Digital Commons Network^™

Belonging At A Historically White Institution: Understanding The Men Of Color Experience, Riley Cain Sisk, Tara J. Hefner, Kelsie N. Potter, Nicholas A. Williams

Doctor of Education Capstones

Sense of belonging is a vital need that supports an individual’s journey of becoming. Studies have shown the positive impact sense of belonging can have on education outcomes, especially for underrepresented communities. Consulting with the Assessment Office in the Division of Student Affairs (The DSA Assessment Office) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the research team sought to understand how men of color make sense of belonging at historically white institutions (HWIs) such as VCU. This qualitative, instrumental case study utilized a subjectivist approach grounded in Strayhorn’s (2019) definition of ‘sense of belonging’ paired with Baxter Magolda’s (2014) theories of self-authorship. …

Safe Schools: A Descriptive Study Examining How To Prevent Peer-To-Peer Sexual Misconduct In K-12 Schools, Crystal R. Bell, Kristine Herakovich-Curtis, Elizabeth Terrier, Leah Wiedenhoft

Doctor of Education Capstones

In response to a problem of practice presented by the non-profit Stop Sexual Assault in Schools (SSAIS), this study examines what training and resources K-12 Title IX Coordinators and school administrators need to prevent and effectively address peer-to-peer sexual harassment and assault. Grounded in Improvement Science, we partnered with SSAIS to address a real-world dilemma. Through the theoretical lens of the Social-Ecological Framework, a descriptive study was conducted using quantitative and qualitative methodologies to study changes needed to reduce peer-to-peer sexual misconduct in schools. Data were collected through focus group interviews and a Nearpod questionnaire with a national sample. Relying …

Empowering Support Staff: Enhancing Hcps Through Performance Evaluation And Strategic Feedback, Sarah K. Gagnon, Cecily Gardner, Blake Roberts, Erin Schwartz, Candace Wilkerson

Doctor of Education Capstones

Hanover County Public Schools (HCPS) submitted a Request for Assistance (RFA) to doctoral students at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to improve their support staff evaluation system. The doctoral team focused on developing an updated evaluation tool that effectively measures support staff job performance. To do so, the team conducted a descriptive study and developed a framework, Core Evaluation Components (CEC), to support the use of research-informed components in a quality K12 staff evaluation. The methods used in this study were a survey and a qualitative document analysis. The survey was used to understand the opinions, perspectives, and input from both …

Identifying Barriers: Analysis Of Federal Law Enforcement Social Media And Recruitment Efforts, Reena Desai, Edgar Greer, Meghan Waldron

Doctor of Education Capstones

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Richmond Field Office seeks to diversify their applicant pool. In an effort to provide information on how to meet this need, our doctoral team analyzed the social media sites of six federal law enforcement agencies to include: the Federal Bureau of Investigation- Headquarters, Federal Bureau of Investigation-Richmond Field Office, Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the United States Marshal Service. By examining a 60-day window of images and their associated text on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram accounts, we wanted to gain a stronger understanding of …

Brightpoint Community College: Effective Enrollment Anti-Melt Strategies, Michael J. Forder, Ismael J. Betancourt Velez, Adrian Petway, Juan Espinoza

Doctor of Education Capstones

Community colleges strive to provide affordable and accessible educational opportunities to all. Tuition revenue plays a significant role in college operating budgets and is critical for supporting academic functions. Student dropout threatens the fiscal security of community colleges while running counter to the mission of educating communities. This exploratory case study set out to understand the student melt issue due to non-payment at Brightpoint Community College taking place between enrollment and the start of classes. The research team aimed to understand how students engage with the current payment process, what are the underlying factors leading to missed payments, and what …

Reimagining On-Campus Student Employment As A Foundation For Career Readiness: Student Employment In Virginia Commonwealth University’S Division Of Student Affairs, Jaedda Hall, Mary Lee Magee, Sean D. Mays, Kimberly C. Young

