Streufert, Billie2023-11-092023-11-092023https://hdl.handle.net/2097/43534Career services professionals and academic advisors support students as they pursue their goals. Yet, scholars know little about the lived experiences of students placed into alternative degree programs after they fail to secure admission or are rescinded from a selective or regulated professional program such as nursing, teaching, or social work. This narrative inquiry study examines the critical events of participants who survived unplanned academic loss included in stories about their undergraduate education. Individual interviews with participants humanized and brought voice to their coping strategies, barriers, career decision-making, and persisting toward graduation. Higher education leaders can use the findings to foster policy revisions, cross-departmental well-being collaboration, and strategic support during individual conversations with students coping with change.© the author. This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/Goal disengagementCareer advisingAcademic advisingCareer counselingHigher educationGoal reengagementDissertation