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Belongingness And Motivation Among College Students, Noah Seiter

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background/Introduction: Student motivation is influenced by a plethora of variables and factors in educational settings which include the student’s sense of belongingness; however, belonging is often treated as a single construct rather than a dimensional idea. This study addresses the need to differentiate student belongingness into its distinct components of peer belonging and institutional belongingness and examine their unique contributions to levels of student motivation in the collegiate level. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine this distinction between levels of institutional belongingness and peer belongingness as well as their independent and collective influences on motivation among college …

Hawi Atinafu Honors Portfolio, Hawi Atinafu

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Hawi Atinafu's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Elle Eckert Honors Portfolio, Elle Eckert

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Ellle Eckert's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Vernice Horton Honors Portfolio, Vernice Horton

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Vernice Horton's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Emma Sealey Honors Portfolio, Emma Sealey

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Emma Sealey's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Jessica Heinsch Honors Portfolio, Jessica Heinsch

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Jessica Heinsch's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Engaging College Students With Eating Disorder Symptoms In Digital Mental Health Interventions, Emily Judd

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Background: Most college students with elevated eating disorder (ED) symptoms do not receive mental health treatment. These students commonly report preference for self-management and lack of perceived need for therapy as barriers to seeking help and engaging with mental health services. Screening surveys and digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) may help address these perceived barriers to treatment. Evidence suggests that DMHIs can be effective at reducing ED symptoms. However, student engagement (e.g., uptake and adherence) with DMHIs is low, which significantly limits their effectiveness. Objective: We adapted an engagement strategy for DMHIs, known as the Supporting Technology Engagement for Prevention …

Addressing Chronic Absenteeism In Unhoused Elementary Youth Through Leadership Training, Jocelyn Ornelas

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Outreach groups and after-school programs have been shown to contribute positive reinforcement and guidance to students who suffer from chronic absenteeism. The Salinas City Elementary School District Family Resource Center at Sherwood Elementary School provides resources to homeless and foster families. Several facilitators began conducting an outreach group with the sixth-grade unhoused population. Sessions were focused on spreading leadership knowledge surrounding the transition from elementary school to middle school. Expected outcomes included increased student leadership knowledge and overall attendance through observations, data collection, and feedback. At the conclusion of the program, 68% of the participants experienced an increase in their …

Attendance, Engagement, And Community Building: Supporting Unhoused 6th Grade Girls Through Leadership Program, Efren A. Duarte

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Unhoused youth experience higher rates of chronic absenteeism, heightened by lack of support and student engagement. The project objective was to improve school attendance in the participants and see a positive shift in student engagement. This took place at the Family Resource Center at Sherwood Elementary in Salinas, California. The participants involved in the program were 19 6th-grade girls, with 13 of those being youth facing some form of housing insecurity issue. The program consisted of 9 sessions teaching leadership skills as well as allowing students to work as a team and share their experiences with other unhoused students. The …

Improving Attendance: A Data Analysis On The Salinas City Elementary School District Initiative, Andy S. Yanes-Majano

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Chronic absenteeism is a significant challenge for the Salinas City Elementary School District (SCESD). The SCESD has a high rate of chronic absenteeism on Mondays and Fridays especially surrounding a holiday or three day weekend. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year regardless of whether the absences are excused or unexcused. Missing school at a young age can lead to poor academic outcomes while increasing dropout risk. To combat this, the SCESD created an Initiative called Power Day. Power Day is an effort where schools offer incentives to encourage students to arrive on time …

Navigating Higher Education: Waves Of Success Mentorship Initiative, Roberto M. Davila

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Too many undocumented students and students from mixed-status backgrounds face obstacles and don’t receive enough support while navigating higher education. Undocu-Success at CSUMB orients its services to meet the needs of undocumented students and students with mixed-status backgrounds. In collaboration with Undocu-Success Center staff, the Waves of Success mentorship initiative is a new resource to increase students' preparedness during their academic journey and increase awareness of resources accessible to CSUMB students through mentor-mentee relationships. The capstone project was to create a new program which involved conducting research, recruitment, management, and building campus partnerships. Evaluation included an interview conducted with the …

Addressing College Students Stress Through Coping Strategies, Daisy Valdez Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

