Digital Commons Network^™

The Experiences Of Women College Presidents While Leading Through An Institutional Crisis: The Perceived Successes And Failures Of Crisis Communication Strategies, Madison Marie Speck

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This multi-site case study explored the uncommonly discussed yet organic intersection between the study of crisis communication and the study of crisis leadership and in turn, what it means in the context of a college presidency. This study has a unique focus on women presidents at small, private colleges and the ways in which they communicate with various stakeholders during a crisis environment. The research is guided by Boin’s Model of Crisis Leadership which guides and assesses crisis leadership performance; however this study introduces nuances to the framework that are suggested as a result of the findings; most of which …

The Influence Of Faculty Mentorship On Graduate Student Development Through The Lens Of Self-Efficacy, Connor Lynn Ferguson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This exploratory sequential mixed-methods case study explores the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and faculty mentorship with biomedical sciences graduate students. The intent of the study was to understand the extent at which faculty mentorship contributes to self-efficacy development in the population of biomedical sciences doctoral students enrolled at a mid-Atlantic R1 institution. Data collected consisted of a survey assessing perceived self-efficacy and mentoring, interviews and documents. Data analysis explored themes related to the perceived academic and professional development of the students through their responses. The research highlights the significance of the mentor-mentee relationship and influence of the mentor on the …

An Examination Of Career Orientation Courses And College Students' Career Decision Self-Efficacy, Logan R. Mayhew

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Career development is an ongoing concern for college administrators as the modern knowledge era generates new and fluctuating jobs. College students are more anxious than in previous decades about starting their careers and making vocational decisions. Building career decision self-efficacy in students results in greater feelings of confidence and increases demonstration of career-related behaviors. Students in three online career courses at West Virginia University were assessed for gains in career decision self-efficacy in comparison with a control group after participation in the courses and compared on the basis of gender. Results of a mixed ANOVA indicated a significant increase in …

A Narrative Inquiry Into The Influence Of School Shooting Survival On College Transition And Experience, Jayne M. Piskorik

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

There is an extensive body of school-related shooting research exploring causes, how to recognize a threat, and what preparedness measures are effective (Lee et al., 2020; Muchert, 2007). However, there is insufficient research on how the broader context of school-related shootings in American society has influenced college-aged students. The purpose of this study was to tell the story of how students have been influenced by their experience surviving the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting during their transition to and performance in higher education. Narrative inquiry provided a deeper understanding through narrative retelling of the perceptions, decisions, and experiences …

Reckoning With Privilege In Appalachia And Higher Education: A Project Of Critical Consciousness, Sarah Powell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation sought to interrogate the ways in which White, rural students from West Virginia conceptualized diversity before, during, and since their transition to a large PWI in their home state. Using Critical Whiteness Studies and intersectionality as driving theory, student participants and I engaged in deconstruction of privilege through individual and culture circle conversations. Then, participants engaged in self-reflection using codes established in Critical Whiteness (White normativity, White complicity, epistemologies of ignorance) as well as participant-drive codes that reflected other forms of identity-based power. Three waves of reflection demonstrate the participants’ continued cycle of praxis (reflection, action, repeat) and …

The Appalachian Medical Student Experience: A Case Study, Jason Scott Hedrick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The Appalachian region is a rural swath of mountainous terrain home to a historically distinct culture. The region’s population suffers from a multitude of health issues and disparities. Notably, the region also experiences a major healthcare provider shortage despite the fact that states, like West Virginia, produce per capita, a high volume of physicians. Appalachia, and particularly West Virginia, also suffers from a number of educational disparities, which culminates into low numbers of college graduates within the population. There is a plethora of research that has explored the first-generation college student, students from rural and Appalachian backgrounds, first-generation and rural …

Mismatch And Burnout: An Exploration Of Burnout And Work Passion Amongst Academic Affairs Professionals Through An Organizational Lens, Alexa Elizabeth Cecil

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Though the concept of burnout is well developed, there is less research on burnout in higher education, especially on specific staff populations, and loss of work passion. The current study aimed to understand burnout and work passion for academic affairs professionals who work with undergraduate students on academic probation and students conditionally admitted to the institution, including impacts, how these experiences have been navigated, and organizational supports that help alleviate these outcomes. Utilizing a sequential mixed methods research design, the study collected survey responses from identified professionals working with these student populations at a specific institution type. Demographic and t-test …

An Exploration Of How University Development Officers Can Cultivate Year 0 Alums, Lily Mcknight

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

As higher education in West Virginia continues to lose state funding, students’ tuition is increasing to fill the gap. These tuition increases have led to an increased reliance on private funding and a need to creatively approach engaging new potential donors. Year 0 Alumni are an ignored group of stakeholders when it comes to university fundraising, likely due to their limited potential to make large gifts. However, cultivating these relationships demonstrates the long view necessary for future planning, while providing a novel approach for smaller gifts that can accumulate to meaningful support to address the current emerging need.

