Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Sense Of Belonging In First-Generation College Students On Gpa And Retention, Lynda Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this quantitative, correlational study were to (a) understand how the perceived sense of belonging in first-generation students impacts their academic success, as defined by GPA, and (b) to determine how the aforementioned factors impact the students' intention to persist. A survey was distributed to all reported first-generation students at Rowan University with questions including demographics, an adapted sense of belonging index, intention to persist, GPA, and co-curricular involvement (N = 285). Research indicated that 89.8% of students recorded moderate to high levels of sense of belonging. Regression analyses revealed that a positive relationship exists between sense of …

Teaching Lateral Reading With An Online Tutorial: Preliminary Study Findings., Andrea Baer, Daniel G. Kipnis

Libraries Scholarship

Challenges to Digital Literacy Education Stanford Cyber Center Policy

The internet is now the most common source of political news for almost half of Americans, and social media is now the primary source of news for those under 30. Yet today’s youth have little capacity to evaluate the credibility of digital sources, with colleges across the country often relying on severely outdated guidelines supporting digital literacy education. Join Stanford’s Sam Wineburg, Washington State University’s Mike Caulfield, and Rowan University’s Andrea Baer and Dan Kipnis, in conversation with the Cyber Center’s Kelly Born, about the many challenges and opportunities facing media …

Encountering Ableism In The Moment, Justin E. Freedman, Benjamin H. Dotger, Yosung Song

College of Education Faculty Scholarship

At colleges and universities in the United States, disability is typically addressed as a medicalized identity. Students must self-identify as having a disability to their postsecondary school in order to receive access to accommodations. They are also expected to communicate with faculty members about using accommodations in individual courses. Students report experiencing stigma and discrimination due to being required to disclose a disability status and negotiate with faculty members to use accommodations. This paper uses theoretical frameworks within the field of Disability Studies to investigate how university students engage in conversations with faculty members about accommodations. Students provide insight into …

Career-Advising From The Primary Role Academic Advisor's Viewpoint: A Qualitative Case Study, Julia Elizabeth Rey

Theses and Dissertations

The role of today's primary role academic advisor is robust and multifaceted. Advisors must continually provide supportive outreach and engagement to address student interests, develop academic plans, and identify career paths from the time students first enroll, throughout their college experience, and oftentimes, well past graduation. Although meeting with students is at the forefront of expected duties, advisors must also balance working with various data sets and systems, faculty and chairs, and stay abreast of changes in procedures and processes. The purpose of this inquiry was to document and further understand the current career-advising practices of primary role academic advisors …

Barriers That Impede Foreign-Born And Educated Male Nursing Students' Success In A United States Nursing Program: A Case Study, Lisa Marie Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

The United States has a 36% shortage of full-time nurses. This is projected to worsen. There will be a need for 260, 000 more nurses by 2025 and more than 581,000 new nursing positions will be created through 2024 (American Association College of Nursing, 2011; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015). By 2030, New Jersey's shortage of nurses will exceed 43% (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2017). If a diverse population of students complete a nursing program and become nurses working in the field, the literature reports that there are better client outcomes when the healthcare industry mirrors …

Student Involvement As A Predictor Of Alumni Engagement, Ryan J. Aloi

Theses and Dissertations

The role of this study is to research the role that student involvement plays on alumni engagement. In an attempt to answer the following questions, a case study was conducted looking at the engagement and giving records of 10 randomly selected profiles from the graduating classes of 2016 through 2019 (N = 40) as well as reviewing the involvement patterns of the general qualifying student population within the ProfLink student involvement platform (N = 4237) and the qualifying engaged population (N = 805). What is the relationship between undergraduate co-curricular experiences and a student's engagement as alumni? What types of …

Emotional Support Animals On Campus: An Analysis Of Student Experience, Timothy Alexander Lauth

Theses and Dissertations

This is a study of student interactions and opinions regarding emotional support animals (ESAs) or service animals in on-campus residential housing. Specifically, this study was designed to garner the opinions of residential students who live in close proximity to an ESA or service animal but do not have one of their own, essentially the roommates of an approved animal owner. An online survey was distributed to students at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ during the 2019-2020 academic year. All participants were enrolled students who resided in on-campus housing in close proximity to an ESA or service animal.

