Digital Commons Network^™

Championing Success: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study On Higher Education Leadership’S Role In Supporting Women Of Color, Inez Annette Hayes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore and understand the role of higher education leadership in providing institutional support to women of color. The lived experiences of women of color as students was analyzed to understand the factors influencing their persistence at higher education institutions nationwide. The theory guiding this study was Rendón’s theory of validation as a process that encourages and supports students’ academic and personal growth, initiated by both in-class and out-of-class influences. This study focused on the Central Research Question: How do leadership practices and institutional supports in higher education influence the persistence of …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Exploring Inclusion Of Latinos In Higher Education In Bilingual Programs, Carmem Charette

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of promoting the inclusion of Latino/a students through bilingual programs at higher education institutions in the United States. To include Latinos in higher education administrators redesigned courses originally taught in English into Spanish and Portuguese at several colleges and universities nationwide. This qualitative research was designed as a hermeneutic phenomenological study, and three data collection methods were used: journal prompts, individual interviews, and focus group interviews. Data were collected from educational leaders, including administrators, deans, faculty coordinators, advisers, and professors, who shared their perspectives and experiences as …

A Case Study Examining Why Students Succeed When Exposed To Peer Tutors, Van E. Carpenter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to identify the impact of online peer tutoring on students’ perceptions of their success for students who participated in online peer tutoring at Summit Faith University (a pseudonym used for this research). This research was grounded in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, which provided a comprehensive framework for examining the factors influencing the effectiveness of peer tutoring among students. This study answered three research questions: How do online students use peer tutoring at Summit Faith University, how does online peer tutoring at Summit Faith University shape students’ perceptions of their success at Summit Faith …

Gender Equality, Diversity, And Social Inclusion: Validation And Development Of An Instrument For Higher Education, Nilo Jayoma Castulo, Maryfe M. Roxas, Arlyne C. Marasigan, Jayson L. De Vera, Ma. Laarni D. Buenaventura, Starr Clyde Sebial, John Michael Aquino, Bonjovi H. Hajan, Mark Ponce C. San Juan, Karen Abegail C. Lee

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

Gender Equality, Diversity, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) are critical in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals number 4 (Quality Education), number 5 (Gender Equality), and number 10 (Reduced Inequalities), impacting various aspects of society, organizations, and individual well-being. While GEDSI remains a pressing concern worldwide, this study aims to design an instrument for the GEDSI situationer tool for students, administrative staff, and faculty members. The instrument undergoes a thorough validation and development process utilizing a mixed-method design. First, the item is designed through Focus Group Interviews (FGIs) on GEDSI in a prominent state university in the Philippines. Through exploratory Factor Analysis …

International Student Transition: An Autoethnographic And Archival Study, Abdulsamad Olajide Yusuf, Jepkorir Rose Chepyator-Thomson

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

Within the framework of a globalized university campus, this study investigates the process that an international student goes through while adapting to a new culture. Using autoethnography and archival research methods, this study recounts the personal and lived experiences of a doctoral international student navigating the cultural adjustment contexts of a southeastern public university, providing an understanding of how the challenges and opportunities faced by international students are historicized and located within a broader cultural and social context. This approach includes maintaining a reflexive journal, self-analysis, personal conversations, and analyzing historical records and correspondences, including policy papers, factbooks, and institutional …

Clark Magazine, Spring/Summer 2026, Clark University

Clark Magazine

The Spring/Summer 2026 edition of Clark Magazine. Clark Magazine is a twice-yearly publication primarily geared towards Clark University Alumni.

The cover story is "From Dream to Destiny: 100 Years Ago, Robert H. Goddard Put Humanity Aboard a Rocket Ride to the Future".

