Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
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Item Examining the cultural congruity and intentions of persistence among American Indian college students in Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2021) Ortega, Eleazar; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Carrie B. MyersAmerican Indian college students tend to have lower persistence and graduation rates compared to students of other ethnicities. This quantitative research study involved multiple regression to analyze survey data that measured cultural congruity and intentions of persistence of American Indian students attending a two-year and four-year college in Montana. Cultural identity was measured through a survey item measuring level of attachment to their ethnic group. Results showed a significant relationship existed between the following variables: attachment to ethnic group and cultural congruity; institutional type, attachment to ethnic group, age, gender, and first generation college student status to cultural congruity; cultural congruity and persistence; attachment to ethnic group and persistence; institutional type, cultural congruity, and attachment to ethnic group to persistence; and institutional type, cultural congruity, attachment to ethnic group, age, gender, and first generation college student status to persistence. Results from this study indicate that institutional type was not a significant predictor of cultural congruity or persistence. Also, students who were more strongly attached to their ethnic group were less likely to feel that they 'fit in' at their college (cultural incongruity). Older students were more likely to have higher cultural congruity than younger students, and higher levels of cultural congruity was associated with higher persistence scores.Item Anonymous anomaly: nonresident undergraduates on a 21st century land grant campus(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2021) Hicks II, James Merle; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Tricia SeifertThe experiences of nonresident undergraduates enrolled in US public universities have remained understudied. Accordingly, the purpose of this qualitative intrinsic case study was to explore the nonresident undergraduate's experience, persistence and sense of belonging on a land grant university campus. Combined, findings were intended to expand the literature base, methodological approaches and practitioner programming regarding nonresident persistence. Existing transition and institutional logics theory formed the basis of the study's theoretical framework. Nine first-time, full-time third year undergraduates from states across three time zones were interviewed twice during their sixth semester of college enrollment. Additionally, data was collected through photovoice and document analysis methods. Findings for each research question were reported through a thematic analysis. Themes related to experience included: adapting from home to university life, motivating from enrollment to degree, and recreating as a lifestyle. Themes related to persistence included: accessing campus resources, familying from afar, and socializing to stay. Themes related to sense of belonging included: transforming through personal growth, identifying across groups and areas, and supporting across communities. Lived experience findings supported existing literature on socioeconomic and enrollment management while extending the literature on financial challenges. Persistence findings supported past literature on third year priorities and extended the literature on nonresident peer groups and family support. Sense of belonging findings supported literature on the theoretical construct of interdependence while extending the literature on the influence of community characteristics and campus climate. Policy implications for nonresident retention centered on leveraging outdoor curriculum, addressing nonresident insurance, revising nonresident tuition models and expanding nonresident mentoring programs. Practice implications for nonresident retention focused on innovations to summer orientation programming, expanding transportation options, expanding family weekend opportunities, and offering more resources on the surrounding community. Future recommendations focused on expanding research both in methodological scope and duration to better understand the nonresident experience.