Transitioning To The American School System: Insights From Immigrant English Language Learners And Factors Influencing Their Success, Yolanda Gomez

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This qualitative study examined the factors influencing the post–high school experiences of immigrant English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States. Fourteen recent high school graduates from the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Ecuador, and Peru participated in semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed using grounded thematic coding within a social-ecological framework. Four interconnected themes emerged: (1) Language Acquisition, including challenges and empowerment through developing English proficiency; (2) Support Systems, such as family, teachers, peers, and community mentors; (3) Social and Cultural Integration, facilitated by extracurricular involvement and adaptation to new norms; and (4) Resilience and Personal Growth, reflected in persistence, self-efficacy, and …

Wrap-Around Support Services For The Spanish-Speaking Immigrant Student And School Belonging, Genesi Miles

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Wrap-Around Support Services for the Spanish-Speaking Immigrant Student and School Belonging

Genesi Miles, Ed. M

Immigrant students and families continue to navigate systemic barriers that limit equitable access to educational opportunities and meaningful school engagement. Language differences, racism, transportation challenges, childcare constraints, intimidation, and concerns related to legal status frequently hinder immigrant families’ participation in schools (Sibley & Brabek, 2017). In New Jersey, approximately one-third of immigrant parents live below 200 percent of the federal poverty line (Hofstetter & McHugh, 2021), further compounding these challenges. Despite these realities, many U.S. schools lack intentional planning to support immigrant populations, a gap …

Incivility In Nursing: The Experience Of Registered Nurses In The Emergency Department, Karen Voorhees

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) predicts that due to the anticipated retirement of the “baby boomer” generation coupled with an expanded need for medical care across the United States, the need for nurses will expand 6% by 2032 (AACN, 2024). This need will be impeded by nurses leaving the profession due to feelings of a poor work environment, burnout and job dissatisfaction. Incivility in nursing has been shown to be a contributor to nurses leaving their current work environments or the profession of nursing entirely.

Incivility in nursing has roots in organizational psychology and has been shown …

Does Match Matter? Examining The Role Of Student–College Match And First-Year Stem Retention, Christopher J. Shemanski

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This quantitative study examines how student–college match relates to first-year STEM retention in a nationally representative cohort of four-year, STEM-intending students from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) linked with institutional data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Building on probabilistic approaches to college match, the study first estimates each student’s predicted probability of admission to institutions in five selectivity tiers using high school GPA, standardized test scores, highest mathematics course completed, AP mathematics credits, gender, and socioeconomic status. It then compares the predicted tier with the selectivity of the institution actually attended to classify students …

Child Study Team Attitudes Toward Inclusion, Kathleen Derillo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The inclusion of students with disabilities has been the focus of both quantitative and qualitative research for more than fifty years. Despite extensive evidence demonstrating positive outcomes for learners with and without disabilities, including improved academic achievement, social skills development, and improved school culture, inclusion rates in New Jersey have remained largely unchanged. Students with disabilities continue to be educated in segregated settings at disproportionate rates. The purpose of this quantitative study was to learn about the attitudes toward the inclusion of students with mild to moderate disabilities held by Child Study Team (CST) members. The CST is composed of …

Exploring Catholic School Teachers' Perceptions Of Factors That Support Longevity: A Qualitative Study, Kelly A. Koval

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

John Staud, the executive director of Alliance for Catholic Education (2022) stated, “The greatest crisis facing Catholic education, and education in general, is the recruitment and retention of talented and committed teachers and leaders for our schools.” Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study is to illuminate and explore the practical experiences of teachers who have longevity in Catholic schools with respect to their perceived needs, challenges and support in the mid-to-later years of their career path. Through the lens of self-determination theory, this study aims to describe the internal and external factors that teachers describe as “playing a role” …

Pain Management In Opioid Users, Dawn Starbinski

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

ABSTRACT

Chronic pain remains a significant public health concern in the United States, contributing to disability, reduced quality of life, and over-reliance on traditional opioids. Amid the opioid epidemic, healthcare systems are increasingly seeking safer alternatives to conventional opioid prescribing. (NIDA, 2023).This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to evaluate nursing knowledge on the implementation of buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) as a pain management strategy in adult patients with chronic opioid use. The project was conducted in an inner-city Subacute Nursing facility with a population of adult patients experiencing long-term pain who were either opioid-tolerant or at high risk for opioid-related …