Columnas: The Honors Program Newsletter At Bentley University, Amanda Li, Wilson Jan, Michael Raphael, Alexandra Rieckehoff, Karina Wu, Michael Shehata, Nilufar Noorian, Eloise Weintraub

Honors Program

INSIDE THE MODERN WORLD

Page 2: Stepping Out by Amanda Li

Page 3: Inside the Corporate Slop Bowl by Wilson Jan

Page 4: The Silencing: An Evaluation of the Global Attacks on the Right to Protest by Michael Raphael

THE SOUND OF CHANGE

Page 5: The Social, Cultural, and Economic Impact of Bad Bunny by Alexandra Rieckehoff

Page 6: Streaming Changed Music, But Is It Fair to Artists? by Karina Wu

Page 7: Feeling the Music: How Haptic Wearables Are Changing the Way We Experience Sound by Michael Shehata

SHIFTING SYSTEMS

Page 8: The Story Behind Davos, One of the …

Effective Support Services For Black-African International Students, Amy V. Rutledge

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Currently, 1.5 million F-1 and M-1 students are enrolled in U.S. institutions of higher education (IHEs; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 2025). Although support services for international students are improving, substantial gaps remain in helping these students transition to the next phase of life (Weiner & Ghazarian, 2024). This transcendental phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of six recently graduated Black African international students (BAISs) to identify effective support services for graduate programs, licensure, or legal employment. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling for interviews, which were analyzed using descriptive coding (yielding 61 codes) and thematic analysis (producing six themes). …

The Role Of Institutes Of Higher Learning In Deepening Social Impact, Steve Loh, Janna Wong

Asian Management Insights

Institutes of higher learning do more than generate knowledge. At their best, they connect partners, evidence, policy and capability to make social impact more credible, cumulative and durable. 

The Cost Of Silence, Sabine Benoit

Asian Management Insights

From wellness myths to financial hype, the real risk is not just misinformation—it’s misinformed decision-making. When confidence becomes a proxy for credibility, strategies and sensibility drift. Here’s how leaders can raise the evidence bar and institutionalise independent challenge.

Women Leading In Higher Education: Exploring The Experiences Of Women Leaders In Student Affairs, Amelia Lindsay

Honors Theses

Student affairs is a field within higher education that works to support students’ out-of-classroom needs and provide them with a college experience that promotes holistic growth. This study examines the experiences of women leaders in student affairs at a mid-sized university in the southeastern United States and the opportunities and barriers they encountered in their pathways to their careers. Through in-depth, qualitative interviews, clear themes emerged regarding both facilitators of and challenges to their progression to leadership. Data show that their early life characteristics, self-perceptions, collegiate involvement, and mentorship were the largest catalysts in their career trajectories while the challenge …

A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Community College Presidential Job Announcements And The American Association Of Community Colleges Competencies For Community College Leaders, Leslie M. Boon

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Women are overrepresented as students and employees of community college, yet they are underrepresented in presidential leadership roles. Prior research has examined the career trajectories and experiences of women aspiring to community college presidencies; however, less research has examined how discourse shapes expectations of leadership. Because community colleges have been described as gendered, the language used to describe leadership competencies may reinforce gendered assumptions about effective leadership. The purpose of this study was to examine the discourse of community college presidential job announcements and the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) Competencies for Community College Leaders (4th edition) to examine …

Redefining Retention: Analyzing The Experiences Of Black Men In Higher Education Through The Lens Of Race, Masculinity, And Strength-Based Approaches, Roderick Waters

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Black male students have continued to face systemic challenges in higher education, particularly at historically White institutions (HWIs), where they experience lower retention and graduation rates compared to their peers. Although enrollment numbers have increased, institutional barriers, racialized campus environments, and deficit-based narratives have continued to contribute to disparities in academic success. Much of the existing research has focused on the challenges Black male students encounter rather than the strategies, relationships, and institutional conditions that support their persistence. This study sought to shift that focus by exploring the lived experiences of Black men who persisted at an HWI through an …

Back To Basics: The Benefits Of Children’S Literature In Higher Education, Max A. Bufkin

