Leadership Studies Commons^™

The Role Of The Principal When Parents Are Increasingly Involved In Decision-Making, Inge Ellefson Edd

Dissertations

The role of the principal has been changing in relation to the increasing parent involvement in decision making and the educational restructuring in Alberta, Canada. The purpose of this study is to describe and examine a selected principal in her role in a school, during the 1994-1995 year, where parents from the school council and staff from the school share some of the decision making. The school chosen for this study had the principal working collaboratively with the parents and staff. A case study methodology is used to describe and examine interviews with the parents, teachers, superintendent's designate and the …

Positional Leaders In Minneapolis Neighborhood Groups, Stephanie Anne Anderson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Leaders in 72 neighborhood groups recognized by the Minneapolis Community Development Agency were surveyed to test four hypotheses. Neighborhood leaders were expected to be white, middle or upper-income, college graduate, homeowning, women and not representative of Minneapolis residents. This proved valid except the number of men and women was equal. Respondents were expected to have become and stayed involved in their group over concern for property values and safety, this was partially true, other reasons were given. Neighborhood leaders were expected to report concern over the time needed for their group and to list burnout as the main reason they …

Characteristics Of Temperament And Ego Development As Revealed In Responses To Ethical Issues In Business, Judy A. Gareis

MALS Final Projects, 1995-2019

Perceived similarities between Keirsey's Temperament Theory and Loevinger's Ego Development Stages sparked an interest in the exploration of how temperament and ego development characteristics might be manifested in employee perception of ethical business issues. The study involved analysis of case study responses from 25 participants from two organizations. Data was examined in responses from those in leadership positions and those not; by ego development level; and by temperament. Predictions about the appearance of temperament and ego development characteristics were largely confirmed and a model for prediction of employee responses to ethical business issues based on temperament was developed based on …

Integrating Knowledge And Action: A Study Of Leadership In The Development Of Master's Degree Programs In Liberal Studies, Janet L. Littrell Edd

Dissertations

Master's degree programs in liberal studies (MALS programs) have proliferated in the United States over the past twenty years. Studying the leadership relationships that faculty and administration form during the MALS program development process provides insight into how non-traditional graduate programs may be developed in the future. The purposes of the study were to investigate the development of MALS programs, and to examine the leaders and followers who successfully advanced the MALS program development agenda. The specific objectives of the study were (1) to examine the theoretical bases and curricular frameworks of MALS programs; (2) to explore how individuals and …

The Experiences Of Mid-Career Elementary Teachers, Susan H.L. Johnston Edd

Dissertations

The demographics of the teaching population in British Columbia indicate a significant number of teachers in mid career. Their cares, concerns, and interests dramatically influence educational activity in the province. The experiences of these educators lie within a context of major restructuring of the entire provincial school system and substantive educational change mandated by the government of British Columbia. Using a phenomenological approach, this study explores the experiences of seven, mid-career, elementary school teachers in one British Columbia school district; investigates how these teachers experience system-wide, mandated, educational change; and suggests implications of these understandings for leadership practice. During three, …

Involving Latino Parents In The Middle-Level School: A Study Of First-Generation And Second-Generation Mexican And Mexican-American Parents, Elva Hernández Mora Edd

Dissertations

The middle school level years demand critical attention in educational reform. Culturally diverse students in the United States show levels of academic achievement which are lower then those of other students. Children from oppressed minority groups often show high rates of dropping out as well as poor academic achievement. They are often profiled as students who are unmotivated and who have parents that are unresponsive to their growth and development in terms of educational attainment. However, this conception of poor academic achievement and lack of parental involvement is unfounded since research indicates that culturally diverse parents value education and have …

Women Mentoring Women: A Phenomenological Study, Jacqueline Jachym Fitzpatrick Edd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experience of ten business and professional women who have experienced a mentoring relationship as a mentor or protegee with another woman, to understand the essence of their mentoring experience, and to know more about their participation as mentors. This study began with the assumption that women who experienced mentoring whether from women or men would be active mentors themselves. However, the data reveal an important contradiction.

