Committee Chair

Taylor, Jessica N.

Committee Member

Rausch, David W., Crawford, Elizabeth K.

Department

Dept. of Applied Leadership and Learning

College

College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

This project of practice evaluated the impact of Living Learning Communities (LLCs) on student success, retention, and sense of belonging at a regional public university. The program evaluation includes quantitative data comparing GPA and retention rates of LLC and non-LLC students, a sense of belonging scale, and qualitative data gathered from interviews and surveys with LLC participants and program partners. Findings indicate that LLC participation positively correlates with increased student retention and a stronger sense of community, though academic performance differences were not statistically significant. Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews revealed that intentional faculty-student interaction, tailored academic support, and early community-building efforts contribute to students' overall satisfaction and connection to the university. Based on these results, the project recommends strengthening recruitment processes, clarifying partnership roles, increasing academic integration, and enhancing collaborative programming. These recommendations aim to improve LLCs' structure, consistency, and long-term impact as a strategic initiative for student success and institutional retention efforts. The housing department and campus partners may utilize the data to look at ways to strengthen the program and increase the impact on student success, retention, and belonging.

Acknowledgments

To the LEAD faculty, Dr. Rausch, Dr. Crawford, and Dr. Harbison, thank you for sharing your journeys and insights and creating a space where working adult learners could do something they once thought impossible. Your leadership has been a guiding light. To my chair, Dr. Taylor, you know I am your biggest fan. You made time for me, never gave up on me, and somehow managed to laugh at my ridiculousness while pushing me forward. You always brought it back to what matters most to me, helping my students succeed. I will never be able to say “thank you” enough… but I will start with this and follow it up with holiday Reese’s.

Degree

Ed. D.; A research project of practice submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Education.

Date

12-2025

Subject

Academic achievement--United States--Evaluation; Belonging (Social psychology); School enrollment--Education (Higher); Student housing--Resident satisfaction; Student learning communities

Keyword

student success; retention; belonging; living learning communities

Document Type

Doctoral dissertations

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

xiii, 103 leaves

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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