Digital Commons Network^™

Examination Of Cleveland State Community College's Employee Professional Development Program: Leveraging Employee Learning And Relationship Building Amidst Significant Institutional Change, Ashley T. Raburn

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Within the last decade, Cleveland State Community College has gone through many changes, including transitioning between five different administrations from 2021 to 2025. With this change in administration, there have been many different philosophies of how professional development should be handled at the college. The priority of professional development has shifted between very high and very low, and the ownership of active initiatives was unclear. Recently, college administrators have implemented a program intended to allow PD at the college to have more structure and visibility within the employee community. Literature in both Higher education and other industries discusses the importance …

Representing The Brand: A Study To Examine The Best Practices For Structuring And Operating Communications Teams In Higher Education Institutions, Margaret L. Reisser

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

As higher education institutions increasingly compete for students, faculty, funding, and recognition, academic leaders are recognizing the essential role communications and public relations professionals play in maintaining and promoting the value of their institutional brands. Much has been written about the value of communications professionals in brand management in the corporate arena. However, it appears less attention has been paid to their role in higher education. This mixed-methods study was undertaken to examine the best practices for structuring and operating communications and public relations organizations for optimal success in promoting the higher education institutions they represent. Communications and public relations …

2026-10-08 College Of Arts And Sciences Rebrands In Daring Chess Move, Milan Damjanac

The Spectator Online

No abstract provided.

Family Farm Succession: Factors Of Business Transfer Intention, Shannon Dill

Journal of Extension

The transfer of farm assets across generations is essential for the continuity and sustainability of farming operations. As the number of farms decreases and the population ages, the need for effective succession planning becomes increasingly urgent. This paper investigates the factors influencing the intention to transfer family farm businesses, providing insights and recommendations. Four critical factors in farm transition were identified: (a) family dynamics and connection to the farm; (b) farm assets, abilities, and innovation for the future; (c) willingness and mechanisms to transfer the farm; and (d) barriers and conflict in farm transfer.

A Historian And A Sociologist Walk Into A Bar: A Data Archive For Social Sciences And Digital Humanities Hosted At A National Archives Institution, Benjamin Peuch, Oliver Lenaerts, Rolande Depoortere, Johan Van Der Eycken, Youssef Ouahalou

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

In October 2020, a new service was launched at the State Archives of Belgium, the Social Sciences and Digital Humanities Archive (SODHA). It is the result of several years of feasibility research into the viability of a data archive for social sciences and digital humanities in the research landscape of Belgium. SODHA acts as a service provider for the Consortium of European Social Science Data Archive (CESSDA ERIC) and takes up the task of preserving and disseminating research data in any of the disciplines that constitute the aforementioned fields.

SODHA is a latecomer compared to other similar organizations in Europe …

Implementation Of A Standardized Protocol To Improve Provider Documentation And Initiation Of Guideline-Concordant Hypertension Follow-Up Within 14 Days In Primary Care, Stella Williams

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, yet timely follow-up after elevated blood pressure (BP) readings is not consistently documented in primary care. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project evaluated whether a standardized hypertension screening follow-up protocol improved provider initiation or documentation of guideline-concordant follow-up within 14 days. The faculty-approved PICOT population was primary care providers in a primary care clinic; we used eligible electronic health record (EHR) encounters as the analytic records to observe provider performance. We used a quantitative pre/post design and retrospectively reviewed 30 eligible EHR encounters: 15 pre-implementation …

Exploring The Current Landscape Of After-School Programs In 4-H, Theresa M Ferrari, Travis West

Journal of Extension

After-school programs have attracted considerable attention as a setting for positive youth development programming, and 4-H has been part of the growth of the after-school field. We undertook the current study to describe the extent of after-school programming in 4-H and to learn about the breadth of program offerings and their frequency, duration, and location. The 139 respondents to our 15-question Qualtrics survey were from all regions of the United States and conducted programs in diverse communities. The information gained from this survey provides a snapshot of how 4-H professionals are involved with after-school programs in their communities.

