Digital Commons Network^™

Encouraging Selection Of Effective Learning Strategies, Kaya Easley

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

College students have difficulty selecting effective learning strategies, often due to their perceptions of cost and value of these strategies. The goal of the present study was to examine ways to increase students’ perceptions of value to outweigh their perceptions of cost to help them select an effective learning strategy (generation). Students were randomly assigned to one of five conditions in an additive design: no treatment control, experience comparing generation to a less effective learning strategy, experience plus information about its application to one’s life, experience and application plus evidence of the effectiveness of generation, or experience, application, and evidence, …

2025-2026 Nursing Undergraduate Student Handbook, Morehead State University. Nursing Department.

Nursing Department Publications Archive

2025-2026 Undergraduate Student Handbook of the Department of Nursing at Morehead State University.

Cultural Competence In Pre-Medical Education: Examining Preparedness For Cross-Cultural Care, Fiza N. Khan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As the U.S. population continues to grow more diverse, there is an urgent need for future healthcare providers to develop strong cultural competence. This study investigates undergraduate pre-medical students’ knowledge, attitudes, and comfort levels toward caring for diverse patient populations, including immigrants, refugees, and individuals from varied cultural backgrounds. The goal was to assess how well students are prepared to provide culturally responsive care before entering medical school. Recognizing that the foundation for medical training begins at the undergraduate level, this study aims to identify specific gaps in readiness that may hinder equitable patient care in the future.

A modified …

Expériences Vécues Et Perceptions De Personnes Étudiantes Internationales Sur Les Mesures Et Les Services Offerts Par Les Universités Québécoises Pendant La Pandémie De Covid-19 = Experiences And Perceptions Of International Students Regarding Measures And Services Offered By Quebec Universities During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Farrah Bérubé, Jessica Dubé, Jorge Frozzini, Daniel Côté

Études primaires

Cet article fait état d’une partie des résultats d’une recherche menée auprès de personnes étudiantes internationales (PÉI) qui fréquentaient des universités québécoises pendant la pandémie de COVID-19. La recherche portait sur les usages sociaux des technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) et sur la qualité de vie des PÉI en période de confinement. Les résultats présentés et discutés dans cet article se rapportent plus spécifiquement aux expériences et perceptions des PÉI sur les mesures et les services offerts par les universités en contexte de confinement. Afin de répondre à cet objectif, des entretiens semi-dirigés, menés auprès de 40 …

Agility In Professional Associations: Using Improvement Science To Align Nirsa’S Communication Strategy With Member Needs, Stephanie L. Hart, Kimberly A. Bradley, Lisa M. Gwyn, Joanna A. Liebelt, Denise K. Miller

Doctor of Education Capstones

This intrinsic case study delved into how NIRSA, a leading Association for Campus Recreation, and its members could effectively engage with one another to best support the members' needs. Leveraging the principles of improvement science, we rigorously assessed the root causes of misalignments between NIRSA and its members. This process allowed us to develop a theory of change that supports organizational alignment and engagement and satisfies members' needs. We found that change concepts like agility to pivot, in addition to inclusive and responsive communication strategies, would support members in navigating the evolving landscape of the campus recreation industry and amplify …

Sealing The Deal: A Case Study Of A Private, Southeastern, Regional College’S Student Onboarding Practices, Alicia R. Gaston, Kristen Meyer, Tyler Ogden, Jennifer Perkinson, Casey Yocum Michaels

Doctor of Education Capstones

Each year, higher education institutions offer support to new, incoming students through an onboarding process that requires dedication and collaboration across multiple departments. Offering streamlined guidance and clear communication throughout the onboarding process is essential to ensure incoming students understand action steps without becoming overwhelmed with new terminology, processes, and environments. This explanatory case study is set to understand the current communication practices and technology use across onboarding departments at Brightside College – also referred to as Brightside or BC (pseudonym). The research team aimed to understand Brightside's onboarding staff's perspective of current processes and practices. With emphasis on the …

Moving Goalposts: Unknowables, And Anxiety In Tenure And Promotion, Mark Diacopoulos, Ruth Monnier

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

In this study, two tenure-track colleagues (Mark and Ruth) examined their process of seeking tenure and promotion. They sought to answer the following question: To what extent do the unknowables in the tenure and promotion process lead to unnecessary anxiety?

The Munster Statement On The Principles Of Research Ethics And Research Integrity (English), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM is an alliance of ten institutions of higher education from ten European countries. This European University seeks to enable each member of the network to offer high-quality study and qualification programmes with digital components that are shared within the INGENIUM Alliance.

