Date of Award

January 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Radomir Mitic

Abstract

Many factors may influence how a student experiences their first year adjusting to college life. The University of North Dakota, a public research institution located in Grand Forks, ND, recently implemented a nursing living-learning community (LLC) comprised of first-year, pre-nursing students, which also required the students to take a one-credit first-year seminar (FYS) together, known as UNIV 101 – Introduction to University Life. A total of 10 participants who resided within this living-learning community for a minimum of one academic year and were enrolled in the same section of UNIV 101 during their first semester submitted reflection papers. Additionally, eight of those students were interviewed. The interviews focused on students’ overall experiences within the nursing LLC and FYS and their understanding and feelings surrounding their sense of belonging. This case study used Tinto’s student integration theory to explore how the students experienced a sense of belonging by looking closely at the social and academic aspects. The qualitative data collected through the reflection papers and individual interviews were then evaluated using inductive thematic analysis. This revealed four themes: facing similar college adjustment challenges, onboarding to the nursing program, socialization to the nursing profession, and sense of belonging matters. The information gathered helps UND and its nursing program better understand the experiences of first-year, pre-nursing students and develop programming and interventions to enhance the student experience and subsequently increase student retention. This study concludes by proposing a revision to the first-year seminar course, transforming it into two one-credit courses that nursing programs at other institutions could adopt.

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