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Uni Alumni Magazine, Issue 07, 2025, University Of Northern Iowa Alumni Association

UNI Alumni Magazine

Contents:

Investing in UNI’s iconic spaces --- 08
UNI radio broadcasting gets new life online --- 12
Bringing words to life through poetry --- 13
60 years of the North American Review in Iowa --- 13
Ethics education --- 14
Engineering the future at UNI --- 15
UNI professor provides students the “Next Step” into the real world --- 22
Teaching curriculum update keeps UNI at the forefront of teacher prep --- 23
Science into action --- 24
Panthers on Parade takes over the Cedar Valley --- 28
Iowa Center for Employee Ownership excels --- 32
Todd Stepsis named new …

Another Kind Of First Year Experience: A Narrative Inquiry Of The Experiences Of International Students' Transition In The First Year, Arezou K. Soto

Dissertations of Practice

International students are integral to campus communities. Understanding the experiences that international students have as they adjust in their first year can benefit institutions in providing proper support. This study explored international graduate students’ narratives as they transition in their new environment and adjust to life at a mid-size, public institution in the Midwest in their first year. It also looked at the strategies that international graduate students utilize in their transition in their first year as well as how they perceive the support provided to them by the institution. Schlossberg’s Transition Theory guided this narrative inquiry study. Four themes …

The Task And Educational Framework Of Dordt University, 2025, Dordt University

Dordt Foundational Documents

The Task and Educational Framework of Dordt University serves as the biblically-based, confessional foundation for the entire academic enterprise of Dordt University.

Chalkboards To Chatbots: Helping Faculty Harness Ai For The Future Of Higher Education, Justin C. Grace

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into nursing education presented significant opportunities yet posed challenges due to varied faculty readiness. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement (QI) project evaluated an educational intervention aimed at enhancing nursing faculty's AI proficiency and confidence at Regis University’s Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions. Using a mixed-methods, pre- and post-intervention design, validated surveys assessed changes in faculty perceptions, knowledge, and skills related to AI. The intervention included a digital toolkit with nine instructional videos demonstrating practical AI applications using FreedAI’s large language model, ChatGPT, supported by voiceover narration and closed captioning. Data analysis involved descriptive …

Finding Their Way: The Experiences Of Students Enrolled In A Career Pathways Program, Laura March-Retenski

Theses and Dissertations

Due to many sociopolitical factors such as an inequitable public-school education, many students do not graduate from high school in the United States. In 2018 “approximately 2.3 million 16- to 24-year-olds were not enrolled in high school and had not earned a high school diploma or alternative credential” (McFarland et al., 2018, p. 12). There is inequity in school funding and resource allocation. Barker and Weber (2016), Cascio and Reber (2013), and Kim and Taylor (2008) have found that the inequitable resource allocation in public schools is a causal factor of dropout. This is problematic because “college graduates find better …

Reinstated But Not Forgotten: Examining The Academic Recovery Of Community College Students After Dismissal, Nelson Izquierdo

Theses and Dissertations

Student retention and success are critical challenges in higher education, particularly for community colleges that serve diverse and at-risk student populations. While research has explored student persistence and academic probation, little is known about the factors influencing the academic recovery of reinstated students after academic dismissal. This study examines how demographic characteristics (age, gender, and ethnicity) and major program choice (STEM, Social Sciences, Humanities, Health Sciences, Education, and Business) impact GPA improvement and credit completion post-reinstatement. Guided by Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (1995), this quantitative, ex post facto study analyzed archival data from 2,112 reinstated students at a large, urban community …

Barriers To Success In Higher Education For Second-Generation Caribbean American Men, Leonard S. Breton

Theses and Dissertations

While the United States may be progressing, second-generation Caribbean American men, those with at least one foreign-born parent (US Census Bureau, 2016), are a population that, despite literature addressing benefits and detriments of their cultural experiences, still warrants continued examination through empirical testing (Lyttle et al., 2011). These students have a range of factors that make them nontraditional students. Challenges such as racism, sexual and ethnic identity, and generational status in this country can be compounded when cultural perspectives of immigrant families are factored in. Caribbean American men are guided by learned behaviors and cultural traditions that influence training and …

Diamond In The Rough: A Century Of Education And Democracy At Deep Springs College, L. Jackson Newell

Eastern Sierra History Journal

Deep Springs College, one of the great innovations in American higher education, is the subject of this close reading of its history, educational philosophy, and present state. Situated in the rugged eastern California high desert, the college has managed to survive, even thrive, despite innumerable challenges.

