Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Job Satisfaction On Retention And Motivation For Leadership Advancement Of The U. S. Citizenship And Immigration Services (Uscis) Millennial Supervisors, Kelvin Medlock

Dissertations

Purpose: This explanatory mixed-methods study aimed to identify the job satisfaction level of millennial supervisors at the five service centers of the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Additionally, it identified the impact that job satisfaction levels have on their job retention and motivation for leadership advancement.

Methodology: An explanatory sequential design data collection method was used to identify and describe the level of job satisfaction of USCIS millennial supervisors. This Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) was completed by the participants and was followed by an open-ended interview designed to collect in-depth data on job satisfaction factors’ impact on retention …

The Effect Administrators Have On Employee Morale Within The University Of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Sherry L. Beaty-Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between Arkansas County Extension County staff morale and their perceived relationship county staff had with their County Staff Chair. The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service (UAEX) can utilize the results from this research to identify individuals who have the capacity to build high-quality relationships with staff members, thereby promoting higher levels of morale within the organization. Administrators can use this study to identify current or future leaders within the organization by identifying those who can promote high-quality relationships with county-level staff. Results from this study may also be used …

¡Arriba Las Mujeres!: Incorporating Self Care Practices, Pláticas, And Testimonios To Enhance Leadership Development Amongst Latina Student Leaders, Alandra Sanchez

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

In traditional Latinx culture, Latinas have always prioritized the needs of others before their own. Oftentimes, so much of their time and energy goes towards providing others with the aid and resources to thrive. In conducting pláticas with four Latina student leaders who held an executive leadership role within a Latina student organization, it quickly became evident that these patterns and behaviors appeared in their leadership approach. With the little aid they receive from the University, they are the individuals who are solely responsible for fostering enriching experiences for their student members. Although they lead with compassion, love, and a …

K-5 Elementary Alternative Program: A Case Study, William E. Scheuer Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to examine how the K-5 elementary alternative program All Students Can Thrive (ASCT) used student-centered learning practices to influence the whole child. There is a lack of research on K-5 elementary alternative programs, such as ASCT, and specifically those that integrate student-centered learning practices to influence the whole child. Literature does not contain universally accepted interventions that are effective in the elementary alternative setting to help students return to the mainstream classroom setting better prepared to display appropriate behaviors when a student is removed from a mainstream classroom setting due to disruptive behaviors. …

Contact Center Healthcare Worker Stress Levels During Times Of Rapid Change, Christine Dvorak

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this study is to explore the factors contributing to stress during times of rapid change with healthcare staff working behind the scenes in a contact center. This study will focus on contact center employees working in a healthcare setting where rapid change is frequent and how this impacts individual stress levels. The research currently shows that burnout and increased stress is on the rise for the front-line staff working in healthcare (Meese et al., 2021). To better support contact center employees, it will be imperative to understand the causes of stress and burnout in their roles. Once …

Refining The Eden Community’S Pathways For Shaping Regenerative Christian Culture In The Apprenticeship For Regenerative Culture, Laura Callarman

Doctor of Ministry Theses

This Doctor of Ministry thesis presents a project designed to meet a need of the Eden Community, an intentional Christian community, regarding the pathways it uses to shape regenerative Christian culture among college students in its apprenticeship program, ARC. In this thesis, I connect the pragmatic aims of the Eden Community to theological foundations regarding the importance of ecclesial diversity and creative contextualization, features that empower the church to embody a variety of life-giving “alternative stories” with the capacity to present the gospel as truly good news to the entire world.

In this project, a team of nine stakeholders met …

Lived Experiences Of Latino(A) College Students Enrolled In A Historically Black College & University (Hbcu), Gabriel Crosby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many first-generation Latino(a) college students, the college-setting is a new and scary place. Without the support of family and friends, the chances for them dropping out or not finishing their college education grow. Recognizing that Latinos(as) make up a growing segment of the college-going population, higher education institutions and their leaders must not only recruit individuals from this demographic population, but must also work to help these students remain enrolled and guide them to graduation. Institutions must be able to provide a welcoming campus culture and environment as a means of fostering student success. Historically Black College and Universities …

Investigating The Relational Element Of Trust In Teacher-Principal Relationships: An Autoethnographic Case Study, Angela Bradley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This autoethnographic case study was designed to investigate the relational aspect of trust, a characteristic of servant leadership, in the teacher-principal relationship. This trusting bond is an often overlooked, foundational element of a school’s success. I examined the role that trust plays in enhancing a school’s culture and how trust is established and maintained among one principal and teachers under my supervision. In addition, as researcher, I sought to uncover specific indicators that trust was present on a school campus. Finally, I sought to examine trust’s effects on collaboration and organizational commitment.