Unveiling Unseen Obstacles: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Black Women's Tenacity In Doctoral Programs, Yolanda V. Jackson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This phenomenological study explores the lived and student experiences of Black women pursuing Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degrees in the United States, centering the underexamined internal barrier of Imposter Syndrome — the persistent experience of intellectual fraudulence in the face of demonstrated competence.

The study investigated Black women's perceptions of Imposter Syndrome, the lived and student experiences that contribute to feelings of imposterism, and the coping mechanisms and strategies they employ to persist and succeed in doctoral programs. A pre-screening survey administered to 124 Black women enrolled in doctoral programs across the United States measured …

A Quality Improvement Project: The Implementation Of A Nurse Driven Morbidity And Mortality Review In An Emergency Department Setting, Abby Beutel

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

Background: Morbidity and mortality reviews/conferences (MMR) are a mandatory curriculum requirement for medical residency programs throughout the United States to identify and reduce medical errors. Only within the past few decades have hospital organizations expanded MMRs to multidisciplinary teams to include medical professionals who are rendering care at the bedside more than medical providers.

Purpose: This quality improvement (QI) project focuses on the application of a nurse drive MMR amongst emergency department (ED) nurses in a community hospital in Northern Bergen County, New Jersey. This ED nurse driven MMR measured the ED nurse’s knowledge and confidence levels as it …

Exploring Practicing Registered Eeg Technologies' Opinions And Preferences Regarding Electroencephalographic Scope Of Practice Standard Forms Of Occupational Regulations, Richard A. Steer

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract Background: Neurodiagnostic (NDT) is the study and recording of electrical activity in the central and peripheral nervous systems, it is essential for providing critical information that can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders. EEGs are the most frequently performed NDT procedures. The proportion of hospitalizations involving EEG use increased by 122.7% from 2003 to 2014, an average increase of 11.2% annually and continues to grow. The rate of rEEG use increased by 49.4% over 11 years (4.5% annually), while cEEG use increased by 302.3% (27.5% annually) (Bernheimer et al., 2018). Under existing law, the EEG profession …

Nathaniel Hawthorne And The Limits Of Half-Feminism, Jessica Mckenzie

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This project argues that while Nathaniel Hawthorne creates intellectually complex and emotionally resilient female heroines in The Scarlet Letter and The Blithedale Romance, he ultimately reinforces the patriarchal structures he appears to critique. Through the figures of Hester Prynne and Zenobia, Hawthorne demonstrates a deep awareness of women’s societal oppression and the limitations imposed upon them within nineteenth-century America. However, despite moments of resistance and autonomy, these women are never permitted full liberation, agency, or lasting fulfillment. Their narratives ultimately become constrained by the patriarchal power that denies them independence and sustaining love. Thus, Hawthorne’s work coincides with the …

The Use Of Video Modeling With Older Learners With Autism Spectrum Disorder To Increase Adl Skill Acquisition: A Systematic Review, Marianne Feliciano

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong condition that can significantly impact functional independence across the lifespan. Although video modeling is an evidence-based intervention shown to improve adaptive and daily living skills in children and young adults with ASD, its effectiveness for adults aged 40 years and older remains unclear. This systematic review examined the existing literature on the use of video modeling to increase daily living (ADL) skills and independence among older adults with ASD. A systematic review of PsychINFO via EBSCO was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Of 578 records initially identified, 20 full-text articles were assessed for …

(The) Invisible Threads: Portraiture, Memory, And Relational Endurance, Behnaz Ghasempour

Masters Theses, 2020-current

(The) Invisible Threads is an MFA thesis investigating how invisible interpersonal bonds, collective traces, and communal endurance can be made perceptible through drawing, material, and immersive installation. Drawing from my lived experience as an Iranian woman who has witnessed everyday constraint, collective uprising, and migration, the project asks how the presence of others continues to inhabit the body and shape identity even in conditions of separation and distance. Large-scale self-portraits, layered with other faces on transparent fabrics, copper plates, and stitched threads, position the artist’s own body as a site where personal and collective histories converge, allowing the self to …

