Digital Commons Network^™

Cultivating Change: The Role Of Mentorship In Student-Led Undergraduate Research, Sarah Steimel

Speaker & Gavel

Dr. Sarah Steimel, Weber State University, reflects on working with and mentoring two students in the undergraduate research process.

Navigating Privacy Boundaries: Communication Privacy Management And Faculty, Ashlee Ellinwood, Chloee Robison, Sarah Steimel

Speaker & Gavel

College students experience high levels of stress that impact their academic performance and persistence in higher education. While faculty support has been shown to enhance student success, little is known about the privacy management rules students use when deciding whether to disclose personal stressors to their instructors. This study uses Communication Privacy Management (CPM) theory to examine how undergraduate students develop and apply privacy rules regarding stress-related disclosures to faculty. Four key factors emerged through qualitative interviews and focus groups with 40 students: cultural norms, motivation, contextual influences, and risk-benefit assessments. Findings underscore the importance of faculty-student communication in student …

Undergraduates Are The Future, Todd T. Holm

Speaker & Gavel

Editor of Speaker & Gavel, Todd Holm's message about the special issue (Volume 61, Issue 2) of Speaker & Gavel.

Exploring The Role Of Occupational Therapy In The Delivery Of Trauma-Informed Services To Hospital-Based Clients Ot, Frank Czuba

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Hospitalization can traumatize clients and impact overall health outcomes, leading to increased hospital readmission rates and resulting in a negative impact for both clients and providers. Limited information exists regarding how hospital-based occupational therapists evaluate and address trauma, even though incorporating trauma-informed principles into professional practice can enhance the occupational therapy process. The study explored the comprehension and perceived significance of trauma-informed tenets among occupational therapists delivering services in hospital-based settings. A quantitative research study with an exploratory design was implemented to explore how occupational therapists (OT) understand and utilize trauma-informed practices with their clients in a hospital setting. An …

Programs Of Support For Wardship Experienced Students: Exploring Program Directors' Expectations And Experiences Through A Bioecological Framework, Adalheid Faith Crum

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this research is to explore the expectations and experiences of program directors of campus support programs which center wardship experienced students. This research question guided the current study: What expectations and experiences influenced program directors’ development and reform of a wardship-centered campus support program? This inquiry applies Ürie Bronfenbrenner’s Person–Process–Context–Time (PPCT) bioecological model. Semi-structured interviewing was utilized for this case study. In this research, six directors of campus support programs centering wardship experienced students were interviewed. Additionally, this work employs content analysis of twenty-eight National Research Collaborative for Foster Alumni and Higher Education (NRC-FAHE) publications, introducing fourteen …

Advising With Heart: How Institutional Selectivity And Size Shape Emotional Labor In Higher Education Academic Advising, Dallas W. Maddox

Theses and Dissertations

Academic advising serves as a vital bridge between students and their educational experiences and success, yet the emotional complexities of this meaningful work remain underexplored. This mixed-methods study examined how institutional selectivity and size influence emotional labor awareness and application among academic advisors, addressing a critical gap in understanding the human dimensions of advising relationships. The research explored whether advisors at smaller, selective institutions demonstrate enhanced emotional labor competencies compared to colleagues at larger, more inclusive institutions. Eleven dedicated academic advisors participated in this study, representing experienced professionals with 5-17 years of advising experience across four institutional categories defined by …

Peeking Behind The Veil Of The District-Level Literacy Leader: Does Research Match Reality?, Kristel R. Collins

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate district-level literacy leadership (DLLL), focusing on the leadership behaviors enacted by district-level literacy leaders, their alignment with the International Literacy Association Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals (2017), and their use of systems thinking principles to influence literacy improvement in K–12 settings. The study addressed a critical gap in the literature regarding how DLLLs function at the district level to mediate between policy and classroom practice. Participants included six DLLLs from Central Texas public school districts. All participants held advanced degrees, had at least two years of district-level literacy leadership experience, …

Exploring Academic Librarians Self-Perceived Teaching Attitudes And Practical Culturally Responsive Teaching (Crt) Strategies In Library Instruction, Jocelyn Castillo

Theses and Dissertations

As campuses continue to see an increase in students from various backgrounds, there is an interest in academic librarianship to explore the use of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) strategies in library instruction. Guided by self-perception theory, this quantitative study examined the relationship between the teaching attitudes of academic librarians and the years of teaching experience, and identified practical CRT strategies in library instruction particularly in undergraduate minority serving institutions in the United States. The teaching attitudes of academic librarians were measured using a modified version of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) capturing specific teaching tasks relevant to teaching …

