Digital Commons Network^™

Stepping Up, Keeping On Track, And Pulling Your Own Weight: Collaborative Arts-Based Service-Learning Metaphors, Marcy Meyer

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

In this study, the author explores metaphors related to students’ experiences conducting collaborative arts-based ethnographic research in a U.S. nonprofit organization. A metaphor analysis of 25 students’ essays revealed they were most likely to frame their experiences with arts-based service learning as a journey or a sports contest. The author examines the extent to which students’ metaphors legitimize or delegitimize arts-based service learning, as well as the degree of novelty that characterizes these metaphors. She explores the implications of her findings for teaching and promoting arts-based service learning in the academy.

Incorporating Community-Engaged Pedagogy In Online Classes: Benefits, Challenges, And Strong Practices, Emmy Price, Margaret Thomas-Evans

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Community-engagement in virtual classrooms comes with unique benefits and challenges. Between 2018-2021, technical writing e-service-learning students from Indiana University East (Richmond, Indiana) raised a total of $149,239 through grant writing projects. This e-servicelearning project gave students real-world experiences and opportunity to connect with local organizations, prompting one student to choose grant writing as a career. Many students were able to successfully obtain funding for their chosen nonprofits, giving students a sense of social responsibility.

Youth And Rock Music

Communication Research Trends

In 1954 the nineteen-year-old Elvis Presley suddenly caught the enthusiasm of millions of teenagers with a new form of pop music called rock 'n' roll. Five years later, sociologist James Coleman, in a massive survey of American adolescents, confirmed that pop music - especially rock 'n' roll - was the major form of entertainment of young people. Research continues to show that around the world teenage interest in rock music influences the television programmes they watch, the magazines they read, the cafes, youth clubs and dances they go to, and the 'necessary tools' they seek to own (transistor radios, record …

Exploring The Impact Of A Literacy-Based Service-Learning Project On Pre-Service Teachers, Shelly J. Landreth, Tara Wilson

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

In this study, we describe a teacher educator’s first experience implementing a service-learning project in a children’s literature course in which pre-service teachers helped provide read-alouds for the local public library’s summer reading program. We sought to examine the impact the project had on the seven participants. Data was collected through reflective journals and an end-of-course debrief. Four themes were identified in the data: Initial Feelings, Preparation and Planning, Lessons Learned, and Barriers and Challenges.

Interprofessional Collaboration To Address Social Isolation And Facilitate Intergenerational Service Learning Within Graduate Education, Angela Lavery, Erin Knight, Stephanie Cole, Stacie Metz

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This article presents an interdisciplinary collaboration to address the needs of older adults at risk of social isolation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. An intergenerational service-learning program developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging was offered to several universities across the state of Pennsylvania. The authors share their experience and lessons learned from pairing older adults with graduate students studying in the fields of Gerontology, Public Health, and Social Work.

Community-Engaged Learning In Liberal Arts Colleges: Developing Engaged Citizens, Vicki L. Baker, Carrie Booth Walling

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Employing an institutional case study approach, this manuscript features two high-impact learning opportunities open to Albion College students who seek to contribute to solving real-world problems in collaboration with local and surrounding communities: Albion College Community Collaborative (AC3) and Human Rights Lab. The programmatic approach to community-engaged partnerships featured sought to elevate local knowledge, promote engaged citizenship, and advance social, political, and economic change. We describe each program followed by lessons learned and critical considerations to advance the field and to inform the work of others seeking to employ a programmatic approach.

Alternative Spring Break: Engagement In A Rural, Low-Income Community, Travis West

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Community engagement programs offer college students an opportunity to impact youth in rural, low-income communities. While in a rural setting where educational training and support is not abundant, college students learn about struggles that rural, low-income youth face in exploring and attending postsecondary education options. The Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program in Vinton County impacts over 1,000 youth each year by increasing their awareness to education opportunities beyond high school. ASB college students are provided classroom instruction time to deliver content and real-life experiences to Vinton County youth.

