Education Commons^™

Letter From The Editors, Adam M. Mccready, James P. Barber

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Letter from Adam M. McCready, Ph.D. and James P. Barber, Ph.D.

Edge Of Extinction: The Covid-19 Lived Experience Of National Pan-Hellenic Council Fraternity Presidents, Claude E. P. Mayo, Alade S. Mcken, Ebonee R. Mayo-Mitchell

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Presidents of Black Greek Letter fraternities at predominantly White institutions are a rare breed who constantly live under multidimensional pressure to succeed. And their difficult dedication to fraternal, institutional, and personal expectations was only heightened when COVID-19 first closed and then reconfigured college campuses over the last year. Their experiences prove congruent around several themes - fraternal unity, community service, prioritizing family, and self-investment - that illuminate key areas for potential partnership and support of these students and the chapters they love. With simple effort understanding, caring and compassionate student affairs professionals can truly make a difference for this population.

Comparing The Effects Of Covid-19 On Fraternity & Sorority Members And Unaffiliated College Students, Matthew R. Johnson, Molly Schuneman, Shane Mcclure

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Using data from the 2021 Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL), this article compares the effects of COVID-19 on fraternity and sorority members’ educational experiences a year after the pandemic began disaggregated by fraternity and sorority council membership and compared to unaffiliated students. Results show increases in negative effects for students in multicultural councils compared to IFC, NPC, and unaffiliated students on many measures and increased negative effects for NPC women on others.

Fraternity/Sorority Organizational Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gary Ballinger, Jamie L. Workman

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

This article focuses on adaptations organizations made as a result of COVID-19. The purpose was to determine what changes have been made, and how staff/volunteers believe those changes impacted the organization. Oliver’s (1977; 1980) expectation confirmation theory served as the theoretical framework. The researchers collected data via survey. Organizations experienced budget cuts, modified programming, and postponed chapter expansion, among others. Participants experienced an increase in virtual meetings and discussed the effectiveness of technology. Eighty-nine percent believe their relationships with undergraduate chapters remained consistent or grew stronger during the pandemic. The article concludes with strategies for campus-based professionals and organizations as …

The Cognitive & Educational Implications Of Color Use In Drawing To Learn, Juliana F.M. Cantarutti

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Drawing to Learn (D2L) is a learning aid that encourages STEM students to interact with abstract concepts in STEM by sketching. D2L is not an intuitive skill, and researchers strive to provide students with guidelines on how to master this method. One potential way to enhance the D2L method for students is by incorporation of visual cues, specifically color. While many students choose to incorporate color into their models without explicit instruction to do so, we have found no research on: a) why students use color in sketching, b) its effects on D2L. This study used interviews, surveys, and course …

Social Stress In Honors College Students: How Personality Traits, Perfectionism, Creativity, And Gender Predict Use Of Social Coping Strategies, Angie L. Miller

SENG Journal: Exploring the Psychology of Giftedness

Much research has focused on how gifted children and adolescents deal with the social stigmas associated with giftedness. Previous studies indicate that several coping strategies exist, and these are related to personality and other characteristics. However, once these gifted individuals enter higher education, they are often required to shift their coping strategies to deal with stressors and situations in this new environment. This study investigates social coping strategies among honors college undergraduate students, looking at the need for updating the factor structure of a measure of social coping designed for and used with middle and high school students. Results suggest …

"I'M Thankful Every Day I Did It": An Exploration Of Belonging For Commuter Students In Historically White Sororities And Fraternities At Primarily Commuter Public Institutions, Michael D. Giacalone

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Membership in historically White sororities and fraternities (HWSF) has been connected with sense of belonging (Cohen et al., 2017; McCreary & Schutts, 2015). The experience of commuter students in sororities and fraternities, however, has been largely overlooked, including an understanding of what belonging consists of as members. This phenomenological study sought to close that gap by exploring how commuter students in HWSF experienced belonging at primarily commuter public institutions through interviews with alumni who lived that experience. Three themes emerged from the data: personal connections, feeling welcomed and accepted, and transformation of the college experience.

Nphc And Mgc Sororities And Fraternities As Spaces Of Activism Within Predominantly White Institutions, Crystal E. Garcia, William R. Walker, Ciera A. Dorsey, Zachary W. Werninck, Jessie H. Johns

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

This study explored how Students of Color within National Pan-Hellenic Council and Multicultural Greek Council sororities and fraternities engaged in activism and in what ways this involvement connected to their membership. Using a qualitative critical narrative approach, we examined the journeys of ten participants. Findings unpack ways participants engaged in activism and resistance aimed at educating individuals and increasing awareness of societal injustices, addressing inequities through service, and inciting disruption and cultivating institutional and societal level change.