Women Leaders In Higher Education Amidst Crisis: A Narrative Inquiry Exploring Ethical Decision-Making, Jacqueline Hawkins

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Women leaders in higher education navigate complex institutional environments in which ethical decisions are made under conditions of uncertainty, urgency, and competing responsibilities (Gigliotti, 2020; Riggio & Newstead, 2023). The problem addressed in this study was to explore how women leaders navigated ethical complexities, balanced competing responsibilities, and made meaning of crisis leadership experiences within higher education contexts. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore how women leaders in higher education describe their experiences with ethical decision-making during crisis situations. Guided by the ethic of care described by Noddings (1984, 2013), the study examined participants’ ethical reasoning, …

Scalable Growth In High-Contact, On-Site Service Firms: Ambidextrous Competitive Logics And A Dual-Governance Mechanism Of Replication Quality, Wei Han

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation examines how high-contact, on-site service firms scale up. The central challenge is the stable reproduction of a recognizable service template across dispersed branches under customer heterogeneity, frontline discretion, relationship continuity, and local capacity pressure. Replication quality is defined as the branch-level stability of the service promise, execution rhythm, and exception-handling logic. It is measured directly through retention outcomes and service-failure outcomes, which capture continued acceptance of the service promise and visible breakdowns in service delivery.

The theoretical argument centers on two ambidextrous competitive logics. Local responsiveness requires branches to adapt service timing, provider matching, communication, and recovery work …

Evaluating Complex Social Change: Lessons From Ford’S Climate Change Program, Subarna Mathes, Bess Rothenberg, Kelsey Simmons

The Foundation Review

This article offers a detailed account from within the Ford Foundation of what it takes to subject a complex social change strategy to genuine evaluative scrutiny. Drawing on the work of the Foundation’s Office of Strategy and Learning (OSL) and its evaluation of the Natural Resources and Climate Change program, it describes what shifts in strategy and learning were necessary, what was required organizationally, and what changed as a result.

The article delves into the evaluation process itself, including how OSL balanced the needs and perspectives of Ford leadership, program staff, and grantee partners. It shares how OSL centered equity …

Feedback Loops In Practice: A Case Study On Evaluating A Climate Collaborative, Mansi Shah, Amy Sherwood, Abbie Turiansky, Drew Koleros, Axum Teferra

The Foundation Review

Philanthropic support to address the climate crisis has grown substantially, yet it remains unclear how effectively philanthropies are learning from their investments, from each other, and from other actors about what generates meaningful impact. Evaluations have come under scrutiny, as conventional approaches often struggle to account for complexity and provide the timely insights needed for adaptive management.

In this article, the authors present the learning journey of a complex, systems-focused climate philanthropy initiative that uses structured feedback loops as an evaluation design. They describe how these loops were implemented over a two-year evaluation; discuss the choice of complexity-aware methods; and …

Leadership Plan, Jennifer Harshbarger

Distinguished Student Scholarship Collection

This personal leadership development plan presents a seven-year professional roadmap to transition from the role of Director of Operations into an executive leadership position focused on business growth and organizational development at PhyMet. Centered on the principles of servant and authentic leadership, the plan emphasizes cultivating trust, empathy, active listening, and open communication while maintaining organizational accountability. It critically assesses individual strengths in interpersonal communication and identifies key developmental priorities, including strategic thinking and the delegation of project ownership rather than isolated tasks. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates the practical execution of these leadership philosophies through applied scenarios addressing organizational change …

Leadership Dynamics, Transparency, & Governance During Crisis In Religious Organizations: Discussing The Roman Catholic Church’S Centralized Authority, John D. Rudnick Jr, Raymond L. Enzweiler, Srecko Koralija

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

Abstract
This article considers two high-profile crises inside the Roman Catholic Church. The rejection of the Vatican audit in 2015 and the financial loss from a large investment in London real estate exemplify tension and balance between centralized, hierarchical leadership and institutional accountability. These cases examine leadership patterns relative to transparency, communication, and governance, evaluating the efficacy of centralized power under financial distress. The discussion is organized across pre-crisis, active crisis, and post-crisis phases by integrating insights from transactional, transformational, servant, and adaptive leadership style models. Performance improvement (PI) tools such as Before Action Reviews (BARs), After Action Reviews (AARs), …

