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News From Hope College, Volume 57.2: Winter 2025, Hope College

News from Hope College

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The Power Of Partnership: A Systematic Review Of Interorganizational Collaboration Among Victim Service Organizations, Mackenzie E. Allred

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Victim service organizations inhabit an organizational niche composed of other, adjacent organizations such as hospitals, shelters, police, and prosecutors. Effectively serving victims entails building and maintaining relationships with these adjacent organizations. Limited research has sought to discuss the role of interorganizational collaboration in the context of victim service organizations. I investigate this topic by conducting a systematic literature review on the existing research focused on interorganizational collaboration among victim service organizations. With data gathered from this review, I explore the nature and extent of interorganizational collaboration and its potential impact on victim service organizations. I close with recommendations for future …

Pathways To Leadership: How Meaningful Experiences Shape Motivation In 4-H Teen Leaders, Trang Ta, Steven Krauss

Journal of Youth Development

Youth leadership development is crucial for empowering young people to thrive and contribute to society. Research on 4-H has demonstrated significant leadership growth among program participants, with effects persisting into emerging adulthood. However, little is known about what specific experiences shape 4-H youth’s motivation to lead. This qualitative study explores meaningful experiences—vividly remembered moments with positive and enduring effects—that nurture leadership motivation among 4-H teen leaders. Seven emerging adults aged 18-21 with extensive leadership experience in Missouri 4-H programs participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Using a thematic analysis approach, we identified two categories of meaningful experiences, namely transformative moments and …

Understanding Mental Health Crisis Response Through The Lens Of First Responders, Ella Gibson

Student Theses

Responses to mental health crises are becoming an increasingly contentious topic as cases of extreme police violence or fatality during a crisis are publicized in the media. Although first responders’ experiences with mental health crisis response have been explored in prior literature, there remains a lack of research that gathers data from multiple first responder roles and compares their experiences across groups. There is also a significant gap in research examining the perspectives of co-response teams. This study sought to gather qualitative data on the experiences of police officers, EMTs/paramedics, and co-response team members, and to explore their perceptions of …

"I Wished I Could Have Said Bye": Exploring Youth Reactions To Formal Mentoring Relationship Endings, Thomas E. Keller, Martha J. Mccormack, Miriam Miranda-Diaz, Alison L. Drew, Renee Spencer

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Youth mentoring programs strive to create stable, supportive relationships between adult mentors and youth mentees to promote positive youth development. Although these formal relationships always reach a conclusion, little is known about how mentees experience the endings of their relationships. This study elicits the words and perspectives of mentees to investigate the emotional reactions provoked by mentoring relationship terminations. Participants were youth (n = 72) in a prospective study of mentoring relationship development who completed a survey following the official closure of their match. Asked how they felt about the match ending, mentees more often indicated negative rather than positive …

The Influence Of Trauma-Informed Self-Care Practices On Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Traumatic Stress, And Burnout Among Educators, Giitoun Belinda Martin

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Educators play a pivotal role in supporting students who have experienced trauma, yet the emotional toll of this work is often underestimated. This mixed-methods study examined the influence of trauma-informed self-care (TISC) practices on compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress (STS), and burnout among K–12 educators in a large southeastern Tennessee district, including Priority Schools serving high-poverty communities. A total of 157 educators were surveyed, while 32 educators participated in focus groups to provide deeper insight into self-care supports. Quantitative analyses revealed that higher levels of TISC engagement were significantly associated with increased compassion satisfaction and personal accomplishment, and …

Hispanic Academic Leadership In The Health And Human Services, Gabriela Elizabeth Rangel

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, there are 63.7 million Hispanics (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023), making them the largest racial or ethnic minority in the country. National data from 2019 indicates that only 6% of tenured faculty in the U.S. were Hispanic, highlighting a significant underrepresentation of leaders in academia (NCES, 2024). This study employed a phenomenological approach with purposeful sampling, utilizing semi-structured interviews with ten participants who had leadership experience in academia within Health and Human Services (H&HS). The interviews served to explore various aspects, such as what were their aspirations to become leaders, their perceptions of the characteristics and qualities …