Honors Projects

The historic undervaluing of children’s literature has resulted in little research or application of the genre in higher education. However, what research is available has shown that engaging with children’s literature as an adult can have many benefits, including better mental well-being, understanding of multicultural perspectives, and enhanced critical thinking skills. Due to patriarchal ideologies over who can and cannot engage with literature, as well as the work of children’s literature critics, the genre has been marginalized from much debate and discussion. Through student-centered learning and group reading sessions, college students from nearly every discipline can learn to utilize and …

Cotheorizing Healing With Undergraduate Queer And Trans Latina Survivors Of Power-Based Violence, Kimberly Correa

Dissertations

Current research on healing from power-based violence highlights the importance of integrating victim-survivors’ personal culture and identities into healing approaches, yet few studies actually focus on the culturally distinct healing processes of victim-survivors (O’Brien & Macy, 2016; Sinko et al., 2023). Grounded in Jotería theory (Alvarez, 2023) and Latina/Chicana feminist frameworks (Garcia, 1989), this qualitative study employs queer pláticas as both a methodology and method to center culturally rooted dialogue, reciprocity, and cariño as a political praxis. This study explores how six queer and trans Latina undergraduate victim-survivors conceptualize healing from power-based violence and how their identities, cultural values, and …

Diversity Is More Than Non-Discrimination: Groupthink In Higher Education, Adam Goldstein, Sean Stevens, Nathan Honeycutt

Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

(Excerpt)

In this Article, we seek to advance three claims. First, intellectual diversity is an essential bulwark against groupthink. Second, conflating intellectual diversity and non-discrimination undermines both concepts. Third, intellectual diversity should be pursued for its own sake and recognized as a separate and important goal of higher education.

We begin by sharing a set of definitions to identify the problem more precisely. Next, we examine the stakes of groupthink setting in. Then, we will introduce some of FIRE’s research on campus climate, which suggests the presence of an existing monoculture. Through the lens of a case study at Harvard …

Beyond The Survey: Performance Assessments For Higher-Order Sustainability Literacy In Higher Education, Gregory Vincent Massara, Courtney B. Ryan, Mary Ellen Mallia

Educational Policy & Leadership Other Graduate Student Scholarship

Purpose This study explores how a performance-based assessment measures students’ higher-order sustainability competencies in ways that multiple-choice or scaled-survey tools, common ways to assess sustainability literacy, may not.

Design/Methodology/Approach This exploratory case study created a performance task for a first-year honors writing and critical inquiry course. Students (n=9) analyzed a scenario across environmental, social, and economic domains. A rubric measured students’ abilities to address all three domains and articulate a feasible and balanced solution supported by credible evidence.

Findings Students demonstrated proficiency in defining the three sustainability domains but tended to struggle to balance them. Choosing scenarios in familiar local …

University Students’ Attitudes Toward And Intentions To Use Generative Ai In The Classroom: Findings From Pre- And Post-Genai Teaching Initiative Surveys, Yanfeng Xu, Hengtao Tang, Gareth Rees-White, Oz Ince, Allison Byxbe, Michael Stoeltzner, Gloria Washington, Shan Qiao, Sicheng Wang, Mercy S. Namateng, Omar Roy

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This study aimed to examine and compare factors associated with support for integrating GenAI into classroom settings and the intention to use GenAI tools in future education among students in pre- and post-GenAI teaching initiative surveys in an R1 university in the United States. Online surveys via Qualtrics were administered at the start and end of the Fall 2024 semester. Descriptive and bivariate analyses and ordered logistic regression models were conducted. In the pre-GenAI teaching initiative survey, significant predictors associated with students’ support for GenAI tools were students’ interest in GenAI and perceived usefulness. Significant predictors associated with their intention …

Revisiting A Service-Learning Component In Aac Coursework: Design, Logistics, And Practical Challenges, Juhi Kidwai, Mohammad Al Rjoob, Maria Claudia Franca, Valerie E. Boyer