College students often experience stress due to time management, responsibilities, and finances. This stress can negatively impact them by leading to mental health issues and affecting their academic performance. This capstone focuses on creating a plan in which students are able to handle stressful situations and have greater awareness of stress. The workshop taught students about common stress factors, the impact they have on students, how to manage negative thoughts, and coping strategies. Participants completed activities such as creating their own stress bubbles, a negative and helpful thought worksheet, and a Kahoot quiz on coping skills. Results showed that students …

Impact Of Nutrition Programs In Schools On The Well-Being Of Elementary School Students, Sophia Perea Manriquez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone explores the impact of school-based nutrition programs on the well-being of elementary school students. This research draws on the experiences and perspectives of four teachers, one principal, and three food service staff members who provide insight into how these programs are implemented and perceived within the school environment. Through the use of literature review and surveys the findings indicate the importance of school nutrition programs and the value of children having access to healthy, nutritious food, which is important for their learning and academic success. Therefore, schools should recognize the importance of nutrition programs and continue to …

The First Cut Is The Deepest: Understanding Learner Trauma In The Emergency Medicine Clerkship, Dimitrios Papanagnou, Leela Raj, Karen E. Watkins, Xiao C. Zhang, Andres Fernandez, Md, Victoria J. Marsick

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: As third-year medical students transition into high-stakes, high-stress clinical environments like the emergency department (ED), they may experience significant personal trauma. However, little is known about how this trauma is experienced early in their training - specifically during the transition from preclinical to clinical learning environments. This study addresses that gap by exploring third-year medical students' experiences of trauma during the emergency medicine (EM) clerkship through the lens of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) and identifies workplace factors and intersectional demographics influencing these experiences.

METHODS: This qualitative study used the critical incident technique to explore emotionally-significant events encountered by third-year medical …

Kiera Laney Honors Portfolio, Kiera Laney

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Kiera Laney's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Alexa Johnson Honors Portfolio, Alexa K. Johnson

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Alexa Johnson's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Jenna Shoultz-Thao Honors Portfolio, Jenna Shoultz-Thao

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Jenna Shoultz-Thao's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Bethel Zegeye Honors Portfolio, Bethel Zegeye

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Bethel Zegeye's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Brock Nielsen Honors Portfolio, Brock Nielsen

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Brock Nielsen's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Euphemia Deemi Honors Portfolio, Euphemia Deemi

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Euphemia Deemi's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Aruzhan Betigenova Honors Portfolio, Aruzhan Betigenova

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Aruzhan Betigenova's honors capstone portfolio captured in May 2026.

Trauma-Informed Care: Msw Students’ Perceptions Of Readiness And Factors Influencing Readiness, Naomi M. Jackson, Brittany Samperio, Kayla Broughton

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Although social workers frequently engage with individuals and families who have experienced complex trauma, limited research has examined whether Master of Social Work (MSW) students feel prepared to apply trauma-informed principles in professional settings. Objective: This study examined MSW students perceived readiness to implement trauma-informed care (TIC) and identified factors that may influence their preparedness. Methods: This study used an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design. In Phase I, MSW students enrolled at CSUSB were invited to complete an anonymous online survey consisting of demographic questions, the Attitudes Related to Trauma-Informed Care (ARTIC) scale, and the Readiness to …

The Biased Divide: Perceptions And Challenges Of Esports Within Universities, Alexzandra O'Neal

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how institutional framing and student motivations influence the development and perception of collegiate Esports programs within higher education. The research explores how Esports is positioned as either a legitimate academic and competitive pursuit or a low-priority extracurricular activity, and how these perceptions impact program growth and student experience. This non-traditional thesis is presented as a documentary film utilizing a qualitative, semi-structured interview methodology. Data were collected through interviews with students, faculty, and program leaders, focusing on a comparative analysis between University of Oklahoma and University of Arkansas. Findings indicate that institutional support and framing play a significant …

Environmental Behavior And Its Relationship With The Level Of Social Responsibility Among Scout And Guide Students In Schools Of Al-Dhahirah Governorate, Sultanate Of Oman, Sulaiman Bin Khalifa Bin Nasser Almamari

Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

This study aimed to identify the degree of practicing positive and negative environmental behavior and its relationship to the level of social responsibility. This study used a quantitative approach and relied on a questionnaire as a data collection tool. A random sample of 215 male and female students was selected. The results showed that the level of social responsibility among the students in the study sample was high, and that the level of environmental behavior was average among the study sample members. The results also indicated statistically significant differences in the level of social responsibility and the degree of practicing …