An Exploration Of The Experiences Influencing The Trajectory Of Black Women Mid-Level Managers Into Senior-Level Administration At Predominantly White Institutions, Christine Hampton Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the experiences of Black women in mid-level, non-faculty management roles at public Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) in the Southeastern United States, with a focus on how these experiences influence their pathway into senior-level administrative positions. Grounded in Black Feminist Thought, the research utilized narrative inquiry to center the voices of Black women, recognizing their lived experiences as valuable and often underrepresented sources of knowledge in higher education leadership literature. Three research questions guided the study: (1) What experiences do Black women consider the most significant in their trajectory from mid-level manager to senior-level administrator at Predominantly …

Reconciliation: An Auditory Exploration Of Redemptive Suffering, Emily Eid

MFA in Visual Art

Reconciliation examines the intersection between chronic pain, Catholic theology, and contemporary sound art through the lens of radical honesty. It documents a dramatic aesthetic and spiritual pivot in my art practice, moving from grotesque, abject portrayals of agony to a hopeful representation of redemptive suffering. I share how the project evolved from an installation of anthropomorphic furniture to a sculptural work using my bed, to an audio piece presented in a semi-private “confessional booth,” all while challenging the misconceptions surrounding chronic pain and disability. Utilizing the theories of Roland Barthes, I break down the semiological and authorial aspects of the …

What Are You?: The Impacts Of Salient Relationships And Monoracist Experiences On Multiracial Individuals’ Well-Being, Annika E. Duquet

Doctoral Dissertations

The multiracial population is one of the fastest growing groups as interracial partnerships continue to rise (Lee, 2008). This dissertation focused on multiracial Indian and white individuals and explored the processes of developing one’s identity and social relationships through identifiable experiences. The adult participants, located throughout the United States, recalled experiences from throughout their life that they encountered with peers, family members, community members, romantic partners, and other systems of support. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology, the research questions guiding the study were: 1) What are the ways in which salient relationships affect an Indian and white individual’s meaning-making …

Associations Between Father–Mother Food Parenting Practices And Children’S Dietary Intake, Brian K. Lo, Natalie Grafft, Mariane Helen De Oliveira, Sebastien Haneuse, In Young Park, Alejandra Cantu-Aldana, Katherine W. Bauer, Rebekah Levine Coley, Jorge E. Chavarro, Kirsten K. Davison, Jess Haines

Human Genetics Publications

Objective: To examine whether the number of parents using high levels of structure or coercive control food parenting practices is associated with children’s dietary intake.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of father–mother dyads from the Fathers & Families cohort study. Fathers and mothers independently reported their food parenting practices and child’s dietary intake. Multivariate logistic regression models estimated associations between the number of parents (0, 1 or 2) using high structure or coercive control practices and children’s intake of fruit, vegetables, fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), adjusting for demographics and recruitment site.

Setting: United States

Participants: 474 father–mother dyads with a …

The Role Of Math Anxiety – And Associated Support Mechanisms And Strategies – In The Academic Success Of Stem College Students, William Jacob Tschume

Theses and Dissertations

Math anxiety has been widely documented as a barrier to student success, yet its role within institutional student success frameworks – particularly in gateway STEM courses – remains underexamined. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between math anxiety, academic support mechanisms, and academic performance among undergraduate STEM students enrolled in a gateway mathematics course at a large, public, research-intensive university. Guided by the Debilitating Anxiety Model, student success frameworks, Social Cognitive Career Theory, and equity-oriented perspectives, this study addressed three research questions: (1) how student demographic characteristics relate to levels of math anxiety, (2) the …