The results of …

The Experiences Of First-Generation Master's Students, Dominique A. Pierson

Theses and Dissertations

First-generation college students are a heavily researched student population who are represented as being first in their family to go to college and graduate. Scholars suggest there are many barriers impacting their college accessibility, affordability, retention, and overall success, therefore, have called for specific services and interventions of support within higher education to help first-generation students persist. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of first-generation students who do persist and pursue advanced educational aspirations. Specifically, first-generation master's students are the subject of this phenomenological study designed to explore the experiences of eight students through one-on-one interviews. …

Women Of Color In Higher Education, Melissa Minaya

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to capture the essence of the stories of women of color at Rowan University. Additionally, the study would capture how women of color in their junior or senior year feel about institutional support. The combination of both the essence in their story, in other words, the importance behind their experiences, and their perception of institutional support will lead to recommendations to Rowan University.

In order to capture the essence of the women of color that participated in this study, I held individual open-ended interviews with each participant. The overall goal was to get three …

University Hookup Culture: Convenient Or A Path To Sexual Assault?, Gabriella Longenbach

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to have a better understanding of the potential impact that hookup culture has on college students today. While this culture can be convenient and the most modern way of getting to know someone sexually, it also has the chance to be dangerous. By learning how this culture works and how college students engage in it, university employees and higher education professionals can support students through sexually related issues that they might come across.

Effects Of A Well-Being Retreat On College Students, William Wikoff Mcmillan

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health scores on college campuses often seem to be spiraling in a downward trend. College students frequently cite be more depressed and more anxious than the rest of the population, and they are also at a higher risk for suicide than other members of society (Beiter et al., 2016; Davidson, 2016; Henriques, 2014; Holland, 2016; Mey, 2015). Rowan University's recent Rowan Thrive initiative is a cross-campus collaboration that sets out to improve students' well-being through education and programming with a host of programs under its umbrella. One of these programs is the Recharge & Connect Retreat, a 3-day and …

The Impact Of Learning Communities On First-Generation Minority Student Persistence At Rowan University, Briana Vogel Collins

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to analyze Rowan University's Flying First and ASCEND learning communities in regard to first-generation minority student persistence. The study took place at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ in the spring 2020 semester. The purpose for this qualitative study is to explore the impact that the Flying First and ASCEND/RISE learning communities have on first-generation minority student persistence using an outcomes assessment. Researchers have conducted a plethora of research on learning communities, marginalized first-generation students, and persistence/retention rates. However, there has been little research done on the topic of all three themes and how they …

Black Male College Students' Perspectives On The Contribution Of Black Student Organizations To Their Development Of Soft Skills, Shanice Angela Glover

Theses and Dissertations

The following study is an exploration of the views Black male college students have of the soft skills they have developed through participation in a predominately Black student organization. I used a focus group moderator guide with questions, adapted from Stansberry and Burnett (2014) and modified from Evans (2016) and Saraceno (2019) to serve as the instrument for this qualitative study. I gathered data from a focus groups consisting of Black male college students who are enrolled at Rowan University and participate in Black student organizations on campus. The focus group discussion pertained to the participants' experiences with predominantly Black …

Exploration Of First-Generation Student-Athlete Experiences At A Suburban Division Iii Institution, Mandy Jiang

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the experiences of first-generation student-athletes (FGSA) on a college campus. One major goal of this study is to offer new discussion for first-generation student-athletes to increase awareness on this population in current literature. While there is research on first-generation students and collegiate student-athletes as separate identities, this specific population, combining both identities, has not been at the forefront of scholarly research (Oratagus & Merson, 2015). By expanding the current literature with evidence-based research, student affairs professionals and college athletic administrators can better enhance the experiences of first-generation student-athletes on their campuses. …

Understanding The Motivations Of Nonmonetary Young Alumni Engagement, Olivia Rose Bowman

Theses and Dissertations

Universities with influential young alumni connections typically have more productive and prosperous institutions (McDearmon, 2013; Volin, 2016; Weerts, Cabrera, & Sanford, 2010; Weerts & Ronca, 2008). However, alumni who have graduated in the past 10 years are reportedly the least contacted alumni because of their lower response rates (Freeland, Spenner, & McCalmon, 2014; Weerts & Ronca, 2008). This study focuses on the determination of motivations that encourage young alumni to engage in nonmonetary efforts with their Alma Mata Rowan University. In this study, young alumni were defined as Rowan Alumni who graduated since 2010 and have attended one or more …