Sense Of Belonging Of New Members Who Are First-Generation College Students: A Single-Institution Qualitative Case Study, Levi J. Harrel-Hallmark, Jason Castles, Pietro A. Sasso

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

While there is research to suggest that first-generation college students benefit from and have a greater sense of belonging as a result of involvement in student organizations, there is limited research on how first-generation college students develop a sense of belonging specifically through their involvement as new members of a fraternity or sorority. This study, constructed within a single-institution qualitative case study framework, highlighted the unique role that organizational involvement, mentorship, emotional support, and first-generation status and identity can play in the development of sense of belonging for fraternity and sorority new members that are first-generation college students.

Book Review: Pietro A. Sasso, J. Patrick Biddix, & Mónica Lee Miranda. (2020). Supporting Fraternities And Sororities In The Contemporary Era: Advancements In Practice. Myers Education Press., Shanté C. Hearst, Kevin J. Bazner Jr.

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Anyone serving as a campus-based fraternity/sorority advisor can attest to the complexity of navigating roles as advocate, advisor, change agent, and more. Further, the storied histories and contemporary challenges facing fraternity/ sorority life (FSL) and higher education professionals is increasingly demanding. The authors of Supporting Fraternities and Sororities in the Contemporary Era: Advancements in Practice present a much needed updated reference text examining the multiple facets FSL and other higher education professionals must be attuned to in supporting students involved in FSL organizations. Appropriately, the editors acknowledge FSL is filled with contradictions fostering positive and negative opportunities for student development …

Letter From The Editor: Development As A Pillar Of Oracle, James P. Barber

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Development as a Pillar of Oracle

James P. Barber, Ph.D.

March 2022

Front Matter & Table Of Contents

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Front Matter & Table of Contents

Differences In Informal Alcohol Protective Behavior Strategies Between Fraternity & Sorority Members, Jaime L. Myers, Pietro A. Sasso

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Institutional interventions and formal policies designed to reduce alcohol misuse among fraternity and sorority members have been largely unsuccessful. However, informal policies to address alcohol use concerns can also develop within this subculture. This qualitative multi-case phenomenological study examined the informal policies chapters adopt to reduce risks associated with drinking. Findings suggested considerable informal policy development, which varies between fraternities and sororities. Sorority groups implemented more protective behavior strategies for members’ safety, whereas fraternities often focus on monitoring outside groups. Implications for practice suggest a combination of risk and harm-reduction approaches that facilitate peer-led protective behavioral strategies.

A Policy Evaluation Of A Scholarly Ethics And Integrity Requirement For Graduate Programs At A Large Rural Land-Grant Institution, Richard Lawrence Mayo Iii

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Graduate school may be the first time in a student’s higher education career where they apply ethical practices in a real-world study. Yet the problem of misconduct in graduate education has existed for decades. Specifically, students in graduate programs in business, pharmacy, and dentistry are the highest graduate student populations to admit to doing some form of cheating in their graduate program. This policy evaluation used Stufflebeam and Coryn’s (2014) context, input, processes, and products (CIPP) model of evaluation to examine the activities and processes of a scholarly ethics and integrity requirement for graduate students at a large rural land-grant …

An Investigation Of Experiential Learning: A Program Evaluation Of The William & Mary D.C. Summer Institutes, Roxane O. Adler Hickey

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The principal purpose of this program evaluation was to determine how the 2010–2019 alumni of the William & Mary (W&M) D.C. Summer Institutes (DCSI) perceived their participation helped them achieve career readiness. Existing literature on experiential learning methods and practices has suggested great value in such opportunities, but less information existed about the outcomes of internship programs in higher education. As leaders consider what their institutional operations look like following the COVID-19 global pandemic and demand for quality internships rises, research on what works in high-impact programs, such as DCSI, offer valuable data for faculty, administrators, and students. A total …

Leading In Crisis: College & University Presidents’ Reflections On Their Response To Covid-19, Sean Michael Schofield

