Higher Education Commons^™

Do Lgbtqia Rowan Students Matter? Marginality And Mattering In Rowan University's Lgbtqia Undergraduate Population, Liz Ditzel

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores feelings of marginality and mattering as defined by Schlossberg (1989) in LGBTQIA undergraduate students at Rowan University. The study used a modified version of the College Mattering Inventory (Tovar, Simon, and Lee, distributed via email to students utilizing the university's LGBTQIA Center. The study provided an opportunity for LGBTQIA undergraduate students to give feedback regarding their experiences at Rowan. A total of 39 students responded to the survey.

The study found that LGBTQIA undergraduate students at Rowan University are experiencing feelings of mattering and marginality simultaneously. These students feel that they matter as students, and that they …

Understanding Annual Giving & What Motivates Young Alumni To Give To Their Alma Mater: A Mixed Methods Study, Danielle Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Donations are the largest source of private funding for colleges and universities in the United States (Etzkowitz, Webster, Gebhardt, & Terra, 2000). College and universities need to turn to funding through fundraising, which includes alumni donations. One difficulty that higher education advancement professionals face is the ability to engage young alumni. This study investigated the motivations of young alumni to give to their alma mater, Rowan University. In this study, young alumni were defined as individuals that were 35 years of age or younger that gave during the 2018 fiscal year. A mixed methods approach is utilized in this study …

The Influence Of Career Motivation On College Major Choice, Candace R. Lehmann

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to investigate whether current Rowan University students feel they are motivated to reach their career goals. The study further explored the attitudes and understanding of the advising process of students and their use of career planning related services. Subjects included Rowan University students who had visited the University Advising Center or the Office of Career Advancement. Student responses were gathered using an Advising and Career survey measuring responses on a Likert scale. Data were analyzed to determine the mean score of student career motivation and understanding of their role in achieving their career goals. …

A Needs Assessment For Programming For Adult Undergraduate Students At Rowan University, Jennifer V. Savage

Theses and Dissertations

This needs assessment is evaluating if Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ, has a need for student services oriented toward adult (aged 25 or older) undergraduate students. Adult undergraduate students are a population that has been consistently growing in the United States, and research shows that this population has specific needs and characteristics. This assessment is comparing demographic data of its student population for the past 20 years, plus the national trends. A search of the Rowan University website returned limited results for student services for adult student service. An electronic survey was administered to its current adult student population, evaluating …

The Effect Of Leadership Programs On Engagement, Megan Ann Henry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that collegiate leadership programs offered through Leadership Rowan had on student levels of engagement at Rowan University. This study sought to find a connection between participation in leadership programs and higher levels of engagement as well as evidence of applied leadership skills as a result of their engagement. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) was used to develop a measurement instrument to quantify student engagement. The survey was distributed to undergraduate students who engaged in the leadership Rowan Leadership Certificates at the Silver and Gold Levels.

The conclusions revealed …

A Replication Study On The Impact Of Rowan After Hours Student Employment On Student Engagement, Eleni Dendrinos

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of student employment at Rowan After Hours (RAH) on student engagement. This is a replication study of Lauren Thompson's thesis from 2013, which investigated the impact of RAH student employment on student engagement at Rowan University. A survey was distributed to the spring 2019 Rowan After Hours undergraduate student staff, collected, and compared to the findings from the National Survey for Student Engagement (NSSE). This survey consisted of questions regarding the student's engagement on Rowan University's campus, such as their engagement with peers and faculty, taking lessons learned in class …

Teachers' Perceptions And Practices On Using Educational Technology As An Instructional Tool In The Classroom, Amanda Lee Resendez

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the rapid expansion of educational technologies in primary schools, recent research has shown that many teachers are not taking full advantage of these new tools. This study was designed to address the problem of the lack of effective technology integration in the classroom, particularly in grades third thru fifth at two school districts in the Rio Grande Valley. The purpose of this study was to examine primary teachers' perceptions of implementing technology in the classroom. Framed by Koehler and Mishra's technological pedagogical content knowledge model (TPACK), the study was guided by research questions that involved teachers' perceptions of the …

Perceptions Of Mattering And Marginality: A Study Of International Students At Rowan University, Katelyn Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the theory of mattering first developed by Rosenberg and McCullough (1981) that was later adapted to a higher education setting by Schlossberg (1989) and applies it to an international student context. More specifically, this study aims to measure the degree to which international students feel as though they matter to Rowan University across six subscales: general college mattering, mattering versus marginality, mattering to counselors, mattering to instructors, mattering to students, and perception of value.

