Education Commons^™

Agility In Professional Associations: Using Improvement Science To Align Nirsa’S Communication Strategy With Member Needs, Stephanie L. Hart, Kimberly A. Bradley, Lisa M. Gwyn, Joanna A. Liebelt, Denise K. Miller

Doctor of Education Capstones

This intrinsic case study delved into how NIRSA, a leading Association for Campus Recreation, and its members could effectively engage with one another to best support the members' needs. Leveraging the principles of improvement science, we rigorously assessed the root causes of misalignments between NIRSA and its members. This process allowed us to develop a theory of change that supports organizational alignment and engagement and satisfies members' needs. We found that change concepts like agility to pivot, in addition to inclusive and responsive communication strategies, would support members in navigating the evolving landscape of the campus recreation industry and amplify …

Uncovering Graduate Student Achievement At Virginia Commonwealth University: An Exploration Of Academic Advising & Administrative Processes, Kenzel Hill, Elizabeth Howley, Madeline Schutt, Michelle Blackwell

Doctor of Education Capstones

Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) Graduate School submitted a Request for Partnership, with the problem being a lack of consistency and formal advising standards for graduate students across various academic units at VCU. As a result, the Graduate School observed an impact on student success, including retention and graduation of graduate students. A capstone team was constructed to determine, through focus group interviews, surveying, and document analysis what the best practices for graduate student advising are and what the administrative processes and challenges that program directors, support staff, and faculty face in administering their graduate programs and advising. Findings suggest that …

Professional Learning Partnerships: An Exploratory Study Into How Institutions Of Higher Education Can Support Pk–12 Educators, Eleonore E. Cardinell, Nora Bryant, Danielle Terrell, Alexandra Javna, Megan Wood

Doctor of Education Capstones

Dr. Jonathan Becker, a Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Associate Professor in the School of Education (SOE), submitted a request for assistance from a Doctorate of Educational Leadership team at VCU. Dr. Becker was tasked with establishing a professional studies program that would offer non-credit bearing professional learning experiences to PK–12 educators. The VCU SOE wanted to learn how to design an accessible and relevant non-credit bearing program for PK–12 educators that maximized the value of the VCU SOE while generating revenue. To support the VCU SOE, the team conducted research using an exploratory sequential mixed methods model. The team gathered …

Innovative Secondary School Scheduling Practices To Positively Impact Student Outcomes In West Point Public Schools, Jessica Burdette, Sydney B. Lilly, Mark A. Strickler

Doctor of Education Capstones

Utilizing the principles of improvement science through a critical pragmatic approach, this study aimed to promote West Point Public School (WPPS) student success through researching secondary school scheduling practices. The primary theory of change for this study stated that if instructional time is maximized, all WPPS students will be given the opportunity to experience academic success and increase achievement. Three key research questions emerged as we analyzed the problem of practice: How can WPPS structure a secondary school day schedule to ensure every student has the best opportunity to succeed within the system? How can WPPS incorporate research-based strategies for …

Strengthening Early Childhood Education: Increasing Family Engagement At The Sprout School Of Richmond, Virginia, Tara Davison, Jennifer Meadows

Doctor of Education Capstones

The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of Richmond is dedicated to fostering community and combating discrimination through various initiatives. Their early childhood education program, the Sprout School, is one initiative that strives to serve families from all walks of life within the Richmond community. However, a significant challenge faced by the Sprout School is increasing family engagement, which is crucial for strengthening the relationships among parents, teachers, and students. Research indicates that effective family engagement can positively influence children's educational experiences and outcomes. To address this, the research team conducted a mixed-methods study to assess the current state of family …

Campus Culture Of Hazing At James Madison University: A Mixed Methods Exploration Of Perceptions, Behaviors, And Policy Implications, Lauren D. Powell, Amanda K. Simmons, Alexandra E. Holt, Elizabeth M. Matthews, Mark D. Meadows

Doctor of Education Capstones

Hazing has been around for centuries and has become more prevalent with the rise in social media. This convergent parallel mixed method study sought to explore students, faculty, and staff perceptions of hazing and hazing prevention at JMU, examine what they define as reportable hazing behaviors, and identify what behaviors are currently being reported in organizational misconduct reports. Through content analysis of JMU organizational misconduct reports, a student survey, and interviews with faculty and staff, the capstone team collected data on hazing and determined seven key findings. Findings revealed that students, faculty, and staff acknowledge the risks of hazing, including …

A Reset For Virginia: Systemizing Leadership And Resource Support For Alternatively Prepared Special Education Teachers, Nicholas E. Olson Dr., Rebecca W. Harmon Dr., Elizabeth H. Morris Dr., Michael-Jon Rodney Dr., Matthew Seidita Dr.