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This scholarly teaching manuscript describes the design, implementation, and challenges of integrating a service-learning component into a graduate-level augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) course within a Communication Disorders and Sciences (CDS) program. The project sought to bridge academic instruction with real-world application while addressing unmet service needs in local schools. The 16-week course was divided into an eight-week didactic phase followed by an eight-week field-based practicum. Graduate students were paired with school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in a rural, midwestern special education cooperative district, to support children using AAC. Implementation included a pre-semester needs assessment, collaborative student–SLP matching, structured orientation, weekly …

From Answers To Understanding: Bridging The Gap Between Multiple-Choice And Open-Ended Questions, Kathleen A. Siren

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Assessment is central to effective teaching, and the structure of exam questions significantly influences both learning and instruction. Multiple-choice (MCQ) and short-answer (SAQ) questions are widely used and frequently studied, each offering distinct advantages and limitations for formative and summative assessment. This study examined a modified multiple-choice format, multiple-choice questions with explanation (MCQwE), for which students selected an answer and briefly explained their reasoning. Designed to combine the efficiency of MCQs with the diagnostic value of open-ended responses, MCQwE were implemented in an undergraduate speech science course and compared to traditional MCQs and SAQs in terms of student performance. Findings …

The Lived Experiences Of Higher Education Leaders Participating In Leadership Training Programs: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Study, Rashida Dunn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the experiences of higher education leaders who participated in cohort leadership development training programs in the United States. The theory guiding this study was Mezirow’s transformative learning theory as it was used to explore higher education leaders’ lived experiences of leaders participating in a cohort training program. Transformative learning theory posits concepts by comparing and connecting them to individuals understanding existing principles. The central research question was what are the lived experiences of higher education leaders participating in leadership training programs. The qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology research introduced by van Manen …

Examining Academics’ Decision-Making Processes And Implementation Challenges Of Blended Learning Models For Future Higher Education, Devrim Akgunduz, Aysegul Kinik Topalsan

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Blended learning has gained increasing attention in higher education as a hybrid approach that integrates face-to-face and online modalities. This study investigates academics’ decision-making processes and challenges in implementing blended learning models to inform future educational practices.

Methods: An exploratory case study design was employed. Data were obtained from academics representing multiple faculties who participated in a professional development program on technological approaches and learning models. Participants completed the Blended Learning Sub-Model Preparation Form, which was analyzed to identify preferences and challenges in adopting blended learning.

Results: Findings reveal a clear preference for sub-models such as the flipped classroom, …

The Academic Lives Of Commuter Students: Examining The Use Of The Physical And Digital Spaces Within The Contemporary University, Rebecca Turner, Rao Namrata, Christie Pritchard, Oliver Webb, Emily Pinn, Asal Baharloo, Harriet Ball

Professional Services

It is estimated that 40% of UK undergraduates commute to study, travelling varying distances, and often daily. Although commuting can be challenging, many learners see it as a way to access university, whilst maintaining existing commitments and support networks, and offsetting growing costs of higher education (HE). This study employed a novel participatory mapping technique to stimulate focus groups of second- and third-year undergraduates who commute. We explored participants’ engagement with their institution’s campus, and online/digital spaces. Our findings show commuters have nuanced and intentional interactions with the University’s physical and digital landscape. We consider how these interactions may be …

Evidence To Support Certification In Online Nursing Teaching Excellence: A Systematic Review, Ellen Vorbeck, Louisa Krueger, Ellen Johnson

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Abstract

A systematic review of the literature following PRISMA© (2020) was conducted to determine the evidence within nursing and higher education literature to support certification in online teaching and to determine the value of additional certification for nurse educators in higher education nursing programs. Data from CINAHL, ERIC, EBSCO, COCHRANE, AND PUBMED databases were collected following inclusion and exclusion criteria. An independent review by two authors was conducted with twenty-seven articles and one report identified. Bias was examined, followed by deductive analysis, which identified common themes and subthemes within the research. The results suggest that high-quality online courses require instructors …