Doctor of Education Capstones

Many undergraduate students participate in on-campus employment while pursuing their academic programs. Increasingly, institutions of higher education recognize student employment not only as a resource to address institutional workforce needs or students’ pressing financial needs, but also to promote students’ overall learning, development, and success. To better understand on-campus undergraduate student employment in the context of Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) Division of Student Affairs (DSA), this descriptive study employed a mixed-methods approach using surveys, interviews, focus groups, secondary data analysis, and artifact analysis. These methods were applied to explore the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, including undergraduate student employees, supervisors of …

Examining The Efficacy Of Unitive Justice Education In The Secondary School Setting, Chris C. Booz, La Toya K. Draper, Lottie M. Spurlock

Doctor of Education Capstones

This research study examined the efficacy of the Unitive Justice Education (UJEd) program on school-wide practices in Hopewell City Public Schools (HCPS). The UJEd program developed by the Alliance for Unitive Justice (AUJ) serves as a unifying alternative to conventional disciplinary approaches. An abundance of research shows exclusionary punitive systems have created inequitable experiences for students, particularly children from historically marginalized groups (Alexander, 2020; Kendi, 2019; Morris, 2018). Through a critical theory lens (Freire, 2017) coupled with a mixed methods approach, the researchers analyzed the HCPS discipline data and staff perceptions. Implementing the UJEd program in HCPS secondary schools holds …

A Case Study Exploring William & Mary Military Alums' Experiences With Career Transition, Dirron Allen, Amanda Baldwin-Estep, Matthew Grinsell, Kimberly Lintag-Nguyen

Doctor of Education Capstones

Background: The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand William & Mary (W&M) Master of Business Administration (MBA) military alums’ experiences with their career transitions post-graduation and the influence of the program on their experiences.

Methods: This study utilized a case study design, including focus groups and interviews with 21 alums from the last 10 years and formal, semi-structured interviews with six current faculty and staff. We used Schlossberg’s (1981) individuals’ situation, self, support, and strategies to analyze data using thematic analysis, and then iteratively reducing codes into themes.

Results: Demographic findings showed a lack of diversity, such as …

Assessing Graduate Student Needs And Structures Of Support At Virginia Commonwealth University, Trisha Saunders, Kiama Anthony Bishop, Herbert Hill Iii, Tameka Fitzgerald Burroughs

Doctor of Education Capstones

The purpose of this multi-case study was to explore how the institutional landscape is designed to support graduate student success at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a large, public, urban, R1 research university. The study included review of existing literature on the various factors that contribute to or limit graduate student success at institutions across the country. A major aim of this study was to collect qualitative data from participants with a key stake in this issue, including enrolled graduate students, and faculty/staff supporting graduate (master’s and doctoral) programs at VCU. Participants included 39 graduate students and 23 institutional stakeholders. All …

Unmet: The Undergraduate Experience Of Basic Need Insecurity At An Uncommon University, Michelle C. Bair, Rachelle V. Blackwell-Stegall, Sara E. Rafuse, Ra’Meer J. Roberts, Sara E. Weinstein

Doctor of Education Capstones

Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) Dean of Students office submitted a Request for Assistance with needs related to food and housing insecurity and lack of basic funds for students. To address this request, a doctoral Capstone team conducted a problem and context analysis, literature review, student focus groups, and an internal survey of departments. The goal was to explore the undergraduate experience of unmet needs and to identify gaps and overlaps in basic needs support and services already provided at VCU. Findings suggest that students do not know the resources available to them through the Dean of Students office, that students …

Virginia Community College System Online Student Success: Best Practices And Sustainable Change, Lucy R. Hudson, Daniel L. Lindstrom, Monal Patel, Rosa Ponton

Doctor of Education Capstones

Online learning has an increasingly greater presence in the higher education landscape. Students are able to earn a degree in fully online programs and take courses in modalities that offer the necessary convenience to balance multiple life priorities. The flexibility that online courses offer is valuable for adult learners with young children, students with disabilities including invisible and non-physical disabilities, or populations who must work to support families while pursuing an education. For these populations, community colleges play an important role in providing access to education as they enroll a greater number of adult students and have a higher percentage …

