Education Commons^™

Confidence For Graduation, Tiffany Pickett, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

“Fake it until you make it.” While a common phrase in the leadership/business management advice genre, it’s genuinely how I survived my freshman year as a first-generation college student.

I smiled. I nodded. I tried to exude the confidence that I knew exactly what I was doing, but in reality, to quote Michael Scott from “The Office”: “I knew exactly what to do. But in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do.” I would quietly ask questions to friends I could trust or pray that another classmate asked the question I wanted to ask in …

Mentorship Beyond Graduation, Gayla Parker, Bailey Buettner, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

My grandmother could make the best biscuits ever over an open fire. My dad could tune a guitar to perfect pitch without a tuner. Those were just a few of the many skills they taught me. But there was one skill they could not teach me: navigating the world of higher education.

As smart and gifted as they were, high school graduation was not a part of their stories, much less college. When I graduated from high school, they were thrilled. They never imagined there would be multiple graduations to follow.

The Secret To Graduation, Lisa Sells, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

My maternal grandparents grew up in the Depression-era poverty that surrounded the lumber mills around Ashdown, Ark. When World War II ended, and my grandfather came home from the front lines in Europe, there was no work in the Texarkana area. He and his young family moved to northeastern Oklahoma where he found a job at the newly opened BF Goodrich tire factory.

And so it is that my story starts in Commerce, Okla., and not Ashdown, Ark.

The Journey To Graduation, Addie Woods, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

This year marks my fourth and final year of college. It seems just like yesterday I was walking up the stairs of Frances Crawford Hall, too many bags in hand, to embark on my educational journey.

I grew up knowing I wanted to pursue a higher education to finish what my parents started. I didn’t know where and how to start my journey, but I leaned into my advisor, Dr. Deborah Root, who answered every question, met every need and solved every problem because she wanted to see me succeed.

Chacahoula 2023, Tram Phan, Mallory Kaul, Alayna Pellegrin

Chacahoula

WE GROW, WE DEVELOP, WE THRIVE:

The 2023 issue of Chacahoula includes December 2022 and May 2023 graduating classes, as well as stunning photography of Week of Welcome, Homecoming, Mardi Gras, and Spring Fever. With features covering notable students, faculty, and staff, this year's time capsule beautifully preserves an academic year in the life of the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Selling Graduation: Higher Education And The Loaning Of Liberation, Annie Pocklington, Elizabeth J. Flanagan, Christopher Bodenheimer Knaus

Essays in Education

While the costs to attend college continue to rise exponentially, a bachelor’s degree is held up as required for economic stability within the U.S. and across the globe. With drastic disparities in earning potentials after graduation reduced by racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, ableism, and related structural disparities, the value of a degree continues to be questioned, especially for historically marginalized communities. As the loan industrial complex continues to profit off of students, President Biden has offered $10,000 in student loan relief for some borrowers, though this action has been blocked by federal courts and is currently on hold. Whether Biden’s …

Education Gender Gaps In The Mountain West, 2022, Miguel Soriano Ralston, Lana Kojoian, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

K-12 Education

This fact sheet examines data from the Brookings Institution publication “Boys Left Behind: Education Gender Gaps Across the U.S.” authored by Brookings Senior Fellow Richard V. Reeves and Research Analyst Ember Smith. The original report includes data on gender gaps in college degree attainment, high school graduation rates, and test scores throughout the U.S. This fact sheet highlights the percentage of women and men with college degrees, percentage of women and men graduating on time, Math and English test score gender gaps, and rankings of education gender gaps in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and …

Getting To Where You Want To Go: 2022 Commencement Address, Ben R. Sells, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Last academic year, Ouachita was one of the few universities to provide a fully in-person education. As we prepared for this year, we challenged ourselves to provide all the benefits of a traditional campus experience.In this effort to provide the typical in the least typical of times, we called on our seniors—the only class who remembered a year without COVID—to restore and revive the traditions that make Ouachita, Ouachita. You, our seniors, rose to the occasion, and I will forever be grateful for you, for the leadership you demonstrated and the example you set.