Library News-- February, 2026, Rwu University Library

Library Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Rural Black Church Leadership And Community Development In Midwest Illinois, Derrick Smith

Dissertations of Practice

This qualitative study examines the role of a rural Black church in leadership development and community sustainability within a Midwestern Illinois town. While extensive scholarship documents the historical significance of the Black church in civil rights, political mobilization, and social advocacy, limited research explores the founding of contemporary Black churches and the intentional processes through which they develop leaders and support community sustainability in rural or small-town settings. This study addresses that gap by investigating the establishment and evolution of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church (NHMBC) in DeKalb, Illinois, and its impact on leadership development and Black community development.

Guided …

The Veteran-Student Experience: Exploring Transition Dynamics, Brian A. Berchtold

Dissertations of Practice

Military veteran college students face unique challenges in and outside of the classroom. Few studies have examined how the transitions from military to civilian and higher education affects miliary veteran college students. Using an interpretivist qualitative study design, this study explored how military veteran college students experience their transition to civilian life and to higher education. Data was collected from 9 military veterans using interviews that were coded using thematic analysis. Themes were then reviewed by participants using a focus group. The member checked themes revolved around issues with reframing their military mindset and reacclimating to civilian life, fitting in …

Preparing Students For What Comes Next: A Qualitative Study Of District Approaches To Postsecondary And Career Readiness, Amanda C. Pelsor

Dissertations of Practice

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR WHAT COMES NEXT: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF DISTRICT APPROACHES TO POSTSECONDARY AND CAREER READINESS

This qualitative study examines how Illinois school districts support students’ readiness for postsecondary success and career planning and exploration. Despite longstanding state and federal efforts to improve college and career readiness, many students continue to face challenges after high school, including lack of workforce readiness, underpreparedness for postsecondary education, unclear career pathways, and difficulty navigating complex transitions. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explores how districts conceptualize and implement career readiness frameworks, the ways readiness work is embedded within district systems, and the barriers …

Etsu At-A-Glance - 2024-2025, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU At-a-Glance

No abstract provided.

The Cost Of Care: A Mixed Methods Study Of Social Work Student Well-Being, Practicum Pay, And The Future Of Feminized Care In The Health Workforce, Christian Adeleke

Social Work Dissertations

Social work field education, commonly enacted as the practicum, is widely regarded as the profession’s signature pedagogy, yet its material conditions—particularly the prevalence of unpaid or minimally compensated placements—are rarely problematized. This dissertation examined the financial, academic, and well-being consequences of practicum participation among social work students and the mechanisms through which these consequences arise. Using an embedded mixed methods design, the study analyzed secondary data from the Payment for Placements (P4P) survey (N = 618), combining a moderated-mediation structural equation model with a reflexive thematic analysis of open-ended narrative responses. Drawing on feminist political economy and social reproduction …

Spirituality And Psychological Well-Being In College Students: Does Resilience Mediate This Relationship, Kevin C. Snow, Jessica Starken, Lindsay A. Phillips

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Given continued challenges of college transition and recent changes (e.g., COVID) leading to increased use of college counseling services and past studies exploring spiritualty/religion and resilience pertaining to psychological well-being (PWB), this study explored the relationship between spirituality, resilience, and PWB in college students. Three scales, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, and the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale, were used to measure the relationship between spirituality, resilience, and PWB. Results of this study showed support for the relationship between spirituality, resilience, and PWB in college students. Results also lend support for future research exploring therapeutic incorporation of spirituality …

Merger Crisis Role-Play: Organizational Behavior In Action, Jyro B. Triviño

Leadership and Strategy Faculty Publications

To advance professionally, students must be prepared to navigate dynamic and contentious organizational environments by articulating their varied views, protecting their personal and professional intentions, anticipating challenges, and then fostering consensus. This paper addresses a high-stakes, multi-round immersive role-play simulation of a company merger in an undergraduate Organizational Behavior course. Grounded in the core pillars of experiential learning, adaptive leadership, and organizational sensemaking, this classroom exercise places students in a pre-set, realistic post-merger leadership team facing immediate business challenges. Compared to traditional case studies, this method requires students to demonstrate real-time organizational behavior competencies, providing a powerful platform for negotiation …

The Culturally Intelligent Higher Education Leader: Leadership Strategies Of Exemplary California Community College Mid-Level Student Services Administrators In Creating A Culture Of Inclusiveness, Marisol Alaniz

Dissertations

Purpose: It is the purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed-method study to identify and describe the leadership strategies that exemplary mid-level student services administrators in California Community Colleges use to create an organizational culture of inclusiveness using Kennedy’s (2008) five leadership qualities.