Facilitating Equitable Access And Retention For Underrepresented Students At The University Of Mary Washington, Michael K. Abelson, Alvin R. Bryant, Marra Hvozdovic

Doctor of Education Capstones

Higher education institutions are facing increasing pressure to find new ways to attract, retain, and graduate the diverse populations of college students. As a result, colleges and universities need to adapt to the changing demographics of students who benefit from more sustained and engaged forms of support that are responsive to their specific social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. This sequential mixed methods study seeks to understand the ways in which the University of Mary Washington serves its underrepresented students in order to develop strategies to enhance the recruitment and retention of Black, Hispanic/Latinx, low-income, and first-generation college students. Building on …

Shared Governance At Virginia Commonwealth University: Increasing Awareness Of Shared Governance Among Faculty, Andrea H. Becker, Carlton H. Goode, Jennifer C. Rivers, Melissa W. Tyler

Doctor of Education Capstones

Abstract

SHARED GOVERNANCE AT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY: INCREASING AWARENESS OF SHARED GOVERNANCE AMONG FACULTY

By Andrea H. Becker, Carlton H. Goode, Jennifer C. Rivers, Melissa W. Tyler

A capstone project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Educational Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2022.

Capstone Chair: Jonathan D. Becker, Ph.D., Department of Educational Leadership

The primary focus of this study is to understand and define the concept of shared governance as practiced at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). The researchers approached the study through three guiding questions: …

Putting You First: First-Generation Student Perceptions, Needs, And Engagement At Virginia Commonwealth University, Jennifer D. Adams, Brittany M. Gracik, Rochelle H. Jordan, Yeimarie Lopez

Doctor of Education Capstones

You First at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) submitted a Request for Assistance with the need for increased engagement with VCU first-generation (FG) students. To address this request, a doctoral Capstone team conducted problem and context analysis, a literature review, a mixed-methods study analyzing institutional data, a survey of current FG students at VCU, and focus group sessions with FG students at VCU. The goal was to identify FG student perceptions of their FG identities, determine the needs of FG students, and uncover factors that impact FG students’ engagement with You First. Findings suggested that the underlying cause of minimal engagement …

Increasing Student Access To Mental Health Services In Virginia Through Staffing And Structures, Erin Sturgis, Kate Puschak, Julie Ellis, Therese O'Dea, Maggie Hartley

Doctor of Education Capstones

This dissertation in practice is a response to a request for assistance (RFA) submitted by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Office of Student Services (OoSS). To help school divisions meet Standards of Quality (SOQs) and serve student needs, the VDOE OoSS aims to increase the pipeline of licensed school-based mental health professionals (SMHPs). This Capstone examines staffing and service models that create equitable access to student mental health supports using problem and context analysis, a review of literature, and a three-phased mixed methods data collection. Focus group participants consisted of students and practitioners in the fields of school psychology, …

A Blueprint For The Charles City Public School’S “Community Den”, Lisa M. Cooper, Larry L. Frazier, Ian B. Kunkes, Adrienne D. Quarles-Smith

Doctor of Education Capstones

Charles City County Public Schools (CCPS) submitted a Request for Assistance to work with a capstone team that would conduct a thorough analysis of the Community Den program and offer a blueprint that would sustain the Den’s efforts well into the future. To address this request, a doctoral Capstone team primarily utilized qualitative methods of data collection in a 3-phrase approach, including, an extensive process of literature review, asset mapping, which is a strength-based approach of connecting communities with resources, document analysis, site visits, interviews, and focus groups. These approaches allowed the capstone team to gain a better understanding of …

Sophomores Reign On!: A Sophomore Student Success Model For Old Dominion University, Kevin T. Caffrey, Ricardo Clauden-Cross, Tiyacca Simms-Jones, Fredelito Yvan M. Tugas