Using the College Mattering Inventory (CMI) instrument developed by Tovar, Simon, and Lee (2008), 132 international students at Rowan University were surveyed on …

Gender And Organizational Citizenship Behavior In Library Technology: Mixed Methods Study, Sharon Whitfield

Theses and Dissertations

Academic librarianship continues to be a feminized profession, yet there are specializations within the profession that tend to be gender segregated, such as library technology. In this mixed methods study, women technology librarians' behaviors are examined through the gendered lens of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), which are discretionary, voluntary acts that are outside an employee's job description (Organ, 1988), but help shape the organizational culture and facilitate organizational functioning (Podsakoff & MacKenzie, 1997). This mixed methods study uses a survey to inform the extent of differences in organizational citizenship behaviors between men and women, and interviews to provide new insight …

The Lived Experiences Of Black Men Creating A Third Space At A Predominantly White Institution, Steven E. Radwanski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Black men creating third spaces at a predominantly White institution (PWI). The use of the third space theory permitted the researcher to examine both the student's current cultural experiences and the campus climate to understand better how Black men create a third space (Bhabha, 1994). Many Black men have found themselves in between two cultures their previous cultural experiences, and the campus climate of the institution they are attending.

The research gathered and analyzed through this study indicates that the third space theory can be situated to the student's …

Measuring Undergraduate Student Satisfaction As An Indicator Of Customer Service In Higher Education, Sanaz Shahi

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to measuring undergraduate students' satisfaction at Rowan University. The theoretical framework that guided this study was Tinto's Theory, Astin's IEO Model, and Hezberg's Theory. This study use the quantitative method, which includes a survey focused on students' satisfaction of seven areas including: university staff, services provided by the university, academic advisor, class availability, academic major, and campus safety. One hundred seventy nine subjects completed a Likert-type survey using a five-point scale to assess their satisfaction in the seven focus areas. The Statistical Program for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to input all …

White Faculty Perceptions Of Diversity And Diversity Work, Ariane Hutchins-Newman

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education has become increasingly diverse over the past 100 years. Women and people of color have integrated and, in many cases, assimilated into the academy. However, not all groups have gained access equally. While certain groups, such as women, have experienced measurable growth, African Americans have lagged in their presence within the academy. Representation of Black scholars in the faculty has been constant over a nearly 20-year period. Black faculty comprised 5% of the faculty in 1998 and 6% of the faculty in 2015. Colleges and universities dedicate significant resources to diversity and inclusion. However, there continues to be …

College Readiness: The Disconnect Between High School And Community College, Elizabeth C. Giacobbe

Theses and Dissertations

The proportion of students attending college continues to increase and college remediation rates remain considerably high, particularly at community colleges. This study explored high school teachers and community college perceptions of college readiness in the area of English. An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was employed to develop a better understanding of teachers' perceptions of students' preparedness for the academics rigors of college English. This study was motivated by three research questions. How do community college professors describe college-readiness in the area of English? How do high school teachers describe college-readiness in the area of English? What aspects of college-readiness …

The Influence Of Pentecostal Social Networks On Latino Student College Choice, Michael J. Farrow

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes the experiences of Latino Pentecostal students of traditional college age with regard to their college decisions, along with the influence of Pentecostal social networks on Latinos' college choice. Much research has focused on Latino students' college choice processes but Latino Pentecostal students as a specific subgroup have received little attention. This dissertation provides a more nuanced approach to the college decisions of the increasing number of Latino Pentecostal students in the United States. Applying a phenomenological research design, I conducted semi-structured interviews in which participants described their Pentecostal social network's role in their college choice process. In …

Impact Of A Leadership Development Intervention On Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Of Community College Students: A Quasi-Experimental Research Design, Sarah Jane Mcelroy

Theses and Dissertations

The overall purpose of this quasi-experimental research study was to determine if a formalized leadership development program had an effect on a community college student's level of career decision-making self-efficacy. This research study utilized the Career Exploration & Decision-Making Learning Experiences Scale (CEDLE) and the Career Exploration & Decisional Self-Efficacy Brief Decisional (CEDSE-BD) questionnaire to determine a student's level of career decision-making self-efficacy before and after participation in a leadership intervention (n = 411). Propensity Score Matching was utilized to account for a variety of confounding variables and self-selection bias. Results showed that community college students who participated in a …