Methodology: For this study, a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was used. The study’s quantitative part was conducted using an online survey instrument delivered to each participant. In the survey, participants were asked whether they were willing to take part in a one-to-one follow-up interview. Once identified, qualitative research was used to conduct interviews with exemplary mid-level student services …

Nsu Business Graduate Student Catalog 2025-2026 Winter 2026 Edition, Nova Southeastern University

Huizenga Postgraduate Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Talking Black: The Construction Of Blackness In Film, D'Andre M. Person

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Media, such as film, plays a pivotal role in representing marginalized groups to general audiences. The portrayal of Black people in advertisements, novels, art, and film has perpetuated harmful stereotypes which associate Black men and women with negative traits that justify their marginalization, such as the "Coon" stereotype that frames Black men as lazy or the "Mammy" stereotype that positions Black women as subservient. Stereotypes in film are produced through images, but language plays a vital role in constructing general audiences' understanding of Black people as well. Through a rhetorical analysis of seven films released between 2016 and 2026, I …

From Silos To Systems: A Conceptual Framework For Workforce Aligned Oral Health Education, Meghan Bastin

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

In the current U.S. educational system, becoming a dentist follows a few prescriptive pathways.  Learners typically complete an undergraduate degree before entering time-intensive doctoral training.  This results in only 3-4 years of direct professional education embedded within an eight -year process, while learners accumulate significant financial investment in their education.  With the average cost of graduate-level dental education alone exceeding $300,000 and new federal borrowing limits likely to further constrain access, there is an opportunity to explore alternative ways of structuring oral health education.

This poster presents a conceptual, system-level framework that explores a perspective in which oral health education …

Developing And Proposing A Passion Project Course With Institutional Backing, Ron Reaser

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

Developing and proposing a new course based on your passion project is achievable and rewarding for faculty of any rank, including teaching-track faculty and adjuncts, but it may feel confusing or daunting to glean the course design principles and institutional knowledge necessary to succeed. This presentation recommends a successful and replicable approach based on proactive communication with stakeholders in your unit and across the broader university system. The approach is tailored to faculty members of West Virginia University, Potomac State College, and WVU Institute of Technology.

Investigating The Viability Of Fully Online Asynchronous Physics Instruction In Formal Education, Clifton W. Massey-Noel

Physics Dissertations

In this dissertation we present results from two consecutive investigations into the fully online asynchronous modality in Physics Education. We first discuss the efficacy of a fully online asynchronous section of Modern Physics held in Fall 2024. The asynchronous section is compared with four prior partially-flipped sections of the same class, two of which were held in-person, and two of which were held synchronously online. Results suggest that all three modalities can be made to be about equally as effective. We also discuss the efficacy of a fully online asynchronous section of Calculus-Based Introductory Mechanics held in Fall 2025. The …

Navigating Yellow Zone Sexual Misconduct Cases: Exploring Title Ix Administrators’ Discretion, Angela E. Hobbs

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

This study examines how Title IX administrators exercise discretion when responding to ambiguous sexual misconduct reports referred to as yellow zone. The 2020 Title IX Rules and Regulations introduced a more restrictive definition of sexual misconduct, requiring behavior to be severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive (SPOO) to meet the threshold for formal institutional response. Despite the practical challenges these cases present for institutions, there is limited scholarly understanding of how Title IX administrators make decisions when responding to them. Guided by street-level bureaucracy theory (Lipsky, 1969, 1980, 2010), the study explored how institutional actors exercise discretion in response to regulatory …

Students’ Views On Professionalism As A Window Into Their Professional Identity Formation, Jennifer H. Kwon, Charles F. Shuler, Judith Walker, Hsingchi Von Bergmann

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Professional identity formation (PIF) provides a process-based framework for understanding professionalism, focusing on how individuals integrate professional values and roles into their broader sense of self. Limited research has examined how dental students perceive professionalism and how these perceptions shape their developing professional identities. Understanding these perspectives may provide insight into their PIF journey and help inform the design of educational strategies to address their need.

