SBP should be further evaluated to help it become more effective for all students. This study promotes social change by adding to the conversation about the potential of SBPs for first-generation Latino students and the potential to improve the SBP in one location. This information can then be used by other locations to evaluate and potentially improve their programs to serve this population of students better.

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