Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Guide To The University Of San Diego News Print Media Coverage Records, University Of San Diego

University Records

This collection is a compilation of news articles, printouts of web media, and magazine clippings that contain articles about the University of San Diego. The majority of these clippings have been affixed to paper and are housed in folders organized by month. Table of Contents accompany the later years of monthly records. The Table of Contents lists the topical grouping of the media coverage, the article title, and the news agency. The majority of the original compilations are accompanied by photocopied duplicates. Beginning in 2001, these duplicates are bound.

Finding Aids are tools used to aid research by describing the …

Guide To The University Of San Diego University Relations Records, University Of San Diego University Relations

University Records

The University of San Diego University Relations records document the functions of the University Relations department and its offices. These functions include publication design, editing, and final products; planning for activities and events; surveys and research on community relations; and fundraising activities.

Finding Aids are tools used to aid research by describing the materials in a collection. University Records Finding Aids include historical and/or biographical information along with a description of the collection and a folder listing of the content.

To view this collection please email University Archives and Special Collections staff at spcoll@sandiego.edu.

Group Development For Transformational Change: Co-Creating And Co-Developing An Efficient Peer Advisor Team At San Diego State University Using The Group Analysis System Bart And Feminist Leadership, Delia Contreras

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

Current leadership development programs often neglect the development of group leadership, especially when working with a culturally diverse group. The purpose of this study was to enhance my ability to lead a group of student advisors currently enrolled in the Counseling and Social Change Program at San Diego State University. The data gathering process included surveys, a review of documents, a formal peer advisor training, and a reflective focus group. Through this process and grounded in feminist and group relations theory I worked both with the student advisors and the director of the program to develop a successful team dynamic. …

Financial Matters And Student Success Rates: Undergraduate Transfer Students At The University Of San Diego, Timothy Duran

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

The purpose of this action research was to examine my ability to address the challenges transfer students at the University of San Diego face in navigating the financial aid (FA) process. The participants and I shared first-person narratives about the challenges in student success across a 3-cycle action research project. This research contributes to comprehending the impacts FA have on the transfer student population and how I, along with my colleagues, may better retain students through FA negotiations and processes. Findings from this research include varied responses on how transfer students felt supported during the matriculation process as well as …

Fostering Healthy Masculinity At The University Of San Diego, James Beh

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

The purpose of my study was to enhance supportive relationships for male undergraduates at the University of San Diego (USD) who may struggle with their masculinity, sense of belonging, and gender identity. My research question is how I can collaborate with others to create a culture that supports male undergraduates with their identity development and fosters positive connections for these men in the campus community? My findings indicate that while there are successful group spaces on campus that support USDs male students, there is a clear need to reframe and improve the approach of doing this work.

How Navy And Marine Corps Veterans Make Meaning Of The College Choice Process In The Post-9/11 Gi Bill Era, Derek Abbey

Dissertations

The Post-9/11 GI Bill was implemented in 2009. Since then more than 1,900,000 people have used the benefit and more than $90 billion have been paid to institutions of higher learning and to Post-9/11 GI Bill users. During this period there has been a shift in the types of college and universities veterans attend, as well as the educational models they select. These shifts are different than the general population of students. This period also included a spike in questionable recruiting practices by some colleges. In response to many institutions taking advantage of veterans, the President of the United States …

Step Into Success: An Exploration Of The Impact And Potential Of The Second Year Torero Experiential Program, Carlos E. Cortes

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

The purpose of my study was to gather qualitative data with students and professional staff associated with the Second Year Torero Experiential Program at the University of San Diego. I wanted to identify best practices regarding supporting and developing second years and gain an understanding of the potential and impact of the program on the student experience. Recognizing a need for more intentional engagement with second-years, I conducted one on one interviews using appreciative inquiry. My findings indicated a lack of awareness around STEP, the resources available through the program, and a desire to engage with a program that connects …

Improving The Practice Of Advocacy Among Student Leaders At The University Of San Diego, Martel Serwenda

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

The purpose of the study was to improve how student affairs professionals can assist student leaders involved in the United Front Multicultural Commons (UFMC) to become better advocates for their needs at the University of San Diego. Utilizing O'Leary's cycle of action research, data was gathered in four cycles that included activities that focus on student engagement. Students kept a journal detailing some of their experiences and went through interviews and a focus group. Participants were from across the entire campus, but many were involved in student organizations and the UFMC. The findings indicate that students are aware of advocacy …