The Lived Experiences Of School Counselors, Job Burnout, And The Blurred Lines Of The Profession, Cecilia Angelica Gomez

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological qualitative study explores the lived experiences of school counselors during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on job burnout, role ambiguity, and the blurred lines of the profession. Through semi-structured interviews with practicing school counselors, the study identifies common themes including role overload, manifestations of burnout, coping and resilience strategies, and the impact of administrative support. Findings highlight the systemic factors contributing to counselor stress and the importance of self-care, peer collaboration, and role clarity for counselor well-being and student outcomes.

College Readiness Support, Emely Contreras

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper examines the College Readiness Support project implemented at Learning for Life Charter School (LFLCS), an independent charter school serving at-risk youth across Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz counties. LFLCS supports students who face barriers such as poverty, homelessness, foster care, and credit deficiencies, which often result in low engagement and limited postsecondary readiness. The project was developed to address these challenges by guiding juniors and seniors through the college application process and connecting them with financial aid and scholarship resources. A key component included organizing a field trip to California State University, Monterey Bay’s Educational Opportunity Program …

Behavioral Manifestations Of Childhood Abandonment: African-American Men's Reflections And Strategies To Support Teenage Boys In K-12 Education, Jarmel Bell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the behavioral manifestations of childhood abandonment as reflected in the lived experiences of African-American men and to identify strategies that may support African-American boys in K–12 educational settings. Although there has been limited documentation regarding the direct connection between childhood abandonment and behavioral challenges in school environments, this study seeks to address that gap by capturing the reflections of African-American men who experienced abandonment during their formative years. These reflections provide insight into how abandonment may shape behavior in educational spaces and what types of interventions or supports might have made a …

"Gross Normality" And "Marked Deviation": A Qualitative Study Of Disability Theory In Three Periods Of Sociological Literature, Kelsey Sullivan

Masters Theses

In the 20th century, three theoretical perspectives concurrently dominated sociological discussions of disability. Functionalism and Talcott Parsons argued for a pathologized framework in the form of a “sick role” occupied by disabled people. Interactionism and Erving Goffman emphasized the stigmas faced by individual disabled people, and the ripple-effects of those stigmas. Finally, disabled activists, inspired by social constructionism, championed the social model of disability. This model purported that disability is a social condition, resulting from systemic barriers imposed upon people who do not fit the mental or physiological norm. This project, through a content analysis of 30 historical journal articles, …

Sport Participation, Academic Engagement, And Well-Being Among Adolescents Impacted By Parental Incarceration, Sarah Kaja, Amy L. Gower Ph.D., Frederique Corcoran, Ingie Osman, Elizabeth Shaver, Samantha J. Adler, Rebecca Shlafer

Journal of Youth Development

Millions of American adolescents have experienced the developmental consequences associated with parental incarceration. Positive youth development activities, including sports team participation, could buffer some of the risks of parental incarceration. Research on sports involvement among adolescents impacted by parental incarceration is scant and suggests their participation may be limited, though a significant body of research among adolescents in general demonstrates sports team participation is associated with better outcomes. We addressed important gaps in research by 1) estimating the prevalence of sports team participation among adolescents impacted by parental incarceration, 2) examining whether sports team participation differed by socioeconomic status in …

High-School-Age Youth Serving As “Emotion Coaches” For Young Children In The Early Grades: A Feasibility Study Of A Cross-Age Approach To Social And Emotional Learning, Amanda Moreno, Maria Kontoudakis, Whitney Davis-Mcintosh, Anita Evans, Olivia Bobbitt

Journal of Youth Development

While the benefits of cross-age programming within youth have been understood for decades, such programs are rarely employed with curricula specific to social and emotional learning (SEL) or with a wide age range between the two groups of youth. This article describes the findings of a pilot implementation and feasibility study of the Emotion Coaches program, which sought to explore whether the conceptual and pragmatic challenges involved in bringing early childhood students (i.e., preschool to second grade) together with adolescent teachers delivering an SEL curriculum could be overcome. Findings from the pilot evaluation suggested that middle-school-age students are likely too …