Doctor of Education Capstones

Virginia continues to face the impacts of the national teacher shortage, particularly in special education. The scarcity of licensed special education teachers has led to an increasing number of educators entering the profession through alternative routes with limited classroom experience. These alternatively prepared special education teachers (ARSETs) require sustained, targeted support to implement high-leverage practices (HLPs) that improve student outcomes. Although numerous professional learning opportunities exist, the current system of support is fragmented, and resources are inconsistently applied. Compounding this challenge, many schools lack enough experienced educators to provide in-field mentors for every new hire.

To assist the Virginia Department …

Sealing The Deal: A Case Study Of A Private, Southeastern, Regional College’S Student Onboarding Practices, Alicia R. Gaston, Kristen Meyer, Tyler Ogden, Jennifer Perkinson, Casey Yocum Michaels

Doctor of Education Capstones

Each year, higher education institutions offer support to new, incoming students through an onboarding process that requires dedication and collaboration across multiple departments. Offering streamlined guidance and clear communication throughout the onboarding process is essential to ensure incoming students understand action steps without becoming overwhelmed with new terminology, processes, and environments. This explanatory case study is set to understand the current communication practices and technology use across onboarding departments at Brightside College – also referred to as Brightside or BC (pseudonym). The research team aimed to understand Brightside's onboarding staff's perspective of current processes and practices. With emphasis on the …

Richmond Handbook: The Future Of Youth Engagement In The Planning & Design Sector Of Richmond, Virginia, Chanté C. Holt

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Storefront for Community Design is a non-profit organization in Richmond, Virginia that works to make design programs and resources accessible to all. While honoring this commitment, the organization also devotes resources to educating K-12 students on urban planning processes in the City of Richmond. Using this as a framework, the research creates parameters that guide the best practices for stakeholders such as the client Storefront for Community Design who are invested in producing urban planning educational material and programming. To effectively create recommendations for this client, the professional plan establishes the current state of urban planning education in the Richmond, …

Initial Growth Of Inclusive Knowledge And Leadership Practices By Science Education Teacher-Leaders, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Elizabeth Hasseler, Rachel Benzoni, Gina S. Matkin, Wendy Smith, Daniel R. Claes, David M. Harwood, L. J. Mcelravy, Dawn Jaramillo

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Presentations

Slies of a presentation given at the 2025 Annual International National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) Conference on the initial results from an iterative program design for educating science education leaders.

Birds Of A Feather: Peace And Conflict Founders Milton Schwebel And Luella Buros, Janet Carlson

Buros Center: Professional Staff Publications

Milton Schwebel, peace psychology pioneer, described Luella Buros as “a pillar of strength, her principles uneroded by age or economic well-being, her determination to struggle against social evils undiminished” (1992, p. 4). At age 90, Buros had just become the founding contributor to Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology. Schwebel was its founding editor. In announcing the gift, he emphasized Buros’s steadfast commitment to pursuing peace, while recognizing her artistic accomplishments and her collaboration with her husband, Oscar, in establishing the renowned Mental Measurements Yearbook series (Buros, 1968; Buros, 1978; Carlson, 2023). She later provided funds to support …

Integrating Lifestyle Medicine Into Undergraduate Nursing Education, Lyndsay Wright

DNP Research Projects

Abstract 

Objective: Lifestyle Medicine (LM) effectively addresses the lifestyle-related diseases that contribute most to global morbidity, mortality, and healthcare spending. However, nurses and nursing students struggle with maintaining healthy lifestyles themselves, with LM and health behavior change strategies insufficiently taught in nursing education. Method: A quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design examined the effects of an LM educational intervention on undergraduate nursing students’ knowledge of LM and intentions for health behavior change. Data were collected using demographic questions, an LM knowledge (LMK) questionnaire, the Lifestyle Medicine Assessment (LMA), and a modified Intention to Change Behavior Scale …

Moving Goalposts: Unknowables, And Anxiety In Tenure And Promotion, Mark Diacopoulos, Ruth Monnier

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

In this study, two tenure-track colleagues (Mark and Ruth) examined their process of seeking tenure and promotion. They sought to answer the following question: To what extent do the unknowables in the tenure and promotion process lead to unnecessary anxiety?

