Researchers from the Pullias Center’s Promoting At-promise Student Success (PASS) team came together to present at the 2026 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. 

Study Examines How Precollege Communities Shape Low-Income Students’ Success

Nicole Tennessen, Joseph Kitchen, Zoë Corwin, Nicholas Bowman

PASS project researchers from the University of Iowa and the Pullias Center shared emerging research about the effects of locale (whether students come from urban, suburban, town or rural communities) on students’ academic and psychosocial outcomes. While results suggest that students from urban areas underperformed students from other locales during their first semester at college, many of these differences diminished by the end of the first year, suggesting that early transition challenges may be especially critical. Researchers emphasized the importance of tailoring support — particularly in the first semester — by recognizing and building on students’ unique community-based strengths and experiences. Analysis highlights that low-income students are not a monolithic group and that their diverse precollege environments shape how they navigate college. 

The Promoting At-promise Student Success Project: Reflections on a Decade of Research

Nicholas Bowman, Zoë Corwin, Amy Goodburn, Liane Hypolite, Kelli King, Joseph Kitchen, Rosemary Perez, Ralitsa Todorova

Our symposium reflected on the work our team has conducted over the 10 years of the PASS project, reflecting on the study’s rationale, innovative methods, emergent theoretical model and practical findings. We showed PASS videos explaining the PASS project and describing Ecological Validation. Our session shared how we developed deep research-practice partnerships, where practitioners, programs and institutions worked together to support at-promise student success. Having reached the project’s ten-year milestone, our session showcased reflections on process and impact from key project stakeholders (i.e., practitioner, senior and early career scholars). Panelists discussed unique research findings that were only possible due to the longitudinal nature of the study; learning from mistakes and successes; how to do research that engages participants in institutional transformation; and how to change and end relationships at the end of such a long project. We emphasized how long-term partnerships can produce rigorous, actionable knowledge to advance equity and student success in higher education.

Promoting Career Self-Efficacy among Low-Income College Students: A Mixed Methods Examination

Joseph Kitchen & Shinji Katsumoto

Colleges and universities widely offer career preparation activities, yet little is known about whether or how these experiences promote career development among low-income students. This session examined how common career development activities shaped low-income students’ career self-efficacy. We showed that many common career supports — such as workshops, career fairs, and resume reviews — did little to shape low-income students' confidence in their career pathways. Qualitative findings suggest that relational, trust-based, and contextually grounded experiences enhanced the effectiveness of career support initiatives. Our sessions highlighted the importance of implementing career support that is personalized, relationship-driven and context-specific to more effectively promote low-income students' career self-efficacy.

Importance of Relational Closeness in Career Development for Low-income Students

Joseph Kitchen & Ronald Hallett

Colleges and universities offer a wide range of career services, yet growing attention is being paid to how these supports can more effectively meet the needs of low-income students. Drawing on in-depth student interviews, this session highlighted the importance of career support that is humanizing, nurturing and embedded in ongoing relationships. The findings suggest that strengthening relational, trust-based approaches can enhance existing efforts to better support low-income students’ career development.