Motivating Youth On Probation To Post-Secondary Success, Ximena Soto

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Silver Star Youth Program at Rancho Cielo Youth Campus works with at-risk youth ages 15 ½ to 18 to help them achieve a high school diploma. Unfortunately, many Silver Star participants lack the motivation to graduate high school and continue on to higher education or to pursue good jobs. Of the 25 students surveyed, 25% stated having some knowledge about college and future plans after graduation. The remaining 75% of students were unsure or undecided on their plans. This capstone project was designed to motivate these at-risk youth to post-secondary success. Two intern-led workshops provided students with information about …

Resiliency And Goals: A Phenomenological Exploration Of African American Male Attrition In High School, Dwayne H. Gatson, Christine Enslin

The Qualitative Report

This article describes a phenomenological study that explored the lived experiences and perceptions of African American males with high school attrition. Sixteen event dropouts participated in individually taped semi-structured interviews, producing descriptive themes that were analyzed. Results from this study revealed eight major themes of (a) school climate matters, (b) social and emotional skills enhance development, (c) share responsibility of educational expectations, (d) support lacking, (e) engaging at-risk behavior, (f) apathetic view of education, (g) motivation is the education multiplier, and (h) respect is key to graduation. Findings and implications for stakeholders and future research are included that might prove …

A Benediction Commencement 2021, John Mccallum, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Father, this has been an extraordinary year at Ouachita. Thank You for administration, faculty, staff, coaches and these graduating seniors who led the way in pulling off a full year of onsite instruction. We celebrate these graduates today, giving thanks for the education they’ve received, the spiritual nurture they’ve enjoyed and the lifelong friendships they’ve forged here. And we thank You for their families that have helped make this dream for their children come true

Ouachita Honors 364 Graduates During 134th Commencement, Rachel Gaddis, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University celebrated 364 graduates from the class of 2021 during its 134^th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 8. University officials conferred Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education and Associate of Arts degrees, with seven students receiving Ouachita’s first ever post-baccalaureate certificates for dietetic internship.

The ceremony was held outdoors at Cliff Harris Stadium on Ouachita’s campus, with Dr. Ben Sells, Ouachita president, presiding over the commencement exercises. The ceremony also was livestreamed at www.livestream.com/obu for those unable to attend.

Progress Is More About Direction Than Speed: 2021 Commencement Address, Ben R. Sells Dr., Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

I feel a special relationship with this graduating class. Many of you began in the fall of 2017, but we first met during your senior year in high school – my first year as president. We’ve been on this journey for five years

Ouachita To Honor 364 Graduates May 8 At Cliff Harris Stadium, Rachel Gaddis, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University will hold its 134^th Commencement honoring the class of 2021 on Saturday, May 8, at 9:30 a.m. in Cliff Harris Stadium on Ouachita’s campus. The ceremony will honor 364 graduates earning Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education and Associate of Arts degrees, with seven students receiving Ouachita’s first ever post-baccalaureate certificates for dietetic internship.

The gates to Cliff Harris Stadium open at 8 a.m. for guests, and guests must have a ticket to enter. Guest seating will be limited to allow for physical distancing due …

A Class Of Their Own: A Correlational Study On Household Composition, Chronic Absenteeism, And Graduation Among African American Males, Melissa E. Garrett-Moultrie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between household compositions of African American male students, chronic absenteeism, and graduation. Chronic absenteeism is missing 10% or more of the academic school year. Using Bowen family systems theory as the theoretical framework helped examine if household composition is related to chronic absenteeism and graduation in African American males. In addition, this study explored the factors that best differentiated single-mother households from two-parent households. This study was conducted in order to develop paternal involvement programs, mentoring programs, attendance programs, and academic programs to increase graduation rates and decrease chronic absenteeism …

Ouachita Honors 309 Graduates During 133rd Commencement, Rachel Gaddis, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University celebrated 309 graduates from the classes of 2019 and 2020 during its 133nd commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 5. The ceremony, which was rescheduled from its original date in May due to COVID-19, was held outdoors at Cliff Harris Stadium on Ouachita’s campus and followed Arkansas Department of Health protocols for guest and graduate safety.