Through weekly reflections, I sought to examine my …

The Confidence Gap: How The Self-Esteem Of Middle School Females Affects Their Leadership Self-Efficacy, Amanda F. Bitner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though studies suggest social-emotional learning (SEL) programs have a positive impact on youth development, the focus, implementation, and consensus on SEL programs vary. These programs largely overlook adolescent self-esteem, which is at its lowest during the formative middle school years and twice as likely to be lower among females than males. This study attempted to understand whether SEL education impacts middle school females' self-esteem and leadership and whether their self-esteem and leadership self-efficacy correlate. Key research questions explored middle school females’ self-perception of their self-esteem and leadership self-efficacy levels. This quantitative descriptive study aimed to examine whether there was a …

Cracking The Shell Of White Fragility: Priming Employees For Anti-Oppressive/Anti-Racist Learning, Martha Jansenberger

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Despite the adoption of AO/AR practice frameworks by most human service organizations, consistently integrating the practical elements of AR work into professional interactions continues to challenge many organizations (deFinney, 2011; Saraceno, 2012). This OiP considers the barriers to AO/AR praxis for staff in a crisis shelter, drawing from relevant leadership theory, CRT, change management research, and education research to develop a comprehensive plan aimed at building capacity among employees. With a focus on diminishing the impulse to deny or refute the impacts of systems of oppression on racialized and equity seeking groups, this project uses Kolb and Frohman’s model for …

College Athletics And The Exploitation Of The Black Body, Nathan Wiggins

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The Black body has gone through different forms of exploitation in the United States in the centuries since the first enslaved Africans were brought to this land. Although chattel slavery has long been “abolished,” it has taken a new form in college athletics. While most scholarship college football and basketball players are Black and produce millions of dollars of revenue for large and small universities, the players are not compensated and did not see a dime of it come to them. When I say that college athletics is a modern form of slavery, one might find that statement confusing because …

Restorative Justice In A Co-Ed Greek-Letter Organization, Olivia Wurzbach

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of my action research was to examine the impact of using restorative justice practices with members of my past co-ed Greek-letter organization. My participants were alumni of the co-ed Greek-letter organization that were active members between the years of 2011-2015. I met with my participants individually and taught them about restorative justice practices. I then facilitated a series of community building circles with my participants where we reflected on our time as active members of the organization and explored how being members of the organization has impacted who we are today. We collaborated on creating ideas for community …

Enhancing Graduate Student Onboarding To Strengthen Graduate Student Sense Of Belonging And Ease The Transition Into Graduate School, Shannon Patiño

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of this action research was to study graduate students' sense of belonging enrolled in programs within the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) at the University of San Diego (USD) and their transition experience. This study was guided by the question: How can I improve new student onboarding programming to increase graduate student sense of belonging during the early stages of our graduate students’ onboarding experience? How can I also create a resource to help ease the graduate student transition into graduate school?

Quantitative and qualitative data was collected through a survey and one-on-one interviews with graduate …

Supporting Reverse Transfer Students: From Trauma To Transition And Triumph, Stephanie Burga

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

This study explores the reverse transfer student identity, a population or group that transfers from a four-year college or university to a two-year community college. The research utilizes a San Diego two-year community college as the sample institute to discover more about a sample of the reverse transfer student identity. The theoretical framework includes a combination of intersectional stigma and the ethic of care that is implemented throughout the transition process for the student. The purpose of this study is to seek and uncover patterns as to why students reverse transfer and what support looks like for them. How does …

Black Panhellenic Sorority Member Experience At The University Of San Diego: Finding A Sense Of Belonging & Support, Kayla A. Wilkins

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of this Action Research project was to learn more about the experiences of Black current and alumni members of Panhellenic sororities. My study explored their experiences within Fraternity & Sorority Life (FSL) as a whole, as well as how they have navigated being in predominantly white spaces at the University of San Diego. One of the main problems discussed was how some chapters do not know what support looks like for Black identified members. Members completed a brief survey and participated in an individual interview and discussed their sorority experience at USD. During this project, I learned from …

Leading The Social Development Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Para-Educator Perspectives, Michelle Morehouse

Leadership Education Capstones

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore para-educator perspectives on implementing social development strategies for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the academic setting, students with ASD, receiving services through an individualized education plan (IEP), have the option to receive para-educator support.

