Date of Award
1-1-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ed.D. in Education
First Advisor
Phillis L. George
Second Advisor
George McClellan
Third Advisor
Ty McNamee
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
This phenomenological qualitative research study examines a problem of practice as it relates to continued undergraduate enrollment and participation in service-learning programs. While graduation rates remain as a challenge for higher education, the continual enrollment of students that can hopefully lead towards graduation remains just as challenging. Service-learning programs, where students learn about societal issues through direct experience, may be a way for students to develop positive connections to institutions and other relevant skills that can lead to persistence and continual enrollment. This study explored the student experience and student perceptions of continual enrollment in the UM Bonner Leaders Program, a four-year, cohort-based, national service-learning program introduced to the University of Mississippi in August 2021. While many students left the inaugural cohort of the program after the first year of operations, results from this research study indicate that students who remain with Bonner are developing the necessary skills and experiences to stay continually enrolled at the University of Mississippi. Understanding the essence of the student experience in the UM Bonner Leaders Program can assist other practitioners who seek to build, enhance, or improve service-learning and continual enrollment on their own campuses.
Recommended Citation
Teer, William Patrick Brown, "Why They Stay: Service-Learning and Degree Progression at the University of Mississippi" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2884.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/2884