Sociology Commons^™

Experiences Of Female Academic Leaders In Higher Education: A Case Study In Cairo, Amina Sabour

Theses and Dissertations

Such as in many contexts, the gender gap in higher education leadership persists universally. Women are still underrepresented despite the contributions they demonstrate in leading higher education institutions. This study aims to contribute to the area of research in this regard by exploring the experiences of female academic leaders in Cairo, Egypt. It specifically highlights the challenges these women face, and how they manage to overcome it. Using a qualitative approach to deeply explore the phenomenon, ten interviews were conducted with female leaders at the American University in Cairo. Looking through the lens of intersectional feminism, under the umbrella of …

The Rural Post-Graduation Plan Development Model: Advancing Student College Choice By Centering Rural Communities, Steve Jenks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

College choice models have been used since the 1980s to try and explain the processes and influences high school students use to decide if and which college to attend after graduation. These models focused solely on college attendance and lacked attention to the nuanced needs and resources found in rural communities. In this three-paper dissertation, a new, rural-centric model is proposed, tested, critiqued, and revised. The first paper proposes a new conceptual model of Rural Post-Graduation Plan Development using a critique and synthesis of prior college choice models, Critical Rural Theory, Funds of Knowledge, and socio-ecological models. The second paper …

Creating Systemic Support: Cross-Sector Partnerships As A Catalyst To Institutional Transformation For Southeast Asian Student Support, Brianna Lourdes Edoria Pascua

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper investigates the potential impact of cross-sector partnerships between nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and universities on the educational attainment of Southeast Asian American (SEAA) students, particularly those from disenfranchised or nontraditional backgrounds. Guided by the research question, "Can cross-sector partnerships between NPOs and universities contribute to increased educational attainment among SEAA students?", the study seeks to comprehensively explore SEAA student experiences, challenge the Model Minority Stereotype, enrich SEAA higher educational achievement literature, underline the significance of disaggregated data and cross-sector collaborations, and create an adaptable framework for other communities. By adopting an Asian Critical Race Theory (AsianCrit) lens, the research …

Toward A Typology Of Internationalization Strategy: The Intersection Of External Environments With Universities’ Structures And Cultures, Eric D. Leise

Dissertations and Theses

This study explored the influence institutional cultures and structures have on a university’s internationalization strategy. It also accounted for the roles external forces, such as government policies and geopolitics, play in shaping internationalization strategies. The comparative case study between the United States, England, and Sweden were situated within the contextual framework of comprehensive internationalization developed by the American Council on Education (ACE) and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Applying neoinstitutionalist theory of isomorphism, the case study revealed three typologies of internationalization strategies: idealist, realist, and pragmatist. The study’s findings provide scholars and practitioners with new tools and insights to right-size …

Cultural And Gender Shifts: Trends And Factors Hmong Male Students Face In Pursuit Of Higher Education, Sai Yang Xiong

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The educational trends in the attainment of Hmong American students in higher education have grown significantly over the past 40+ years. However, modern academia is still somewhat new to most United States Hmong refugees since their resettlement in 1975 after the Vietnam War. Hmong students are children of refugee immigrants who came to the United States with no formal schooling, limited English proficiency, and a low-socioeconomic background. Hmong parents believe that having an education will enable their children to seek employment, perform well in society, and gain financial stability. The purpose of this study was to analyze challenges that contribute …

Increasing Numbers Of Chinese Students At U.S. Higher Education: Theories, Discussions, And Survey Findings In Context Of Chinese Education And Social Stratification, Youren Yu

Senior Projects Spring 2022

The U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement reports that Chinese international students have been increasing continuously for over a decade, and they are also the biggest group of international students in the U.S. Reviewing key theories and literature on social stratification such as the rational choice model, maximally maintained inequality, and effectively maintained inequality, and conducting in-depths surveys with 15 Chinese students studying in U.S. higher education institutions, I discuss micro and macro level reasons why some Chinese students choose U.S higher education. I argue at the micro level, the decision can be explained by individual disagreement with the Chinese education …

Refugee Higher Education And Participatory Action Research Methods: Lessons Learned From The Field, Hadas Yanay

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Refugee access to higher education is devastatingly low. Recognizing the complex barriers facing refugee learners, global educational initiatives are innovating flexible learning models which promote blended online and in-person learning modalities. This article describes the implementation of a five month, online-based internship pilot offered to 21 refugee participants in qualitative and quantitative research methods, through a participatory action research (PAR) framework in five different countries -- Malawi, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, and Lebanon. The internship is part of the Global Education Movement (GEM), which brings refugees accredited online college degree and career development opportunities. Through direct engagement, observation of the …

Here To Stay: Understanding The Political Activism And Legal Consciousness Of Undocumented Latinx Students, Ashley Arely Sanchez

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study seeks to understand why undocumented Latinx students tend to engage or disengage in political activism. The study discusses undocumented legal consciousness development to bring awareness to how policies can impact students’ sense of belonging and agency when entering higher education institutions. Data comes from eleven in-depth interviews with undocumented Latinx students who have or are attending a public or private college or university in Illinois. Results suggest that students will become engaged when the following three factors are present: an academic political opportunity, connection with an activist network, a shift in legal consciousness. Results also suggest that students …