Exploring The Effect Of Students' Exclusionary Discipline On Their Academic Achievement In A Rural High School., Danya Turner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the extent to which exclusionary discipline practices, specifically in-school suspension and out-of-school suspension, are associated with academic achievement among high school students. More specifically, the study investigated the relationship between students’ exclusionary discipline days and performance on Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) assessments in Algebra I, Biology, English II, and U.S. History. The study was guided by the Opportunity to Learn (OTL) framework, which emphasizes the importance of access to instructional time for student academic success. Archival discipline and assessment data were collected from a rural public high school in east-central …

Tracing Hazing Across Adolescence: Examining How Prior Hazing Experiences Shape Hazing Motivation And Tolerance Among Newly Initiated Ifc Fraternity Members, John Michael Vanhorn

Theses and Dissertations

Hazing remains pervasive and underreported, disproportionately affecting adolescent and emerging adult men, particularly within athletic teams and fraternity contexts. Although hazing is most often studied within collegiate organizations, many students encounter hazing behaviors prior to college, yet little is known about how these early experiences shape later hazing perceptions, motivations, tolerance, and masculine norms. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model, this dissertation conceptualizes hazing as a developmental process shaped by repeated social interactions, individual characteristics, contextual environments, and time across adolescence and emerging adulthood. Using a two-paper approach with a quantitative, longitudinal survey design, study 1 examined fraternity new members’ …

Closing The Implementation Gap: A Research-Based Playbook For High-Quality Teacher Mentoring Programs, Angela White

Theses and Dissertations

This capstone project addresses the ongoing problem of inconsistent, unstructured, and unsustainable mentoring practices in K–12 schools, which contribute to new teacher burnout, uneven instructional support, and high turnover rates. The purpose of the project is to design a research-based mentoring implementation system that strengthens novice teacher support while building mentor capacity. The study is guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and informed by ERIC implementation strategies, which together provide a structured lens for understanding barriers, facilitators, and effective actions related to mentoring implementation. The research questions explore how intervention characteristics, school-level contextual factors, and implementation processes …

Machine Learning-Based Decision Support Models With Applications In Postsecondary Education, Marco Paolo Anglesio

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the deployment of machine learning methodologies in an industrial engineering framework for the development of advanced decision support systems in the context of enrollment management. Drawing on techniques from educational data mining, the research addresses three key phases in the lifecycle of traditional and non-traditional students. First, it analyzes student retention using predictive classification models designed to identify individuals at elevated risk of attrition. Second, it employs temporal convolutional networks for time series forecasting, estimating aggregate enrollment levels over highly variable, finite planning horizons on the basis of partially observed data and using an asymmetric loss function. …

Institutional Predictors Of Overall Retention And Graduation Rates For Black Male Students At Public Two-Year Colleges In The Southeastern United States, Jonathan Larry Armstrong

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative, cross-sectional, non-experimental study examined institutional characteristics associated with retention and graduation outcomes at public two-year colleges in the Southeastern United States. Using data from the Fall 2023 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the study analyzed institutional student–faculty ratio, core expenditures per full-time equivalent (FTE) student, and academic support expenditures per FTE as predictors of institutional full-time fall-to-fall retention rates for all students and 150% graduation rates for Black male students. Descriptive statistics indicated substantial variation across institutions in spending and student outcomes. Simple linear regression analyses revealed no statistically significant relationships between student–faculty ratio or core expenditures …

The South Got Somethin' To Say!: Black Student Affairs Professionals Sustaining Equity Work Amid Dei Dismantling, Jaborius D. Ball

Theses and Dissertations

Scholarship within the academy extensively interrogates the realities of Black faculty but neglects the lived experiences of Black Student Affairs Professionals (BSAPs). This omission renders BSAPs labor and experiences institutionally invisible while reinforcing the narrative of equity work being a racial obligation pushed on Black professionals rather than institutional responsibility. Although representing 15% of the higher education workforce, this gross percentage is disproportionately concentrated in lower-paying, non-exempt staff positions (e.g., service, office/clerical) rather than in decision-making authority (CUPA-HR, 2025). Despite structural marginalization and inconsistencies, institutions rely on Black professionals to bear the brunt of racialized equity labor work classified as …