Since women are entering the business and professional ranks of the work force at an increasing pace, there are greater numbers of women who …

Listen . . . . To Your Heart, Lori K. Sebastian

Theses and Graduate Projects

This thesis takes a rather unusual approach to leadership. lt may be the only MAL thesis that contains abstract colored drawings instead of charts or graphs. lt focuses on the internal development and experience perspective of my leadership journey which begins in my inner soul and spirit. I have openly shared the methods I have used and my experiences, as well as my findings, results and conclusions.

Moreover, this was definitely a journey of listening to my heart and allowing what was in my heart to come forth. Sometimes what came out was in words, but sometimes it was an …

Leadership From The Bench : Are Morals Irrelevant?, John Unice

Honors Theses

Morality, understood as the underlying beliefs and values that guide our choices, permeates our personal and professional lives. The Jepson School places a great deal of emphasis on moral leadership, for the importance of leading with a core set of values is discussed in nearly every class. Via my Jepson School experience, I have become sensitive to the issues surrounding the ethical decision-making process, and believe that this area is worthy of study. As a student leader, I have been faced with many situations that required moral or ethical decisions. As I hopefully join the legal profession, the need for …

A Development Model For The Human Resources Department Of The Reynolds Metals Company, Elizabeth A. Crowe

Honors Theses

The benefits of having done this type of action/research/process-oriented project are two-fold. First, there is the situational knowledge that we have gained from incorporating an internship into our project; second is the actual product (the development tool) which will actually be used by Human Resources employees at the Reynolds Metals Company. These results reflect exactly the type of experience that we had hoped to have.

The incorporation of an experiential aspect is something that we both sought out in coordinating our senior project. Our enormous personal growth can be measured by comparing our initial confusion and bewilderment with our current …

Philanthropic Leadership : Comparing Historical And Contemporary Methods Of Philanthropic Giving, Patrick Rucker

Honors Theses

America has a unique tradition of philanthropy. Wealthy benefactors have created some of our most notable institutions for health, education and the arts. The level of philanthropic giving has been consistently high yet the tradition of giving has taken many shapes and assumes several forms today. One of the most interesting and currently debated forms of charitable giving is money directed towards social change or the achievement of a certain social agenda. Money is given today to support or stall legal abortions, racial integration, and a host of other social issues. This paper will examine the tradition of giving in …

School Reform: Leadership Through Shared Decision-Making, Mary Juliet Martel Edd

Dissertations

Educational reform has a long history and schools have gone through cycles of change. This study, however, focuses on the last ten years of reform, often referred to as the restructuring movement. Shared decision making is one of the fundamental changes promoted by this current reform effort. Restructuring the decision-making process to include teachers and parents is a significant change from the hierarchical process that has been in place in most of today's schools. It is time to recognize that schools are complex social institutions that experience change only through its people. By giving those closest to children a stronger …

Voices Of Midlife Tomboys: A Narrative Study, Jan Secrist Edd

Dissertations

Women's lives have been increasingly researched in the last thirty years, offering greater understanding of their roles and relationships within our patriarchal culture. It is now readily understood that adolescence tends to mute the positive sense of self and authentic voice of young girls in our current culture, and midlife tends to relax these restrictions, allowing self and voice to emerge once again. Many women in their middle years rediscover the spirited, independent, and competent identity left behind when they accepted cultural restrictions to conform to a world that was not of their own making. In spite of the increased …

The Wrath Of Ignorance: Schizophrenic Policies In Access To Health Care For Undocumented Latinas, Antonia J. Spadaro Edd

Dissertations

This study focuses on the problems of health care access experienced by undocumented Latinas: women from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Those who are undocumented may encounter significantly reduced access to health care, for the risk of discovery causes them to be more furtive in their activities. Undocumented immigrants to the U.S., especially Latin women, confront myriad obstacles in obtaining health care that are sociocultural, political, economic, and personal. The problem of competing policies in the health care arena represents one of the most formidable obstacles for undocumented persons. These conflicting conditions are such that some services …

