Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of A Novel Kt Tool For Parents Of Children With Idd Seeking Emergency Care, Shannon Scott, Sarah Elliott, Hannah M. Brooks, Gwen Erdmann, Lisa Hartling

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Children with intellectual developmental disorders (IDD) are generally defined as those under 18 years old who have conditions that can adversely impact their physical, intellectual, and/or emotional development. Taking a child to an emergency department (ED) is often unexpected and stressful for the parents and child. Children with IDDs are among the highest users of emergency health care services in their age group (3), with complex and challenging ED experiences. Digital knowledge translation (KT) tools can effectively share experiences and health information while addressing the learning needs of parents.

The aim of this study is to report on the …

Cultivating Community Resilience Through Youth Engagement, Elizabeth K. Anthony, Allison Mullady, Kendelle Brown, Michelle Blagg-Catone, Stephanie Castillo

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This article presents the impact of Arizona State University’s Design Studio for Community Solutions (DSCS) on youth engagement and community resilience. Through a mixed-methods approach, the study assesses the impact of DSCS programs on youth engagement and community resilience. The findings highlight best practices, underscoring the importance of consistent communication, trust-building, and community representation. Additionally, the research offers nuanced recommendations for future investigations, emphasizing the importance of continuous data collection and periodic assessments to drive ongoing improvement and address unmet community needs.

Gathering At The Table: Using Food To Heal On One’S Grief Journey, Jamie B. Daugherty, Jada Staat, Julie Rachford

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This research study explored the registered dietitian nutritionist’s (RDN) role and impact while supporting those on their grief journey. Data collection methods included a focus group, journaling, workshop evaluations, and photo elicitation. Qualitative data analysis highlighted three themes emerging from a six-week culinary nutrition education support workshop: providing intention, building community, and showcasing RDNs as encouraging companions, by contributing their skills of nutrition education and hands-on culinary applications, supporting individuals continuing to grieve.

The Impact And Strategies Utilized By College Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kristi Lewis, Olivia Hansen, Amanda Kavaja

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated the growing mental health concerns seen on college campuses. A qualitative study was conducted to identify the impact and the strategies utilized by undergraduates during the pandemic. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with 15 undergraduates. Findings suggest that college students encountered academic challenges and social struggles during COVID. The academic challenges and social struggles experienced during the pandemic have only added to the growing mental health concerns of college students.

Building Community One Structure At A Time: A Partnership Between Social Work And Landscape Architecture Students, Kenya M. Cistrunk, Elizabeth P. Tofte, Juriel A. Rogers

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Experiential learning is invaluable when promoting interdisciplinary approaches to teaching complex issues. This article reports on a five-week collaboration between undergraduate stu-dents in social work and landscape architecture courses, project impetus being a common-reading text. Students (n=54) constructed three-dimensional models of children’s playgrounds and prepared academic posters describing restorative interventions based on their service-learning experiences with community partners. Projects were displayed at university-sponsored workshops. Participation in common reading programs has promising implications for interdis-ciplinary collaboration.

Helping Persons Experiencing Homelessness Complete Advance Directives: A Model For Service Learning Within A Community-Academic Partnership, Woods Nash, Sandra J. Mixer, Polly M. Mcarthur, Annette Mendola, Kylie Jackson, Caroline Darlington, Bruce Spangler, Merrell Pressley, Erin Conley

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Despite their interest in completing advance directives (ADs), persons experiencing homeless-ness (PEH) appear to have fewer surrogate decision-makers and limited opportunities for ad-vance care planning (ACP). Nursing students and faculty, a hospital bioethicist, and social ser-vice agency staff formed a community-academic partnership that helps PEH complete advance directives. This unique service-learning opportunity offers a model for assisting vulnerable pop-ulations with advance care planning. Model effectiveness and limitations are described from each partner’s perspective in their own words.

Urban University Community Engagement: Questions Of Commitment To Democratic Ethics And Social Change, Khaula Murtadha

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This paper examines ethical issues underpinning urban university engagement in community spaces. The intent is to encourage an evaluation stance and consider how university representatives and community representatives might justly approach and develop partnerships. The paper questions whether faculty, staff, and community partners take action to cultivate public dialogue, or what might be called democratic voice, to bring about social change. Social change organizations unambiguously try to affect and reshape public and environmental affairs, group dynamics, processes, and outcomes. Are the university administration and faculty, in partnership with community stakeholders, ready to take on the charge of social change organization?

Community Engagement: It Is All About Relationships!, Jennifer June Anderson

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

The ability to generate sustainable, mutually beneficial, interprofessional teams becomes a critical skill for today’s emerging professionals. Interprofessional teams can be developed among community-university partners to bridge the intellectual resources of academe through a model of scaffolding interrelated paradigms. This work will provide a conceptual framework for enhancing community engagement through interprofessional collaborative practices for continuing education programs.