2025 Graduate Scholar, Graduate School Of Eastern Illinois University

Graduate Scholar

No abstract provided.

From Transactions To Transformation: Rethinking Business Management Education Through Service-Learning, Genejane M. Adarlo, Sabrina Kate Paner-Montiel, Ma Lourdes Oliveros, Eduardo Victor Valdez, Mark Anthony D. Abenir

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

This study examined the effectiveness of service-learning as a pedagogical approach in a course offered to business management students. Employing a quasi-experimental design, the research compared student outcomes between an experimental group that incorporated service-learning and a control group that underwent traditional teaching methods. These student outcomes included knowledge application, personal and professional skills, civic orientation and engagement, and self-awareness. The results revealed that students participating in service-learning significantly gained self-reflection skills, self-efficacy, and a sense of social responsibility compared to their peers undergoing traditional teaching approaches. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the other areas. These results …

This Needs More Time!: Considerations For Improving Partnerships Between Communities And Institutions In Folklore, Sarah M. Gordon, Jasper Waugh-Quasebarth, Junious Lee Brickhouse, Ashley Minner Jones, Naomi Sturm-Wijesinghe

Art Faculty Publications

From 2021 to 2023, the authors convened a series of discussion forums at the annual meetings of the American Folklore Society to discuss the challenges of community-institutional partnerships in the field of folklore. This perspectives piece presents the outcomes of that series of panels with the goal of advancing adaptability in institutional practices to better support community-engaged work. We seek to promote practices that better respond to community needs in collaborative partnerships through disciplinary norms and institutional bureaucratic mechanisms.

Authoring Culture: The Foundations Of Twenty-First Century Writing, The Authoring Culture Collective

Authoring Culture: Foundations of Twenty-First Century Writing

"Authoring Culture: Foundations of Twenty-First Century Writing is an open educational resource (OER) designed for use in college-level first-year writing courses, but is also useful in college courses that assign writing projects, and in a wide array of other writing situations outside of class.

Authoring Culture is distributed under a Creative Commons license, so it is freely available for you to use and you are free to modify it. Just make sure you provide attribution to the original project authors in accordance with the Creative Commons license. Our aim in releasing Authoring Culture as an OER is to make it …

"This College Is Run By Women": The Narratives Of Overburdened And Burnt-Out Community College Women Faculty, Lindsay Spence Carson

Dissertations of Practice

At community colleges, a noticeable gender divide exists among faculty who participate in college operations, such as committee and service work, department chair and other leadership positions, as well as unpaid labor. This narrative inquiry explored how tenured community college women faculty experience the gendered division of labor and privilege. I was particularly interested in the ways in which their experiences influence burnout and how community college structures, policies, practices, and social norms perpetuate gender differences in labor distribution. Ten participants who represent three midwestern community colleges, a variety of academic divisions and departments, and who are in different stages …

Roadmap To Developing Clinical Competency For Novice Nursing Students, Meredith Deegan, Lauren Goeke

School of Nursing Publications

No abstract provided.

Nsu Outreach, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Digital: Communiversity

No abstract provided.

Nsu Communiversity Outreach, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Digital: Communiversity

No abstract provided.