Promoting Positive Youth Development Through Mentoring In Alternative Education, Tia S. Andersen

Journal of Youth Development

This Program and Practice article provides a comprehensive overview of a university-school mentoring program specifically designed to address the school-to-prison pipeline by supporting youth in a disciplinary alternative school setting. The purpose of this article is to offer a detailed description of the program’s structure, components, and implementation strategies, with the goal of providing practitioners with a replicable model that can be adapted for use in similar school environments. This program matches undergraduate students with high school youth removed from traditional schools due to behavioral or justice-related challenges. Grounded in a strengths-based framework, the intervention incorporates a structured mentor training …

“The Work Is Never Finished…” A Tribute To John Earl Rybolt, C.M., Betty Ann Mcneil D.C.

Vincentian Studies

Distinguished scholar of the life and work of Elizabeth Ann Seton and longtime member of the VSI Board, Sr. Betty Ann McNeil, D.C., provides a thoughtful and heartfelt tribute dedicated to the accomplished career, scholarship, and immense contributions made to Vincentian studies made by the Rev. John E. Rybolt, C.M.

Deficiencies In Non-Emergency Medical Transportation For Aging Rural Residents Of Iosco County, Michigan, Richard L. Douglass, Donald Stansloski, James Mortimer, Sam Purdy, Dale Evilsizer, Scott Rice

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Introduction: The rural aging population in Michigan struggles to access medical care often available only at significant distances due to limited health system resources and provider shortages. Access to routine care is challenged by lack of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT). The Iosco County Commission on Aging provides home-delivered meals to eligible county residents. The Rural Health Group investigated the needs of home-delivered meal recipients (aged ≥60 years) for healthcare transportation access. Utilizing data from this investigation, we examined if medical care needs were hindered by problems with transportation in rural Iosco County, Michigan.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey with …

Nursing Leadership In Dementia Care, Ada Ter Maten-Speksnijder

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Worldwide vocational education plays a crucial role in the mission towards dementia-friendly societies in which everyone is valuable and everyone can participate according to their own wishes. In the Netherlands, schools for secondary vocational education and training (VET) are particular essential in this respect, because 75% of healthcare professionals are trained here.

Healthcare professionals strive for care that goes beyond medical aspects. Especially nurses work from the unique needs and life experiences of care recipients. At the same time, they function in an environment that is constantly changing due to developments in healthcare technology and support. In order to follow …

Engage, Assess, Intervene, Evaluate: Barriers Facing The Elderly Population, Isabel Anderson, Gracie Brown, Mari Langton

Student Projects

This study examined barriers faced by older adults in Orange City, Iowa, through a mixed-methods community practice project incorporating assessment, implementation, and evaluation. During the assessment phase, researchers conducted interviews with elderly residents and professionals, gathered observational data, and facilitated community dialogue using the Nominal Group Technique. Key themes included social isolation, transportation challenges, financial strain, limited health literacy, and difficulty transitioning from independence to assisted living. A strong cultural emphasis on independence often discouraged help-seeking, while fragmented agency communication and rural limitations in specialized care further complicated service navigation. Asset mapping and power analysis highlighted community cohesion, faith-based support, …

Ddt Exposure Induces Microglial Activation And Disease-Associated Microglial Signatures: Relevance To Mechanisms Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Isha Mhatre-Winters, Aseel Eid, Nicole Blum, Yoonhee Han, Ferass M Sammoura, Long-Jun Wu, Jason R Richardson

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the presence of amyloid-β plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuroinflammation. Previously, we reported that serum levels of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), the primary metabolite of the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), were significantly higher in AD patients compared to age-matched controls and that DDT exposure worsened AD pathology in animal models.

Objective: Here, we investigated the effect of DDT on neuroinflammation in primary mouse microglia (PMG) and C57BL/6J mice.

