Changing the narrative : exploring extracurricular experiences of first-generation community college students
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Abstract
First-generation college students are a prominent higher education student population and are well-represented at the community college. Unfortunately, many first-generation community college students do not persist for degree completion. These students face many academic and social challenges that impact their persistence. However, research has demonstrated the influence of extracurricular engagement and its relation to academic persistence. This qualitative heuristic narrative study explores the stories of seven first-generation community college students and their extracurricular engagement experiences through the lens of the Student Involvement Theory. Qualitative data was collected from participants’ responses to a demographic survey and a semi-structured interview. Co-researchers’ narratives inspired three themes, including (1) Community College Journey, (2) Holistic Individual Development, and (3) Positive Student Experience. The significance of this research is that it supports higher education practices and expands the knowledge of community college and first-generation college student literature. Implications of findings include: why and how first-generation community college students choose to engage in extracurricular activities and how higher education institutions can support them, the influence extracurricular engagement has on first-generation college students’ academic motivation, and how society can work to combat the community college stigma by embracing the community college experience.
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Introduction -- Literature review -- Methodology -- Study results -- Discussion, recommendations, and conclusion -- Appendix -- References
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Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)