Book Review: Transformative Critical Service-Learning: Theory And Practice For Engaging Community College And University Learners In Building An Activist Mindset By Heather Coffey And Lucy Arnold (2022), Mark Latta

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Du Rural Summit 2025: Full Conference Proceedings, 2025 Du Rural Summit

DU Rural Summit Conference Proceedings

Proceedings of the DU Rural Summit 2025, held June 27-27 in the Pueblo Convention Center. A gathering dedicated to addressing the unique opportunities and challenges facing rural schools and their communities.

Accounting, Marketing, And Technology Needs Of Black Women Business Owners In Pennsylvania Economically Distressed Communities, Darlene Booth-Bell

Pennsylvania Economic Review

In this study, we examine the survey and asynchronous interview responses of thirty-six Black women business owners to determine their self-identified needs in accounting, marketing, technology, and other business services such as supply chain knowledge, and technology. Our participants are located in small, economically distressed towns in Pennsylvania, where the number of families living below the poverty line is greater than the national average, and other indicators place these towns in a category of economically distressed. Respondents indicated a need for assistance with cash flow management and access to capital. Respondents also indicated a need for assistance with networking, online …

Sparing The Gory Details: Legal And Social Inertia And The Refusal To Confront The Body In Pregnancy, Francesca Laguardia

Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy

Health, including pain, suffering, blood, and guts, has always played an outsized role in legal and public analysis of abortion. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the health implications of forced childbirth have returned to the public’s attention, as evidenced by prevalent health exceptions to abortion bans, legal actions in regard to those bans and exceptions, public attention to those cases, and public opinion polling. Recent, highly publicized cases of medical emergencies associated with pregnancy could be expected to reinvigorate a public exploration of the health risks of pregnancy, but the public has consistently refused to acknowledge the full …

Alma Link Resolver Subject Report 2024-2025, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics for 2024-2025 on the number of OpenURL requests by Library of Congress classification code made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries.

Information provided includes Classification Code, Classifications, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, and % Clicks from Requests.

Alma Link Resolver Title & Issn Report (Top 500) 2024-2025, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics for 2024-2025 on the total number of OpenURL requests by journal title and ISSN made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries. Includes only the top 500 journals.

Information provided includes journal Title, ISSN, EISSN, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, % Clicks from Requests.

Personal Social Media Usage And The Effect On Individuals’ Job Satisfaction: A Social Identity Theory Perspective, Daniel Adam Blair

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social networking sites are web-based platforms that serve as tools to enhance connectivity and communication for a broad spectrum of different individuals, but they may be doing a disservice to the users who overuse the platforms as a means to bolster their self-esteem surrounding their different identities. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in individuals’ job satisfaction levels when using personal social media (PSM) to varying degrees and how individuals’ social identities may influence this interaction. Utilizing the social identity theory framework, this study aimed to determine whether a relationship exists between PSM usage and job …

Vân Lê, Vân Lê '26, Nathalie Romero '25, Posse Legacy Project, Illinois Wesleyan University

All oral histories

Interview of Vân Lê on July 2, 2025 Vân Le is a Posse 6 Scholar who double majored in Political Science and International Global Studies Vân was also a member of the Multilingual Accessibility RSO, Pi Sigma Alpha and Scholars at Risk chapter at IWU. She was also an Eckley Scholar for 2025.

Predictive Indicators For Graduation Upon Acceptance Into A Naacls-Approved Medical Laboratory Science Program, Warren Hovis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of selected academic and personal demographic characteristics on student success at a NAACLS-accredited medical laboratory science program in the southern portion of the United States.

Both academic and demographic categories were selected on students who entered the medical laboratory science program from 2014 to 2019 (pre-COVID). The sanitized, archived data set was provided by the MLS department and the registrar and student affairs office at the participating school. The extant data set contained academic and demographic variables, collected over a five-year period, of initially over 170 accepted MLS students. …

Highlights Of The Special Collections And Archives At Loyola University New Orleans, Mare Jaguru Lodu, Janine Whitecotton Smith

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

This article highlights unique and prominent collections in the Special Collections and Archives at Loyola University New Orleans. It includes a sampling of physical and digital collections that align with Ignatian values and reflect the research needs of the Loyola community and beyond.