Student Reflections On Service‐Learning: Cognitive, Affective, And Behavioral Lessons, Maria L. Claver, Lisa A. Lares, Lauren Gelgur

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Service-learning is an educational experience that allows students meaningful interaction with older adults. Students in a gerontology course completed service-learning and recorded their experiences in weekly journals. This study explored student-reported reflections, which indicated cognitive, affective, and behavioral lessons. Future research should include the perspectives of faculty members, agencies, and older adults; long-term influences of service; and approaches to facilitating service-learning for hybrid and online courses.

The 505 Initiative: Service Learning And Student Philanthropy In Graduate Social Work, Jessica Averitt Taylor, Caroline Macke, James E. Taylor

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This case study describes a community engagement project involving graduate social work students. The project centered on a specific area in Northern Kentucky: the Westside neighborhood of Newport. Efforts included a student philanthropy component that fostered community exploration, an assessment of strengths and challenges, service learning and an involved grants process, and student-initiated volunteer hours. The students demonstrated increased commitment to community and connected community engagement with student philanthropy and course concepts.

Designing With Communities For Humanity-Centered Design: Advancing Sustainability Knowledge And Practices In Industrial Design Education, Yoon Jung Choi, Jiayuan Dong, Brook Kennedy

Learn X Design Conference Series

Participatory design with community engagement has demonstrated significant potential for addressing the complexities of environmental governance and fostering interconnected systems to accelerate the circular economy. This highlights the need for a paradigm shift in design education, transitioning from traditional human-centered methodologies to a broader humanity-centered approach. This paper examines insights gained by Industrial Design students at Virginia Tech through a collaboration with local stakeholders in Floyd aimed at promoting sustainability. The project focused on reducing wasteful behaviors associated with end-of-life products by developing design and service solutions to minimize landfill disposal through participatory design processes. Students proposed twenty-seven design concepts …

Exploring Cross-Disciplinary Lessons In Interaction Design Courses, Joshua Pridemore, Molly Briggs, Abigail Chen, Laura Chiaramonte, Rachael Dietkus, Fengzhou Shao, Ben Tairy, Fan Xia, Yiqi Xiao, Amanda Yates

Learn X Design Conference Series

This case study explores the transformative potential of cross-disciplinary approaches in teaching interaction design for social impact. By integrating insights from diverse fields such as trauma-informed design, interactive dance, media theory, and environmental storytelling, the course challenges students to think beyond traditional design practices. Students were encouraged to create projects that not only demonstrated technical and creative expertise but also engaged deeply with emotional, societal, and ethical dimensions of design. The course culminated in a public exhibition where students showcased interactive installations addressing real-world issues, including online safety, animal testing, environmental awareness, and technology addiction. Through a combination of theoretical …

Evaluating Community-Academic Partnerships In Design Projects, Cambey Mikush, Cristina Leos, Jamie Nicole Elsner, Liz Chen

Learn X Design Conference Series

Community and academic partnerships (CAPs) represent a dynamic interplay of stakeholders, including students, faculty, and community practitioners, who act as creators, connectors, and catalysts in the design education ecosystem. These partnerships can be mutually beneficial by providing experiences for students to engage in real-world learning while creating impact within the community served. Design courses within higher education build skills for innovative problem-solving and offer opportunities for community partners to collaboratively tackle design challenges alongside students. While the impact of design courses on student learning is well-documented, little is known about the impact on community partners. In this statement of pedagogy, …

Teaching Contemporary Design Methods In Highly Regulated Industries: A Case Study, Jasmine Sarin, Asawer Ahyed, Santosh Basapur, Raj Shah, Zach Pino

Learn X Design Conference Series

This paper presents an examination of teaching contemporary design methods to professionals in highly regulated industries; defined as sectors characterized by extensive government oversight, strict compliance requirements, standardized processes, and formal risk management protocols that significantly constrain operational decision-making and innovation approaches. While design thinking has gained widespread adoption across many sectors, professionals in highly regulated industries often need help with design approaches due to perceived conflicts with evidence-based practices and regulatory requirements. Through a structured series of workshops, we contended with these dynamics while introducing systems thinking and futuring methods to medical researchers and community navigators. The study addresses …

Let’S Figure This Out Together: Building Social Support Through Cross-Pollinative Design Studio Pedagogy, Zhengping Liow, Ye Zhang

