University Student Success in Graduation: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology of the Aha Moment, When a College Graduate Realized They Could Finish Their Degree

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the college graduate experience of a junior officer who decided to finish their bachelor's degree despite any temptation to drop out of school; participants were selected from a midwestern military installation. The guiding theory of this study was Duckworth's grit theory; the study related to her theory by examining participants' passion and perseverance and their relation to the motivation in the context of choice to finish the goal of graduating from college and commissioning as an officer in the U.S. Army. This qualitative design used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach; data collection consisted of an interview, a letter to their former self, and a focus group. The participants were all junior military officers who leaned heavily on their family values and school standards, and each had established goals to match their plans; their chosen institution was culture-driven, cared for the wellbeing of the individual, and constantly worked to change the student's outlook. The study revealed that these one-time students expected both their college and military training to be a difficult lifestyle, but all were set to make the sacrifice and enrolled in school with the intention of joining the military. Each step of the study aimed to help participants clarify background information, bring to light behaviors, and help recall past events. The central research question addressed the experience of the participant's decision to push through their trials; the study described how motives affected them and what drove them despite the challenge. It also revealed the power of connection and the need for belonging in the context of community. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]