Assessing Differences In The Frequency And Severity Of Osteoarthritis On The Mandibular Condyles Between Males And Females At Tell Abraq, Brittany C. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Tell Abraq, a Bronze and Iron Age site in the United Arab Emirates, was a center of trade and cultural expansion during the Umm an-Nar period (2700–2100 BCE). Its multichambered tombs contain large, commingled burials, reflecting increasing sedentism and agricultural practices. This study examines mandibular osteoarthritis (OA) to explore lived experience and biomechanical stress. A total of 138 adult mandibles were analyzed for sex and OA severity. Results show generally mild and infrequent OA, though preservation limited analysis. Sex estimates suggested more gracile morphologies than previously identified. No strong sex-based differences in OA were observed. Overall, findings highlight the impact …

Mandates Versus Capacity: Utilizing Pace To Proactively Approach Teacher Evaluation For High School Administrators In Mississippi, Jessica Paige Posey Cumberland

Theses and Dissertations

A lack of teacher support from administration remains one of the leading reasons provided by teachers leaving the classroom exacerbating the growing teacher shortage nationwide. Over the past twenty years, policies have been passed in the form of teacher evaluation systems in order to ensure support for teachers is provided and that quality educators are servicing public school students in the U.S. Oftentimes relying on already overburdened administrators in the school to provide the mandated support without the consideration of the existing environmental demands of the administrator, specifically time as a resource, the potential for administrators to cope with the …

Faculty Perceptions Of Transfer Students: How Characteristics And Experiences Inform Faculty Predispositions Toward Transfer Students In Senior Institutions, Tracey Ann Dubard

Theses and Dissertations

Faculty perceptions of student populations have been widely discussed, but the conversation has seldom focused on the transfer student population. Because a third of community college students choose to transfer into four-year institutions, the elements of the environment awaiting them are worthy of exploration. The classroom setting is a shared experience for transfer students. Therefore, faculty can play a significant role in creating a climate of support for this population. However, the opposite may be true. Transfer students often arrive on campus to find an environment that is mostly focused on traditional students. The lack of a supportive environment may …

The Role Of Risk And Resilience In Psychological Distress: An Application Of The Minority Stress Model, Rachel Clair Franklin

Theses and Dissertations

LGBT individuals experience disproportionate levels of psychological distress compared to heterosexual populations, often attributed to minority stressors, including experiences of discrimination and victimization. Guided by the Minority Stress Model, the present study examined whether social and community support moderated the relationship between minority stress and psychological distress, and whether rejection sensitivity and fear of discrimination mediated these associations. Data were collected from a sample of 251 individuals who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender in the United States. Multiple regression, moderation, and mediation analyses using the PROCESS macro were conducted to examine relationships among experiences of discrimination, sexuality-based victimization, …

A Woman’S Wilderness: Fostering Mental Well-Being Through Sensory Stimulation In The Outdoors, Anah Gaynes

Theses and Dissertations

The female experience with nature is unique (Nurse, G. A., Benfield, J., Bell, P. A., 2010). This provokes the question explored in this study: “What sensory interactions impact women’s mental well-being in nature-based therapy programs?” This study invited participants of nature-based retreats held at 4 Winds Farm in Glenwood Springs, Colorado or Summit Sisters at Cal-Wood Education Center in Jamestown, Colorado. Findings indicate that women’s positive emotions are significantly impacted by their sensory experiences. It also revealed a fascination with trees and the importance of tactile experiences. For landscape architects this brings about a new challenge in designing for the …

Investigating Teacher Cognition Of Teaching Spatial Thinking Among Middle And High School Stem Teachers: A Knowledge, Belief, And Attitude Perspective, Jonathan Grant Harris

Theses and Dissertations

Spatial thinking is a critical cognitive ability that supports learning and problem solving across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Despite extensive research highlighting the importance of spatial thinking in STEM achievement and career success, limited research has examined STEM teachers’ cognition of spatial thinking or developed instruments to measure it. The purpose of this study was to investigate middle and high school STEM teachers’ cognition of spatial thinking, including their perceived pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of spatial thinking, self-efficacy beliefs about teaching spatial thinking, and attitudes toward spatial thinking as a critical component of STEM learning and achievement. …