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Fostering The Funny: A Case Study Of Undergraduate Women In Collegiate Comedy Troupes, Jaymi Courtenay Thomas
Fostering The Funny: A Case Study Of Undergraduate Women In Collegiate Comedy Troupes, Jaymi Courtenay Thomas
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
During a global pandemic, another pandemic of loneliness impacted undergraduate college students and influenced the way members of the 18-25-year-old population lived and learned throughout a time of intentional distancing. Additionally, the insurgence of loneliness impacts members of the 18-25 age group in startling rates. This qualitative case study explored how undergraduate women who participate in comedy troupes fostered community while living and learning during a global pandemic known as COVID-19 between the spring of 2020 and the fall of 2021. The research added to the body of knowledge on how comedy and levity can enhance wellness and how humor …
An Investigation Of Experiential Learning: A Program Evaluation Of The William & Mary D.C. Summer Institutes, Roxane Olson Adler Hickey
An Investigation Of Experiential Learning: A Program Evaluation Of The William & Mary D.C. Summer Institutes, Roxane Olson 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 …
Seasons Of Change: A Discourse Analysis Of University Rhetorical Response During A Generational Pandemic, Todd S. Moellendick
Seasons Of Change: A Discourse Analysis Of University Rhetorical Response During A Generational Pandemic, Todd S. Moellendick
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Institutions of higher education are no strangers to crisis situations. From world wars to campus violence, colleges and universities across the United States have been both directly and indirectly affected by these crisis situations. However, in the early part of 2020, higher education was faced with a situation that transcended anything colleges and universities had seen before—COVID-19. What made COVID-19 so unique was how the disease quickly permeated throughout the United States. Thus, a stage was set for institutions of higher education to defend their campuses and communities from a most historical pandemic. This study, understanding the historical significance of …
A Policy Evaluation Of A Scholarly Ethics And Integrity Requirement For Graduate Programs At A Large Rural Land-Grant Institution, Richard Lawrence Mayo Iii
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
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
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
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 …
It’S All About The Climb: Problem-Based Learning In The Arts & Sciences, Alexis Harvey
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 …
Leaning On One Another: An Exploration Of The Relationship Among Social Connection, Alcohol Use, Resilience, And Loneliness In Lgbtq+ College Students, Nathaniel Mason
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
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 …
An Evaluation Of A Global Business Minor Program On The Intercultural Competence And Professional Development Of Students And Faculty, Dawn Marie Edmiston-Strasser
An Evaluation Of A Global Business Minor Program On The Intercultural Competence And Professional Development Of Students And Faculty, Dawn Marie Edmiston-Strasser
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Internationalization has become widely recognized as a critical element of higher education, and study abroad is considered one of the most common methods to achieve it. Yet, despite the perceived value of study abroad for both students and faculty, institutions struggle with committing resources to such opportunities as well as assessing the true impact of these learning experiences. This study evaluated the Global Business Minor (GBM) program at William & Mary (W&M), the first program in the nation to allow students to earn a minor in a single summer through an innovative hybrid learning approach that involved one week at …
Critical Consciousness Involving Worldview Inequities Among Undergraduate Students, Amanda Armstrong
Critical Consciousness Involving Worldview Inequities Among Undergraduate Students, Amanda Armstrong
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
College students’ worldviews and (non)religious beliefs continue to evolve and become more nuanced. Thus, it is crucial that college students make meaning of diverse worldview perspectives and recognize the accompanying inequitable experiences that others encounter because of their worldviews. In promoting research on critical consciousness in their 2018 call for proposals, the Association for the Study of Higher Education invited educators to consider, not only how students engage across differences, but how they recognize, make meaning of, and act upon social inequities. To expand topics of pluralism and interworldview dialogue in higher education, it is important to investigate the phenomenon …
Transfer Student Faculty Academic Advising: Understanding Student Perspectives, Ashleigh Everhardt Queen
Transfer Student Faculty Academic Advising: Understanding Student Perspectives, Ashleigh Everhardt Queen
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions of academic advising held by junior and senior transfer students who have declared a major within the STEM programs at a small, highly selective, public institution in the Mid-Atlantic Region. A phenomenological case study of Small University was utilized to understand the perception and socially constructed reality and knowledge that vertical and lateral transfer students build through interactions with a faculty academic advisor. Interviews were conducted with a diverse population of 20 junior and senior transfer students who have declared their major in one of the eight STEM departments at …
The Lived Experiences Of Poor And Working-Class Students At A Wealthy University, Dane A. Pascoe