Coming Together: Graduate Students And Community Engagement, Irma Gonzalez

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

The purpose of my research was to explore how graduate students regard and participate in community engagement opportunities at the University of San Diego (USD), specifically within the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES). Thus, my research question was: How can I explore and facilitate community engagement among SOLES graduate students? Through my work, I found that community engagement efforts are of interest to the USD graduate student population while greater efforts for access and involvement would be appreciated. By focusing on the current role of this topic among the graduate population and fostering greater awareness, I was able …

Analyzing The Impact Of Student Involvement And Leadership Development On Academic Achievement, Kalie Sabajo

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

This study examined my effectiveness in supporting students’ use of the CSUSM Co-Curricular Model to deepen their understanding of and ability to articulate transferable skills between academics, employment, and extracurriculars, motivated by the following research question: (a) How can I, as a professional staff in student activities, support the students I serve to connect academic achievement and engagement in leadership development and student involvement? Data was collected through student self-evaluations, weekly one-on-one meetings, and larger group surveys with seven undergraduate students and three faculty members. My findings informed further implementation of the Co-Curricular Model in campus-wide programs and student evaluations.

Empower To Strengthen Culturally Based Fraternal Organizations, Koua Thao

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

Membership in fraternities and sororities has served college students to have a sense of belonging at colleges and universities. However, students who are affiliated with culturally based fraternal organizations (CBFO) do not have a sense of belonging in the larger fraternity and sorority life community at the University of San Diego (USD). The purpose of this action research was to use my role as an advisor to guide the three CBFO to develop a Multicultural Greek Council to enhance CBFO member’s experience and to have a sense of belonging in the larger fraternity and sorority life community at USD. Participants …

Empowering Filipino American Young Adults Through Culturally Relevant Leadership Experiences, Donnaly Y. Atajar

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

The purpose of this study was to explore the leadership development of Filipino American young adults. As an advisor for Lakas Mentorship Program in the Inland Empire, I explored the following question among program staff and mentors: How could I use culturally relevant curriculum to foster personal and professional development for young Filipino American leaders? I evaluated the impact of four cycles centered on leadership training and improving program practices to understand how to deepen engagement and facilitate positive transformation. I found that the following contributed to meaningful engagement: intentional leadership opportunities, institutionalized program structure, and peer mentorship and community …

Enhancing Racial Allyship At A Predominately White Institution, Breana Z. Clark

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

This action research explores how undergraduate students involved in multicultural clubs and organizations at the University of San Diego, define and engage in racial allyship. The purpose of the study was to understand how these students identify allies of color or other racially minoritized groups; as a means to work in collaboration for resource acquisition, persistence, and to magnify student voice. This is important to the research as current social and racial justice rhetoric primarily focuses on white people as allies to communities of color. Thus, my research question was: how can I help students of color enhance their capacity …

Full Of Pride: Improving Latino Engagement And Retention In Usd's Lgbt+ Community, Miguel Rios

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

The purpose of my study was to examine and implement strategies that would get gay Latino students at USD to engage more with the LGBT+ community on campus. Using McNiff’s action research method, I researched how I can work effectively with USD’s LGBT+ community to create a more diverse community that enhances the involvement of Latino students. My findings indicate that Latino students choose to explore their LGBT+ identity through other identity-based organizations and that a stronger need for community building is critical to enhance the involvement of Latino students within the LGBT+ community.

Peer-To-Peer Interactions Between First-Generation Students At The University Of San Diego, Christopher Kitchings

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

The purpose of this study was to examine the interactions between peers who identify as first-generation college students at the University of San Diego. Thus far, research regarding first-generation college students has shown that those students who have increased interactions with other first-generation students experience increased success during their time in college. This study sought to examine which specific characteristics of these interactions facilitated or enhanced the success of those students. This study also sought to examine how higher education professionals can better serve first-generation college students through the programs and services which they provide. The results of this study …

Changemakers Bend The Beam Inward: Contemplative Practices In Social Innovation Education, Catherine Northcutt