Social development growth opportunities naturally occur throughout the school day, placing para-educators in situations where implementing social development support can enhance this growth. How do para-educators perceive this role as social development supporters? Do they feel equipped to implement social development support in the general education setting?

This study used a mixed methods design, through …

Teachers’ Use Of Email For Communication With Students’ Families, Matthew Ferry

Leadership Education Capstones

The educational system holds an important role and responsibility in the attempt to educate all the youth in the country. A critical dynamic in the success of educating America is connected to the teacher’s ability to use online communication to build strong teacher-parent relationships. The purpose of this research study was to explore the levels of training that teachers have experienced in teacher education programs and professional development opportunities and the impacts it had on online communication to parents for their students. The study utilized surveys to poll teachers on the training they experienced during their career and the frequency …

Supporting Post-Secondary Implementation Of Recovery-Oriented Practice In A Stepped Care Model, Janis Campbell

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Student mental health has been a growing concern for higher education communities for many years. Campuses have been struggling to keep up with the increasing demand for services which has been complicated further by the COVID-19 pandemic. A Stepped Care model (SCM) developed at a Canadian university has been offering new ways of organizing mental health resources based on open access, student choice, and recovery principles. There are diverse definitions of recovery in the literature and are usually based on values such as empowerment, respect, and self-determination. SCMs have been shown to increase access to resources and reduce or eliminate …

Professional Learning Cultures At Work: How Principals Serve As Catalysts For Learning, Christopher J. Tranberg

Doctoral Dissertations

Principals are an influential factor in a child’s academic success (Manna, 2015; Louis et al., 2010; Waters et al., 2003). Although the path of influence is often indirect, principals affect student learning by developing and sustaining strong professional learning cultures (Hattie, 2009; Leithwood & Jantzi, 2012). As a result of the complexities surrounding principalship, a desire to understand the attributes, skills, and leadership actions of successful principals persists as an international focus of educational research. This study examines principalship through the experiences of various stakeholders within a school system utilizing a descriptive single case study ethnographic qualitative approach. This approach …

Unconscious Bias In United States Marine Corps Leadership Doctrine: Examining Microaggressions Through Document Analysis, Patrick Butler

Dissertations

This dissertation employed a document analysis format to examine Marine Corps leadership education doctrine for microaggressions. The United States Marine Corps (Marine Corps or USMC) is the military service with the least diverse officer cadre in terms of sex, gender identity, and race. The study results show a pattern of repeating unconscious bias-related content within the Marine Corps’ documents. Such patterns can negatively affect minority members in terms of their health, acceptance, and performance within the organization. The results also document an overriding bias-culture which puts Marine Corps leadership in a dilemma of trying to encourage conformity to traditional organizational …

Examining The Cross-Cultural Competence Of United States Christian Missionaries Engaged In Developing Indigenous Leaders: A Mixed Methods Study, Craig W. Goodman

Dissertations

For the past two millennia, missionaries have crossed from one culture to another to bring the Christian message to all cultures of the world. Questions about the effectiveness of these mission efforts have been asked and researched by many; however, one key question remains unanswered: what personal attributes help a person to be more competent at crossing cultures as they interact with people from other cultures? Although cross-cultural competence has been studied in a variety of fields over the past 50 years, the models and assessments used have never been applied to Christian missionaries.

To address this deficiency, this parallel …

God’S Plan For Life: Training Drill Sergeants To Better Serve Their Neighbor By Developing Moral Character Utilizing The “Transformational Moral Leadership” Model, Matthew Christensen

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Instances of moral failure within the U.S. Army raises the question of whether an individual’s character may be developed and improved by utilizing a moral decision-making process. If so, is it possible to measure this improvement? From a Lutheran perspective, is it possible to improve moral character without appealing to the boundaries provided by God’s Word and a Christian community influencing the spiritual dimensions of one’s life.

This project set out to build upon an eighteen-hour Transformational Moral Leadership training model being utilized to strengthen the moral character of drill sergeants at Fort Benning, Georgia. The project allowed me as …

The Significance Of Sonic Branding To Strategically Stimulate Consumer Behavior: Content Analysis Of Four Interviews From Jeanna Isham’S “Sound In Marketing” Podcast, Ina Beilina

Student Theses and Dissertations

Purpose:
Sonic branding is not just about composing jingles like McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It.” Sonic branding is an industry that strategically designs a cohesive auditory component of a brand’s corporate identity. This paper examines the psychological impact of music and sound on consumer behavior reviewing studies from the past 40 years and investigates the significance of stimulating auditory perception by infusing sound in consumer experience in the modern 2020s.