The Forgotten Voices: African American Male Adult Learners And Their Experiences In Higher Education, Ajeenah H. Nuriddin-Little

Theses and Dissertations

This narrative inquiry research explored the lived experiences of six African American male adult learners enrolled at a four-year public research institution in an urban area located in the northeastern United States. The following questions guided the study: (a) How do African American male adult learners at a four-year research institution describe their experiences? (b) What environmental factors do African American male adult learners feel have shaped their academic success or non-academic success in college? (c) How does the double consciousness framework help to explain or make sense of the narrative of the African American male adult learner? This study …

The Impact Of Residence Hall Construction Type On Student Engagement, Gene Jabar Washington

Theses and Dissertations

College and university student housing has changed dramatically since the opening of Harvard College in 1636. Despite these changes, student housing professionals are still tasked with engaging their students. This can sometimes be difficult depending on outside forces such as the physical structure of a building. The purpose of this study was to determine what physical aspects of a residence hall do students and undergraduate live-in student staff value in terms of engaging their students and building a community. For this study focus groups were conducted for student and staff of traditional residence halls and public-private partnership residence halls. Common …

Sport Clubs And Wellness: Analyzing The Impact Being A Sports Clubs Member Has On The Dimensions Of Wellness, Michael Anthony Brito

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand how a student's wellness is impacted through participation in sport clubs. This was done at a division three public institution with a Campus Recreation department, which offers 45 sport clubs. This study was conducted during the spring 2020 semester at Rowan University by distributing an online survey. The survey focused on gaining information about their sport club experience and the impact on occupational, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, and physical dimensions. As well as understanding the factors that may affect their wellness.

The findings of this study showed a high positive impact to …

A Program Evaluation Of The Academic Reboot Program At Rowan University, Kayla Raparelli

Theses and Dissertations

The Academic Reboot Program at Rowan University was designed to assist students on Academic Warning and Academic Probation with the University improve their GPA so that they may remain a student at the University. The purpose of this evaluation is to collect information that will assist in improving the effectiveness of the Academic Reboot Program on student academic achievement. This evaluation discusses the history of college academic rehabilitation programs, the significance of college academic rehabilitation programs, common barriers to success reported by students, and a variety of intervention strategies for students on Academic Warning and Academic Probation.

In this evaluation, …

The Impact Of High-Intensity Work On Student Employees From Disadvantaged Social Backgrounds, Jessica Della Hassell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of high-intensity work on low-income students at Rowan University. This study assesses the needs of students from low-income families. It examines the impact of employment with regards to engagement.

The Impact Of Academic Advising On Graduate Students' Perceptions Of Their Academic Success, Jason Salvatore

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to analyze how graduate students perceive their own academic success in their degree programs, and how that success is related to their experience with their academic advisors. This quantitative study consisted of a 16 question Likert scale survey and was sent to 1,258 graduate students at Rowan University. The students invited to participate in this survey were in degree programs from various Rowan University academic colleges. The purpose of this thesis is to review how important academic advising is to graduate student mentalities at Rowan University regarding their own success academically. There has been …

Bridge Or Barrier?, Andrea Denise Piercy

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to determine how participation in a summer bridge program prior to beginning an undergraduate collegiate career positively or negatively affects student success throughout their time at a college or university Additionally, the study took a look at the positive and negative transitional experiences of the students who participated. This qualitative study was completed by student participants who are currently enrolled at Rowan University and have participated in the ASCEND/EOF program. As a result of the study, the research will suggest recommendations based off of the feedback and experiences she received from the students who …

The Lived Experiences Of First-Generation Black Men At A Predominantly White Institution And The Impact Of Sense Of Belonging On Their Social And Academic Integration, Mir Hatef Alavi Tabrizi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of first-generation Black men (FGBM) at a predominantly White institution (PWI). Through using Strayhorn's (2012, 2018) college sense of belonging and Tinto's (1993) student integration model of attrition theories, I examined the overall college experiences of FGBM at a PWI. When first-generation college students enter college, they are faced with academic, social, and financial challenges that make navigating college difficult (Ishitani, 2006). Additionally, Black undergraduate male students are faced with microaggressions, discrimination, alienation, stereotype, and cultural issues when they enroll in college (Harper, 2012; Strayhorn, 2008). These experiences have …