To this …

Examining The Career Pathways For Women Administrators At A Land-Grant University, Meridith A. Balas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This feminist-centered, narrative study focuses on the troubling gender gaps in higher education leadership by exploring the career paths and lived experiences of current women administrators at a large, public land-grant institution. This research identifies specific supports and barriers women face throughout their careers that might enable or prevent them from attaining or accessing high-level leadership roles in academic and non-academic administration. The study leans on feminist theory to position perceptions of women in leadership roles across many disciplines in the university setting while observing it as a critical lens to analyze gender inequality in the career pipeline for women …

House Bill 3122, Kayla Thompson

Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

West Virginia University’S Changing Mission In The 21st Century, Katlin Swisher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In the midst of the ongoing shifts of the perception of higher education and the public’s question of the role and value of public universities, West Virginia University has simultaneously experienced institutional change through five different presidential administrations in a decade. As seen through WVU’s historical context as the state of West Virginia’s land-grant, flagship, research university, the institution has and continues to face many administrative, policy, and contextual changes as it strives to meet its strategic goals and operationalize its mission. Through document analysis and interviews with key officials, this qualitative, multi-case study seeks to understand how WVU’s mission …

Three Essays Using Natural Experiments To Measure Causal Effects On Education, Patrick A Reilly

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

No abstract provided.

Smoking Cessation And Breastfeeding Promotion Education For Prenatal Providers In West Virginia, Kimberly Greenfield

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Background: West Virginia has the highest prenatal smoking cessation rate in the United States and is among the states with the lowest breastfeeding rate in the nation. West Virginia also faces health disparities and limited prenatal health resources, especially in at-risk areas. In an effort to improve resources in at-risk areas of the state, the "Health Education for Prenatal Providers in Appalachia (HEPPA), using the ACOG 5As smoking cessation intervention and breastfeeding promotion, was developed for delivery to interprofessional providers. Method: The HEPPA program delivered to healthcare and social service providers in four contiguous counties was evaluated by comparing pre-test …

Exploring The Use Of Social Media And Its Effect On Policy In Community Colleges, S. Dianne Davis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The use of online social media websites has grown exponentially in past years. Recent studies show faculty use of social media is also growing. This study examined how faculty are using social media websites with students and if they are aware of issues that violations of the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act could cause. The research questions were: How are faculty using social media for teacher-student communication; Are there privacy concerns faculty should be aware of because of the Federal Education Rights to Privacy Act; and what social media is being use by faculty to communicate with students. Participants …

Identit(Ies) And Agency: College Students' Navigations Of Sexuality And Gender In Complex Figured Worlds, Melissa M. Chesanko

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In this study I conducted individual and focus group interviews in order to understand the ways in which students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) perceive the campus climate at West Virginia University and in what ways their experiences are shaped by that climate. Campus climate is defined as "the cumulative attitudes, behaviors, and standards of employees and students concerning access for, inclusion of, and level of respect for individual and group needs, abilities, and potential" (Rankin, 2006, p. 7).;The campus climate for students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) at a …

Addressing The Elephant In The Room: A Descriptive Analysis Of Weight-Based Harassment On College Campuses, Lynnsie Doty

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

According to the bullying and harassment literature, over 50 percent of adolescents reported that they were targets of harassment at least once a month. A major gap within this literature is that most of these studies focus predominantly on adolescents and none focuses on older cohorts. To date only five studies have focused on college populations, but none focus on weight specifically as a factor. Although many individuals may disagree, weight-based harassment is comparable to harassment based on race and sexual orientation and affects victims just as negatively. Therefore, it is time to address the elephant in the room and …