Methods: DDT-induced inflammatory and disease-associated microglial (DAM) gene expression were determined in PMG by qPCR and immunocytochemistry, with and without pretreatment with the sodium channel antagonist tetrodotoxin (TTX). Furthermore, …

Combine Ebis: A Novel Collaborative Method For Building Interventions From Existing Evidence-Based Interventions, Justin Knox, Kara Portier, Christopher Magana, Maggie Denning, Christopher M Ferraris, Emily Dove-Medows, Cho-Hee Shrader, Ohemaa Poku, Phil Kreniske, Robert Remien, Efrat Aharonovich, Jennifer C Elliott, Denis Nash, Kathryn Lancaster, Till Baernighausen, Kayo Fujimoto, Adam Carrico, John A Schneider, Alida Bouris, D Scott Batey, Sheree R Schwartz, Jose Bauermeister, Patrick S Sullivan, Joseph G Rosen, Gina Wingood, Milton Wainberg, Deborah Hasin, Elvin Geng, Patrick A Wilson, Stefan D Baral

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Combining evidence-based interventions (EBIs) is a discrete process from adapting EBIs, and specific guidance for how to combine EBIs could be helpful amidst the proliferation of frameworks that combine and stage EBIs and calls for services to be combined or bundled. To address this gap, we developed and applied the COllaborative Method for Building INterventions from Existing Evidence-Based Interventions (COMBINE-EBIs) approach, a five-step process for combining EBIs.

Methods: The five steps of COMBINE-EBIs are: (1) Identify and Select EBIs, (2) Develop a Shared Conceptual Model, (3) Evaluate the Conceptual Model, (4) Create a Single Combined Protocol, and (5) Refine …

The Effects Of Yoga In The Classroom On Social-Emotional Learning And Student Focus, Emily Wall

Capstones, Research Projects, and Curricula

This study investigated how students respond to brief yoga and breathwork practices being introduced in a high school biology classroom, specifically looking at the impacts to students’ social-emotional competencies, engagement, and academic focus. The theory of action guiding this inquiry was that embedding yoga practices into the classroom would decrease physical tension, decrease anxiety, increase self-esteem, and improve concentration, thus supporting their ability to engage and focus during learning tasks. The inquiry examined how students respond to a daily 10-minute yoga sequence implemented over three weeks (six class sessions). Data was collected through multiple tools, including a researcher-designed pre- and …

School-Based Mental Health Services For Students With Disabilities: Exploring Benefits, Barriers, And The Role Of A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports, Veronica R. S. Meiners Perez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Schools play a significant role in the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional development of children. Students with disabilities have legal rights to all necessary support for their educational success, including mental health supports. School-based mental health and its implementation are a work in progress, facing many barriers, but the benefits speak for themselves. Research suggests that the use of a multi-tiered system of supports ensures equal and equitable interventions for all students, especially students with disabilities. This literature review analyzes 16 studies regarding school-based mental health, special education, students with disabilities, and the MTSS framework. Support students' mental health, regardless of …

Housing Programs And Resources Available For Transitional Age Youth Population: A Scoping Review, Amanda N. Esquivel

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Transitional Age Youth (TAY), are defined as individuals aged 16 to 24 transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. TAY face unique challenges in securing stable housing and developing the life skills necessary for independent living. This population often encounters significant barriers such as a lack of affordable housing, limited access to supportive services, and the residual effects of childhood trauma, systemic inequities, or time spent in foster care or juvenile justice systems. Without adequate support, TAY are at a heightened risk of homelessness, unemployment, poor mental health outcomes, and continued cycles of instability. This research paper explores and identifies effective housing …

Preschool-To-Kindergarten Transition For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kristin Claire Duncan

Dissertations

The transition from preschool to kindergarten leads to changes for students and their families regarding services, providers, and environments. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how primary caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perceived the transition from preschool to inclusive kindergarten. This study focused on the concerns, barriers, and experiences caregivers encountered throughout the transition process. By understanding caregivers’ perspectives, the study aimed to identify ways to improve kindergarten transition practices for future families. Based on existing literature, areas in need of investigation included the following: (a) how success of preschool-to-kindergarten transition impacts changes to …