Self-Compassion And Emotional Regulation: The Moderating Role Of Adhd Traits In Clinical Mental Health Counseling Field Experience Students, Alicia N. Stewart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, cross-sectional, survey study explores the potential influences of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits on clinical mental health counseling students’ capacity for self-compassion and emotional regulation. This study is grounded in Kristin Neff’s self-compassion theory (2003). Data were collected using self-reporting measures via an online survey platform through Qualtrics. Participants in this study included students in a Council for Accreditation and Counseling and Related Educational Program-accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling program currently enrolled in field experience courses including practicum, Internship I, and Internship II (N = 35) at a private southeastern university. This study used a Pearson’s r …

A Phenomenological Study On The Experiences Of Educators As Mentors For Homeless And Highly Mobile Students In A Rural Community, Tracy Dawn Mcpheron

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to explore how educators perceive an implemented mentoring program in which they will serve as mentors of homeless and highly mobile students in a rural school district. The mentoring program will include educators working as mentors to students coded as homeless through the McKinney-Vento Act for Homeless Education. The educators participating in the mentoring program will be the participants in this study. The participants will include middle school (6th-8th grade) through high school (12th grade), teachers, counselors, librarians, the district’s homeless liaison, and the federal programs coordinator for an East Tennessee school …

Enhancing Students’ Self-Disclosure Through Assertive Training: Evidence From A Group Counseling Intervention, Abu Yazid Abu Bakar, Khairul Bariyyah, Santy Andrianie, Setyorini Setyorini, Restu Dwi Ariyanto, Laily Tiarani Soejanto, Dzata Inasah Bil Humaydah

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

Self disclosure is a critical component of students’ social and emotional development; however, many students experience difficulties in expressing their thoughts and feelings openly, which may hinder interpersonal relationships and psychological well-being. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of group counseling using assertive training techniques in enhancing students’ self-disclosure. A quantitative approach with a pre-experimental one-group pre-test–post-test design was employed. The participants consisted of five junior high school students identified as having low self-disclosure levels through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a self-disclosure scale and analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired samples t-test, effect size (Cohen’s d), Wilcoxon signed-rank …

Use Of Resistive Exercise Snacks To Improve Upper Body Fitness In Undergraduate And Graduate Students, Zachary Abouelkawaam, Kevin Vaughan, Alexander Rothstein, Abdelmohsen Mossolem, Jean-Paul Dodier, Carlos Africa, Freddie Leong, John Handrakis

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Graduate/undergraduate students lack time for consistent physical activity, leading to declines in fitness. Exercise snacks (ExSnck), short bouts of submaximal exercise performed throughout the day, may offer a solution. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of a 6-week upper body ExSnck program on endurance, strength, power, and enjoyment compared to a 1-set maximal exercise (MaxEx) protocol and a control group. METHODS: 43 participants were randomly assigned to ExSnck (n=15), MaxEx (n=16), or Control (n=12) groups. The ExSnck group performed 33% of their maximal push-ups and plank time for 3 sessions/day (sessions ≥2hrs apart). The MaxEx group performed the same …

Library Newsletter: Late April ‘26, Iwasaki Library

Iwasaki Newsletters

This Library Newsletter reached faculty, staff, and students of Emerson College on April 24th, 2026. This is the second published issue of April 2026. This is the thirteenth issue of the third volume. It includes top stories such as extended hours, Relaxapalooza recap, an FDS survey, a poll on favorite bookmarks, reading and viewing materials for travel, alumni benefits, and a reminder that published newsletters are on Digital Commons!

Intrinsic Motivation And Academic Achievement In College Students, Amaia Taylor, Cindy Khan-Jordan, Patrick J. Cooper

Student Publications and Presentations

This study examines how intrinsic and extrinsic motivation relate to academic achievement among college students. Intrinsic motivation, which is driven by curiosity and personal growth, is often associated with positive outcomes such as higher grades and "ownership" over one's education. The link between extrinsic motivation (being motivated by external rewards or pressure) and these outcomes is less clear. The research also explores how mental health factors, (e.g., depression, anxiety, and stress) and international student status (domestic students vs. international students) may affect these relationships. Data will be collected from Lynn University students using online surveys and objective reports of academic …