Benjamin Castleman

This project will explore malleable factors within postsecondary noncredit career technical education (CTE) programs that may influence students' academic and workforce outcomes. Despite the increasing role of noncredit CTE programs in workforce development, few research studies have addressed these programs, and very little is known about how to effectively support students enrolled in short-term CTE programs. Building on a long-standing partnership with the Virginia Community College Syste...

TBR-The College System of Tennessee seeks to develop data insights about community college student persistence and test coaching strategies that support students whose postsecondary paths were disrupted by COVID-19. The project team will use data from community colleges and the state's longitudinal data system to identify promising career pathways for community college students and examine the impact of COVID-19 on student success. Using insights from these analyses about the impact of COVID...

In this project, researchers investigate whether an intervention that provides financial aid information, reminders, and advising to college students increases completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and compliance with the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements of the Pell grant program. The research team will convey information, reminders, and offers of additional assistance to students via text message. The intervention is expected to work by making s...

This research team will investigate whether text messages that provide personalized information to students attending open- and broad-access enrollment institutions will help them complete their college degrees. The team will complete both development and evaluation activities. The main objective during the development phase of the project will be to develop a text messaging campaign that is informed by the specific informational, behavioral, and psychological challenges that can pose obstac...