Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Program/Concentration

Educational Psychology and Program Evaluation

Committee Director

Tony Perez

Committee Member

Laura E. Smithers

Committee Member

Joanna Garner

Abstract

Nontraditional college students face unique challenges as they pursue an undergraduate degree. Previous research has shown that nontraditional students withdraw from their undergraduate programs at rates significantly higher than that of traditional college students. This research has suggested that the numerous roles and responsibilities they manage make it difficult to persist in completing an undergraduate degree. Using situated expectancy value theory (SEVT), this phenomenology explored the perceptions of the lived experiences of motivation for pursuing and persisting in completing an undergraduate degree among seven nontraditional college students at a public university in the eastern central region of the United States. Participants discussed past and current lived experiences that reflected the connections between their identities and their expectancies and values for the degree, specifically focusing on the utility value. Participants also described the importance of timing and circumstances, the importance of supportive connections, and their experiences with generativity. Findings suggest that given the right situations and the proper support, nontraditional students can persist in completing an undergraduate degree.

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In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/h3fx-vz72

ISBN

9798280747883

ORCID

0000-0002-6376-9074

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