The Lived Experiences of Nontraditional Students and the Innovative Strategies Higher Education Leaders Can Implement to Support Their Success: A Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the experiences and strategies employed by nontraditional college students to achieve academic success at public universities in Massachusetts. Nontraditional student experiences were generally defined as the ways in which adult learners, part-time students, and those balancing work and family responsibilities navigated challenges, used support systems, and developed strategies to persist in higher education. The central research questions this study was: How do innovative strategies and support systems contribute to the lived experiences of nontraditional students’ success in Massachusetts’s higher education institutions? I employed Ryan and Deci’s (2017) self-determination theory to address how nontraditional students describe their experiences and strategies for success in higher education. The study’s qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological design involved interviews with 15 participants selected through purposeful sampling. I collected data through individual online interviews and used thematic analysis to identify patterns and themes related to student motivation, barriers, and effective institutional support and programming. Findings from this research provide insights for educational leaders and policymakers to implement targeted strategies that enhance retention and create an inclusive learning environment for nontraditional students.