Psychosocial And Demographic Determinants Of Work Stress Among Lecturers At University X, Natasha Putri Ayu Kayla, Fajaria Nurcandra, Dr. Dyah Utari, Nayla K. Fithri, Siti Norashikin Mohamad Shaifuddin

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

Occupational stress is a psychological pressure related to work conditions. Psychosocial and demographic determinants may be the influence. Lecturers are white collar workers who have the opportunity to experience occupational stress. The aim of this study is to determine the factors that influence occupational stress among lecturers in X University. This research is a quantitative study with a cross-sectional study design. The sampling technique used is Accidental Sampling. The number of samples used was 132 respondents. The study was conducted in April-June 2024. The Cox Regression Model was used to analyze. The instruments used were The Workplace Stress Scale, Multidimensional …

Strengthening The Philippines' Agri-Fishery Rde System: A Case Study Of A Public Coordinating Agency As A Bridging Organization, Cynthia Remedios V. De Guia, Luis Rey I. Velasco, Maria Faina L. Diola

Journal of Public Affairs and Development

The Philippine agricultural research, development, and extension (RDE) system has long struggled to live up to its ideals. Decades after the passage of the Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act (AFMA), the RDE system was reported to have failed to innovate, largely because it failed to translate research into development outcomes. This has resulted from persistent gaps in knowledge exchange, institutional linkages, and collaboration among system actors. In fragmented systems, meaningful interaction and trust seldom emerge spontaneously, making bridging mechanisms necessary. Bridging organizations (BOs) play this role by connecting multiple and diverse actors, mediating relationships, enabling knowledge flows, and enhancing capacities …

The Impact Of Flexible Work Arrangements On Employee Performance: Evidence From Private Universities In Baghdad, Mariam Adeeb Rasheed, Noor Khalil Ibrahim

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This study examines the effect of Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) (flexible scheduling, compressed workweek, and telecommuting) on employee performance among administrative leaders in private universities in Baghdad. Addressing inconsistent findings in prior research regarding whether different forms of workplace flexibility contribute equally to employee performance. Guided by Social Exchange Theory, a quantitative cross-sectional design was employed using data collected from 321 administrative leaders across 15 private universities in Baghdad. Measurement reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and confirmatory factor analysis were assessed using the covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) procedure in SmartPLS4. The proposed hypotheses were subsequently tested through structural model …

The Impact Of Evidence-Based Benzodiazepine Tapering Guidelines In An Outpatient Psychiatric Setting: A Quality Improvement Project, Addeh Tosin

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Long-term benzodiazepine use is associated with dependence, withdrawal, cognitive impairment, falls, and overdose, yet tapering practices remain inconsistent in outpatient psychiatric care. This quality improvement project examined whether evidence-based deprescribing education improved psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners' (PMHNPs) self-efficacy, adherence to benzodiazepine tapering guidelines, and active prescription outcomes. The Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle guided implementation, the ADKAR Model guided change, Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory provided the theoretical framework, and the Stetler Model supported evidence translation. The project employed a quantitative, quasi-experimental, single-group pretest-posttest design and involved three PMHNPs from one outpatient psychiatric practice. Participants received one 20-minute educational session based on American Society …

Improving Provider Confidence In Suicide-Risk Screening Through Training On A Safe-T-Guided Pathway At Intake, Shukairo Mack Baker

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Evidence supports structured suicide-prevention education, but inconsistent pathway use at outpatient intake prompted this quality improvement project to evaluate provider confidence. The aim was increased confidence after training on a Suicide Assessment Five-Step Evaluation and Triage (SAFE-T) guided pathway. Donabedian's structure, process, and outcome model and the Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement change model guided implementation through one Plan, Do, Study, Act cycle. A single-group pre-test and post-test design involved seven clinicians at one hybrid outpatient behavioral health clinic. All available eligible staff (100%) completed a 2.5-hour training and both surveys. The Suicide Risk Assessment Confidence Scale was administered …