Learn X Design Conference Series

In an era characterised by global interconnectedness and complexity, integrating diverse perspectives through cross-pollinative design processes has become paramount. However, the unidirectional, the ubiquitous One-on-One Master-Apprentice design studio pedagogy has negated the potential of Social Support towards a divergent and explorative design process. This study discussed the impact of social support on academic scores of beginning design students in two district studio pedagogical frameworks: the traditional One-on-One Master-Apprentice model and the experimental Cross-pollinative Team Learning (CTL) studio pedagogy. With a longitudinal quantitative Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) design, participants’ perceptions of Social Support as Teacher-student relationship (TSR) and Student-student relationship (SSR) …

Social Action, Service Learning, And Youth Development, Joan Arches

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

University service-learning students worked with middle school youth in a social change project addressing positive youth development and civic engagement. Based on their knowledge of positive youth development theory and British Social Action, they facilitated a weekly group in which the youth identified combatting oppression by teachers (adultism) for their project. They discussed the problem, designed surveys, analyzed the data, and presented their findings. The youth demonstrated individual competencies and connected with adults while they learned to work collectively in a community change project.

Mentoring Incarcerated Youth: A Community-Based Learning Experience, Mitzi Lowe, Nancy Nisbett

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Recognizing the importance of university and community partnerships to address social issues, a mentoring program was implemented on a juvenile justice campus (JJC). A collaborative effort between a regional Hispanic-serving university, the county probation department, and a non-profit agency resulted in the development and implementation of a mentoring program with incarcerated youth. Students assisted in the development and implementation of the mentoring program, which incorporated life skills development, violence prevention, financial planning, parenting groups, needs assessments, and meditation. Student perceptions of their experience were explored using qualitative research methods. Educational benefits, the importance of collaboration, and the relationship between self-efficacy …

A User-Friendly Guide To Intergenerational Service Learning, Denise C. Lewis, Desiree M. Seponski

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This article describes and provides a timeline for establishing an intergenerational service learning (ISL) program, the Friendly Visitors Program (FVP). The nationally recognized FVP has grown to about 100 students visiting approximately 200 elders each semester in more than 10 different facilities ranging from an adult day center to a small, rural assisted living facility. This article provides a timeline, textbooks, forms, and journal questions so that other scholars can replicate the FVP with ease.

Safer Spaces: Creating A Supportive Rehabilitation Environment For Gay, Transgender And Questioning Youth, Corey W. Johnson, Edward A. Delgado-Romero

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This manuscript describes Safer Spaces, a semester-long outreach program between faculty, students and the Augusta Youth Detention Center Campus (AYDC). The purpose of the project was two-fold: (a) to meet an expressed need of a state agency and (b) to create a unique opportunity for university outreach and service learning. Safer Spaces centered on assessing and meeting the needs of staff and adjudicated youth with resources about gay and transgender identity development in a predominantly African American facility with a group of interdisciplinary service-learning students in Counseling-Psychology, Recreation and Leisure Studies, and Women’s Studies.

Community-Based Learning And Social Capital: Exploring Student Attitudes And Perceptions Of Connectedness To Campus And Diverse Communities, August John Hoffman

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Community service activities, civic engagement, and volunteer services have been identified as key elements in improving how individuals relate and communicate with each other in society. Social capital also has been described as a highly useful form of social networking that empowers community members to collectively use each other as potential resources. The current study explored how participants from non-traditional backgrounds (i.e., ethnicity, culture, and age) completed a variety of interethnic community service activities. We hypothesized that increased exposure with members of diverse ethnic groups through community service activities would show reductions in ethnocentric attitudes and also show increases in …

Consortium, University, And Program Impact On Regional Economy And Community, Sean Creighton, Robert J. Sweeney, Katherine Cauley

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Community engagement in higher education has become increasingly widespread. As a consequence, universities find themselves learning how to integrate community engagement on their own, from each other, and, hopefully, from their community partners. This article discusses three distinct cases–a consortium, university, and program–and their impacts on a regional economy and community. In addition to illustrating intentional macro to micro community engagement practices, the article notes key findings from regional institutional collaborations. Further, the article recommends benchmarks for evaluating the quality and effective practice of community engagement.

Serve At Your Own Risk?: Service-Learning In The Promotion And Tenure Process, Jacquelyn B. Frank, Mark Malaby, Laura Raidonis Bates, Marcie Coulter-Kern, Sheron Fraser-Burgess, J. R. Jamison, Linda Stalker Prokopy, Nathan A. Schaumleffel

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Pre-tenure faculty integrating service-learning into their professional roles are often uncertain about its position in the faculty reward system. This study gathered data from administrators at five institutions of higher education in Indiana to learn if and how service-learning is credited toward tenure and promotion at their institutions. The results point to the need for junior faculty members and administrators to be cautious when implementing and evaluating service-learning initiatives.

