Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

¡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 …

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 …

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’ …

The Making Of College Student Leaders: Implementing Reflective Practices For Self-Awareness Of Personality Traits And Leadership Styles, Valerie Gurrola

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

As a higher education professional, I seek to develop the next generation of leaders. The purpose of this research study was to explore how student leaders’ self-awareness, in terms of leadership styles, changed through engaging in self-reflection. The research questions were: (1) What do students know about their personality and leadership style after having taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)? and (2) Can engaging in self-reflection impact their leadership? Addressing these questions through research and implementing new practices would expand students’ skillsets. This is important because not many student leaders have access to tools and instruments that can help them …

El Éxito De Mamá E Hija: Uplifting And Valuing The Assets Latinas Bring To Higher Education And Beyond, Daisy Martinez, Elitania Meza

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

A central Latinx cultural value is familismo, which involves dedication to family and seeking the family’s advice for important decisions, such as educational goals. According to Chicanx feminism, familismo framework, there is a gap between the values of Latinx families and higher education which tends to reward independence. This gap leaves many first-generation college (FGC) Latinx students feeling like their culture is excluded from their college experience. In my study, I examined how Latina immigrant mothers and FGC daughters have navigated educational barriers utilizing familismo and other cultural capital. I identified what prompted their resiliency to distinguish ways to …

Uncomfortable But Necessary: White Faculty Identity Development And Race Conversations, Monique B. Appel

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

In recent years, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives have been highlighted in college mission statements, but there is a gap between college-wide initiatives and classroom practices. Research shows that White Americans, in particular, remain silent, express colorblindness, and incorporate avoidance strategies when discussing race (Bryan et al., 2012). As classrooms become increasingly diverse, White faculty must be equipped to serve all students equitably. To address White faculty discomfort with discussing race in their courses, I provided educational resources and used restorative justice circle practice to create a safe, low stakes environment for faculty to explore this topic. Through circle practices, …

Exploration Into The Graduate International Student Narratives, Diana Budoff

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

Multiple researchers have conveyed an abundance of problems international students face when choosing to study abroad in the United States. A range of emotional, psychological, and physical issues prevent students from fully succeeding. Every international student faces different challenges, and every educational institution has its own prominent issues. In my study, I examined the challenges graduate international students at the University of San Diego (USD) face that might impede them from fully transitioning and adapting to their new environment. I used a mixed-methods approach (interviews and focus groups) to understand the issues impacting the transition and adaptation of international students …

Exploring Restorative Justice As An Adaptable Resolution For Gender-Based Misconduct, Jessica D. Naidu

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

Restorative justice, an approach to harm rooted in Indigenous culture, asks three central questions: 1) What is the harm? 2) Who is impacted? 3) How can we repair it? This is a vastly different approach to most criminal justice procedures that instead seek to determine who broke what rule and how they should be punished. Although a modern resurgence of restorative justice has exploded across college campuses, higher education has been slow to adopt the approach for relationship violence and sexual harm. In this study, victim advocates, conduct professionals, and university administrators at the University of San Diego participated in …

Blaqueer And Here: Black Queer And Trans Students’ Path To Thriving, Marvens Pierre

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

In this study, I have investigated the ways in which Black queer and trans students have (or have not) fostered community, lived authentically, and benefitted from support of their identity development. I explored what support (or lack thereof) and identity development that exists within the realm of predominantly White higher educational institutions as well as San Diego community resources at large. This study approach consisted of conducting strategic outreach to universities in San Diego, California, and building community circles to facilitate processes of qualitative narrative analysis. This led to an intentional focus group dialogue space that allowed the participants to …

Public Safety Presence And Response In Campus Housing: Using Restorative Justice Interventions To Mitigate Harm And Restore Trust In The Residential Community, Sydney Pidgeon

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

In the wake of social unrest and demands of police reform (Childress et al., 2020; Davidson, 2020; Rogers & Gravelle, 2020), institutions of higher education have a unique opportunity to model a system of campus safety that mitigates harm and restores trust. This research explores the complex relationship between campus safety officers and residential life staff and student leaders at a mid-sized private institution and implements restorative justice interventions to rebuild trust between the two populations. This research created an intervention framework that improved the ongoing partnership between the Office of Residential Life and Department of Public Safety and facilitated …

Increasing Student Employee Engagement And Knowledge Retention Using Grounding And Mindfulness Practices, Jeffrey Fox

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

Higher education students have a critical need to be fully present and engaged in the learning space that they participate in. Incorporating grounding and mindfulness practices at the start of student employee training and team building seminars was tested to determine if their engagement level and knowledge retention increased. Grounding and mindfulness practices have predominantly focused on the classroom experience, failing to address additional shared learning environments that students occupy. In my action research, I implemented a multifaceted and fundamental grounding and mindfulness-guided practice for student employees in the Student Activities and Involvement department. I used control groups, whole-group guided …

A Whole New World: Understanding The International Student Experience In The United States Through Acculturation, Identity, And Support, Maria W. Nessim

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

This study explores the feelings and opportunities that international students experience while they are studying abroad. Specifically, it investigates acculturation and adaptation to the host country, the students’ cultural identity and sense of belonging, as well as implications for support provided by the host institution.

In order to evaluate these components, an online survey, compiled of 24 open-ended and multiple-choice questions, was distributed to international students at the University of San Diego, asking them to describe their experiences and any indications of challenge and support from the institution in relation to their sense of belonging. The outcomes of this research …