Doctor of Education Capstones

The Division of Student Engagement and Enrollment Services at Old Dominion University (ODU) submitted a Request for Assistance to examine the challenges sophomore students face that can lead to attrition. A doctoral research team conducted an exploratory, sequential, mixed-methods study consisting of a literature review, focus groups and interviews with current ODU juniors and seniors, surveys of current ODU sophomores, staff, and faculty, and interviews with benchmark institutions that have successful sophomore student programming at their schools. The team explained the commonly found needs and barriers that sophomore students face, and specifically examined the expressed sophomore student challenges as revealed …

The Effectiveness Of The Virginia Network For Women: A Mixed Methods Study, Stevara Haley Clark, Jenae' D. Harrington, Reshunda L. Mahone, Kristin L. Smith

Doctor of Education Capstones

Over the last 50 years, higher education institutions across the country have experienced growth in enrollment and degree attainment by women. However, despite the increase in educational merit, the representation of women in administrative and leadership roles within higher education is still not equitable to that of men. The Women’s Network, a non-profit subsidiary of the American Council on Education’s Inclusive Excellence Group, aims to identify, develop, advance, and support women in higher education at the local, state, and national levels. The Virginia Network is a state constituency of the Women’s Network that promotes women’s leadership in higher education throughout …

A Comprehensive Audit Of Professional Development For K-12 School Leaders In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Melissa Davis Hill, Melisa J. Naumann, Timothy M. Tillman, Major R. Warner Jr.

Doctor of Education Capstones

The intent of this paper is to provide a mixed-methods audit of professional development provided to K-12 school leadership in Virginia's diverse landscape to include identification of providers, funding, effectiveness, and expectations.

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, geographical, political, and socio-economical differences across 132 school divisions cause variability in leaders' experiences with professional development. A mixed-methods approach was used, including a review of current literature, an online survey, virtual interviews, and virtual focus group discussions. This data collection results in a comprehensive audit of professional development provided to school leaders in Virginia's diverse landscape. The study defines effective professional development …

Review Of Student Engagement, Assessment, And High-Impact Practice Implementation By Common Book Programs In U.S. Institutions Of Higher Education, Raymond (Wes) Hillyard, Carrie Newcomb, Richard M. Pantele, Andrea M. Perseghin, Leslie Winston

Doctor of Education Capstones

Common book programs are widely used by U.S. institutions of higher education to positively impact student engagement and student retention. This capstone project sought to determine the best practices in common book program assessment and high-impact practice implementation. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory research design was employed to answer the research questions. Data was collected utilizing an online survey and interviews. Quantitative and qualitative data was analyzed using chi-square, in vivo and thematic coding. This project aims to inform common book program administrators and other student engagement stakeholders in improving program assessment, high-impact practice implementation, and first- to second-year student retention …

Increasing Doctoral Student Completion Rates Within The College Of Humanities And Sciences At Virginia Commonwealth University, Victoria A. Keel, Michaela R. Bearden

Doctor of Education Capstones

Research on doctoral education primarily focuses on broad fields of study and general attrition. Often overlooked, is an examination of the student at each stage of their program and the challenges they face that can potentially lead to stopping out. This capstone project explored the doctoral student experience within the Department of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University. A mixed method study via an online survey was utilized to gather data about the student experience on their path towards candidacy. Quantitative and qualitative data was analyzed through Chi-square tests and thematic coding to identify answers to each research question. …

Narrative For Expanding Visibility To Non-Black Students Through Enrollment Management Practices For Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Ladarius Thompson, Stephen Barr, Lisa Winn Bryan, Lisa Williams

Doctor of Education Capstones

As the U.S. is growing more diverse, at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) like VSU, non-Black students are considered underrepresented. Current declining enrollment numbers at VSU have become problematic, creating a budgetary shortfall that has impacted student facilities, programs, and services. In response, VSU is striving to increase student enrollment through strategic enrollment management. This study examines how VSU can expand its visibility with non-Black, domestic students in high schools, and community colleges. Further, this study adds to the understanding of enrollment management strategies at an HBCU, as administrators, faculty and other stakeholders collaborate to provide an inclusive environment …