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous influence on higher education in America. While college presidents have led through multiple crises in the past several decades, this challenge is unique for both the depth of its influence (e.g., revolutionizing course and service delivery methods, financial upheaval and institutional closures, political implications of institutional decisions) and the fact that every college and university in the world was influenced nearly simultaneously, providing the inability to benchmark decisions. As college presidents were faced with series of unprecedented choices during the period from March 2020 through November 2021, this study sought to prompt reflection …

William & Mary’S Institutional Branding And Its Influence On The Self-Efficacy Of First-Generation Sophomores As They Select Majors And Career Paths: A Case Study, Jennifer Leigh Hoyt

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

My case study focused on the message communicated through the university’s fundraising campaign titled For the Bold and sought to determine if the campaign messaging influenced decision-making of first-generation sophomores (FGS) attending William & Mary as they selected majors and formed career choices. The campaign message emphasized the benefits of boldness, and, for FGS, the campaign’s message could have shaped their self-efficacy beliefs as they pursued majors and professional aspirations. The study applied Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory to determine how self-efficacy contributed to the decisions made by participants. Additionally, the use of Bronfenbrenner’s (1993) developmental ecology model helped situate …

Top Of The Lineup: College Baseball Players’ Perceptions Of The Trait Of Narcissism And Achievement Orientation And Their College Experience, Amelia Moore

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The top of the lineup is a baseball term that refers to the first few players at bat. In baseball it is a term to be revered as those players are considered exceptional. Baseball, as are many intercollegiate sports, is highly competitive. Therefore, with the high level of competition for a spot, in perspective, these college players are all the top of the lineup. However, at the college level these players have to make many sacrifices, meet challenges other students do not, and juggle to find a balance between being a student and being an athlete in order to allow …

Moving Beyond Free: A College Affordability Compact For The Next Generation, David H. Feldman, Christopher R. Marsicano

Arts & Sciences Articles

"Free college programs have proliferated at the state and local levels over the past decade, focused primarily on the nation’s community colleges. President Biden’s $1.8 trillion American Families Plan includes funding to make community college tuition free for participating states, and the idea of federally supported tuition-free four-year public college education is also back in the spotlight. It is easy to see why: “free college” fits on a bumper sticker, and it offers a simple message that signals to low-income families and first-generation students that achieving a valuable postsecondary credential is possible for them. This can lead families to prioritize …

It’S All About The Climb: Problem-Based Learning In The Arts & Sciences, Alexis Harvey

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a method of instruction that challenges students to answer questions in a practical manner using their understanding of learned course content. The question at the heart of this study concerns if and how faculty in one institution are currently using PBL. I used an exploratory descriptive case study to research the perceptions of Arts & Sciences (A&S) faculty on the use of PBL as an instructional approach to support the academic learning of students. The use of PBL is suggested in the university’s general education requirements, and yet may not be familiar to the all Arts …

W&M’S Memorials To Benjamin S. Ewell, Terry L. Meyers

Arts & Sciences Articles

"As far as I can tell, Benjamin S. Ewell, the College’s sixteenth president (1854-1888), has been memorialized at William and Mary more than any other person. That is not surprising given his long tenure as president, his dedication to the College, and his titanic efforts on its behalf, especially in the decades after the Civil War..."

Leaning On One Another: An Exploration Of The Relationship Among Social Connection, Alcohol Use, Resilience, And Loneliness In Lgbtq+ College Students, Nathaniel Mason

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This research study served to examine casual inferences within the relationships between social connectedness, drinking, resilience, and loneliness for both LGBTQ+ and heterosexual-identifying college students. The literature reviewed identified there is likely a relationship between these constructs whereby social connectedness was expected to significantly predict drinking (in a negative direction), and the relationship was mediated by the presence of resilience or loneliness. A total of 253 full-time college students between the ages of 18 and 28 were surveyed , 135 of which identified as LGBTQ+. The participants completed the Social Connectedness Revised (SCS-R), revised version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale …

The Process And Power Of Owning Intellectual Limitations: A Grounded Theory Of Intellectual Humility In Undergraduate Education, Johann Ducharme

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Intellectual humility is understood as the attentiveness to and owning of intellectual limitations and operates as an Aristotelian golden mean along a spectrum of its absence (i.e., intellectual arrogance) and excess (i.e., intellectual servility). This study investigates the nature and formation of intellectual humility contextualized to an undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences education. A grounded theory approach was employed to conceptualize and develop two models of intellectual humility: a process for unlearning as an appropriate response to owning intellectual limitations and a way to cultivate intellectual humility in undergraduate students. This qualitative study comprised of tenured faculty from a highly …

