Education Commons^™

Promoting And Establishing An Effective Campus-Wide Academic Advising System, Katie Kerr

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explored the role of directors of campus-wide academic advising programs and their contributions to promoting and establishing effective campus-wide academic advising systems. Specifically, directors of campus-wide academic advising addressed how they engaged academic units within a unified campus-wide advising system. This included an exploration of how academic advising organizational structures in higher education institutions and leadership styles of directors of campus-wide advising contributed to the effectiveness of their work. Three themes materialized from this study: (a) emergence of the position of director of campus-wide advising, (b) advising organizational structure and culture, and (c) leadership strategies of directors of …

Examining The Lived Experiences Of Native American Students At Predominantly White Institutions, Zachary Palmer

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative research study sought to examine the lived experiences and sense of belonging of Native American students at a predominantly white institution. Three participants were each interviewed twice for data collection purposes. Findings from data analysis process indicated that establishing and maintaining relationships within the campus community facilitated a sense of belonging and that racial microaggression were present in the campus environment which often made participants feel hesitant to reveal their Native American identity. Recommendations are offered for higher education professionals and areas for future research are noted.

Advisor: Corey Rumann

Rural Students’ Sense Of Belonging At A Large Public University, Benjamin P. Heinisch

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative case study explored how undergraduate students from rural areas experience higher education environments and develop a sense of belonging at a large Midwestern public university. This study defined rural considering students’ hometown population size and density as well as each individual participant’s constructed reality of a rural identity (Crockett, Shanahan, & Jackson-Newsom, 2000). The following questions guided this study: (1) How does students’ identification with their rural background influence how they experience their college environment? (2) What do rural students see as key environmental factors affecting their sense of belonging? (3) Is the institution providing supportive environments for …