Method: An online survey, consisting of both open-ended and close-ended questions, was emailed to undergraduate students in the Faculty of Dentistry at one Canadian university. Descriptive statistics were conducted using JASP (Version 0.16.1; …

Student Perspectives On Learning With Teaching-Research Methods In Initial Teacher Education, Paulo Marinho, Carlinda Leite, Fátima Sousa-Pereira

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article explores the perceptions of student teachers enrolled in an initial teacher education programme who attended a curricular unit organised around research-based teaching strategies. Data were gathered from reflective class diaries produced during one semester and analysed through qualitative content analysis. The findings suggest that, from the participants’ perspective, the curricular unit supported investigative autonomy, critical reflection and argumentation, links between theory and school-based observations, and perceived preparation for the future teaching profession. At the same time, the diaries highlighted time pressure and workload as important constraints. Highlighting student teachers’ voices on how a research-based unit was experienced during …

The Role Of Coursework In Promoting Doctoral Candidates’ Research Competence: A Case Study Of Professional Doctorates In Education, Fred Y. Mgata, Luqman Hakeem, Justo M. Lemesaya, Zhiyong Zhu, Huan Song, Jimmy E. Kihwele

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Doctorate programs with coursework aim to develop research-competent graduates who can contribute knowledge and work outside academia. This study explored the influence of coursework on doctoral candidates' development of research competence. The study employed a qualitative case study approach within the Professional Doctorate in Education programs at a Chinese university. The researchers interviewed 13 doctoral candidates, reviewed 10 course syllabi, and conducted a thematic analysis of the data. The findings revealed that coursework contributes to candidates' knowledge base, research direction, skills, and critical thinking. Instructors and peers promote candidates' research competence through instruction, mentoring, collaborative research projects, and peer feedback. …

Winter 2026, Southwestern Oklahoma State University Office Of Institutional Advancement And Alumni

Echoes from the Hill

From The Interim President

Fellow members of the SWOSU Community,

I have been grateful for the opportunity to serve Southwestern Oklahoma State University for nearly three decades. As the Spring 2026 semester gets underway, we welcome the opportunity to pause and reflect on what we have learned—and what we continue to achieve together.

The bonds formed among our students, faculty, and staff as we deliver high quality, affordable programs of instruction and training are deep and enduring. The Southwestern Spirit—marked by friendly cooperation, thoughtful inquiry, and hard work—gives SWOSU a distinctive strength and instills in our graduates a lasting sense …

Spring/Summer 2026, Southwestern Oklahoma State University Office Of Institutional Advancement And Alumni

Echoes from the Hill

From The President

SWOSU Community,

SWOSU is 125 years old this year, and 2026 has been an exciting year here on the Hilltop! We are gearing up for a great Fall Semester!

This issue of Echoes highlights the wonderful time we had in the Spring when our students, faculty, and staff joined donors, alumni, dignitaries, and community leaders from throughout Oklahoma and beyond for the dedication of the Jerry & Margaret Hodge Center for Pharmacy & Rural Health. The Center represents an innovative private-public partnership that will enable our university to graduate more healthcare professionals to meet the workforce needs …

Wilson, Issue 02, 2025-26, University Of Northern Iowa. Wilson College Of Business.

Wilson

Contents:

From the Dean --- 3
Auditing Students Learn Emerging Technologies and Real-World Analysis --- 4
How Real Estate Students are Learning Industry Software in the Classroom --- 8
Marketing in the Age of Data --- 14
Building Communities, Shaping Futures --- 18
Data Drives Business Success for UNI Student Entrepreneurs --- 22
Data to Assist in Iowa Stomr Response --- 23
Ethical Considerations of Data Breaches --- 24
How Ethics and Data Management Intersect In Today's Business Climate --- 26
Students Dominate Advertising Competition --- 28
AACSB Supplemental Accounting Accreditation --- 30
A New Era for Business: UNI's Wilson …

Improving Expository Reading Comprehension In College Students, Danielle M. De Lucia, George Noell

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study investigated the impact of the Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) method on reading comprehension and psychological well-being among college students, addressing a gap in research on expository reading comprehension at the post-secondary level. A total of 47 students from Introduction to Psychology courses participated in the study. Participants initially completed pre-test assessments, including a cloze test, the Wide Range Achievement Test, and scales for self-worth, depression, anxiety, and stress. Of these, 23 students underwent CSR intervention sessions, conducted over three weeks with bi-weekly 50-minute sessions using their course textbook. Post-intervention data from 44 students were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. …