Rooted And Rising: A Case Study Of Chinese American Undergraduates' Career Pathways At A Pwi Post-Covid, Rebecca Yin-Chow Martinez

Theses & Dissertations

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese American undergraduate students have navigated complex intersections of intergenerational expectations, racialized experiences, and evolving career aspirations within higher education. This qualitative case study explores how Chinese American undergraduate students at a predominantly white institution (PWI) choose their educational and career goals in a post-COVID climate. Guided by the Asian American Intergenerational Model of the Psychology of Working (AAIM), this study examines the influence of familial expectations, personal interests, institutional supports and barriers, and experiences of racism on students’ career decision-making processes. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, a focus group, observations, Career …

Associations Between Nutrition-Related Chronic Disease And Food Insecurity: Data From The California State University, Elizabeth Ochoa

Master's Theses

Food insecurity is a growing public health concern consistently associated with elevated rates of nutrition-related chronic disease (NRCD) across the general population. Despite young adulthood being a critical window for dietary pattern formation, this relationship remains minimally explored among college students. This thesis examined associations between food insecurity and NRCD diagnosis, including hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease, among undergraduate students across the California State University (CSU) system. Cross-sectional data were drawn from the Spring 2021 CSU National College Health Assessment, administered across all 23 campuses. After exclusions, the analytical sample comprised 13,762 students. Bivariate analyses assessed relationships between key …

Human–Ai Interaction In Graduate Academic Work: A Job Demands-Resources Conceptualization Of Satisfaction And Emotional Exhaustion, Joey Oliveira

Human Resource Development Student Publications and Presentations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are increasingly embedded in graduate academic work, shaping how faculty and students perform cognitive, analytical, and knowledge-based tasks. As AI tools become integrated into writing, research, and instructional activities, human–AI interaction has emerged as a central feature of contemporary academic work environments. However, existing research has largely focused on AI adoption and technological capability, with limited attention given to how ongoing human–AI interaction influences well-being experiences in academic contexts. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework, this conceptual paper develops a model that links human–AI interaction to student learning satisfaction, faculty job satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion. …

2025 Jcihe State Of The Field: An Annual Report, Rosalind L. Raby

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

The Journal of Comparative and International Education (JCIHE) presents the 2025 Annual Report. This report shows the growing readership for the journal, the diversification of authors, and the range of topics being published. A key finding from this report is that it shows how JCIHE is meeting its goals for increasing visibility and for increasing the diversity of authorship and their global institutional affiliations.

From Milan To Murmansk – Lisbon To Lake Louise: Conceptualizing The Meaning Of Internationalization In Higher Education, May-Kristin Vespestad

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

Internationalization is an academic goal and quality measure in higher education, driven by governmental policies and target numbers of mobility, where quantitative measures are the norm. Discussions of what internationalization means and why it is regarded as important need further conceptualization in a higher education context. This is the first longitudinal autoethnography to discuss the meaning of internationalization. The present study makes noteworthy contributions to international higher education literature and practice. Based on the conceptual framework of value co-creation and consumer value theory, the study offers a conceptualization of internationalization. It establishes that internationalization cannot be driven by quantitative measures …

The Lived Experiences Of Nontraditional Students And The Innovative Strategies Higher Education Leaders Can Implement To Support Their Success: A Phenomenological Study, Fernando Jose De Oliveira Castro

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the experiences and strategies employed by nontraditional college students to achieve academic success at public universities in Massachusetts. Nontraditional student experiences were generally defined as the ways in which adult learners, part-time students, and those balancing work and family responsibilities navigated challenges, used support systems, and developed strategies to persist in higher education. The central research questions this study was: How do innovative strategies and support systems contribute to the lived experiences of nontraditional students’ success in Massachusetts’s higher education institutions? I employed Ryan and Deci’s (2017) self-determination theory to …