University officials conferred Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees. Dr. Ben Sells, Ouachita president, presided over the commencement exercises.

‘Outdated And Anachronistic, But That’S Part Of The Fun’: Faculty Attitudes And Beliefs Regarding Academic Dress At A Second Land-Grant University, Stephen L. Wolgast, Michael W. Everett

Transactions of the Burgon Society

This research sought to understand attitudes and behaviours of faculty at Kansas State University and used a previous research study, at Michigan State University, to validate the instrumentation developed while comparing and contrasting results between two Land-Grant institutions. Results of this study indicated consistent trends when comparing both of the Land-Grant universities about faculty attitude and behaviour. Due to the varied results between Kansas State and Michigan State in this study, the authors suggest further replication of the survey instrument at other Land-Grant institutions. This study builds on previous research suggesting that compelling evidence exists indicating that here are many …

A Study Of Social And Cultural Capital In Graduation For African American Students In Four-Year Colleges, Andrew Oni

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The prevalence of the persistent low graduation rate among African American students in four-year colleges gave rise to the examination of the role of social and cultural capital in improving graduation for African American students. This study examines the role played by the relationship between social and cultural capital and other factors for African American students’ graduation. Guided by social and cultural capital as the theoretical framework which presents social and cultural capital as acquired by parents’ and students' social networks and cultural endowment and tenets. These two levels of social and cultural capital are available for students to utilize …

Mo’ Money Less Problems: Personal Factors That Correlate With Post-Baccalaureate Attainment, Zachary Goss

Business and Economics Presentations

From the years 1960 to 1997, Bachelor’s Degrees in the United States tripled. More interestingly though, that same time period saw both Master’s and Doctorate degrees in fields such as business, medicine and law quadruple with about a third of students having graduate degrees by 1997. With upwards of 3 million students to enroll in post-baccalaureate programs in 2017, this paper aims to look at personal factors such as: the number of children someone has, the ages of those children, whether or not the employer is paying for the student to attend graduate school, whether the student is married, and …

The Association Of The National Assessment Of Educational Progress Scores And Variance In State Education Requirements, Patrick M. Doyle

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Since the 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution, states have the function to set policy that varies drastically from state to state. This study examines the relationship of state fiscal effort and per pupil expenditure and graduation rates over a 10-year period. Furthermore, this study will look at the relationship between NAEP scores, compulsory attendance, graduation rates, course credit requirements, and hours of instruction. Research is necessary to show a relationship between the varying policies set forth by each state. This research will help policy makers, school leaders, and school localities to assess their own states’ policies and outcomes …

Arkansas High School Graduation Rates: 2013/14-2017/18, Martha Bradley-Dorsey, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Arkansas Education Reports

This report examines trends in high school graduation rates for the state of Arkansas. Graduation rates are evaluated at the school level for students overall and for students who face economic disadvantages. Earlier research by the Office for Education Policy (2014) found that larger high schools and schools serving more economically-disadvantaged students have lower graduation rates. We update the report by examining graduation rate trends across the five-year period of 2013-14 through 2017-18. We consider the relationship between graduation rate and variables of interest including school-level indicators of geographic region, achievement in literacy and math, proportion of racial minority and …

Focus On Graduates, Not Speakers, Ben Sells

Press Releases

I love the pomp and circumstance that marks commencement. It's the most important, picture-perfect day in the life of a university. And as a president, it's a great honor to present a diploma, shake hands and congratulate each graduate.

The tradition of commencement, one that spans hundreds of years, has a modern addition: the high-profile speaker. It's an approach I once supported. But my mind changed after becoming president of Ouachita Baptist University in 2016. I learned Ouachita's practice was not having an outside commencement speaker. It's a practice I've come to deeply affirm.

