Digital Commons Network^™

Making Meaning In The Margins: Identities, Belonging, And Social Justice Commitments In A Cross-Race Intergroup Dialogue For Queer And Trans College Students, Nina M. Tissi-Gassoway

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative research study used constructivist grounded theory methods to explore the lived experiences of 11 queer and trans undergraduate college students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds in a cross-race intergroup dialogue (IGD) course. Using document analysis of course assignments and post-dialogue semi-structured interviews allowed for rich inquiry into how these queer and trans students made meaning of their intersecting identities, sense of belonging, cross-race relationships, and social justice commitments. This study contributes new knowledge about the meaning-making processes of queer and trans college students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds and the role that IGD plays in supporting …

Transformative Learning And The Power Of Experience Contextualized In Tertiary-Level Study Abroad, Colleen M. Kolb

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Master’s Level Projects/Papers

The study abroad experience for many students is ineffable by nature. Teasing this apart and understanding how to maximize student learning abroad can lead to more enriched and potentially transformative experiences. There is little training offered to faculty and administrators at most American institutions about how to integrate study abroad learning into the wider higher education curriculum before, during, and after a global experience. By utilizing transformative learning theory (TLT) and experiential learning theory (ELT), this thesis provides a space for thought to conceptualize study abroad as a fully integrated part of the college curriculum that enhances the learner experience …

Determinants Of Student Information Technology Adoption, Hans P. Vanderschaaf

Dissertations and Theses

Innovating service delivery in higher education is central to supporting institutional and societal goals of increasing the numbers of college graduates and for transforming higher education institutions to center on the needs of today's students. Within this context, technology plays a critical role. This research seeks to contribute to institutional, academic and educational technology sector efforts to dramatically enhance service quality, in support of improving undergraduate student outcomes (student success), by identifying the determinants of student information technology adoption and removing barriers to accessing higher education.

Using a mixed-methods and empirical approach based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and …

A Case Study On Alternative Spring Break: Supporting Black Women At An Hbcu, Aeryel Williams

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Alternative Spring Break (ASB) is a college-based travel program in which students spend their traditional spring break vacation traveling to a new domestic or international city to complete a service-learning project such as community restoration in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. As a result of participating in Alternative Spring Break, students gain invaluable experiences and transferable skills that can be applied to their academic and career goals. In this dissertation, the specific transferable skill explored is emotional intelligence.

The purpose of this dissertation is to illuminate the lived experiences of Black women who have participated in a college-based travel program …

An Inquiry Into Developing College Student Socially-Responsible Leadership: Ethics Of Justice And Care In The Midst Of Conflict And Controversy, Jill Frances Childress

Dissertations and Theses

Colleges not only educate students in academic discipline knowledge, but also help them develop skills to meaningfully lead and participate in our complex democracy as socially responsible citizens. All campuses have formal and informal opportunities to engage students in roles that challenge and develop students' socially responsible leadership skills including commitment, common purpose, and collaboration. However, individual and organizational elements such as differences in perspectives and hostile climates can quell leadership and educational participation, inhibit critical student development skills, and result in disempowerment, especially for those students from underserved communities. Given this, a critical question is how can colleges foster …

The Impact Of Wellness Training On Resilience, Depression, And Anxiety In College Age Students, Jamie S. Myrtle

Ed.D. Dissertations

Data suggests that mental health disorders in college students are increasing. University personnel seek to help students better manage their mental health through access to campus counseling centers. Slow enrollment growth has placed pressure on university budgets making it difficult to fully fund counseling centers. Therefore, university personnel seek cost-effective interventions to meet the need. Increasing resilience has shown promise in reducing the overall impact of depression and anxiety. The purpose of the current study was to explore the impact of wellness training on resilience, depression, and anxiety to determine the effectiveness of the intervention in improving resilience and reducing …

Investigating The Intersections Of Interpersonal Violence: Identifying Risk And Protective Factors For Hazing, Kayla E. Goodwin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Building on the work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s initiative to investigate the links between multiple forms of violence, this study used a “review-of-reviews” qualitative approach, a form of meta-analysis, to illuminate the intersections of sexual violence and hazing. Data were analyzed to uncover the risk and protective factors for hazing. These findings were then compared to the risk and protective factors for sexual violence to investigate any intersections, broadening the research about the intersecting forms of interpersonal violence. Eleven risk factors for hazing were identified, four of which intersect with previously identified risk factors for sexual …

College Students And Their Political Participation, Emily Williams

Honors Projects

Historically, college students have had a low voter turnout despite having particularly high political engagement. This is a problem because it is instilling a bad habit of not politically engaging to the extent that a productive United States citizen should. By not voting, Americans are losing their rights to representation that reflects their views and beliefs. In this paper I discuss why this low voter turnout is negative and what the United States can do, via the government and educational institutions, to increase voter turnout. In this research, the reader will discover the reasons for low voting rates among college …

Imaginative Empathies: Exploring The Role Of Creative Writing In Developing Social Skills Of College Students With Autism, Rebekkah N. Richner

MSU Graduate Theses

Only one-third of students with autism who are enrolled in American universities go on to graduate (Cox & Williams, 2018; Newman et al., 2011; Wei et al., 2014). These students may be currently underserved by the writing curriculum of postsecondary institutions when it comes to facilitating social and personal development in college and beyond. This thesis begins with the hypothesis that creative writing classes already utilize pedagogical tools that could aid students with autism in strengthening their social skills, particularly through the more structured social environment of the creative writing workshop. This study examined a 200-level short story creative writing …

A Meta-Analysis On Non-Cognitive Predictors Of College Student Academic Performance, Maggie Allphin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

There are many factors that affect student success, often measured with academic performance. Research has shown that students attribute stress as a major factor that affects their academic performance (Frazier et al., 2018). This suggests that the ability to cope with stress can improve academic performance. Studies have shown that higher emotional intelligence is linked to higher ability to cope with stress (Wang, Xie, and Cui, 2016). In this meta-analysis, I looked into the relationship across multiple studies between emotional intelligence, grade point average, and other non-cognitive predictors. For the first meta-analysis, seven records relating emotional intelligence to academic performance …