A Study Of Faculty, Administrative, And Staff Perceptions Of The Climate For Shared Governance At Appalachian College Association Member Institutions, Tanya L. Easton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The purpose of this study was to investigate how faculty, administrators, and staff perceived the climate for shared governance at 36 member institutions of the Appalachian College Association (ACA), based on standards for sound shared governance in higher education as outlined by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). Numerous reports and studies have focused on shared governance practices, but no research exists on perceptions of climate based on standards outlined by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), which published the seminal Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities in 1966. This study was conducted through the Appalachian College …

The Nontraditional Community College Student: A Phenomenological Approach To The Educational Experience, Alexander D. Tuel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Nontraditional students make up a larger population at community colleges than their traditional counterparts making this study a necessity to further explore their experience (American Association of Community Colleges, 2013). To better understand this population, a phenomenological approach was taken with an emphasis on a social constructivism framework. This qualitative study utilized Seidman's (2013) three step interviewing process with the aid of photographs taken by the participants to elicit in-depth interview responses. Moustakas' (1994) modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen Method of Analysis of Phenomenological Data was used in this study. Four themes emerged from participant's photographs and interviews: motivation, helpful faculty/staff, external responsibilities, …

Redesigning Choice Architecture For The College Selection And Application Process For High School Juniors, Lindsey Estep

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Choice architecture, a term coined in the 2008 book Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by behavioral scientist Richard H. Thaler and professor of law Cass R. Sunstein, is the belief that no choice can be neutral because the way in which a choice is presented influences the decision-maker. Designers, perfectly positioned to structure choices in both print and digital format, should equally embrace this role and handle it with great responsibility. Rather than use the power to structure choice architecture to bolster consumerism, we should instead harness the opportunity to help individuals make choices that improve their …

Cross Cultural Relationships Of Depression, Attachment Styles, And Quality Of Romantic Relationships: Cultural Difference Between Taiwanese/Chinese And American College Students, Yi-An Lo Burleson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Relationship quality has been determined to be a positive factor in the treatment of depression (Brown, 2000; Fagan, 2009). Although the importance of marriage has been broadly studied, little research has investigated correlations among relationship quality, depressive moods, and attachment styles. Although the prevalence of depressive moods has been documented within populations of Taiwanese/Chinese international students and American college students (Wei et al., 2007), Wang and Mallinckrodt (2006) found that definitions of ideal attachment differ in these groups. Furthermore, researchers have not yet investigated the effect of cultural differences and attachment styles on the interactions between relationship quality and depressive …

Alternative Breaks: The Impact Of Student-To-Student Connections In Non-Classroom Service-Learning Experiences, Zac D. Johnson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Alternative breaks represent a new tradition in collegiate service learning (Campus Connect, 2011), wherein students forego traditional break activities (e.g., vacations) to participate in community service with their peers through university sponsored programs. Despite their growing popularity these programs are understudied. Research that has examined alternative breaks has arrived at claims based on anecdotal data (e.g., DuPre, 2010; Noll, 2012). This dissertation investigated two claims found in alternative break literature: students forge connections (e.g., DuPre, 2010, McElhaney, 1998) and alternative break experiences have a long reaching impact on students (e.g., Barclay, 2010; McElhaney, 1998; Noll, 2012). This was accomplished through …

The Social Support For International Graduate Students To Obtain Academic Success, Ping He

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Previous studies suggest that international graduate students' academic success is significantly associated with the average grade point (GPA), and this measure is closely related with international graduate students' received academic and financial supports. However, international graduate students' academic success can involve a multidimensional measurement besides the average grade point (GPA). Hence, the current study explored the correlation between international graduate students' perceived social support and perceived academic success from an inclusive perspective. The perceived social support included the categories of academic support, financial support, emotional support and spiritual support. The perceived academic success included the aspects of knowledge learning, research …

Adult Characteristics Associated With Gender-Typed Toy Ratings, Rachel R. Stoiko

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The toys with which children play shape their development in several domains (Trawick-Smith, Russell, & Swaminathan, 2011). Exclusive or primary play with gender-typed toys may limit children's development, because toys considered appropriate for boys, girls, or both have different characteristics (Blakemore & Centers, 2005; Serbin & Connor, 1979). Especially in infancy and early childhood, children's toy play is affected by adults (parent and nonparent), who may differentially provide access to and/or reinforce play with different toys (Kane, 2006). The variability in adults' attitudes regarding the gender-appropriateness of toys is not well-understood.;The purpose of this study was to examine the relations …