The Munster Statement Om Principerna För Forskningsetik Och Forskningsintegritet (Swedish), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM är en allians av tio lärosäten från tio europeiska länder. Europauniversitetet strävar efter att göra det möjligt för varje medlem i nätverket att erbjuda högkvalitativa studie- och kvalifikationsprogram med digitala komponenter som delas inom INGENIUM Alliance.

Vid universitet och högskolor läggs allt större vikt vid att främja god forskningssed inom alla aspekter av forskning1,2, inräknat allt från grundforskning till tillämpad forskning och kommersialisering. Forskningsetik (FE) och forskningsintegritet (FI) stödjer forskningsverksamhet och excellens och anses utgöra en viktig grund för att forskare ska kunna lita på varandra och på forskningsresultaten3 samt stärka allmänhetens förtroende för vetenskap och vetenskapliga resultat4. Men …

Declarația Munster Referitor La Principiile Eticii Cercetării Și Integrității Cercetării (Romanian), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM este o alianță de zece instituții de învățământ superior din zece țări europene. Această universitate europeană urmărește să permită fiecărui membru al rețelei să ofere programe de studiu și calificare de înaltă calitate, cu componente digitale care sunt partajate în cadrul Alianței INGENIUM.

În instituțiile de învățământ superior se pune un accent din ce în ce mai mare pe promovarea bunelor practici de cercetare în toate aspectele cercetării1,2, de la cercetarea fundamentală la cercetarea aplicată la comercializare. Etica cercetării (EC) și integritatea cercetării (IC) stau la baza activității și excelenței în cercetare și sunt considerate o componentă critică a …

The Munster Statement On The Principles Of Research Ethics And Research Integrity (English), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM is an alliance of ten institutions of higher education from ten European countries. This European University seeks to enable each member of the network to offer high-quality study and qualification programmes with digital components that are shared within the INGENIUM Alliance.

In Higher Education Institutions there is a growing emphasis on promoting good research practices in all aspects of research1,2, including everything from fundamental research to applied research to commercialisation. Research ethics (RE) and research integrity (RI) underpin research activity and excellence and are considered a critical component of the basis for researchers to trust each other as well …

La Déclaration De Münster Sur Les Principes D'Éthique Et D'Intégrité De La Recherche (French), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM est une alliance de dix établissements d'enseignement supérieur de dix pays européens. Cette université européenne vise à permettre à chaque membre du réseau de proposer des programmes d'études et de qualification de haute qualité avec des composantes numériques partagées au sein de l'Alliance INGENIUM.

Dans les établissements d'enseignement supérieur, l'accent est de plus en plus mis sur la promotion de bonnes pratiques de recherche dans tous les aspects de la recherche12, y compris la recherche fondamentale, la recherche appliquée et la commercialisation. L'éthique de la recherche (ER) et l'intégrité de la recherche (IR) soutiennent l'activité et l'excellence de la …

Munster Statement Zu Den Grundsätzen Der Forschungsethik Und Forschungsintegrität (German), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM ist ein Zusammenschluss von zehn Hochschulen aus zehn europäischen Ländern. Ziel dieser Europäischen Universität ist es, jedem Mitglied des Netzwerks ein qualitativ hochwertiges Studien- und Qualifizierungsangebot mit digitalen Komponenten anzubieten, die in der INGENIUM Alliance geteilt werden.

In den Hochschuleinrichtungen wird zunehmend Wert auf die Förderung guter Forschungspraktiken in allen Bereichen der Forschung gelegt1, 2 von der Grundlagenforschung über die angewandte Forschung bis hin zur Kommerzialisierung. Forschungsethik (RE) und Forschungsintegrität (RI) bilden die Grundlage für Forschungstätigkeit und -exzellenz und gelten als wesentliche Voraussetzung für das Vertrauen der Forschenden untereinander sowie in die Forschungsergebnisse3 und stärken das Vertrauen der Öffentlichkeit …

Η Δήλωση Munster Για Τις Αρχές Δεοντολογίας Της Έρευνας Και Ακεραιότητας Της Έρευνας (Greek), Ingenium

Dissemination

Το INGENIUM είναι μια συμμαχία δέκα ιδρυμάτων τριτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης που εκτείνονται σε ισάριθμες ευρωπαϊκές χώρες. Αυτό το Ευρωπαϊκό Πανεπιστήμιο επιδιώκει να καταστήσει ικανό κάθε μέλος του δικτύου να προσφέρει υψηλής ποιότητας προγράμματα σπουδών και κατάρτισης με ψηφιακές συνιστώσες που είναι κοινά στο πλαίσιο της συμμαχίας INGENIUM.