In Higher Education Institutions there is a growing emphasis on promoting good research practices in all aspects of research1,2, including everything from fundamental research to applied research to commercialisation. Research ethics (RE) and research integrity (RI) underpin research activity and excellence and are considered a critical component of the basis for researchers to trust each other as well …

La Déclaration De Münster Sur Les Principes D'Éthique Et D'Intégrité De La Recherche (French), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM est une alliance de dix établissements d'enseignement supérieur de dix pays européens. Cette université européenne vise à permettre à chaque membre du réseau de proposer des programmes d'études et de qualification de haute qualité avec des composantes numériques partagées au sein de l'Alliance INGENIUM.

Dans les établissements d'enseignement supérieur, l'accent est de plus en plus mis sur la promotion de bonnes pratiques de recherche dans tous les aspects de la recherche12, y compris la recherche fondamentale, la recherche appliquée et la commercialisation. L'éthique de la recherche (ER) et l'intégrité de la recherche (IR) soutiennent l'activité et l'excellence de la …

Stars: Enhancing Student Leadership, Caroline Budwell, Braden Goddard, Tamer Nadeem, Saleema Karim, Joseph Turner

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

The VCU Division of Student Affairs aims to enhance training for leaders of student organizations, addressing variability in their success. By analyzing data from RamsConnect, surveying advisors, and reviewing best practices from peer institutions, we will identify areas for improvement. Our final deliverable will include a comprehensive analysis and tailored recommendations to strengthen leadership within student organizations, ensuring students benefit from opportunities for leadership, collaboration, and engagement, ultimately supporting their success and retention at VCU.

Ram-Amazing Care: Making Mental Health A Priority, Together, Matthew Pawlowicz, Chelsea Gary, Sara Barton, Matthew Majid

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

Maintaining student mental health is a significant and growing challenge for universities. Difficulties with mental health decrease students’ overall well-being and can contribute to students performing poorly in classes, entering academic probation, and failing to complete their degree on time, or at all, among other negative consequences for the university community generally. To help meet the need for mental health care, VCU partnered with TimelyCare in 2020 to provide a variety of online mental health care resources. The partnership has enrolled more than 3,000 student users, though that is less than 15% of the student population. And so, our project …

From Silos To Synergy: Advancing Health Research Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Gretchen Neigh, Jackie Daniel, Maria Garcia Bonilla, Robert Perera, Gustavo Mendonca

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

This project will identify strategies to increase cross-disciplinary collaboration of doctoral trainees in the health sciences. The team will examine models of cross-disciplinary connection through interviews and surveys with program directors, trainees, and mentors in the graduate programs on the MCV campus of VCU. The deliverable will be recommendations for programming opportunities aimed at advancing health research through interprofessional collaboration, positioning the doctoral programs to empower their trainees to move from silos to synergy.

Orienting New Researchers Across Multiple Pathways: Bridging Research Resource Gaps For New Faculty At Vcu, Maecy Richmond, Sarah Lines, Travis Oakes, Yali Pang

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

New faculty researchers at VCU, who possess diverse research interests or requirements, often find it challenging to navigate the VCU environment in search of research resources necessary to initiate their work. The majority of available research resources highlighted on central VCU pages primarily cater to biomedical research, inadvertently marginalizing those in less prominent fields. Resources in other departments, such as fine arts and education, are limited and often restricted to the departmental or school level. This raises the essential query: "How and where should I begin my research?" The project employs a faculty and staff survey aimed at assessing the …

Vcu Scicom: A Federated Unit For Community-Engaged Science Communication, Dara Azuma Lampugnale, Bernard Fuemmeler, Brody Jameson, Megan Lo, Amanda Gentry

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

Confidence and trust in science have declined in recent years, in part due a lack of understanding of how science works and that knowledge is not immutable but constantly evolving. At the same time the rise in social media has led to the spread of misinformation and changes in the media landscape have made it difficult to disseminate the correct information to channels that reach the greatest numbers. While most Americans see scientists as intelligent, less than half (45%) say that they are good communicators. As a public university, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) serves the public good by ensuring that …

Vcu's Yellow Brick Road: Connection, Safety, & Navigation, Karen Bjork, Robert Chisley, Samuel Kessler, Taylor Mackillop, Sarah Midkiff

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

Yellow Brick Road is an initiative designed to strengthen the connection between Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and downtown Richmond by promoting outdoor activity, sustainable mobility, and shared community experiences. The project aims to enhance the health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff through walking meetings and a proposed VCU-branded e-bike fleet, while also deepening VCU’s engagement with the urban community through events such as the UNCOMMON Street Festival. Together, these efforts reflect VCU’s vision as a university fully embedded in the city, guided by the question: How can VCU thrive with Richmond, not apart from it?