Framework For The Natures Of Negativity In Introductory Physics, Suzanne White Brahmia, Alexis Olsho, Trevor Smith, Andrew Boudreaux

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

Mathematical reasoning skills are a desired outcome of many introductory physics courses, particularly calculus-based physics courses. Novices can struggle to understand the many roles signed numbers play in physics contexts, and recent evidence shows that unresolved struggle can carry over to subsequent physics courses. Positive and negative quantities are ubiquitous in physics, and the sign carries important and varied meanings. The mathematics education research literature documents the cognitive challenge of conceptualizing negative numbers as mathematical objects—both for experts, historically, and for novices as they learn. We contribute to the small but growing body of research in physics contexts that examines …

College Students With Disabilities' Perceptions Of An Academic Coaching Program Provided By Disability Resources, Benjamin Zachariah Wilner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore students' perceptions of the effectiveness of academic coaching for students with disabilities based on their majors. Based on the research question, this study was to identify how the Academic Coaching Program at Rowan University helps students become integrated into their majors. The participants in this study were five undergraduate students between 18-22 years old, who are registered with the Disability Resources Office, and have previously participated in the Academic Coaching Program. In this study, I conducted one semi-structured interview towards each student. Data was collected using an interview protocol, which …

Successful Community College Students: A Case Study Of The Path To Transfer, Nancy Gartland

Theses and Dissertations

Efforts to expand equity within post-secondary education, and to increase the number of people who acquire a college degree or certificate nationally, depend on community colleges. The rate of success for community college students, measured in persistence and completion rates, is relatively low.

In the U. S. in the fall of 2017, sixty three percent of the 5.9 million community college students attended part-time (NCES, 2019). Outside of class engagement is difficult for these students who spend limited time on campus. A program design that promotes a high level of engagement may contribute to student success. Thus, I set out …

Qualitative Study Investigating Western Student Affairs Practices In Qatar, Amjad Omar Abdo

Theses and Dissertations

The internationalization movement in higher education expanded quickly in the past two decades. While efforts varied among institutions, the common and preferred approach has been creation of International Branch Campuses (IBC). Currently, there are 283 IBCs, 30% of which are located in the Middle East region.

This study explored the role of local culture context in shaping Western student affairs practices implemented at the American IBCs in the State of Qatar. A qualitative single-case study included interviews with 14 Western expatriates who were re-cited from the United States to work in the Student Affairs departments in Education City, Qatar. The …

College Choice, Consumer Behavior, And Gender Enrollment Patterns: A Mixed Methods Case Study Of Marathon University, Jessica I. Prach

Theses and Dissertations

Gender and enrollment patterns in higher education have changed over the past 40 years, where women are now the majority of students enrolling in colleges and universities nationally each year compared to men (U.S. Department of Education, 2018b). Despite enrollment trends indicating a dramatic increase of female students at colleges and universities, Marathon University has experienced the opposite. The purpose of this concurrent, mixed methods case studies was to identify why female students are choosing not to enroll at Marathon University, despite relatively even rates of application and admission compared to male students. The intent of this study was to …

Síndrome Del Imposter: Feeling Like A Fraud And Overcoming The Symptoms, Erika Solis

First-Generation Symposium

Constantly comparing yourself to others. Questioning your abilities. Feeling like a fraud. These are a few symptoms of imposter syndrome, and it's common in first-generation students. It's a psychological pattern, where someone doubts their achievements and is afraid of being exposed as a 'fraud'. It can shape a student's entire identity in college, leading to stress, anxiety, and depression. This presentation will cover the broader symptoms of imposter syndrome and how it can greatly influence first-generation college students. We'll discuss the long-term effects of it, what students can do to overcome it, and how faculty can support their students.

Las Vias: Creating Pathways To Graduation, Dr. Maud Fried-Goodnight, Iris Torres

First-Generation Symposium

Rowan College of South Jersey - Cumberland campus (previously Cumberland County College) implemented the Las Vias - Pathways to Graduation program, with required Touch Points to guide students to credential completion over the past 5 years. Graduation rates have increased 19% for Hispanic students, 9% for African American students and 13% for all students. Vías hacia la Graduación, a Title V grant funded program established Academic Pathways, a team of bilingual Student Development Advisors, and an Early Alert system to raise Flags, report Attendance, and Kudos. Hispanic/ Latino and African American students, First Generation and Pell recipients demonstrated progress toward …