Design/methodology/approach:
Qualitative content analysis of audio media was used to test two hypotheses. Four archival oral interview recordings from Jeanna Isham’s podcast “Sound in Marketing” featuring the sonic branding experts …

Breaking Boundaries: Investigating The Experiences Of Racially Diverse Low Socioeconomic Status Students Through A Narrative Inquiry Approach, Ryan Jumamil

Dissertations

Across the US, there is growing inequality of class distribution in predominately white and elite colleges and universities. Although gaining access to these institutions is typically the first hurdle, it is not the only challenge racially diverse low socioeconomic status (SES) students face. By investigating the college experiences of racially diverse low SES students enrolled in a predominately white elite institution, this study creates the foundation for an imperative discussion on the relationship between students' identity and attendance at predominately white elite institutions.

Through a Narrative Inquiry research approach and using semi-structured interviews as a data collection tool, two themes …

Nuestra Fuerza: Understanding The Resilience Of Latinx, First-Generation Students From Single-Parent Families, Alejandra Gonzalez-Zuniga

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

This study explored resilience among Latinx, first-generation students at the University of San Diego who are products of single-parent families. Being a product of a single-parent household while holding these other identities affects students in a variety of ways throughout their educational journey. Even when controlling for economic and racial differences of the family, students from two-parent families outperform students from one-parent families across a plethora of measures (Barajas, 2011). Despite having extra challenges, some of these students have learned to be quite resilient to achieve their goals and educational aspirations. This study aimed to answer the following questions: (1) …

Walk The Talk: Value Congruence For Social Change In Panhellenic Sororities, Anjelica Cespedes

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

As a result of the ongoing wave of civil unrest in the United States, many university organizations have re-evaluated their current structures and policies to increase emphasis on social justice principles. In particular, the leaders of the University of San Diego Panhellenic Council have verbally expressed an interest in creating a more socially just Panhellenic experience. However, feedback from community members via anonymous reports and social media posts, coupled with observations of the Council reveal leadership has yet to take tangible and sustained action. This project investigated the value congruence of USD Panhellenic leadership to better understand the process between …

Wellbeing @ Work: The Holistic Development Of On-Campus Student Employees, Matthew Mciver

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

In this action research project, I sought to learn how on-campus student employment affects students’ academic success, their leadership development, and their mental health. This project worked with current student employees in the Campus Recreation department at the University of San Diego (USD) to learn both how day-to-day responsibilities and commitments affect a students’ ability to succeed academically, and how it relates to their mental health. The project also sought to help depict whether the department’s student development system successfully or unsuccessfully develops students’ transferable and leadership skills. Participants completed a survey and participated in a one-on-one interview to share …

The Secret Recipe: Unpacking The Mentorship Experience Between The Guardians Of Academy And First-Generation Students Of Color In Higher Education, David F. Santos Castillo

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

Throughout my academic journey, I have noticed the word “mentor” slowly becoming diluted and used on a solely casual basis. Often, people know what the word mentor means, which provides the sense that mentorship is something anyone can achieve or do. As a result, people constantly attempt to learn the fundamentals of this form of practice as if mentorship is something easily attainable. Reflecting on this idea, I was curious to understand why I can only rely on a few people when needed, especially when it involves higher education. My study analyzes the mentorship experiences between professional staff and first-generation …

The Effects Of Military Education Benefits On First-Generation Military-Dependent Children’S College Experience And Independence, Jemefer Angela Cruz

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The phrase first-generation (FG) college student describes a student who is the first in their family to attend a higher education institution. This definition encompasses students from diverse backgrounds, such as military-connected students who are students with military affiliations (e.g., veteran, active duty, reservist, or dependent). Existing studies analyze the overall college experiences of FG and military-connected students, but not many studies explore the population of FG military-dependent children. The purpose of this study was to analyze the college experiences of FG military-dependent children and the impacts, if any, of receiving military education benefits. I conducted a precycle which consisted …

Disrupting The Deficit With Latinx Cultural Wealth: Creciendo En La Excelencia, Stephanie Pineda

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

By applying concepts of community cultural wealth (Yosso, 2006) and an asset-based framework (Johnson and Bozeman, 2012), this action research project identified the different types of capital Latinx individuals hold and how their cultural wealth should inform the next steps of institutional practices. This study focused on Latinx students and graduated working professions in the greater San Diego area. Individuals were asked to identify and share their varying capital and how it has influenced their holistic success in navigating academia. Data emphasized what skills and realities fuel Latinx cultural resilience, as well as suggested initiatives to build on Latinx students’ …