Vision With Grace: Intersectionality Of Education And Spirituality, Preeti Jha

Dissertations

Contemporary educational leaders face increasingly complex challenges, systemic inequities, educator burnout, and demands for transformation, yet existing leadership frameworks fail to address the inner lives and spiritual practices that sustain such demanding justice work. While research demonstrates spirituality's role in leadership effectiveness, this dimension remains largely unexplored in educational research, particularly regarding how spiritual consciousness shapes daily practices and social justice engagement. This qualitative study will examine how spirituality shapes educational leadership and social justice engagement through portraiture methodology and in-depth interviews with three spiritually aligned educational leaders in Northern California. Drawing upon the Bhagavad Gita, Spiritual Leadership Theory, and …

Leveraging Conference Learning Through A Proposal-Driven Approach To Nursing Innovation, Ashley Perry

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Frontline nurses often return from conferences with evidence-based ideas, yet translating these into sustained practice change is limited by factors including resource and process barriers.^1,2 Evidence shows that strategies such as implementation science and structured innovation support improve adoption.^2,3,4,5 In 2024, our hospital noted this gap after funding over 50 nurses to attend conferences where insights were shared but rarely transformed care delivery. To increase impact, we launched a proposal-based model that turns external learning into actionable improvements. Previously, conference attendees shared insights via presentations, a passive approach with few pathways for change.

Our purpose was to introduce …

Quality Improvement Project: Improving Nurse Confidence In Managing Patient Aggression Using The Brøset Violence Checklist And Team-Based Strategies, Grace Amakulor

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Workplace violence remains a concern in psychiatric nursing, particularly when changes in patient behavior are not recognized early or communicated consistently. This quality improvement (QI) project was conducted at a psychiatric recovery center in Central Ohio after identifying a practice gap in aggression risk assessment and response. The purpose was to implement and evaluate a multicomponent aggression-management approach using the Brøset Violence Checklist (BVC), structured team huddles, and individualized aggression care plans. The aim was to improve nurse confidence (primary outcome) and reduce aggressive behavioral incidents (secondary outcome) over four weeks. Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and Lewin’s Change Theory guided …

Quality Improvement Project: Telehealth Follow-Up After Psychiatric Hospital Discharge, Ikemi Echeng

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The period following psychiatric hospitalization is a high-risk transition during which inconsistent communication, delayed follow-up, and poorly coordinated referrals can create gaps in continuity of care. This quality improvement project addressed inconsistent post-discharge follow-up processes in a community outpatient mental health clinic. The purpose was to implement staff education and a structured workflow incorporating the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Discharge Phone Call Tool to improve staff confidence, telehealth follow-up, and referral coordination over eight weeks. A quantitative, quasi-experimental, one-group pre- and post-intervention design was used. Staff confidence was measured with Grundy’s C-Scale, and telehealth follow-up and referral activities …

Quality Improvement Project: The Impact Of Provider Education On Antipsychotic Medication Side Effects, Anthony Emego

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Weight gain is a frequent and clinically relevant side effect of antipsychotic medication. A needs assessment at the project site found that roughly 55% of patients on an antipsychotic treatment had clinically significant weight gain, and providers had no formal training on how to prevent and manage this. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to determine if a provider-focused educational intervention is effective in increasing provider confidence and decreasing antipsychotic-induced weight gain in adult psychiatric patients. This quantitative, one-group pre-post design utilized Lewin's Change Theory and Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory. It was conducted at an outpatient psychiatric clinic …

Quality Improvement Project: Improve Patient Show Rate For Appointments At The Outpatient Diabetic Clinic, Smitha Mathew

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Missed appointments disrupt diabetes management, delay treatment, and waste healthcare resources. This quality improvement project evaluated whether patient-centered scheduling, staff education, and multimodal communication reduced no-show rates among adults with diabetes. The Plan-Do-Study-Act model provided the theoretical and implementation framework, while Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Model guided practice change. The uncontrolled preintervention-postintervention project occurred from January through July 2026 in a hospital-based outpatient diabetes clinic. The evidence-based intervention included 45-minute staff education, scheduling based on patients’ preferred days and times, verifying contact information and communication preferences, sending telephone and text reminders, and re-engaging patients the same day after missed appointments. Appointment …