A Framework To Support Interdisciplinary Engagement With Learning Analytics, Stephanie J. Blackmon, Robert L. Moore

School of Education Book Chapters

Learning analytics can provide an excellent opportunity for instructors to get an in-depth understanding of students’ learning experiences in a course. However, certain technological challenges, namely limited availability of learning analytics data because of learning management system restrictions, can make accessing this data seem impossible at some institutions. Furthermore, even in cases where instructors have access to a range of student data, there may not be organized efforts to support students across various courses and university experiences. In the current chapter, the authors discuss the issue of learning analytics access and ways to leverage learning analytics data between instructors, and …

The Tenure-Track Life: Experiences Of New Faculty In Tenure-Track Positions, David R. Gosling, Nancy M. Chae, Jeremy R. Goshorn

The William & Mary Educational Review

This study details the experiences of new faculty in tenure-track positions without prior experience in academia beyond the post-doctoral level. Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted using phenomenological methodology with six faculty members meeting the criteria at a mid-sized, public institution in the southeastern United States with a reputation for academic excellence and a Research 2 (R2) Carnegie classification. Findings highlight the tension found between subcomponents of professorial life and the continued struggles of minority faculty. Implications for future research are given, to include the need for a deep exploration of the rhyme and reasons of the tenure process.

Managing Stress In A Time Of Increased Pressure: Perspectives From University Presidents, Russell S. Thacker, Sydney Freeman, Jr.

The William & Mary Educational Review

The modern university presidency continues to become more complex, resulting in numerous personal and professional stresses placed on a president. This study explores the sources, impacts, and successful prevention and management of stress in the position. Data for the study comes from qualitative phenomenological interviews with five sitting presidents of public and private universities in the United States. Using a theoretical lens derived from executive stress theory, the authors examine the degree to which a need for personal control and stability play a role in producing stress and motivating certain stress responses. Meaningful relationships, positive mindsets, and repeatable practices of …

Mixed-Reality Simulations To Build Capacity For Advocating For Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Geosciences, Jason A. Chen, M. Shane Tutwiler, Jerlando F. L. Jackson

School of Education Articles

We report on data collected at 3 time points during a 1-year intervention designed to teach a purposive sample of geoscience faculty members (n = 29) from 27 universities throughout the United States how to identify and address issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their departments. For the intervention we used mixed-reality simulations to help participants practice specific skills to address common situations in geoscience departments. The intervention also included an intensive 3-day workshop and 3 journal clubs. Using a Bayesian analytical approach we explored: (a) general trends in participants’ self- and collective efficacy for identifying and …

Task Force On Textbook Affordability Final Report, Marian Taliaferro, Paul D. Heideman, Asia Randolph

W&M Libraries Publications

Costs of textbooks and course materials for undergraduates are estimated nationally at up to $1200 per student per year. With that estimate, the aggregate costs for William & Mary’s 6250 undergraduates may approach $7.5 million per year; graduate students may add $1-2 million to that total. Course books and materials increase costs of college attendance, and for some students are barriers to success. The Textbook Affordability Taskforce (TATF) composed of W&M faculty, staff, and students was formed in August 2019. The TATF was charged with examining the issue of textbook affordability and with developing and delivering near-term and long-term recommendations …

W&M Student Textbook Survey Executive Summary, Marian Taliaferro, Asia Randolph, Jessica Ramey

W&M Libraries Publications

Presents key findings from the textbook survey. The main objectives for issuing the textbook survey in fall 2019 were to understand the textbook spending practices as well as related preferences of W&M students so that the campus administrators would have information useful for programs designed to increase course materials affordability. Specifically, survey objectives were to:

• Understand current costs of textbooks and course materials for W&M students

• Understand methods W&M students take to lower textbook costs

• Understand the viability of implementing an “inclusive access” textbook pilot

• Identify student suggestions for reducing textbook costs

Speculations On Structures Once Near The Site Of Lemon Hall, Terry L. Meyers

Arts & Sciences Articles

"One of the most intriguing views of Williamsburg in antebellum days depicts a series of large and small structures along Jamestown Road, roughly between where Barrett Hall and Lemon Hall stand today.

Made between 1859 and 1862 by James Austin Graham (1814/15-1878), the panorama presents Williamsburg as viewed roughly from where the law school is today and sweeps along the entire southern edge of town, from the Capitol on the east to, on the west, about the site of the College’s Lemon Hall..."