An Evaluation Case Study Of The Effects Of A Learning Style Awareness Program For Ninth Graders At An Independent School, Dorene Casey Mclaughlin Edd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of a year-long learning style awareness program and its effects on locus of control and academic achievement in a ninth grade population. This study was also designed to collect subjective data from students on their perceptions of responsibility for their own achievement, ability to identify their individual learning style, a willingness to ask for help, and in addition, over parental conflict. This study was conducted, using a sample of 76 ninth graders, at an independent college preparatory school in a large Southern California city. All subjects were administered the National …

Uncharted Leadership : A Study Of Leadership In The Judicial Branch, Kevin Donnelly

Honors Theses

This paper is the final product of a research oriented project in which I studied leadership within the federal judicial system, specifically the Supreme Court of the United States. This project was an in depth study of the amount, style, and effect of Leadership in the Judicial branch. Through this study I hoped to explore a major component of government which has somehow been ignored when studying leadership at the national level.

The Integration Of Women's Studies Into Leadership Studies, Olivia J. Wilkinson

Honors Theses

The purpose of my project was to study the inclusion of gender in leadership and to offer the Jepson School a critical evaluation that could be used to initiate change. The agreement and support I previously received, has led me to realize that there was room for growth. Still such a large merger of disciplines needs research and assessment before action can be taken. I know my project will provide the building block for Jepson to address this problem.

Children And Guns : A Lethal Combination, Jennifer Dunlap

Honors Theses

An unacceptable number of children die each year in the United States and Virginia as the result of abuse, neglect, and preventable injuries. Through my participation as a member of the Virginia State Child Fatality Review Team, I hope to observe and influence leadership in the process of making the state safer.

The Study Of Leadership In Experiential/Adventure Programs, Gabriel Demola

Honors Theses

Very simply, an experiential/adventure program consists of assigning a designated group to complete a series of challenging tasks in an outdoor setting. The following research will explore the ways in which experiential/adventure education serves as an effective tool for teaching leadership. The paper will describe the attributes which make it an effective tool and delve into the distinctions of the experimental/adventure program. It will also study and analyze the results of tests used to determine its effectiveness and long term retainability of the skills developed by students in these programs. Furthermore, this paper will demonstrate how this unique style of …

Entrepreneurial Leadership, Gregory Devine

Honors Theses

I intend to provide a resource which Jepson students, faculty, staff, and alumni can use when thinking about starting their own business based on information from a number of sources, the most important of which is current entrepreneurs.

The Presence Of Leadership In The Homeless Environment : A Study Of Leader Traits, Perceptions Of Leadership And Difficulties Facing Potential Leaders In The Homeless Environment, Maria C. Chavez

Honors Theses

This study examines the existence of leadership in this context of the homeless. More specifically, the study looks at the leadership traits and the potential for leadership among homeless women finding temporary refuge in an emergency shelter in Richmond, VA. It will also give more legitimacy to the notion that leadership can exist in any context. And finally, this study will look at the difficulties potential leaders in the homeless context face, and what the possible ways are to alleviate them.

Citizen Leadership And Housing : A Study Of How Citizens Are Leading Efforts To Revitalize Neighborhoods In The City Of Richmond, Gregory J. Czika

Honors Theses

This paper is going to focus on areas on the city of Richmond outside of Carytown and Shockoe Bottom. All of them are residential and are not known by tourists and typically not familiar to suburban Richmond residents. The average UR student would never voluntarily tour these neighborhoods on foot or in a car. But out of ignorance, such individuals do not acknowledge the richness that does exist in these areas they choose to ignore. The richness is not found in bright paint, smooth sidewalks, or neon signs but found in the many people who make these areas their homes-- …

Catalyst For A New Order : The Role Of Internet Technology In Today's Leadership, Morgan Benton

Honors Theses

A crucial element of leadership is decision-making. Decision-making itself is a widely researched topic, especially as it pertains to the management of formal organizations and political organizations. Almost all researchers have in their decision-making process a specific step that involves information gathering. From the amount of attention it receives it can be concluded that information-gathering is crucial to decision-making.

