Education Commons^™

How Peer Mentors Support The Transition Of First-Year College Students, Blair Prevost

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This qualitative, multiple case study examined how peer mentors at a public, four-year university supported the transition of first-year college students. Using Schlossberg’s (Anderson et al., 2021) Transition Framework the study was guided by the following questions: 1) How did peer mentors, in light of the Approaching Transitions phase in Schlossberg’s (Anderson et al., 2021) theory, help first-time students understand their college transition? 2) In what ways did peer mentors directly provide support to first-time students to help first-time students as they transition to college? 3) With what other support resources, whether on or off campus, did peer mentors connect …

Generativity Development Among College Students Who Mentor: A Sequential Multi-Method Quantitative Study., Hannah Sunderman, Lindsay J. Hastings

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

Purpose Generativity, defined as care for the next generation, is a hallmark of developmental theory (Erikson, 1950). Mentoring is an antecedent to generativity (Doerwald et al., 2021), with college students who mentor demonstrating higher generativity than their peers (Hastings et al., 2015). Yet, no research has studied generativity development longitudinally among college students who mentor.

Design/methodology/approach Using MANCOVA analyses, Study One (N = 91) cross-sectionally examined the influence of years spent mentoring on generativity levels among college students who mentor in the United States. Study Two (N = 44) employed growth curve analyses (GCA) in multilevel modeling (MLM) …

Informal And Formal Mentoring Of Sexual And Gender Minority Youth: A Systematic Review, Katie Edwards, Jillian R. Scheer, Victoria Mauer

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Research demonstrates that mentoring relationships can promote positive outcomes for youth across numerous domains, a topic of importance to school social workers. Whereas most mentoring research to date has been conducted with heterosexual cisgender youth, there is a growing body of literature that examines mentoring experiences among sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY). The purpose of this article is to conduct a systematic literature review of informal and formal mentoring experiences among SGMY. Results from twelve studies that met inclusion criteria suggested that (1) the majority of SGMY report having a mentor/role model; (2) demographics are generally unrelated to having …

Embracing New Opportunities In And Beyond First-Year Honors Composition, Teagan Decker, Scott Hicks

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Authors describe course-embedded research experiences at a diverse, rural, regional university. Emphasizing the capacity for conventional teaching and learning in first-year honors composition, these experiences provide relationshiprich education through faculty and peer mentorships. Positing that first-year honors composition is undervalued as a means for establishing programmatic foundations that resonate with students throughout their honors experience, the authors reinforce its importance as a place for disciplinary research and thus for opportunities in mentoring. By addressing an urgent need for mentoring underrepresented students, the authors consider how a research-based first-year honors composition course might help such students make meaningful disciplinary connections. A …

‘Let Us Roll Up Our Sleeves’: Amplifying Female Academic Leadership Through Collaboration And Mentorship, Amy Poland, Jo Anne Durovich, Rachel Schwartz

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

The strengths of female leadership are illustrated through the 400 year history of the Catholic Sisters of St. Joseph (CSSJ) and their commitment to their charism which focuses on unity, inclusion and relationship building. Within the colleges they established, the Sisters have demonstrated their commitment to collaboration in their many leadership positions - both formal and informal - within the academy. This article focuses on the leadership of the Sisters as demonstrable examples of female leadership within academia, and makes suggestions for carrying the charism of the CSSJ into the future, expanding their focus on inclusivity to incorporate a broad …

Constellations Of Support: A Community Development Model, Tracy Smith, Melba Spooner

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article describes the rationale, development process, and initial artifacts and outcomes of a faculty support (a.k.a. mentoring) model developed for a specific academic context: a College of Education at a Southeastern comprehensive public university. The purposes of this article are to (1) describe the research and theoretical models that guided the development of the program; (2) provide a research-based rationale for a context-based community development model of faculty support; (3) propose a set of principles for a context-based developmental community model of faculty support; (4) describe the process for developing a community development mentoring model for faculty at all …

Being Honors Worthy: Lessons In Supporting Transfer Students, Carolyn Thomas, Eddy A. Ruiz, Heidi Van Beek, J. David Furlow, Jennifer Sedell