The Unsurprising Lack Of Deia In Nasa’S Pathways Program Hiring Patterns, Shelita Augustus, Tiasia Saunders

Division of Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success Publications

Working for NASA, a symbol of exploration and scientific advancement, is a dream for many, sparking aspirations of becoming an astronaut and contributing to humanity's understanding of the unknown universe. However, the path to a NASA career is often filled with unfair challenges and barriers, particularly for talented individuals from underrepresented groups who have no control over systemic bias. NASA's Pathways Program is an entry point for undergraduate and graduate students seeking opportunities within the agency with a highly competitive hiring rate of only 1.4% between the fiscal years (FY) of 2021 to 2024. While NASA publicly affirmed its commitment …

2024-2025 Library & Learning Annual Review, Library & Learning, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Library & Learning Annual Reviews

Digital version of the 2024-2025 Annual Review for Library & Learning at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

2025 Election Results - Student Government Association, Student Government Association, East Tennessee State University

Student Government Association Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

Navigating Artificial Intelligence: How Traditional Midwestern Four-Year Higher Education Institution Distance Learning Programs Are Addressing Artificial Intelligence, Eric Samaritoni

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

AI's rapid evolution and integration into society has had and will continue to influence how distance education programs teach their students profoundly. This study aimed to explore the opinions of higher education distance education Provost administrators, program managers, directors, department chairs, and other subject matter experts on the perceived impact of AI in the classroom. This study used a qualitative, phenomenological approach to examine how AI impacts students, faculty, program delivery, institutional policies, and university budgets. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 faculty members meeting the criteria to answer research questions based on their experience or observations. The study used …

An Adapted Social And Emotional Learning Curriculum For Middle School Students With Emotional Disturbances, Jacob Houston

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

This project addresses how an adapted Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, grounded in the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework and aligned with a personalized Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) model, can more effectively support the social and emotional learning development of students with Emotional Disturbances (ED). The project culminated in the design of a four-week SEL curriculum unit focused on building relationship skills—one of the five core CASEL competencies. The curriculum is delivered using the SOAR model (Scholarship, Ownership, Awareness, Respect), a personalized PBIS framework that integrates the existing Character Strong SEL program with …

Recovery Capital Among Students In Collegiate Recovery Programs At Two-Year And Four-Year Higher Education Institutions In West Virginia, Amy M. Saunders

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Collegiate Recovery Programs (CRPs) have been around for decades, supporting higher education students by offering supports, resources, and a community. However, most existing research focuses on four-year institutions, and there is limited data on recovery supports at twoyear institutions, as well as limited research on recovery capital among this population. This study explores differences in recovery capital, a measure of internal and external resources supporting recovery, among students in CRPs at two-year versus four-year institutions in West Virginia by answering the following questions: 1.) Are there differences between students’ reported recovery capital index (RCI) scores based on institution type? 2.) …

Etsu At-A-Glance - 2023-2024, University Marketing And Communications, East Tennessee State University

ETSU At-a-Glance

No abstract provided.

Winter 2025, Augustana College, Rock Island Illinois

Augustana Magazine

No abstract provided.

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

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute 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

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute 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.

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

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute 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 …

Team Teaching As Honors Faculty Professional Development, Richard Badenhausen

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Discusses how team teaching may serve as professional learning and development for honors faculty in higher education and why it is valuable to frame it as such.

Hacking Through The Silos: Honors Faculty Development, Joy L. Hart, Rebecca C. Bott-Knutson, Hedi M. Appel, Jonathan D. Kotinek, Paul Knox, Susan Sumner, Noah Roerig, William L. Ziegler, Leigh E. Fine

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Based on our work with a multi-institutional honors hackathon, we examine the faculty benefits of planning and leading hackathons, focusing especially on enhanced understanding across disciplines—or hacking through academic silos.

Where Honors Education And Faculty Development Meet: Front And Back Matter, John Zubizarreta, Victoria M. Bryan

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Front and back matter

Where Honors Education and Faculty Development Meet [NCHC Monograph Series], John Zubizarreta and Victoria M. Bryan, editors

Lincoln, Nebraska, United States: National Collegiate Honors Council, 2025

Includes:

Front and back covers

Table of contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword, Victoria Mundy Bhavsar and Suketu P. Bhavsar

Introduction, John Zubizarreta and Victoria M. Bryan

About the authorsAbout the NCHC Monograph Series

List of NCHC monographs and journals

NCHC publications order form

From the back cover:

This volume contains an assorted collection of theoretical and practical essays that demonstrate the value of collaborations between honors programs or colleges and faculty development, …