Black Resilience And Empowerment Through Self-Affirming Self-Care At Predominately White Institutions Of Higher Education, Vicki L. Garrison

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

The institution of higher education, especially predominately white institutions of higher education (PWIHE), perpetuates the subjugation of Black people through the existence of traditional societal ideologies, values, and practices that function with and reinforce racism as the norm. Limited research exists about self-care strategies that assist Black students with navigating PWIHE. The purpose of this study is to explore strategies of self-care that can assist Black students to more healthily and successfully navigate a PWIHE. This qualitative narrative study illuminates Black experiences, empowers Black voices, and validates Black truth while extracting and capitalizing on Black agency to generate knowledge for …

Coloring In The Margins: Understanding The Experiences Of Racial/Ethnic And Sexual/Gender Minority Undergraduates In Stem, Jonathan D. Ware

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Extensive research has documented the experiences and outcomes of women and certain underrepresented racial/ethnic minority groups in STEM educational programs. This paper contributes to current conversations by focusing on the experiences of individuals that identify as both a racial/ethnic and sexual/gender minority (SGM). This paper has two major objectives in mind: (1) provide one of the first empirical studies examining the experiences of SGM students in STEM and (2) interrogate the intersection of racial/ethnic identity and sexual/gender identity within the context of these programs. In order to provide a more robust understanding in these areas, this paper is guided by …

A Qualitative Examination Of The Needs Of Mothers In College In The Rural Southeast, Danielle N. Bostick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of my study was to understand student mothers that attended college in the rural southeast by using an ecological framework to examine the barriers and challenges that they encounter on college campuses. Additionally, the study identified support and the lack of support that the mothers received. The theoretical concepts of intensive mothering, role strain, and role conflict were also used to comprehend how parental obligations can conflict with the expectations of being a college student. In total, 14 participants that attended a mid-size university in the rural southeast agreed to be a part of the study. The criteria …

Looking To The Future: Considering The Educational Transitions Of Deaf Youth In Ontario, Kaitlyn A.W. Blair

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

National and provincial policy development reflects increased attention to inclusivity for all Ontarians in education and work. However, academic and government literature examining educational and employment transitions, fails to effectively address the experiences of those who are deaf. The limited research that does exist suggests that deaf Ontarians have lower educational and occupational attainment levels than their hearing peers (PALS 2006). Drawing on four qualitative case studies of deaf youth, this study analyzes participants’ planned transitions from high school to post-secondary education. Findings suggest that high levels of perceived self-efficacy are helpful in motivating transitions to higher education. The life …

Cooking Up A Course: Food Education At Pomona College, Christina A. Cyr

Pomona Senior Theses

Cooking skills are important but declining, with significant health, social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental implications. Food and cooking education can begin to address some of the negative effects of the cooking skills decline. This thesis makes the case for cooking classes in the education system, especially in higher education. The paper begins with a history of cooking education and skills, outlines the implications of the decline in skills, and discusses the potential for cooking education in higher education. The second part consists of a course syllabus, designed for Pomona College. The third section includes a discussion of the implementation …

The Impact Of Colorism On Historically Black Fraternities And Sororities, Patience Denece Bryant

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation study was conducted in order to examine and gain an insight on two topics that are considered to be highly under researched: American historically black fraternities and sororities and colorism within the back American community. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact that colorism has had on black American collegiate Greek letter organizations. Using the qualitative phenomenological approach, 18 graduate or alumni members, two from each of the nine historically black Greek letter organizations that make up the National Pan-Hellanic Council were interviewed using open ended questions to see what impact (if any) colorism has …

Critical Mass On Campus : An Analysis Of Race/Ethnicity And Organizational Outcomes, Renee Overdyke

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The United States is an increasingly diverse society. The recent Supreme Court hearings on Affirmative Action have reiterated the need to study the impacts of changing demographics on organizations. Race-based policymaking fundamentally rests on a "diversity is good for the organization" philosophy, yet there is relatively little research that directly measures the institutional effects of racial/ethnic diversity. Diversity within organizations, also known as structural diversity or organizational heterogeneity, is overdue for a broader range of scholarly attention. Building on an organizational demography framework, this study investigates whether or not there are relationships between diversity and outcomes at higher education institutions …

East Tennessee State University Faculty Attitudes And Student Perceptions In Providing Accommodations To Students With Disabilities., Terre D.M. Byrd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine ETSU faculty attitudes and student perceptions in providing academic accommodations to students with disabilities.

Participants of the study were ETSU students with disabilities who are registered with the Disabilities Services office and faculty members of ETSU. Students with disabilities were interviewed. An online survey was sent to faculty members via the ETSU email system. Disability law and disability compliance year books served as the primary documents that were reviewed for pertinent information.

Grounded theory using a constant-comparison methodology served as the conceptual framework for the study. The grounded-theory approach allowed for the …