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

In the ever-growing discussion of how to build and support honors programs that reflect the diverse communities our institutions serve, the recruitment of transfer students has only recently been identified as a key avenue to enacting more equitable programs. Reflecting on four years of recruiting, enrolling, and graduating transfer students in the University Honors Program at the University of California, Davis, we push the conversation beyond how to welcome transfer students in honors to how to meaningfully support them. We present the initial findings of our ongoing self-assessment to stimulate discussion about the unique challenges and opportunities transfer students experience …

Outcomes Of The Iowa Parent Partner Program Evaluation: Stability Of Reunification And Re-Entry Into Foster Care, Jeff M. Chambers, Sandy Lint, Maggie G. Thompson, Matthew W. Carlson, Michelle Graef

Center on Children, Families, and the Law: Faculty Publications

In an effort to facilitate family engagement with services, improve reunification outcomes, and empower the families they serve, child welfare agencies across the country have developed and implemented programs designed to provide peer mentoring. These programs work to identify parents who have successfully navigated the child welfare system in the past and train them to mentor parents who are currently in the system. The current study used a quasi-experimental design and propensity score matching to examine the outcomes for children of families served by the Iowa Department of Human Services Parent Partner program, one of the earliest and most established …

Examining Generativity Development Among College Student Leaders Who Mentor, Hannah M. Sunderman

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the influence, if any, of age cohort on generativity among college student leaders who mentor. While previous research has revealed that college student leaders who mentor tend to demonstrate higher levels of generativity than other college student leaders and general college students (Hastings, Griesen, Hoover, Creswell, & Dlugosh, 2015), research as to the development of generativity among college student leaders who mentor has not been determined. Additionally, a need exists for further research on the antecedents of generativity (McAdams, 2001, p. 434). The current study sought to fill these gaps in …

Mentoring Graduate Student Staff In A Center For Teaching And Learning: Goals And Aligned Practices, Kristin Rudenga, Joseph Lambert

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Graduate student staff (GSS) positions, commonly used in centers for teaching and learning (CTL) to expand capacity and extend disciplinary connections on campus, also offer the potential for a meaningful developmental experience for the students who fill them. Drawing on the literature on graduate student mentorship, we lay out goals and aligned practices to inform the mentoring of GSS in CTL aimed at advancing their pedagogical, professional, and personal development. Such deliberate attention to mentoring in a CTL context can enhance the experience and development of the GSS themselves, as well as improve the work of the CTL.

Learning From Rookie Mistakes: Critical Incidents In Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge For Teaching Science To Teachers, Suleyman Cite, Eun Lee, Deepika Menon, Deborah L. Hanuscin

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

While there is a growing literature focused on doctoral preparation for teaching about science teaching, rarely have recommendations extended to preparation for teaching science content to teachers. We three doctoral students employ self-study as a research methodology to investigate our developing pedagogical content knowledge for teaching science to teachers during a mentored internship in an elementary teacher professional development program. With our mentor, we examine critical incidents in the experience that supported new insights about teaching teachers and about ways in which beginning teacher educators need to develop their existing pedagogical content knowledge for teaching science to students in order …

Mentoring: A Strategy For Professional Development Of Librarians In Nigerian Universities, Nkechi, Anthonia Idoko, Richard Ndubuisi Ugwuanyi Phd, Ngozi Eunice Osadebe Mrs

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study investigated mentoring strategies in use for professional development of librarians in federal Universities in North-Central Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted. Population of the study was 107 professional librarians. Four research questions guided the study. Instrument for data collection were: structured questionnaire and an interview schedule. Data obtained were analyzed using mean ratings. Major findings include: informal mentoring strategy is the main strategy in use for professional development of librarians in these universities, many benefits accrue from mentoring, yet there are challenges affecting it. Suggested ways to combat these challenges were given. The implication of the study …

An Investigation Into Mentoring Practices Of Faculty Who Mentor Undergraduate Researchers At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Christopher M. Estepp, Joseph G. Velasco, Avery L. Culbertson, Nathan W. Conner

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

Research has shown the benefits of undergraduate research; however, few studies have examined mentors of undergraduate researchers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the practices of mentors who have successfully mentored Hispanic undergraduate researchers. Findings from this study suggested that mentors should focus on interacting with students, listen to and understand students’ interests, be organized, require students to be responsible, and monitor students’ work. Recommendations for practice and research have been provided.

