2026 Nsu Undergraduate Commencement Program, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

May 4, 2026

• Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

• College of Psychology

• H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship

• College of Computing, Al, and Cybersecurity

• Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center

• Shepard Broad College of Law

May 5, 2026

• Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine and Dr. Pallavi Patel School of Rehabilitative Sciences

• Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine and Dr. Pallavi Patel School of Health Sciences

• Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing

A New Approach To Generate Combinatorial Patterns In Logical Analysis Of Data And Its Application To Predict College Retention, Salihah Ahmed E. Jaafari

Theses and Dissertations

Student retention and degree completion remain central challenges for higher-education institutions, with significant implications for student success, institutional effectiveness, and public accountability. While advances in predictive analytics have enabled earlier identification of students at risk of withdrawal, many commonly used machine learning approaches suffer from limited interpretability, constraining their practical usefulness for advising, intervention, and policy decision making. This dissertation addresses the problem of predicting student persistence by developing and evaluating optimization based, interpretable classification models within the Logical Analysis of Data (LAD) framework. Building on existing LAD formulations, this research introduces two novel pattern generation models, the Best Term …

Navigating The Shift: Supporting Health Sciences Faculty Transitioning From Industry To Asynchronous Online Education, Joshua D. Snyder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative exploratory study examined how new online instructors in the health sciences division of a North Texas community college experienced institutional onboarding and professional development as they transitioned from industry roles into asynchronous online teaching. As community colleges expand online instruction to meet the needs of nontraditional learners, many health sciences faculty enter academic roles with strong clinical expertise but limited preparation in online pedagogy. Guided by the community of inquiry framework and self-efficacy theory, this study explored instructors’ perceptions of their preparedness for asynchronous teaching; the instructional challenges they encountered, particularly related to student engagement; and the types …

Show And Tell: Integrating The Arts Into Transdisciplinary Public Health And Community Organizing Education, Bree L. Hemingway, Margaret Hawkins

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This field note examines the integration of arts-based pedagogy into a transdisciplinary graduate course that brings together students from public health, medicine, the social sciences, humanities, education, technology, and the arts. Central to the course is the Show and Tell assignment, in which students select and present a work of art connected to a social movement. Over three years and 42 student submissions, this assignment has served as an accessible entry point for exploring how artistic expression shapes activism, fosters community, and deepens understanding of justice-oriented work. Through an inductive content analysis of student-selected artworks and presentations, five major thematic …

It’S Been A Great Career: Legendary Labor Attorney Reflects On 50 Years Of Change In Academic Collective Bargaining, Karen Stubaus

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy

Nick DiGiovanni, legendary labor and employment attorney, reflected on over 50 years of academic labor relations and collective bargaining work in a recent conversation with Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy Co-Editor Karen Stubaus, as he prepared to retire from Morgan, Brown & Joy. Nick’s son and colleague Damien DiGiovanni, also a partner at the firm, joined in the conversation to bring his perspective to some of the issues currently confronting the field.

Strategies In Bargaining Faculty Retrenchment Provisions: Insights From Cases Of Implementing Contract Language, Gary Rhoades

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy

In this article on faculty (and professional staff) retrenchment, based on my recent national analysis of 506 collective bargaining agreements, I delineate four strategies to negotiating the topic found in contract provisions (with more than one strategy often found in the same contract). The strategies are: Procedural (focused on due process); consultative (addressing employee involvement in deliberations); conditional (defining pre-conditions of retrenchment); and re-alignment (speaking to reversing the decades-long relative disinvestment in academic and student facing professional staff). In exploring four cases of institutions—two community colleges and two universities—experiencing retrenchment, I consider how the contract provisions have played out in …

Academic Freedom In Graduate Student Union Collective Bargaining Agreements, Madeline Rowe

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy

Graduate student unionization has rapidly increased over the last decade, with almost 40% of graduate student employees unionized by 2024. Yet, little is known about how these contracts address graduate students’ academic freedom – an often-ambiguous area due to graduate students’ dual roles on campus as both employees and students. Using textual analysis of thirteen collective bargaining agreements, this study examines how graduate student collective bargaining agreements include and address matters of academic freedom and the implications this may have on graduate students’ roles on campus and in the greater campus hierarchy. Results reveal that graduate student collective bargaining agreements …

Forcing The Issue: Nebraska’S Collective Bargaining Stand-Off, Shannon Cummins

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy

This paper describes the unusual collective bargaining landscape for public academic institutions in the state of Nebraska where state legislation has mandated both pay transparency and limits to the collective bargaining process. Specifically, it explores the unprecedented 2024-2025 bargaining cycle which relied on innovative union tactics of nationwide freedom of information requests (FOIA) to reach contract agreement in the face of twelve years of administration stonewalling tactics. The case study of Nebraska is important as it provides an actual account of negotiations where state limits on collective bargaining have yet to be tested in the courts.