Στην τριτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση σημειώνεται αυξανόμενη έμφαση στην προώθηση ορθών ερευνητικών πρακτικών σε όλες τις πτυχές της έρευνας1,2, συμπεριλαμβανομένων όλων των τομέων από τη βασική έως την εφαρμοσμένη έρευνα και την εμπορική εκμετάλλευσή της. Η δεοντολογία της έρευνας (ΔτΕ) και η ακεραιότητα της έρευνας (ΑτΕ) στηρίζουν την ερευνητική δραστηριότητα και την αριστεία και θεωρούνται κρίσιμες …

Munsterin Julkilausuma Tutkimusetiikan Ja Hyvän Tieteellisen Käytännön Periaatteista (Finnish), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM on kymmenen Eurooppalaisen korkeakoulun verkosto, joka antaa verkoston jäsenille mahdollisuuden tarjota korkealaatuista koulutusta, hyödyntäen INGENIUM-allianssin yhteisiä digitaalisia opintokokonaisuuksia.

Korkeakouluissa painotetaan yhä enemmän hyvien tutkimuskäytäntöjen edistämistä kaikilla tutkimuksen osa-alueilla1,2 perustutkimuksesta soveltavaan tutkimukseen ja kaupallistamiseen. Tutkimusetiikka ja hyvä tieteelinen käytäntö tukevat tutkimustoimintaa ja huippuosaamista, ja niitä pidetään tärkeänä osana tutkimuksen perustaa, jonka avulla tutkijat luottavat toisiinsa ja tutkimusansioihin 3ja vahvistavat yleisön luottamusta tieteeseen ja tieteellisiin tuloksiin4. Koska ohjeita on kuitenkin lukuisia, on välttämätöntä laatia lausunto, joka mahdollistaa johdonmukaisen lähestymistavan tutkimusetiikkaan ja hyvään tieteelliseen käytäntöön koko INGENIUMissa.

Koska tutkimusetiikka ja hyvä tieteellinen käytäntö ovat merkityksellisiä kaikkien tieteenalojen tutkimuksessa, on erityisen tärkeää, että …

Изявлението От Мюнстер Относно Принципите На Научноизследователската Етика И Почтеността На Научните Изследвания (Bulgarian), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM е алианс на десет висши учебни заведения от десет европейски държави. Този европейски университет се стреми да даде възможност на всеки член на мрежата да предлага висококачествени програми за обучение и квалификация с цифрови компоненти, които се споделят в рамките на INGENIUM Alliance.

Във висшите учебни заведения се поставя все по-голям акцент върху насърчаването на добри изследователски практики във всички аспекти на научните изследвания1, 2включително всичко - от фундаментални изследвания до приложни изследвания и комерсиализация. Изследователската етика (RE) и интегритет на научните изследвания (RI) са в основата на научноизследователската дейност и високите постижения и се считат за критичен компонент, …

Dichiarazione Di Munster Sui Principi Etici E Sull‘ Integrità Della Ricercar (Italian), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM è un'alleanza di dieci istituti di istruzione superiore di dieci paesi europei. Questa università europea cerca di facilitare ciascun membro della rete nell‘ offrire programmi di studio e titoli di alta qualità con componenti digitali che sono condivisi all'interno dell'Alleanza INGENIUM.