Exploring Undergraduate Understanding And Learning Of Catholic Social Teaching In Catholic Higher Education, Kenny Van Tilburg

Dissertations

Since the Second Vatican Council in the mid-1960s, Catholic higher education (CHE) has wrestled with its Catholic identity in a changing landscape and changing world (Gallin, 1996, 2000; Gleason, 1995; Morey & Piderit, 2006). A big component of this identity-recognition process is the continued evolution and inclusion of Catholic social teaching (CST) in the educational approach of CHE. Despite its importance, much evidence has suggested CST is underwhelmingly present in the education of contemporary CHE (Beyer, 2021; Galligan-Stierle, 2014; Hudson et al., 2018; Nickerson & Dammer, 2018; Reed-Bouley, 2016; Sullivan & Pagnucco, 2014; United States Conference of Catholic Bishops [USCCB], …

Ai And The Doctoral Schism: Institutional Resistance Vs. Adoption In Doctoral Education, Valerie A. Storey

All Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This paper examines the schism emerging in doctoral education regarding the integration of Generative AI (GenAI). Drawing on Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DIT), this analysis examines how higher education institutions are responding to the disruptive potential of AI in doctoral writing, research, and dissertation defense. A historical examination spanning from Socrates’ resistance to written texts (370 BCE) through contemporary AI debates reveals a recurring pattern: initial resistance to technological innovations, followed by gradual institutional adoption as new frameworks emerge that accommodate the technical tools while preserving the core values of graduate education. DIT-grounded analysis reveals three key factors driving …

Student Centers: The Intersection Of Campus Ecology And Sense Of Community, Caitlyn A. Wine

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Student centers are more than physical structures as they function as dynamic environments that serve as the hearthstone of campus, providing spaces for students to gather, connect, and engage. However, their role in fostering students’ sense of community remains underexplored. Grounded in campus ecology theory, this study explored whether time spent in the student center and specific forms of interaction predicted students’ sense of community. A quantitative survey design was employed, the Student Center and Sense of Community Intersection Survey (SCSCIS), to assess student center usage and perceived sense of community. Results indicated that time spent in the student center …

Literary Homeplace As A Site Of Knowing And Healing, Shamonique Hassell

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The concept of literary homeplace serves as a locus of rhetorical healing for Black women, emphasizing their lived experiences and creative expressions as forms of resistance and restoration (Collins, 1986; hooks, 1990; Nettles, 2001). The labor of Black women within families, churches, and artistic endeavors contributes to the cultivation of a collective consciousness surrounding oppression and healing (Edwards, 2010; Carey, 2016; Morrison, 1992). Building upon hooks’ (1990) notion of homeplace, this dissertation examines how Black women foster spaces characterized by care, dignity, and resilience (Hersey, 2022; Tate, 1984). Using personal narrative and articulating Black women’s voices, I position homeplace as …

Examining The Experiences Of Student Veterans With Support Services At Their Higher Education Institutions, Alejandra Miles

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of student veterans with support services at their higher education institutions. Using a phenomenological design, it provided space for student veterans to share their stories and amplify their voices. Grounded in Astin’s (1984) theory of student involvement, the study conducted eight in-depth interviews with student veterans. The findings aligned with the theoretical framework and contributed to the literature on student veterans in higher education. Six key themes emerged: early preparation and planning for college, the impact of faculty interactions, peer connections with fellow veterans, understaffing of campus military-affiliated offices, awareness and use of …

2025 Jan Term Course Catalog, Saint Mary's College Of California

Jan Term Course Catalog

No abstract provided.

Local Roots, Global Minds: Student Entrepreneurship Through Exploration And Community Connections, Madison Stracke, Becky Haddad, Matt Kreifels

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

What if students could see themselves not just as learners but as future business owners, community leaders, and innovators? That was the idea behind Local Roots, Global Minds, a hands-on semester project designed to connect students to their communities while helping them explore real-world career paths.

In a rural Nebraska high school, students weren’t just studying plant science. They were brainstorming business ideas, talking to local professionals, and thinking critically about their community needs, which in turn allowed them the opportunity to see how a future in their agricultural-based community could be accomplished.