Cultivating Grit: Faculty Influence On Females' Academic Success In Engineering Majors, Lisa Lynn Wymer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between the positive and negative factors that impact undergraduate female engineering students’ academic success in their programs. While females participate and persist in higher education at higher rates than their male counterparts, engineering is one field of study where gender disparity remains especially apparent, as males continue to outnumber females in engineering degree attainment (Ross, Kena, Rathbun, KewalRamani, Zhang, Kristapovich, & Manning, 2012, Schreuders, Mannon, & Rutherford, 2009, Tsui, 2009). The conceptual framework for this study was based on Tinto’s Longitudinal Model of Institutional Departure, which provides the theoretical foundation …

Gateway To Student Satisfaction: A Mixed Methods Study For Redesigning Student Services From A Legacy Model To A 21st Century One-Stop Model, Debora Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the student experience, in a One Stop Center at a public comprehensive community college located in the Mid-Atlantic region. This study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed methods analysis to assess the perceived impact of the centralization of functions on student satisfaction. Using expectation confirmation theory, customer satisfaction theory, and the researcher's professional experiences as a framework, the data collected allowed insight into the student experiences within an integrated one stop student service delivery environment. Five key findings demonstrated that further exploration of student needs and more frequent evaluation of services to meet …

Dark On Campus: A Phenomenological Study Of Being A Dark-Skinned Black College Student, Kiara Lee

Theses and Dissertations

As recent research finally starts to recognize colorism, a form of discrimination where light skin is valued over dark skin within an ethnic group, as a legitimate form of discrimination in the Black community, research on colorism in higher education still wanes. A limited amount of scholarship focuses on the manifestation of colorism in education and even less research examines the implications of complexion on Black college students and their intersectional identities. As empirical studies describe how complexion often denotes institutional degradation for dark-skinned Black students in K-12 and beyond -- from teacher perceptions, to the school-to-prison pipeline, to social …

Impacts Of Gender-Based Violence And Harassment On Graduate Student Academic Functioning, Jennifer W. Underwood

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers and practitioners have increasingly focused on institutional responses to campus gender-based violence/harassment, yet they have paid far less attention to graduate student experiences than to undergraduate student experiences. Graduate students operate in a different context from undergraduates, and therefore specific knowledge of gender-based violence/harassment in the lives of graduate students is needed. The purpose of this exploratory, nonexperimental study was to better understand the prevalence of adult gender-based violence/harassment and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among graduate students, as well as to understand the relationship between those experiences and participants’ mental health and academic functioning. The study’s theoretical framework combined …

Effects Of The Self- Determined Learning Model Of Instruction On Goal Attainment And Self-Determination For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder., Meredith M. Moates

Theses and Dissertations

Even with current transition practice and service delivery requirements mandated for students with disabilities by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) participation in postsecondary education and employment for individuals with autism remains low (Shattuck et al., 2012; Newman, Wagner, Cameto, & Knokey, 2011). The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI; Wehmeyer, Palmer, Agran, Mithaug, & Martin, 2000). The intervention was designed to facilitate student development, and participation in community college course settings, increase academic and vocational goal attainment and self-determined behavior while decreasing support needs. The SDLMI …

Exploring The Impact Of Diversity Training On The Development And Application Of Cultural Competence Skills In Higher Education Professionals, Kendra Cabler

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years the terms diversity and inclusion have become major buzzwords across industries and fields of study. Within the field of education broadly, and higher education in particular, a shifting student demographic can be seen across the country. Issues of equity and inclusion have become central complexities for present day educational strategists, and organizations committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion must do so with intentionality. In the context of higher education, this often requires the intentional development of professionals within a particular college or university. There has been a great deal of research concerning the development of cultural …

The Effect Of Training And Institutional Support On Title Ix Coordinators' Responses To Sexual Violence On College Campuses, Mercedes M. Pino

Theses and Dissertations

One out of five women in college are victims of sexual assault. The uptick in cases being brought before the US Department of Education for the mishandling of sexual assault cases on college campuses raises a question about the adequacy of the training and support being received by Title IX Coordinators. This study was designed to determine whether Title IX Coordinators are receiving adequate support and sufficient training necessary to adhere to the federal mandates regarding sexual assault on campus, as well as how the Title IX Coordinators’ years of experience relate to the challenges they face.