One Faculty, One Mission: A Unified Faculty Model For California Community Colleges, Debbie Klein

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy

This article advances a unified, non-tiered faculty model as essential to fulfilling the mission of the California Community Colleges (CCC) system. Although the system is charged with realizing open access and educational equity, nearly 70% of faculty serve in part-time or contingent roles—often without proportional compensation, institutional stability, or meaningful participation in governance. Drawing on research demonstrating that faculty working conditions shape student learning conditions, the article argues that structural employment inequities undermine the system’s democratic promise. Situating the proposal within national “One Faculty” efforts and recent legislative attention to pay parity in California, it demonstrates that reform is both …

Establishing Nurse Innovator Competencies: A Collaborative Initiative, Lori M. Brodie, Susan B. Patton, Dara Lanman, Ismail Dilek, Noah R. Zanville, Tracy A. Ortelli

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Rapid advancements in augmented and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping health care, necessitating a strategic approach to integrating innovation into nursing education and practice. This article details a collaborative initiative between academic and practice partners aimed at the initial steps towards establishing the required knowledge, skills, and abilities for nurses to lead change through the creation of Nurse Innovator Competencies.

Methods

After an extensive review of literature, the team identified the absence of established Nurse Innovator Competencies. Through a collaborative and iterative process involving subject matter experts (SMEs) in both innovation and academia, key domains for the competencies, including …

Utilizing Supervised Practice In School Settings As An Opportunity To Increase Student Awareness Of Food Waste Reduction Strategies, Maria Givler

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) play a vital role in facilitating nutritional health across a wide range of settings, from clinical care to community-based environments. As the profession continues to evolve, dietetics training programs are emphasizing experiential learning opportunities that address real-world public health challenges (Wegener, 2018). One such challenge is food waste, an issue with significant nutritional, environmental, and economic implications (Seberini, 2020). Within school food service systems, where millions of meals are served daily (Toossi et al.,2024), reducing waste while maintaining student satisfaction presents both a challenge and an opportunity. This article will discuss four ways supervised practice rotations …

Prevalence Of Low Energy (Lea) Risk In Division Iii Female Distance Athletes, Ciara Murphy

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Context 

Low energy availability (LEA) occurs when energy intake is insufficient to support normal physiological functions after exercise (Loucks, 2011). Prolonged LEA can negatively affect metabolic functions, reproductive health, and bone density, and contribute to the development of the female athlete triad and relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) (Papageorgiou, 2017).

Objective

The objective of this study was to explore the prevalence of LEA among Division III female distance athletes.

Design

Cross-sectional study

Setting

Online questionnaire administered through Qualtrics

Participants 

A total of 12 Division III female distance athletes (ages 18-23).

Intervention

Anonymous, electronic questionnaire assessing symptoms associated with low …

The Grizzly, April 30, 2026, Renee Washart, Alex Zelaya, Erik Groff, Cassidy Denning, Andrew Mihniak, Adam Denn, Erin Ewing, Dylan Mchugh

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Meet the Language Fellows • The Rocky Horror Picture Show: A BSP Classic • The Fitness Court • What is Greek Week? • In Case You Missed the URSPYs • Pick a Straw: Sustainable or Gluten-Free • Ursinus Track Gears Up for Champs • Ursinus Women's Golf Faces Uncertain Future

The Digitalisation Of Administrative Processes And Institutional Agility In Sucs Cebu City: The Mediating Role Of Employee Digital Readiness, Leovigilda L. Bithay

The South East Asian Journal of Management

Research Aims: This study examines how the digitalisation of administrative processes influences institutional agility in SUCs in Cebu City, Philippines, and explicitly investigates employee digital readiness as a mediating capability that translates digital investments into organisational adaptability.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative predictive research design was employed using a structured survey administered to 300 administrative employees selected through purposive sampling. PLS-SEM was used to test direct and indirect relationships.

