Increasing Retention Among First-Year Master's in Counseling Students: Evaluation of a Social Integration Program

Abstract

This dissertation is dedicated with love to my family and friends, whose prayers and encouragement provided me the strength and endurance to push through to the finish line whenever I felt unable to complete this dissertation. The texts, messages, phone calls, and hugs helped more than you know. A special thanks goes to my parents, David and Carol. Thank you for your unwavering support, as well as the coffees, snacks, and willing fulfillment of countless other requests that aided me throughout the last few years. To my children, Lauryl and Lacey, thank you for being patient with the times I couldn't be there to help with homework, be home for dinner, or attend performances. I'm grateful for the strong relationships we have and I am proud of the strong, amazing young women you have grown to become. Finally, to my wife, Erin, thank you for continuing to support me when I was not emotionally or physically present. You built a house and moved us, took care of finances and household tasks, and often functioned as a single parent for over three years. I know my program was more difficult for you than it was for me, for you not only witnessed my challenges; you experienced and compensated for them every day. Thank you for picking me up when I was down (literally!), and for sticking by my side every step of the way. We made it! v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to each member of my committee for the time you invested into helping me reach the completion of this journey. Your suggestions, insight, and support were instrumental in the completion of this dissertation. Without the patience and expert guidance of my co-chairs, Drs. Aida Midgett and Diana Doumas, this dissertation would never have been possible. I cannot thank you enough for all of the time you spent with (and without) me helping to improve the logistics of this research, encouraging me to submit papers for publication, responding to my emails at all hours, and polishing each page of this manuscript. Together, we worked through challenges and celebrated accomplishments. You provided me exactly what I needed to be successful in reaching this goal.