Abstract
College degree attainment has been shown to positively relate to overall life satisfaction, job opportunities, and income. There continue to be equity gaps between enrollment and degree completion for marginalized groups, including students of color, first-generation students, and students from low-income families. The impact of trauma on college completion is missing among existing student success literature. Based on existing retention factors for marginalized groups, including a student’s sense of belonging, resilience, and utilization of mental health services, this study sought to examine if the same factors impact retention for those students who have experienced trauma. The sample size was extremely limited with 13 total completed responses. Findings from these participants reflected that all had experienced trauma, with average scale scores in their sense of belonging and resilience assessments. Results cannot be generalizable due to the sample size and surveying of only one institution. However, the study contributes to the vast gap of research around retention factors for college students who have experienced trauma, with this sample indicating that support and a need to prove something were critical factors in their success in completing their degree.
Advisor
Jason Kaufman
Committee Member
Roberta Anderson
Committee Member
Leslie Locke
Date of Degree
2026
Language
english
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Program of Study
Educational Leadership
Department
Educational Leadership
College
Education
Recommended Citation
Klinnert, D. (2026). Retention factors for college students who have experienced trauma [Doctoral dissertation, Minnesota State University, Mankato]. Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/etds/1580/
Rights Statement
