FIRST TO SECOND SEMESTER PERSISTENCE AMONG UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS IN A SOUTHEAST TEXAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Earning a bachelor’s degree or work certificate can close social equity gaps and increase social mobility and economic stability in American society. Barriers exist to upward mobility for underrepresented groups (first-generation, low socioeconomic, African American, and Hispanic). Underrepresented students are falling below their peers in graduation and completion rates, particularly from term to term. This qualitative case study explored reasons why seven first-year underrepresented students at a selected community college in Southeast Texas matriculated to the second semester. Data were collected through individual, semistructured interviews with the participants to address the primary research question: What are the experiences of underrepresented first-year community college students at a selected institution that influence their persistence from their first semester to the second semester? Analysis of the data provided insight into the various factors that led to the persistence of underrepresented students from semester to semester. Three major themes emerged: (a) collegial relationships, (b) campus resources, and (c) motivation. Findings from this study revealed that underrepresented students enrolled in the subsequent semester due to the community college experiences they encountered during their first term. Opportunities for future research should include conducting research among underrepresented students at other community colleges across the United States, including a larger audience of this population to gather a more in-depth understanding of their needs.