Resumen
La investigación ha demostrado los beneficios de investigación de pregrado, sin embargo, pocos estudios han examinado mentores de investigación de pregrado. El propósito de este …

Making The Difference: Exploring The Perceptions Of Student Affairs Administrators And Their Mentoring Relationships, Paublo Martinez Jr.

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative research study explored the perceptions of student affairs administrators at a Midwest institution, and how they perceived their mentoring relationships with undergraduate students. The study investigated the perceptions of six participants as they reflected on past and present mentoring relationships, and the impact the relationships had on them during their time in student affairs. The literature review discusses the history of student affairs and mentoring, as well as the mentoring styles, benefits, and theories closely related to the concept of mentoring.

Through conducting a semi-structured interview with each participant, four themes emerged as they described the participants as …

Academic Supports And Tutoring, Strategy Brief., Scott Fluke, Ann O'Connor, Jenna Strawhun, Reece L. Peterson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Students who fail eighth-grade math or English are 75% more likely to drop out of high school than peers. With increasing academic standards and accountability movements, there is a clear need to develop and provide students with extra help and support in order to succeed in school.This paper discusses the need for programs to provide supplementary supports for academics for students in school.

Validation: Latino Voices In Higher Education, Krista Navarrette

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative study explored Latino men’s experiences in higher education and their capacity to succeed at a Predominately White Institution (PWI) in the Midwest region of the United States. The study focused on six participants as they navigate through college and how they viewed their validation as Latino males in college. The literature review discusses the current state of Latino/a’s in higher education and how they are lacking in the education race in regards to white students. The researcher used Validation Theory to investigate Latino males - deemed the “invisible population”—in order to find new implications for persistence, pursuit, and …

Exploring The Socially Responsible Leadership Capacity Of College Student Leaders Who Mentor, Seth R. Barnes

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to examine how participation as a mentor in a leadership-based mentoring program influences socially responsible leadership capacity. Previous studies have shown mentoring to influence gains in socially responsible leadership capacity of college students; however, these studies only examined college student who were being mentored. This study addresses this gap by examining college students who serve as mentors. Using the Social Change Model of Leadership as a guiding theoretical framework, the socially responsible leadership capacity of college students who serve as mentors in a leadership-based mentoring program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Data …

Mentoring Functions Within The American Council On Education (Ace) Fellows Leadership Development Program: A Mixed Methods Study, Sheri Grotrian-Ryan

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to examine and better comprehend the concept of mentoring within the American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows Program. This study addressed the functions of mentoring and how they applied to those participating in the ACE Fellows Program—from the Fellows’ (or protégés’) perspectives. A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used, and it involved collecting quantitative data followed by qualitative data. Due to the fact there is a shortage of campus leaders because of increased retirement, gaining knowledge in how to develop future administrators would be beneficial. Such a mixed methods study proposed what functions …

Generativity In Young Adults: Comparing And Explaining The Impact Of Mentoring, Lindsay J. Hastings

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this embedded explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to examine the impact of mentoring relationships on generativity in college students. Generativity refers to concern for establishing and guiding the next generation The first, quantitative phase compared generatvity levels among general college students, college student leaders who do not mentor, and college student leaders who mentor through a program called Nebraska Human Resources Institute (NHRI) at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Data were collected via surveys (N = 273) using the Loyola Generativity Scale (LGS), the Generativity Behavior Checklist (GBC), and the Personal Strivings measure. A multivariate …

Experiences, Insights And Advice: Perspectives Of A Nontraditional Graduate Student, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Faculty and Staff Publications

I recently graduated with my Ph.D., and I have had a variety of experiences during my college career. For example, I have been both a traditional student and a nontraditional learner. I have also studied at a distance. A variety of educational and professional experiences have enabled me develop some powerful insights on what it takes to be a successful nontraditional learner. One of the most important lessons I have learned is that it is important to develop learners’ human and social capital in order to help them increase their chances of success. First, this paper will present my experiences …

Nf97-319 What Kids Really Need Are Adults Who C.A.R.E., Pat Steffens, Susan Williams

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebFact discusses a positive approach to youth development.