Here's why

Commencement Location Changed To Vining Arena, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Due to expected rain, Ouachita Baptist University’s 132^nd spring commencement will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2019, in Bill Vining Arena, located in Sturgis Physical Education Center. The ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will honor 345 graduates.

Seeking Success: A Case Study Of African American Male Retention At A Two-Year College, Richard Latroy Moss

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a problem in higher education in the United States. African American students, specifically males, are not being retained and graduating. This problem is even more evident for students that attend two year colleges. African American male students lag behind white males, Hispanic males and African American females, in retention and graduation rates. This problem has caught the attention of many leaders. Policy makers and college leaders are among those who seek to understand the why and find solutions to the challenge of African American male student retention at two year colleges, as two year colleges are becoming the …

Ouachita Honors 336 Graduates During 131st Spring Commencement, Brooke Zimny, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University celebrated 336 graduates during its 131^st spring commencement on Saturday, May 12, with university officials conferring Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, Bachelor of Fine Arts and Associate of Arts degrees. Dr. Ben Sells, Ouachita president, presided over the annual commencement exercises.

Ouachita To Hold 131st Spring Commencement Ceremony May 12, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University will hold its 131st spring commencement exercises on Saturday, May 12, at 9:30 a.m. on the front lawn of the university’s historic Cone-Bottoms Hall. The ceremony will honor 336 graduates earning degrees including Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education and Associate of Arts degrees.

Evaluating An Academic Bridge Program Using A Mixed Methods Approach, Leslie May Yingling

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the demand for college degrees has increased, college enrollment has grown significantly, and economic forces have applied greater pressure on the higher education environment to produce more degrees and better post-graduation outcomes. Many public colleges and universities have felt these pressures distinctly because of their state funding environments and the specific expectations that exist within them. While college aspirations and attendance have broadly improved, achievement gaps persist along cultural, generational, and socioeconomic lines. In an effort to navigate and negotiate institutional goals, public expectations, economic needs, and educational ideals, institutions engage in diverse approaches to recruitment and retention. Academic …

The Relationship Between Financial Literacy, Financial Status, And Academic Success In College Students, Brian Douglas Brausch

Dissertations

As the cost of college continues to rise, an increasing number of students are relying on loans and credit cards to fund their postsecondary education. In an effort to curb student debt and increase retention and graduation rates, many universities have begun to offer financial literacy initiatives to stimulate financial knowledge and promote positive money management behaviors.

This study examines the relationship between a for-credit personal financial literacy course and student academic success and economic status. Students who took a personal finance course during their first or second year of college are compared to a random sampling of students who …

2017-18 Student Success And Service-Learning Report, Lynn Pelco

Division of Community Engagement Resources

Institutional data across multiple academic years were used to assess the impact of undergraduate service-learning class participation on three critical student success metrics: Inclusive excellence, Degree completion, and Quality of learning. Results indicate that traditionally underrepresented student groups participated in VCU service-learning classes at expected rates given their proportion in the overall student population. Thirty-seven percent of undergraduate service-learning students were from underrepresented minority groups and 30% were Pell grant recipients. The average three-year retention rate across four matriculating cohorts of first-time, full-time undergraduate students was 84% for service-learning students compared to 70% for non-service-learning students. Seventy-two percent of undergraduate …

Perceptions And Experiences Of Students Who Withdrew From College Prior To Degree Attainment, Enedine B. Andre

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nationally an estimated 41% of traditional students who begin seeking an undergraduate degree do not persist through degree attainment. Guided by Tinto's theory of student departure and the theory of social integration, the purpose of this study was to identify the reasons students withdrew from college prior to degree completion. A qualitative case-study design was implemented, and 13 former college enrollees were purposefully selected for individual semistructured interviews. The students graduated from one high school in the Southeastern United States. Data analysis was conducted using open coding procedures with iterative recategorization to identify key themes. Findings indicated that inadequate preparation, …