Negli istituti di istruzione superiore vi è una crescente enfasi sulla promozione di buone pratiche in tutti gli aspetti della ricerca12, da quella di base a quella applicata finanche alla commercializzazione. L'etica della ricerca (RE) e l'integrità della ricerca (RI) sono alla base dell'attività e dell'eccellenza della ricerca stessa e sono considerate una componente fondamentale della base affinché …

Mapping Learning In Higher Education: The Embedding Content Across Academic Programmes Toolkit, John Pierce, Mary Beades, Andrew Shields

Publications

The growing diversification of teaching roles in higher education and the siloed nature of semesterised programmes can inhibit quality teaching and learning. This paper introduces the Embedding Content Across Academic Programmes Toolkit (ECAAPT), a practical model for mapping and tracking embedded content across modules, semesters, and years within higher education programmes that can ease the administrative burden of curricular mapping and change on academics teaching in the sector. Originally developed with a focus on tracking student academic literacies, this model has also been adapted and shown value in mapping and tracking other content, such as graduate attributes, feedback, assessment strategies, …

Stars: Enhancing Student Leadership, Caroline Budwell, Braden Goddard, Tamer Nadeem, Saleema Karim, Joseph Turner

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

The VCU Division of Student Affairs aims to enhance training for leaders of student organizations, addressing variability in their success. By analyzing data from RamsConnect, surveying advisors, and reviewing best practices from peer institutions, we will identify areas for improvement. Our final deliverable will include a comprehensive analysis and tailored recommendations to strengthen leadership within student organizations, ensuring students benefit from opportunities for leadership, collaboration, and engagement, ultimately supporting their success and retention at VCU.

Ram-Amazing Care: Making Mental Health A Priority, Together, Matthew Pawlowicz, Chelsea Gary, Sara Barton, Matthew Majid

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

Maintaining student mental health is a significant and growing challenge for universities. Difficulties with mental health decrease students’ overall well-being and can contribute to students performing poorly in classes, entering academic probation, and failing to complete their degree on time, or at all, among other negative consequences for the university community generally. To help meet the need for mental health care, VCU partnered with TimelyCare in 2020 to provide a variety of online mental health care resources. The partnership has enrolled more than 3,000 student users, though that is less than 15% of the student population. And so, our project …

From Silos To Synergy: Advancing Health Research Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Gretchen Neigh, Jackie Daniel, Maria Garcia Bonilla, Robert Perera, Gustavo Mendonca

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

This project will identify strategies to increase cross-disciplinary collaboration of doctoral trainees in the health sciences. The team will examine models of cross-disciplinary connection through interviews and surveys with program directors, trainees, and mentors in the graduate programs on the MCV campus of VCU. The deliverable will be recommendations for programming opportunities aimed at advancing health research through interprofessional collaboration, positioning the doctoral programs to empower their trainees to move from silos to synergy.

Orienting New Researchers Across Multiple Pathways: Bridging Research Resource Gaps For New Faculty At Vcu, Maecy Richmond, Sarah Lines, Travis Oakes, Yali Pang

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

New faculty researchers at VCU, who possess diverse research interests or requirements, often find it challenging to navigate the VCU environment in search of research resources necessary to initiate their work. The majority of available research resources highlighted on central VCU pages primarily cater to biomedical research, inadvertently marginalizing those in less prominent fields. Resources in other departments, such as fine arts and education, are limited and often restricted to the departmental or school level. This raises the essential query: "How and where should I begin my research?" The project employs a faculty and staff survey aimed at assessing the …

Vcu Scicom: A Federated Unit For Community-Engaged Science Communication, Dara Azuma Lampugnale, Bernard Fuemmeler, Brody Jameson, Megan Lo, Amanda Gentry

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

Confidence and trust in science have declined in recent years, in part due a lack of understanding of how science works and that knowledge is not immutable but constantly evolving. At the same time the rise in social media has led to the spread of misinformation and changes in the media landscape have made it difficult to disseminate the correct information to channels that reach the greatest numbers. While most Americans see scientists as intelligent, less than half (45%) say that they are good communicators. As a public university, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) serves the public good by ensuring that …

Vcu's Yellow Brick Road: Connection, Safety, & Navigation, Karen Bjork, Robert Chisley, Samuel Kessler, Taylor Mackillop, Sarah Midkiff

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

Yellow Brick Road is an initiative designed to strengthen the connection between Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and downtown Richmond by promoting outdoor activity, sustainable mobility, and shared community experiences. The project aims to enhance the health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff through walking meetings and a proposed VCU-branded e-bike fleet, while also deepening VCU’s engagement with the urban community through events such as the UNCOMMON Street Festival. Together, these efforts reflect VCU’s vision as a university fully embedded in the city, guided by the question: How can VCU thrive with Richmond, not apart from it?

Voting Rights Restoration, Alisha Bazemore, Chicnee Brown, Melvin Roy, Angela Waller

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

No abstract provided.