The Christian Children's Fund, Gretchen Wherry

Honors Theses

The Christian Children's Fund (CCF) is a nonprofit, nonsectarian organization created to serve children and their families by providing education, medical care, food, clothing and shelter. This organization is the largest independent child care and development organization in existence today. It has served approximately two and a half million children and their families in over 40 countries worldwide, and it continues to serve more and more everyday. 2

In 1938, due to famine, bombings, and suffering of children in China from the Japanese invasion, J. Catvitt Clarke founded the China's Children Fund (CCF). He created this organization to send relief …

Special Olympics : A Study Of Potential Opportunities To Foster Leadership And Personal Development Within Participants, Adam Ward

Honors Theses

The idea for my senior project was born out of a struggle. I had tinkered with several thoughts regarding potential projects, hut I was not eager to dedicate myself to something toward which I felt little passion. When Dr. Hickman mentioned the possibility of examining the opportunities for leadership among Special Olympics athletes, I was intrigued. In high school I donated time with The Miriam School, which catered to special-needs students. For my service learning project in the spring of my junior year I had the opportunity to work in the Special Education classroom of Three Chopt Elementary School - …

Music As A Cultural Context For Change : A Study Of Rock Music Of The 1950s And 60s, Sarah Toraason

Honors Theses

Art is important because it sensitizes people and makes them aware of important issues and events. '[M]usic can reveal the nature of feelings with a detail and truth that language cannot approach." (Pielke 1986) It has the capacity to reach a huge audience. It is a "language understood by all without instruction ... Music is a way of holding off time, making the present fill all space. It joins us with others yet defends our privacy. It lifts the spirit, assuages grief, and sometimes teaches as well. Above all, music creates values, along with a social structure that nurtures, defends, …

Student Change Leadership, A Renewal Process For Organizations : A Case Study Of The 1995 Panhellenic Rush Revision, Melanie Sandukas

Honors Theses

Greek organizations experienced a national revival in the late eighties. According to Mrs. Scott's figures, rush participation increased on sixty percent of campuses in 1995. However, in these times of negative publicity and litigation, nervous university administrators question the merit of the Greek system. In "The Survival of Greek Life: Concerns and Solutions" Robert Ackerman states, "The fact that change is necessary suggests that some fraternities and sororities are falling short of the ideals upon which they were founded." He observes, "Change, when it does occur, all too often appears to result from an attempt to avoid problems or from …

Theater : The Training Ground For Creative Leadership, Will Peters

Honors Theses

As our world races toward the twenty-first century, the demand for capable leaders has risen dramatically. Our new environment, saturated with futuristic technology, rapid change, and ethical failure is bellowing for a new type of guidance, one that will successfully match the needs of a new frontier. This fresh leadership will have many of its important roots within the dynamic realm of the arts. No other medium has the ability to maintain such a visceral connection with the public at large, nor the capacity to furnish such a vivid personal awareness and compassion for our fellow humans. Theater, in particular, …

Corporate Ethics, Elizabeth Milligan

Honors Theses

This paper explores leadership, social responsibility and business ethics. Business ethics have become a contradiction of terms due to the lack of accountability inherent in corporate structure. An exploration of ethical theory is an attempt to demonstrate that corporations can be seen as leaders. If a corporation can be an actor and a leader it can be held morally accountable for the changes that it makes on the environment and society.

Corporations make decisions, influence society, structure jobs, produce, innovate and change. Corporations act as leaders. As a leader it is essential that a corporation be socially responsible. The individuals …

Student Development In Residence Life Systems: A Framework For Understanding Intentional Education/Outputs, Jason Jacoby

Honors Theses

The residence life strategic planning committee consists of the staff of the Richmond College Dean's Office. They are primarily Area Coordinators and are headed by the Assistant Dean of Richmond College. I am the only student on this committee and am using this opportunity to participate in their activity of creating a strategic plan to be implemented in next year's residence life activities. The plan must work within the parameters of the University's strategic plan, Engagement in Learning. This committee divided the process into four areas: Intentional Education/Outputs, Staff Support and Development, Students and Their Community, Publicity/Awareness. Each of these …