Evaluating The Impact Of Seed Money Grants In Stimulating Growth Of Community-Based Research And Service-Learning At A Major Public Research University, Judith A. Jetson, Mary E. Evans, Wendy Hathaway

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

At a major research university, community engagement must intersect with research productivity and attract external funding to be well-regarded. At USF, community engagement increased its value to the institution by using seed grants for community-based research and service-learning projects. Between 1998 and 2006, 132 projects received $1.65 million in seed money from general revenue and local government funds, bringing over $9 million in grants to USF, a return on investment of approximately 6-to-1.

"I Just Really Felt Like I Was Heard For The First Time": Survivor Experiences With An Adult Forensic Interviewing Model, Morgan E Pettyjohn, Aly Kramer Jacobs, Khara Breeden, Bethany L Backes, Leila Wood

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Adult forensic interviewing (AFI) collects evidence for the investigation and prosecution of interpersonal violence in a trauma-informed setting. The present study uses mixed methods evaluation data from an AFI program in the U.S. to assess survivors' perceptions of safety and the utility of participating in these interviews. Most participants felt the process was beneficial to their personal lives and criminal justice system engagement by: (a) allowing them to share their stories in more detail, (b) supporting their healing journeys, and (c) helping them feel safer through resource referral. AFI is a promising practice that warrants continued research.

Um Researchers Warn Of Problem Gambling Risk Among College Students, Marisa C. Atkinson

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – The stats scrolling at the bottom of televised football games, mandated athlete injury reporting and fantasy sports drafts are not just extra information or fodder for water cooler discussions. They are for gambling.

Identification Of Leadership And Managerial Roles Used By School Superintendents To Manage Rural School Districts, Bruce Allen Gillham

Student Theses and Dissertations

The role of rural superintendents is multifaceted, often requiring a balance of strategic leadership, operational management, and community involvement within school systems that face resource limitations and geographic challenges. However, existing job descriptions for rural superintendents frequently do not reflect the realities of their daily tasks, resulting in misunderstandings and misalignments between governing bodies and the superintendents. This study aims to enhance the understanding of rural superintendents' roles by examining the experiences of four superintendents from southeastern Oklahoma. Drawing on Mintzberg's managerial role framework and an interpretive phenomenological approach, this research highlights the importance of the researcher's self-reflection and the …

Perceptions Of Adulthood Preparation Among Individuals Who Aged Out Of The Foster Care System, Victor Torrez Dawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This generic qualitative study was focused on the lived experiences of former foster care youth and their ability to acquire and retain self-sufficiency skills during their transition to adulthood. Using Bandura’s social learning theory as a framework, the research was focused on how interpersonal relationships with caregivers, mentors, and professionals influenced the development of these skills. Semistructured interviews were used to collect data from 10 former foster care youth. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, and three key themes and 13 subthemes emerged highlighting both support and barriers that youth encountered. The analysis of the data revealed that …

Democracy, Rights, Historical Memory, And Interfaith Relations In The Works Of Fatima Mernissi And Asma Uddin, Jon Armajani

The Journal of Social Encounters

The works of Moroccan-born Muslim scholar Fatima Mernissi (1940-2015) and United States-born Muslim scholar Asma T. Uddin (b. 1980) are distinctive contributions in modern conversations about the intersections of Islam, law, human and civil rights as well as historical memory and interfaith relations (AncestryLibrary, n.d.; Fox, 2015; Florida Bar, n.d.; Justia Lawyers, n.d.; Rodoski, 2011; Sadiqi, 2018).[i] Mernissi, who was a professor of sociology at Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco, and Uddin, who is an attorney and scholar based in the United States, are influential and delve into the intricate relationships between Islamic ideas and modern legal frameworks, …

Assessing Inclusion Within Naaee Affiliate Ee Associations And Where To Go From Here, Connor Chilton

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental Education (EE) has a history that has been typically defined by traditionally dominant identities (White, male, able-bodied, etc.). The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) offers a unique position as frontrunners for the field of EE and have the duty to provide an inclusive-minded education for and about the environments throughout the world. Through NAAEE’s affiliate network within the United States, this paper details a glimpse into the work towards inclusion by surveying its leadership position holders about the broad subject and several interconnections of inclusion. Upon completion of the survey, participants who opted to participate in a …

Expanding The Integrated Behavioral Health Workforce: The Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary And Behavioral Healthcare (I2pbh) Initiative, Maria Hernandez, J. Garza, Monica C. Perez, Deepu George

Research Colloquium

The I2PBH initiative offers a multi-faceted training model that integrates graduate coursework, technology-based education, and hands-on clinical experience. Students receive foundational and advanced instruction in the PCBH model, including brief evidence-based interventions, team-based care principles, population-based approaches, and culturally responsive practices. Trainees participate in interprofessional training within primary care settings under supervision, gaining exposure to the real-time pace and complexity of integrated behavioral health care.