The Lived Experiences Of Poor And Working-Class Students At A Wealthy University, Dane A. Pascoe
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
There are several universities in the US that are highly selective and attended by students from very wealthy backgrounds. In recent years, many of these selective, wealthy universities have faced public pressure to enroll higher numbers of poor and working-class students. Not much is known, however, about the experiences of poor and working-class students who attend these universities. My research sought to shed light on this by asking, “What are the lived experiences of poor and working-class students who attend a wealthy university?” I answered this question with a hermeneutic phenomenological study of poor and working-class students who attended a …
Teaching Along The Way: An Ethnographic Study Of Faculty Growth And Sensemaking On The Camino De Santiago, Benjamin Boone
Teaching Along The Way: An Ethnographic Study Of Faculty Growth And Sensemaking On The Camino De Santiago, Benjamin Boone
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
This study examined the experiences of faculty members from U.S. universities who led students on a short-term summer study abroad program that incorporated the Camino de Santiago, a medieval pilgrimage route in Spain. The study sought to understand how faculty leaders engaged in sensemaking (Weick, 1995) of these experiences in the context of their faculty roles on their home campuses. The ethnographic methods included six years of field work in Spain, participant observation as faculty program director, and in-depth interviews with faculty leaders. The findings show that participants engaged in sensemaking through three theoretical constructs. The construct of family addresses …
Examining Persistence: The Influence Of Joining Of Pan-Hellenic Black Greek Letter Organizations On African-American Male Students Attending Predominantly White Institutions, Charles R. Smith, Jr.
Examining Persistence: The Influence Of Joining Of Pan-Hellenic Black Greek Letter Organizations On African-American Male Students Attending Predominantly White Institutions, Charles R. Smith, Jr.
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The retention of African-American male students at predominantly White institutions is an issue that continues to plague colleges and universities in the United States. African-American men have the lowest college graduation rate of any segment of the population. Pointedly, two-thirds of African-American male students who attend public four-year schools do not graduate within six years. Yet, research highlights how social engagement supports many minority students who find themselves on the campuses of predominantly White institutions. Establishing social connections builds a support system for these students and can prevent social isolation. One manner of social engagement steeped in history is the …
Connecting Access And Efficiency: Community College Course-Taking Patterns That Predict Vertical Transfer, Laverne Wingate Ellerbe
Connecting Access And Efficiency: Community College Course-Taking Patterns That Predict Vertical Transfer, Laverne Wingate Ellerbe
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Vertical transfer is a centennial symbol of access that also provides inputs for operational funding and produces outcomes for performance-based funding (PBF). Thus, this mission-critical community college function may be leveraged to decisively impact the higher education completion agenda. Yet, deeper insights into student level data are needed to understand what powers vertical transfer efficiency. Previous research used administrative data, analyzed access, and tracked transfer outcomes, but few studies have used vertical transfer as a single analysis framework to reconcile access and efficiency goals while examining tensions between access, accountability, and resource allocation. The body of research tends to isolate …
Critical And Creative Thinking In General Education: A Descriptive Case Study, Nicholas Richard Marsella
Critical And Creative Thinking In General Education: A Descriptive Case Study, Nicholas Richard Marsella
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Abstract as part of a strategic planning effort begun in 2008, the College of William & Mary began the process of reviewing and changing its general education program. Approved by the faculty in 2013, the university is implementing an innovative curriculum called the "College Curriculum," designed in part to help students acquire knowledge and develop the skills and habits of critical and creative thinking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the institution's and faculty's understanding of how the new curriculum addressed student development of critical and creative thinking. This descriptive case study provided a review of the literature …
A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Lived Experiences Of Female African American Undergraduate Stem Students At An Elite Predominantly White Institution, Reginald O. Johns
A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Lived Experiences Of Female African American Undergraduate Stem Students At An Elite Predominantly White Institution, Reginald O. Johns
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of being a female, African American STEM undergraduate who is enrolled at an elite Predominantly White Institution and who has a mentoring relationship. A hermeneutic approach to phenomenology was used to gather data through open-ended interviews. Research questions included: What are the lived experiences of female, African American, STEM undergraduate students of the STEM community at an elite Predominantly White Institution? What are the lived experiences of high achieving female, African American, STEM undergraduate students with their mentors? Four themes emerged from the interviews: (a) Discouraging …
The Transitional Generation: Faculty Sensemaking Of Higher Education Reform In Ecuador, Mary Amanda Johnson