Under The Surface: An Examination Of Voice, Space, And Identity In West Virginia University Mcnair Scholars, Thomas N. Keopuhiwa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Diversity amongst the college campus is a common goal of most American educational institutions of today. However very few are able to achieve this goal. Increasing the diversity of faculty and staff on campus is one way we can address this issue. The McNair Scholars Post Baccalaureate program is a program that provides training and support to those undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds and/or underrepresented minority to help them pursue the goal of obtaining a doctoral degree. The qualitative research presented here, provides an overview of the West Virginia University (WVU) McNair scholars' experiences, and their journey within the McNair program. …

Factors Affecting Peer Tutoring Programs In Higher Education As Perceived By Administrators, Debbi J. Pariser

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study examined a) institutional factors that administrators see as facilitating peer tutoring programs and b) institutional factors that administrators see as forming barriers to peer tutoring programs. In addition, a comparison was made of administrators' perceptions based on the following institutional demographic factors: department affiliation, enrollment, highest degree awarded, and Carnegie classification. The data were collected through an electronic survey instrument, Administrative and Faculty Factors that Contribute to the Institutionalization of Peer Tutoring in Higher Education, developed specifically for this study and based on the work of Dr. Anthony Pina (2005, 2008a, 2008b), who studied the institutionalization of distance …

The Use Of Concept Mapping/Pattern Matching To Determine The Content Domain For Information Literacy In Baccalaureate Education, Eleanor M. Messman-Mandicott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study assessed the relevance of a national association's standards for developing information literacy competency in undergraduate students at a mid-sized, regional university in Maryland. Key stakeholders responsible for ensuring student success in achieving information literacy competency at the institution were solicited for their expertise to identify the outcomes they consider to indicate information literacy competency. The group of 14 participants included six faculty, three librarians, three student affairs professionals, and two students. Trochim's Concept Mapping/Pattern Matching methodology was used for gathering and analyzing the data to conceptualize the domain of information literacy competencies. The key stakeholders generated 80 student …

Principles Of Learner Autonomy In Action: Effects And Perceptions In A College-Level Foreign Language Class, Heiko Everwien Ter Haseborg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study was designed to investigate how college learners of a foreign language perceived learner autonomy, its effects on student motivation, and its benefits to different parts of language learning. It utilized a mixed-methods design. Participants were 90 undergraduate students in German courses of different levels. During the course of instruction, principles of learner autonomy were implemented in the instruction. Qualitative as well as quantitative data were collected in the form of a self-assessment survey, learning journals, reflective statements, and an autonomous learning survey. The analysis was focused on (1) how students perceived the ability to make autonomous learning choices, …

The Critical Middle Years And The Relationship Of Early Access To Algebra On High School Math Course Completion And College Readiness, Kim Victoria Smith Green

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Many students who enroll in higher education are unprepared to meet the challenges of postsecondary education. The probability that students will make a successful transition from high school to college is linked to the degree to which their secondary educational experiences have prepared them for the expectations and demands they will encounter in college. National findings provide continuing evidence that focusing on improving student achievement in mathematics will positively impact college readiness. The main problem addressed in this quantitative study was how educators can best prepare students for college readiness. Since college readiness is highly dependent upon math achievement in …

What Are Aacsb-Accredited Business Schools Doing To Close The Loop?, Elizabeth Vitullo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

As higher education enters into an era of increased accountability, the need to demonstrate evidence of student learning has become more important. The practice of documenting evidence of student learning and systematic evaluation of the learning process has been adopted by discipline specific accrediting bodies. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is an accrediting agency and an association of institutions devoted to the advancement of business education. The purpose of this qualitative dissertation was to examine what two AACSB-accredited Colleges of Business are doing to close the loop using a case study approach. Interviews with multiple administrators …

An Assessment Of Usage And Physical Activity Patterns, Measurement Of Satisfaction Indicators And Purpose Of Visit At Two University Recreation Centers, Robin L. Yeager

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Research has demonstrated that building of student recreation/activity centers has been beneficial for university students who participate in informal recreation and programs during their out-of-class time. The utilization of an assessment tool created specifically to evaluate variables associated with usage and intention demonstrated that at vastly different university settings and type of recreation facilities, similar patterns suggested why university students are and are not utilizing the facilities that have been specifically built for their needs.;The first paper assessed usage and purpose of visit, and the importance of recreation and socialization in the setting of student recreation centers in university environments. …