Date of Award

Summer 5-1-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Jack Maynard

Second Advisor

Nathaniel Ivers

Third Advisor

Nate French

Abstract

Successfully transitioning from college to a career requires skills, experience, and knowledge. Specific student populations face increased challenges in accessing campus career resources that promote readiness for post-graduate employment. Among these vulnerable populations are student athletes and first-generation college students. While both student groups stand to gain increased professional success because of their college experiences, college-to-career barriers are well-documented. These challenges include access to and awareness of career-readiness resources, and career preparation and exploration opportunities. More information about the career readiness of an adjacent student group, first-generation student athletes, is needed. Students who experience the intersectionality of being both a first-generation college student and a student athlete may face compound challenges unknown to teammates whose parents completed a college degree. This subset of students faces the opportunities as well as the potential career readiness difficulties of being a first-generation college student and those of a collegiate athlete. This quantitative study investigates career readiness differences between firstgeneration and continuing education student athletes.

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