Troubling a better life: A narrative case study of teen parents who have completed a college degree

There is very little research on the phenomena surrounding the life stories and experiences of teen parents who completed their associate's degree. This dissertation is a case study that tells the life stories of five teen parents who graduated from the Cincinnati Branch of Chatfield College with an associate's degree. Narrative Inquiry provides the theoretical framework and practical research approach for understanding and telling the stories of these graduates. This study also tells my autobiographical journey as an educator and administrator working with these five women. I wanted to know more about myself and about these students, and about the complex interactions of our very real stories.;For this study I wanted to know: (1) What are the life experiences of teen mothers who completed their associate's degree at Chatfield College? (2) What are the stories of how they managed to complete the degree? (3) What their lives are like now compared to when they were in school. (4) What impact has education had on their lives?;My hopes for this study were simple: (1) I wanted the students to feel empowered by their accomplishments. (2) I want the readers of this study to have a deeper understanding of the experiences of teen mothers and their relation to larger societal issues.