Research Findings: The digitalisation of administrative processes has a significant positive effect on institutional agility. Employee digital readiness partially mediates this relationship, indicating that technological modernisation alone yields limited gains in agility unless …

Second April 2026 General Education Council Minutes, University Of Nebraska At Kearney General Education Council

General Education Council

No abstract provided.

Reclaiming The Writing Process Using Ai: A Scaffolded Writing Assignment That Promotes Critical Thinking, Reflection, And Accountability, Hannah M. Schapiro, Manuela Tripepi, Julia Blackley

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

As the educational landscape changes with the widespread use of generative artificial intelligence (AI), we have made the deliberate choice to adapt with intention through the constructive integration of this tool within the curriculum. Writing assignments are often vulnerable to AI shortcuts, and therefore, we reimagined the project in our online microbiology lab to incorporate AI in a structured and pedagogically sound way that prioritizes both the writing process and the final product. Students must work with AI to create a script for a 5-minute video which they then illustrate and record on the differences between Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant …

Food And Housing Insecurities Among Undergraduate Students: A Case Study Examining Academic And Social Integration, Brittany Profit-Rheinwald

New York Journal of Student Affairs

This single holistic case study examined how food and housing insecurities impacted the academic and social integration of five undergraduate students at a public regional university. Using Tinto's (1993) student integration theory as a framework, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, food and housing logs, and archival event records. Findings revealed that food and housing insecurities created significant barriers to academic success through stress, concentration difficulties, and class attendance challenges. Socially, students remained engaged through campus events offering free food, but avoided social activities requiring financial expenditure. Some academic departments provided food pantries, though access remained limited. Implications for practice …

Collegiate Experiences Of Genderqueer And Nonbinary Youth, Angela Clark-Taylor, Alexandra Kay Hicks, Heather Johnson

New York Journal of Student Affairs

This study explores the collegiate experiences of genderqueer and nonbinary students, frequently marginalized in higher education research. While scholarship on transgender students has expanded, it often centers on binary identities, thereby excluding those who identify outside the man-woman dichotomy. This research responds to that gap by asking: What are the experiences of nonbinary students in college? Drawing on in-depth interviews with six genderqueer and nonbinary undergraduate students, the study amplifies their voices to challenge dominant gender norms and essentialist narratives within academic spaces. Participants shared experiences of systemic erasure, invalidation, and microaggressions, as well as the resilience and strategies they …

April 29, 2026 Blazer Weekly, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

Blazer Weekly (student newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Navigating Privilege And Power: The Lived Experiences Of Ivy League Administrators In Promoting Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion. A Hermeneutics Phenomenological Study, Alize Roberson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of university administrators in Ivy League institutions as they promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. For the purpose of this research, promoting diversity, equity and inclusion is generally defined as the practice of facilitating inclusivity for students of color. This study is guided by the conceptual framework of culturally responsive pedagogy, which informs the research design, data collection, and analysis. These elements are essential and deserve recognition and understanding in their educational experience. The implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies at Ivy League institutions is explored through …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Critical Thinking Skills In Community College And University Stem Students, Jason H. Tucker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the relationship between STEM students’ classification (freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior) and their overall critical thinking scores among community colleges and universities in north central Ohio. This study is important because critical thinking has been shown to improve success in collegiate STEM programs and the future careers of their students. In addition, there has been growing interest in examining potential critical thinking differences between STEM students enrolled in two-year community colleges and four-year universities. The sample is composed of 231 community college and university students enrolled in STEM programs. Data …

Empathetic Administration: Leveraging Phenomenological Insights To Enhance Student Mental Health Support In Higher Education, Arlissia Lenton Bradley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how students at universities in Texas navigated online mental health resources and coping supports while managing mental health challenges. The central research question that guided this study was: What were the lived experiences of students in higher education who were managing mental health issues? Utilizing Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory as the theoretical framework, the study examined how cognitive appraisals and self-effective beliefs, environmental supports and constraints, and behavioral coping strategies interacted as students interpreted and responded to mental health stressors in academic contexts. Data was collected in a virtual setting …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Emotional Intelligence And Perception Of Hazing Severity Or Harm Among College Men Involved In Collegiate Sports And Men's Fraternities, Kyle S. Mccoil