Local Roots, Global Minds was a Work-Based …

Etsu Today - Winter 2025, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU Today [magazine]

It is no exaggeration to say that Appalachia is one of the most vibrant and complex regions in America. Often overlooked, underestimated, and misunderstood, Appalachian communities are both incredibly resilient and uniquely vulnerable. The rugged and ancient mountain range for which the region is named inspires a deep connection to the land that is increasingly uncommon in modern society. A place of breathtaking, rough-hewn beauty, Appalachia has long inspired poets and artists who have cultivated a profoundly soulful artistic legacy. Far from the homogeneous stereotype often portrayed in the media, Appalachia is home to a vibrant culture, history, and experience …

Foster Care Students And Their Success In Academic Achievements In School, Kirsten Nassiff

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide better training and resources for teachers working with students in foster care who have experienced multiple foster care placements, and to assist them in achieving academic success.

The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with six educators and staff at an alternative school that has the highest number of students in foster care, located in this school district. Using Braun and Clarke’s six steps for Thematic Analysis, each transcript was coded with the assistance of MAXQDA, and themes were developed.

An analysis of the data revealed that educators and staff do not receive adequate communication …

I Can’T, I’M On-Call: The Psychological Effects Of On-Call Duty On Graduate Assistants In Residence Life, Dyjerlynn T. Peter

Masters Theses

Graduate Assistants (GAs) face various demands such as conducting research, completing coursework, holding assistantships, and other personal responsibilities. GAs working in housing and residence life (HRL) departments face unique challenges, especially those who serve as crisis responders for students who live on-campus. This study examines the mental health challenges faced by graduate assistants in housing and residence life who live on-campus and serve in on-call roles at higher education institutions. It explores the effects of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout, offering key findings, trends, and recommendations while sharing personal stories of GAs balancing on-call duties with graduate studies.

Buscando El Paraíso: Imposter Syndrome Amongst First-Generation Latino/A/X Students At Predominately White Institutions, Luis Fernando Paniagua

Masters Theses

As more first-generation Latino/a/x college students enter universities across the United States, it is essential to understand the various challenges this population may face. One major challenge these students may face is the psychological phenomenon known as imposter syndrome. This study was conducted to understand the causes of imposter syndrome in first-generation Latino/a/x college students as they attend a predominantly White institution (PWI). Using a semi-structured phenomenological design, data was collected from six participants at a medium-size PWI in the Midwest. Qualitative analysis revealed that there is a connection between Latino/a/x students and imposter syndrome being developed both prior to …

Implementing A Z-Course Program At Fort Hays State University, Claire Nickerson

Library Faculty Publications

In 2018, the Fort Hays State University (FHSU) Open Educational Resource (OER) Committee proposed a Z-Course Program to track and incentivize the use of zero-cost course materials. It included a course-marking initiative, the implementation of a small cost-share fee to students to fund the program and incentivize departments to offer Z-courses, and a Z-Course Grant Program for faculty who wanted to convert their courses. The proposal was approved in 2020 and implemented beginning in 2021. Since then, the course-marking and fee implementation have been streamlined, and the committee is working on qualitative assessment.

Profiles Of First-Year First-Generation Students’ Library Perceptions And Use: An Intersectional, Mixed Methods Study, Megan Hodge

Theses and Dissertations

To effectively support first-generation students, academic libraries must understand their needs. However, limited library research has been conducted into how these students, who often embody multiple structurally disadvantaged identities, perceive and use academic libraries or how their intersecting identities manifest in differing library needs. This study aimed to build understanding of first-year first-generation students’ perceptions and use of academic libraries. To do so, the researcher used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. First-year first-generation students at Virginia Commonwealth University were surveyed using Winkler and Sriram’s (2015) Academic Capital Scale and Anwar et al’s (2012) AQAK: Library Anxiety Scale for Undergraduate Students. …

The Impacts Of International Students’ Membership In Co-National Student Organizations, Krofaa Otuo-Srebour

Masters Theses

This study explores the impact of international students' membership in co-national student organizations on their adjustment to U.S. higher education institutions. Despite significant literature on the psychological predictors of adjustment, there is a gap in examining the social support gained through non-academic student organizations composed of individuals from the same country or region. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study investigated challenges international students face in the U.S. and how culturally specific groups impact their adjustment. The findings underscore the importance of co-national student organizations in supporting international students’ adjustment processes and suggest practical implications for university administrators to enhance …

Vertical Transfer Students: Experiences With Orientation Programs And Transition, Gulmira Abdyrahmanova

Masters Theses

Community college students are a growing student population in the United States, however their transition to four-year institutions remains complex and students face different challenges. This study explores the student’s orientation and transition experiences. While academic integration was generally positively supported by articulation agreements, personalized academic advising, and family support many transfer students reported difficulties with social integration, impacting their sense of belonging. The findings suggest that successful transfer requires three stages of support as pre-transfer planning; orientation and initial transition; and continued personalized support throughout the first semester. Recommendations include stronger partnerships between institutions, more individualized advising, and ongoing …