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

Why, as a global community, are we collectively creating results that nobody wants such as poverty, hunger, and inequality? Learning about the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the leadership learning and change theory known as Theory U by Otto Scharmer (2009), led to a profound shift in my awareness of the global challenges we face as a species and a strong desire to study Theory U. This action research report includes an explanatory account of my collaboration with the University of San Diego Global Social Innovation Community to cultivate vertical literacy (capacity for awareness of self and …

Soaring Through Leadership Development, Marisela Cornejo

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

With an increase in the enrollment of students of color at the University of San Diego, it is important to assess their sense of belonging and leadership engagement. This study evaluates the leadership development plan established for students of color in the Student Outreach and Recruitment (SOAR) Ambassador Club. As the advisor of the SOAR Ambassador Club, I had the opportunity to conduct three Action Research cycles including a survey of the organizational climate, one-on-one interviews with current and previous advisors, and one focus group with the executive board members of the organization. The findings of this research address how …

A Student’S Journey To Career Readiness: Maximizing On-Campus Employment, Daniela Saldana Gurgol

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

The purpose of this research was to improve my capacity as a supervisor in building career readiness. I used a total of three action research cycles utilizing qualitative methods only. The research participants included professional staff, graduate assistants and part-time student employees within the University of San Diego. The findings of this research provide insights into the lived experiences of student employees, the tactics used by supervisors to develop career readiness and the institutional initiatives to maximize student employment. The primary research question guiding this report is: How can I as a supervisor develop career readiness for undergraduate student employees …

Culture In Mind: Fostering A Sense Of Belonging For Students Of Color In Wellness-Affiliated Spaces, Mandy Mekhail

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

The purpose of this study was to bridge the gap between students of color and mental health resources at a predominantly white institution. Previous research demonstrates that negative mental health outcomes are positively correlated with students who feel a lack of belonging while on campus. These negative outcomes are felt more pronouncedly by students of color. Furthermore, students of color are shown to underutilize mental health resources relative to their white-identifying peers. Utilizing my positionality as a person of color working within a wellness office, I worked with students of color, wellness professionals, and multicultural professionals to ask what more …

A Collaborative Approach Toward Onboarding For Graduate And Law Students, Yuri Kwak

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

The purpose of this action research was to examine the silo effect across schools when onboarding graduate and law students to the University of San Diego. My research question was, how can I collaborate with students and administrators in enhancing the onboarding experience to foster a sense of community for graduate and law students across campus? By evaluating administrators’ practices and graduate and law students’ experiences, I found that creating a culture of communication among administrators and involving graduate student leaders are key steps toward standardizing onboarding processes and designing opportunities for engagement among all incoming graduate and law students.

The Impact Of Hypermasculinity On Students' Development In Fraternity Organizations, Cristian Mcgough

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

The purpose of my study was to explore the concept of hypermasculinity in fraternal organizations and how that may affect students’ personal development during their collegiate years. My research question was, how can I work with fraternity students to understand what contributes to hypermasculinity and provide support that will better promote an inclusive masculine culture? My findings indicate that certain environments in fraternity organizations promote hypermasculinity traits and that students on the executive board of the Interfraternity Council are seeking spaces to have dialogue about their experiences to challenge the norms of fraternity organizations.

Support Services For Formerly Incarcerated Students, Janelle Brown-Peters

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

The purpose of my study was to improve and/or create support services for formerly incarcerated students at the University of San Diego. I sought to discover first if there were any existing support services available for these students at USD. I also sought to discover what kinds of support services existed at other local colleges and universities in order to compare and contrast with USD. Through 1:1 interviews, surveys, focus groups, and community restorative justice organizations, I learned that USD was one of the only higher education campuses in San Diego not currently providing support services for this population of …

The Role Of For-Profit Educational Leadership Styles In Creating Shared Values, Diyang Yu

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

Based on previous studies that assert that for-profit organizations have the capacity to create value in education, I assume that the private educational sector can take on a great role in advancing educational outcomes. This study explores assumptions about organizational culture and adaptive leadership styles as a basis for creating shared value (CSV) in the education for-profit sector. Through integrating educational leadership theories and leadership characteristics in CSV practices, the adaptive leadership characteristics appeared in this study present the values and assumptions for leaders. Based on this concept, the study generates some common factors from adaptive organizational culture and the …

Developing Leaders In Schools: Unique Servant Leadership Youth Development Curriculum, Aarti B. Patel