The Transitional Generation: Faculty Sensemaking Of Higher Education Reform In Ecuador, Mary Amanda Johnson
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
In response to public sector criticism, higher education reform in Ecuador over the past decade has created a nation-wide transformation of faculty roles. The literature from researchers in Ecuador concerning reform and the role of faculty discusses the desired impact of these new expectations; however, very little is known regarding the substantive reality of faculty navigating new roles and work. This study explored faculty sense making of national reforms relating to their role and work at universities and sought to understand how faculty are navigating both policy and implementation of new work expectations ten years after government top-down reform efforts. …
The Duality Of Dual Enrollment: How The Relationship Between Student Demographics, Academic Metrics, And College Enrollment Adds Up, Tiffany Noel Ferrari
The Duality Of Dual Enrollment: How The Relationship Between Student Demographics, Academic Metrics, And College Enrollment Adds Up, Tiffany Noel Ferrari
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Dual enrollment (DE) programs provide high school students the opportunity to earn credit for college coursework completed while still in high school and help smooth the transition from high school to college by making the unfamiliar familiar—a valuable experience for students from a wide range of economic and academic backgrounds. Yet, the value of DE is largely undermined when students who have completed college credits do not enroll in college after high school graduation. Therefore, this study examined student demographics and academic metrics of Virginia DE students to explore potential patterns between student habitus and college enrollment, providing prototypical profiles …
Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Low-Income Pell Grant Undergraduate Students At A Most Competitive College, Michael Harold Postma
Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Low-Income Pell Grant Undergraduate Students At A Most Competitive College, Michael Harold Postma
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Abstract Low-income Pell Grant recipients represent a small percentage of undergraduate students at America’s elite colleges and universities. The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to understand the lived experiences of low-income Pell Grant students who attended a most competitive college. I used Tinto and Pusser’s (2006) institutional action model as my theoretical framework because this theory enabled a focus on the institutional factors low-income Pell Grant students identified as contributing to their persistence to succeed within the most competitive college context. My study employed a qualitative research approach. The 11 student participants – seniors, juniors, sophomores, and freshman …
Students' Self-Determined Motivation, Emotional Intelligence And Academic Persistence: An Examination Of Second Year Students At A Public And A Private Historically Black University, Evanda Shentelle Watts-Martinez
Students' Self-Determined Motivation, Emotional Intelligence And Academic Persistence: An Examination Of Second Year Students At A Public And A Private Historically Black University, Evanda Shentelle Watts-Martinez
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Culture Clash: A Case Study Of The Issues That Non-Traditional College Presidents Face In Adjusting To Academic Culture, Sean Michael Heuvel
Culture Clash: A Case Study Of The Issues That Non-Traditional College Presidents Face In Adjusting To Academic Culture, Sean Michael Heuvel
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Effects Of Virtual Conversations On International, Students' Intercultural Communicative Competence, Jingzhu Zhang
Effects Of Virtual Conversations On International, Students' Intercultural Communicative Competence, Jingzhu Zhang
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Students In A Comprehensive Four-Year Undergraduate Leadership Development Program, Jessica Walker Hench
Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Students In A Comprehensive Four-Year Undergraduate Leadership Development Program, Jessica Walker Hench
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
To Experience Something Greater Than Myself: An Exploratory Case Study Of The Impact Of A Faculty-Led Short-Term Study Abroad On College Student Identity, E. Ashleigh Schuller Lee
To Experience Something Greater Than Myself: An Exploratory Case Study Of The Impact Of A Faculty-Led Short-Term Study Abroad On College Student Identity, E. Ashleigh Schuller Lee
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
The Language Of Leadership A Feminist Poststructural Discourse Analysis Of Inaugural Addresses By Presidents Of High Profile Research Universities, Tehmina Khwaja
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Women In The Trenches: Barriers To Female Staff's Advancement In Higher Education, Carla A. Costello
Women In The Trenches: Barriers To Female Staff's Advancement In Higher Education, Carla A. Costello
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
This qualitative phenomenological case study examined the intersection of organizational structures and gender, as well as perceptions of climate, and their collective impact on professional advancement opportunities of women working in lower-level positions in higher education, namely classified and professional staff (Acker, 1990; Allan, 2011; Kanter, 1977). Kanter's (1977) theory of the role of structure in organizations posits that position in the organizational hierarchy and work role influence the amount of access an employee has to information, resources, promotional opportunities, and support. In gendered organizations (Acker, 1990, 2006), women face barriers in advancement. While Kanter (1977) argued that structure not …