Communication, Technology, And Culture

Communication Research Trends

"...from the alphabet to the motorcar, Western man has been steadily refashioned in a slow technological explosion that has extended over 2,500 years. From the time of the telegraph onward, ••• Western man bega'l to live an implosion. He began suddenly ... to play the movie of his 2,500 year explosion backward".

In characteristically vivid imagery Marshall McLuhan in Understanding Media expresses his belief in the power of technology to transform culture. McLuhan's words raise a host of questions about the complex interrelationship of culture, technology, and human consciousness. Questions such as: does technology determine cultural change? how do changes …

Television Viewing And Family Communication

Communication Research Trends

Over the past thirty years a host of research studies has sought to determine just what are the effects of television viewing on social behaviour. In particular, study after study has attempted to establish once and for all whether or not the watching of violent programmes by children and adolescents is a direct cause of later aggressive behaviour.

Yet today all that these studies can tell us for certain is that ''for some children, under some conditions, some television is harmful'' and that ''for most children, under most conditions, most television is probably neither harmful nor particularly beneficial." And we …

Navigating Economic Uncertainty With Small Business, Angela E. Nwaomah

SDA Business Teachers Conference

Abstract: In recent years, economic uncertainty has present significant challenges for many, particularly those with irregular jobs and unstable wages. This study examined the perspectives of the faith-based casual and contract employees on how they navigate the economic uncertainty with small businesses. The objective of study was to explore how contract/casual employees in faith-based organizations (FBOs) navigate financial instability by engaging in small businesses as a supplementary income source. All participants were workers of organizations of the same religious affiliation and the same employment policies guiding their operations in Kenya. Using a case study research design and purposive sampling techinque, …

Journalism, The Press And New Technology

Communication Research Trends

In Japan, the newspaper Ashai Simbun has installed a computer system which transfers newsprint to the presses, photosets the print, automatically bales the 12 million copies in the required numbers for each district of the country, and loads them on to waiting lorries; all without the help of a single human being.

Though the degree of automation at the Ashai Shimbun is exceptional, newspapers throughout the world are beginning to exploit the power of the computer to revolutionize the work ofj ournalists and printers. And not only the computer. The use of satellites for remote site printing and facsimile transmission, …

Voices Of Black Leadership: Town-Gown Relationships And The Black Community, Dave A. Louis, Kenzalia Bryant-Scott, Teranda J. Donatto

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This study explores the perspectives of 27 Black community leaders from Black communities in the United States about town-gown relationships in their communities. Utilizing the responses of the participants, a basic thematic analysis was conducted, and participants’ findings discussed. Emergent themes included issues of mistrust, division, desire for community improvement, and the positive relationships with Black colleges and universities. The researchers offer suggestions to university administrators, community engagement coordinators, and institutions about their approach to create meaningful and collaborative partnerships with Black communities.

Community Members’ Perspectives On A Community-Engaged Process For Supporting Vibrant Greenspaces In Detroit, Alysha D. Matthews, Guilherme Hebling Costa, Karl Erickson, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Amber L. Pearson, Benjamin V. Dougherty

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Greenspaces provide several well-being (Dinnie et al., 2013) and psychosocial benefits (Addy et al., 2004). Community-engaged research affords community partners a voice in the project (Cushman et al., 2004). This study assessed Detroit community members’ perceived benefits of and suggestions for engaging with the community to support greenspaces. Through qualitative analysis, a three-step process for community-engaged planning was revealed. Findings highlight strategies that involve community members in this process to enhance community engagement and well-being.

Conversations In Isolation: A Mixed-Methods, Multi-Perspective Evaluation Of Extreme Electronic Service Learning During Covid-19, Lauren M. Dinour, Jennifer Y. Daclan

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Due to physical proximity constraints imposed by COVID-19, extreme electronic service learning (e-service-learning)—instruction and service offered completely online—allowed for the safe continuation of service-learning experiences. Using a combination of surveys and an autoethnographic approach, this study describes findings of an intergenerational extreme e-service-learning project from four perspectives: students, assisted living facility residents, community partner, and course instructor. Positive impacts were noted on personal, social, and learning contexts among each of the four perspectives.