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

Nelson Mandela proclaimed, “The youth of today is the future of tomorrow.” It is the responsibility of the current leadership in place to educate the youth in order to prepare them to be successful leaders for the future. All individuals possess leadership capabilities. Most of the time these leadership characteristics that reside within a person remain dormant due to the fact that it was never cultivated as a child. It is imperative to awaken the leadership potential in our youth today in order to prepare them for their future that lays ahead. This paper explores the effectiveness of teaching leadership …

Sexual Violence Prevention Programming For Collegiate Athletes: A Behavior Change Approach To Prevention, Amy Kame

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

Sexual violence is a pressing issue on college campuses. Evaluations of prevention programming on college campuses have shown to increase knowledge about sexual assault and increase the use of resources on campus, but current programming has been unsuccessful in reducing violent behavior. Male student-athletes are found to be incorporated in an extensive amount of sexual assault complaints and specialized prevention programming for this population does not exist. An examination of the literature on effective prevention strategies show that dosage, timing and sociocultural relevance has been found necessary for behavior change. Effective prevention techniques are used in accordance with specific frameworks …

Gender Equity In Outdoor Adventures: How Gender Constructs Shape Engagement At The University Of San Diego, Lauren Wong

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

Outdoor Adventures (OA) at the University of San Diego bridges the industries of outdoor education and higher education. This action research investigates the constructions of gender that inform programming and relationship building within OA. Through a survey and focus groups, I collected data from OA professional staff and student leaders. The purpose of this research was to explore how different genders engage with experiential learning in an outdoor setting through a lens of queer theory, by evaluating the engagement of OA professional staff and participants. My findings indicate that the constructs of gender inform the ways students experience their capacity …

Using Free & Open Tools: A Holistic Selection Process Centered On Digital Literacy, Tim Miller

Digital Initiatives Symposium

This session will cover free and open tools as well as teaching strategies for creating and implementing digital/web literacy and digital media instruction. The session will also be useful for people looking for free and open tools for their own projects, including how to get started and how to learn necessary new skills. Considerations such as terms of use, privacy, accessibility and licensing can be as or more important than functionality. Additionally, adopting open tools can advance conversations about open licensing which, in turn, can promote the application of creative commons and public domain licenses to appropriate works. Knowing about …

Embedded Instruction Collaboration: The Case Of The Ball State Digital History Portal, Douglas Seefeldt, Randi Beem, James Bradley

Digital Initiatives Symposium

This interdisciplinary panel will discuss a long-term project, “The Ball State Digital History Portal,” as a case study in digital initiatives in instruction and undergraduate research that features a collaboration between disciplinary faculty, an archivist, and a digital librarian. In this course, “History in the Digital Age,” undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of majors research, create, and build digital thematic research collection projects on topics in university history that aim to answer scholarly inquiries by conducting primary source research, selecting and digitizing archival materials, and creating metadata to accompany their curated items. An important part of the collaboration …

Having A Social Impact: Supporting Social Justice And Open Access Through Digital Initiative Projects, Mark Shelton, Frederick Zarndt, Brian Geiger, Cristela Garcia-Spitz

Digital Initiatives Symposium

Digital infrastructures and tools allow organizations and institutions to create opportunities for projects, information transfer, learning, and platforms for a range of voices. It also creates opportunities that promote open access, social justice, and social impact. Panelists who are directly involved in digital initiative projects that specifically seek to impact society, either by opening up information resources to everyone, or by giving people the digital resources they need to be self-supportive, will talk about their projects and the beliefs that underpin their efforts. From libraries, to online content providers, to digital skills educators, the panel represents a wide range of …

Restorative Justice And Responsive Regulation In Higher Education: The Complex Web Of Campus Sexual Assault Policy In The United States And A Restorative Alternative, David R. Karp Phd

School of Leadership and Education Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Sexual assault policy on college campuses in the United States is a complex system guided by federal policy, state policy, and local mandates. When students violate sexual misconduct policies, campuses primarily rely on suspensions and expulsions, paralleling the criminal justice system’s reliance on incarceration as a solution based on stigmatization and separation. Since the 1990s, restorative justice has made inroads as an alternative response to student misconduct, but application to sexual misconduct is rare. The Campus PRISM Project (Promoting Restorative Initiatives on Sexual Misconduct) is a network of academics and practitioners exploring a restorative approach within a responsive regulatory framework. …