Obviously I know what my students mean when they use “strive” as a noun, in phrases like “the strive for success.”

I have noticed this more frequently in recent years.

I do not think they are mishearing “strife” (which has the same linguistic root, but has negative connotations of violence and opposition, whereas the verb “strive” connotes dedication and progress).

Is this a regionalism, like “that table needs washed,” or a rising alternative form, like “based off of” (to which I still object as an illogical and unnecessary distortion of “based on”)?

I have also seen “thrive” used the same way, though less frequently.