The Impact Of Provider Education On Medication Adherence In An Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project, Tina Ezeh

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Medication adherence is important in psychiatric care, as nonadherence can contribute to poor health outcomes and increased use of healthcare services. A needs assessment at an outpatient psychiatric clinic identified inconsistent medication adherence education, with only 30% of providers routinely providing education and 20% using a structured approach. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate structured provider education, with the aim of assessing changes in provider confidence and the frequency of medication adherence education over eight weeks. Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model guided project implementation, while the Donabedian Model was used for project evaluation. A quantitative, one-group pretest-posttest …

Quality Improvement Project: Enhancing Suicide Recognition Protocols With The Use Of Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale In An Outpatient Mental Health Practice, Pamela Oxley

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Suicide prevention in outpatient mental health settings requires prompt recognition of and an appropriate response to suicide-related concerns, including those initially communicated to administrative staff. Frontline administrative phone staff may first encounter patients expressing suicidal thoughts; however, evidence supports education and standardized processes to facilitate effective recognition and response. At the project site, a practice gap existed in administrative staff preparation and confidence in responding to suicide-related concerns. The quality improvement project addressed this gap through structured, standardized Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) education paired with a standardized suicide-risk stratification and escalation protocol. The project aimed to improve administrative staff …

Quality Improvement Project: Early Screening For Kidney Disease In Primary Care Clinics, Binsy Easow

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common complication of diabetes. Evidence-based guidelines recommend urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) screening for early identification of albuminuria in patients with diabetes; however, screening was inconsistently completed in an outpatient primary care clinic. This quality improvement project evaluated the impact of a standardized, provider-focused intervention on UACR screening completion and therapy intensification in patients with microalbuminuria. The Iowa Model served as the evidence-based practice framework, Lewin’s Change Theory provided the theoretical framework for practice change, and the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle guided implementation and evaluation. A quasi-experimental pre- and post-intervention design was used. The intervention was delivered …

Enhancing Healthcare Provider Confidence And Accuracy In Performing And Documenting The Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale, Victoria Okoani-Nneji

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Monitoring for medication-related movement disorders is essential for adults with schizophrenia receiving antipsychotic medications; however, inconsistent Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) assessment and documentation can limit timely recognition of abnormal movements. This quality improvement project evaluated a six-week structured AIMS education program designed to improve provider confidence and documentation accuracy in an outpatient behavioral health setting in Central Ohio. Guided by Benner’s Novice-to-Expert Model and Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Model, the project used a one-group pretest-posttest design with 15 licensed behavioral health providers. Weekly sessions included instruction, demonstration, guided practice, case-based learning, scoring, interpretation, and electronic health record (EHR) documentation. Descriptive …

Quality Improvement Project: Determining Impact Of Mental Health Screening Provider Training, Sherri Bennett

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Obesity is frequently associated with mental health concerns, yet these conditions may remain under identified when mental health screening is not consistently incorporated into medical weight-loss care. At the project site, fewer than 2% of patients who are overweight or obese were identified as needing mental health services, demonstrating a practice gap in screening and referral. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate whether targeted mental health screening education improved provider confidence. The aim was to increase confidence in conducting mental health screening among nurse practitioners in a medical weight-loss program. The Stetler Model provided the theoretical …

Quality Improvement Project: Improving Nurse Discharge Competency Through Standardized Education And Discharge Tools In An Inpatient Behavioral Health Hospital, Valina Williams

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Inconsistent discharge education and variable use of structured discharge tools can affect the consistency of transitions from inpatient behavioral health care. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement project was to improve nurse discharge competency by implementing standardized discharge education and reinforcing use of a structured discharge tool in a rural inpatient behavioral health hospital. A quantitative, quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used over 12 weeks with 16 eligible registered and licensed practical nurses. Organizational readiness was assessed at baseline, and nurse self-efficacy was measured before and after implementation. Discharge-tool adherence and 30-day readmissions were also evaluated. …