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the relationship between extracurricular involvement (student-athlete, fraternity member, both, or neither), emotional intelligence, and perceptions of hazing severity or harm among college men attending a small private liberal arts college. This study is important because there is a need for more effective and innovative forms of hazing prevention; therefore, this study fills a gap in the literature by examining the relationship between emotional intelligence and perceptions of hazing severity or harm for men based on their involvement in organizations that are more likely to engage in hazing behaviors. The sample …

The Homeschooled Student Athlete And Their Transition To College: A Transcendental Phenomenology Study, Michele Marie Sandon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to discover homeschooled student-athletes’ lived experiences as they transitioned to the rigors of academics, social settings, and athletic life at NCAA and NAIA institutions in the United States. This study was guided by Tinto’s integration theory, which offers insight into how college students experience academic and social integration. The central research question asked: What was the homeschooled student-athlete’s experience in transitioning to college? This qualitative study used a transcendental phenomenological design to examine those lived experiences. The data was collected from a purposeful sample of eleven homeschooled student-athletes through semi-structured interviews conducted …

April 28, 2026 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Personality In The Transition To College Life: A Literature Review, Elijah Traud

Honors Projects

This literature review examines the relationship between personality, specifically the Big Five personality traits, and the academic, social, and emotional transition to college. Previous research has focused on how both non-personality and personality variables are associated with the transition to college. There is also literature that details how colleges have implemented policies in the past to ensure that all students feel welcomed on their campus. The literature review highlights the key findings from these studies, including that conscientiousness is consistently one of the personality traits that is associated with the different aspects of the transition to college, especially the academic …

Using Multiple Means Of Representation To Enhance Higher Education Student Learning, Cathy Stephens

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

Today’s students enter higher education from diverse backgrounds with differing educational pathways. Universal design for learning recognises that learners are not homogenous and suggests ways of improving engagement, understanding and agency for heterogeneous learners by including varied resource formats and instructional approaches, or multiple means of representation. While institutional imperatives often call for consistency of approaches and pre-designed content formats, this small pilot study asks if the implementation of varied resources and activities can enhance student comprehension and understanding of project requirements in a creative course. This small-scale study surveyed students on the perceived value of a variety of resources, …

Social Perspective Taking, The Search For Meaning, And A Sense Of Belonging In Emerging Adults, Miranda Joy Powers

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examined relationships among social perspective-taking, the search for meaning, and a sense of belonging among college students. Drawing on data from the 2021 Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership, this research tested whether social perspective-taking and the search for meaning predicted higher levels of belonging. Additionally, covariates, including race, religious affiliation, gender, and COVID-19, were analyzed to assess their effects on both the independent and dependent variables. A regression analysis was performed, and as hypothesized, students with higher levels of social perspective-taking and those searching for meaning reported greater belonging. In addition, the covariates race, religious affiliation, COVID-19, and …

Testimonios De Una Estudiante De Doctorado: Regaining Joy In Graduate School Through Research-Practice Partnerships, Sophia Piral Lee

The Qualitative Report

Through an epistolary critical autoethnography and Latina and Chicana feminist framework, I explore the question of how international graduate students of color can overcome cultural, linguistic, ethnoracial, and social class isolation on predominantly white campuses and in college towns. By writing a letter to my mother (one of my methods for survival in academia), I share my challenges as a Guatemalan, first-time mom, first-generation college student, international student, and non-English native speaker in graduate school during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, this writing helps me recognize how I overcame my isolation and regained my joy and …

Solo Faculty Program Coordinators In Student Affairs-Related Graduate Programs, Phillip A. Olt, Mitch Nasser, Louise Michelle Vital, Steven Tolman, James G. Archibald, Mary Ann Bodine Al-Sharif, Blue Brazelton, Rozana Carducci, Michael Houdyshell, Tryan Mcmickens, Cara Meixner, Molly Mistretta, Amy Paciej-Woodruff, Richie Stevens, Ann Wendle, Claude E.P. Mayo

The Qualitative Report

Many graduate programs in student affairs-related subfields employ just one full-time faculty member, who then also functions as the program coordinator. Program coordinator duties and compensation vary widely, but they are generally the person who ensures all aspects of the program function. Research shows that fulfilling these responsibilities in addition to teaching, research, and service is difficult; however, this study sought to expand on that literature to understand what it was like to coordinate a HESA program as the only full-time faculty member isolated in that subfield at the institution. We utilized the hybrid qualitative methodology of phenomenological polyethnography, wherein …