With support from an NSF CAREER Award (2435201), this project will explore the diverse degree and early career trajectories that community college transfer students follow, focusing on how students make meaning of their success over time. This mixed methods study will rely on longitudinal data in the form of surveys and ethnographic interviews, beginning from the time students transfer to one of five participating universities and following them as they matriculate through their CS degree programs and enter their careers. Specific analyses will be guided by two overarching questions: (1) What trajectories do community college transfer students follow in their computer science bachelor’s degree pursuits? (2) How do community college transfer students following varying degree trajectories describe and make meaning of their experiences? Person-centered statistical analyses and ethnographic interviews will also explore variation by gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic background. In particular, this study will add nuance and complexity in terms of how we understand community college transfer student success, pushing us to define success beyond traditional metrics (e.g., degree efficiency; four- or six-year graduation rates; etc.). In doing so, this study will build a more robust knowledge base that can contribute to efforts to advance equity in CS by supporting community college transfer students as they exercise agency throughout their degree programs and obtain their professional goals.

Data collection for this project will begin in spring 2025. Check back for project updates. 

Research Team
Jennifer Blaney, PI
Katie Stormes, Postdoctoral Scholar