Exploring Intersectional Risks Of Substance Use Disorder, Mental Health, Hiv/Aids, And Hepatitis C Among Hispanic Adults On The Tx-Mx Border: A Mixed-Methods Study, Md Mohsin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore intersectional risks of substance use disorders, mental health, HIV/AIDS, and HCV among Mexican-origin Hispanic adults on the Texas-Mexico border. Methods: The study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach, which involved collecting and analyzing qualitative data first, followed by quantitative data collection. Selected purposively, 15 in-depth interviews were conducted among the target population. Using convenient sampling, 106 cross-sectional surveys were conducted. Qualitative interview data were analyzed manually using thematic analysis. Quantitative data analyses included univariate descriptive analysis, bivariate, and multivariable penalized logistic regression, negative binomial, and zero-inflated negative binomial regression. Results: The …

Disproportionately Disadvantaged: A Narrative Literature Review Into How External Stressors And Stigmas Impact And Affect A Lgbtq+ High School And College Student's Mental Health And Education, Amaya Perkins

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The LGBTQ+ community faces many stressors in educational, societal, and professional contexts. It is important to understand the factors that affect the lives of LGBTQ+ high school and college students, as they can impact their educational quality. This thesis will explore and identify the structures in place that affect the mental health of LGBTQ+ students which range from a lack of medical support to how stigmatization and violence impact mental health. This is a narrative literature review that aims to review, critique, and synthesize the literature of 26 academic journal articles. This thesis found that LGBTQ+ students were scared to …

A Secret Society Of Readers: College-Age Mentors’ Literacy Experiences With Young Adolescent Mentees, Lindsay Persohn, Dulcey B. Hunter, Chelsea Rivera, Karyn Z. Mendez, Cheryl R. Ellerbrock, Lucy Monette

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study occurred within Year One and Year Two of an ongoing literacy initiative designed to build reader identities among underserved middle school students. Using a near-peer mentoring model, mentees were paired with college-student mentors to interact weekly around books and reading. Reader interests and identities are influenced by affective and relational approaches through mentored reading experiences and a variety of texts. This qualitative case study (n = 11 of 24 Year One and n = 13 of 37 Year Two mentors) aimed to identify the ways mentor/mentee relationships affect reader interests, attitudes, and skills, and to evaluate the …

The Him Profession And Roles: Understanding Our Path, To Plan For The Future, Kerryn Butler-Henderson, Susan H Fenton, Karima Lalani, Trixie Kemp, Salma Arabi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The health information management (HIM) profession has a history spanning more than a century, with the first peak body established in Australia more than 75 years ago (Health Information Management Association of Australia [HIMAA], 2024a). While the role title of the health information manager has changed over time, its primary function has remained the same—tooversee the governance of health data and information. This chapter presents the history of the HIM profession and professional bodies, including their involvement in informing policy and systems in Australia and other countries, and international organisations. Next, the chapter draws on literature examining the roles of …

The Impact Of Career Development Education In Rural Communities: A Program Evaluation, Hayden S. Austin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of a regional career development education program using a post-test-only, exploratory descriptive design with middle and high school students from rural and urban school districts in West Central Texas. Students who participated in the Career and Education Outreach (CEO) program received four classroom sessions focused on labor market information, high-demand industries, employability skills, and career pathways. The purpose of this research was to explore whether students’ perceptions of the value of career development education differed based on geographic region, economic level, educational level, ethnic composition of the district, and the students’ own demographic characteristics. A …

Climate Change And Population Aging, Anastasia Rhule, Michele Dinman, Natalie Galucia

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

Glaciers are shrinking, river and lake ice is melting earlier, plant and animal habitat ranges are changing, and trees and flowers are blooming earlier. Additionally, longer and more severe heat waves are occurring. Droughts, wildfires, and extreme rainfall are happening at a faster rate than previously predicted by scientists.