The Heritage Conversation Partners Project: Virtual Cultural Heritage Exchange In An Anthropology Course, Michael J. Kimball, Karin L. Bates, Miranda Bermudez, Liner Emilce Solarte Chourio, Amanda Consol

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

We describe the structure, benefits, and challenges associated with a virtual cultural heritage exchange (VCHE) between undergraduate students in an applied anthropology class and a group of English language learners (ELL). Using qualitative data collection and analysis methods, the project aimed to teach anthropological methods and perspectives to the students while investigating three research questions: Will a VCHE (1) build social bonds and bridges, (2) improve English language acquisition, and (3) raise “heritage consciousness” (awareness and appreciation of, along with an associated sense of agency toward, cultural heritage) among participants? Results support the research questions and show the effectiveness of …

A New Approach To Self-Assessment Of Community Engagement: A Case Study Of Technological University Dublin, Emma O'Brien, Martina Brophy, Thomas M. Cooney

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Building upon existing international tools, the TEFCE (Towards a European Framework for Community Engagement of Higher Education) Toolbox for community engagement represents an innovative, robust, and holistic framework to support universities in reflecting upon their community engagement. Through a case study approach, this paper highlights the piloting of the TEFCE Toolbox at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), Ireland. Through an inclusive and participatory methodology, the process facilitated the recognition of community engagement achievements and the identification of potential areas for improvement.

“There Is Just A Sense Of Joy In This Work”: Drivers Of Faculty Engagement With Community, David C. Ensminger, Mitchell A. Hendrickson, Jon J. Schmidt

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

American universities have been engaged with their communities as long as there have been universities in America. The nature, purpose, and motivation behind that engagement have evolved. This article explores the motivation behind faculty engagement with their communities. We wanted to better understand what compels faculty to participate in and work in the community despite the many and varied barriers that might stand in their way. We explored the why and how of participation with a significant emphasis on the why. This study builds on the work of Wade and Demb[i] and their Faculty Engagement Framework (FEM) described in …

Character Challenges American Christian Business Leaders Face In The Secular Digital Age, Kevin J. Kennedy

Journal of Fundamental & Applied Business Research

In the digital age, Christian business leaders are a minority who are commonly expected to change their principles of leadership to fit within the secularized culture. These expectations for change are generating character challenges to the very core of a Christian business leader’s moral convictions and forcing them to make decisions which pit the practice of their proclaimed faith against a secularized business practice. In these workplace challenges, the Christian business leader’s faith, freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion compete with secularized practices accepted in today’s American culture. Additionally, digital age behavioral visibility, which can be …

Impact Of Occupation On The Social Health Of Workers And Their Families Residing In The Field Practice Area Of Medical College: A Qualitative Survey, Purva Shoor, Shubham Mohan Sharma, Sheetal Dadhich

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

BACKGROUND:

Social health factors influence the well-being and continuation of jobs for workers. Factors such as familial support, their attitude, workplace cohesiveness, and social life play a major role in social health impacting all other dimensions of health also.

OBJECTIVES:

The aim of this study was. 1. To describe and analyze the individual viewpoints of workers or their family respondents about their social well-being. 2. To analyze the social determinants such as income, cohesiveness, discrimination, and recreation, that explain a worker’s social health status even beyond work.

METHODOLOGY:

A cross-sectional survey of the sample size of 117 respondents, residing in …

Rams In Research: A Guided Journey Through The Mcnair Scholars Summer Program, Rajade M. Berry-James, Cindy Vigil

McNair Journal at VCU

This paper examines the significance of mentoring relationships in higher education, particularly for first-generation college students. Drawing on extensive literature, we highlight how effective mentorship enhances student success by fostering trust, belonging, and self-efficacy. The McNair Summer Research Program serves as a case study, featuring the collaboration between McNair Scholar Cindy Vigil and her mentor, Dr. RaJade M. Berry-James. This partnership focused on analyzing homicide rates in El Salvador, emphasizing key factors such as population, poverty, and government-negotiated truces. Through a comprehensive analysis of data from 1994 to 2019, Cindy refined existing research methodologies and gained valuable insights into the …