Using SurveyMonkey, a …

Why Women Give To Women: A Portrait Of Gender-Based Philanthropy, Amy C. G. Beck

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

WHY WOMEN GIVE TO WOMEN: A PORTRAIT OF GENDER-BASED PHILANTHROPY AT A PUBLIC COLLEGE IN VIRGINIA

By Amy Gray Beck, Ph.D.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2019

Chair: Katherine Cumings Mansfield, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations, School of Education, UNC Greensboro

The cost of public higher education is steadily increasing, with state and federal government cutting its support year after year. Students are having to pay more out of pocket for classes and tuition, and institutions rely on …

Using Video Modeling To Determine The Effects On Play Skills Of Elementary Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Carrietta L. Gaudio

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to enhance the play skills of elementary students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. The current social skills programs available at the writer’s school did not specifically target improving play skills and were not geared toward individuals with autism. The traditional teaching techniques used in the classroom to teach play skills were not adequate, as students continued to show minimal growth on quarterly progress reports and repeated yearly goals focusing on play skills on their individualized education plans.

The writer conducted a study that compared the effects of video modeling and video selfmodeling on play …

Examining Stigma Associated With Firefighters Seeking Social Support After Experiencing A Traumatic Event, John Richard Tormos

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine stigma associated with firefighters seeking social support after experiencing a traumatic event. This quantitative study employed a survey approach with a cross-sectional design. The researcher self-selected 26 active career firefighters from a medium-sized fire department located in the southeastern United States to participate in the study. Firefighters responded to an array of emergency incidents and were repeatedly exposed to traumatic events. The Secondary Trauma Exposure Scale was employed to answer the first research question: What are the most frequent types of traumatic events that firefighters have experienced? The findings revealed that all of …

A Qualitative Study Of The Factors Impacting The College Transfer Experience Of High Achieving Hispanic Graduates, Jennifer Bravo Candelaria

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to understand the factors impacting the college transfer experiences of high achieving Hispanic transfer graduates along their path to earning a bachelor’s degree in less than six years in the Florida Public Post-Secondary System. Existing higher education literature places emphasis on Mexican born and Mexican American students since they make up the largest Hispanic group represented in the United States. The Hispanic community will be the largest minority group in the United States by the year 2060. It is vital for the social mobility and economic progress of Hispanics to earn a post-secondary …

A Qualitative Study Of Common Faculty Perceptions Of Online Healthcare Graduate Students’ Writing Challenges, Latazia Stuart

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to understand and explore common faculty perceptions of why some faculty engage their online healthcare graduate students who are deficient in writing skills to improve and what interventions they used. This study utilized a case study qualitative approach to collect and analyze the data. This study explored online faculty perceptions of online graduate healthcare students writing deficiencies, exploring how they defined it, what beliefs and motivations underlie their decision to engage these students in the improvement of their writing skills, and what interventions they used to address this problem in an online learning environment.

The …

Evaluation Of Hospitality Curricula, Industry Skillset Expectations And Student Preparedness, Jennifer Aarons

Theses and Dissertations

Colleges and universities have been burdened with the task of preparing students for a successful career in the hospitality industry. As the industry expectations of hospitality and tourism management degree graduates’ change, postsecondary education institutions need to respond to the employment demands of the industry. Also, the global expansion of the hospitality and tourism industry requires that institutions evaluate their degree programs to ensure that graduates possess the essential skillsets to thrive in a global economy.

The purpose of this research is to determine if postsecondary institutions are adequately preparing hospitality and tourism management graduates with the necessary skillsets needed …

How Do You Like Me Now? Social Media Bridging The Distance In Online Education, Lee Heller

Theses and Dissertations

Distance education has disrupted our educational norm, with students taking more online courses than ever before. Some research has assumed that online students experience a feeling of isolation, disconnect with their institution, and overall, have a diminished educational experience. During the last 10 years, another phenomenon, social media, has also experienced explosive growth, including the largest and most interwoven into modern society: Facebook.

With almost 92% of respondents in this study reporting they use Facebook daily, this study found there was statistical significance (1) between using Facebook for social use and the feelings of isolation; (2) between belonging and participating …

The Prism Model: Increasing Graduate Teaching Assistants’ Self-Perceptions Of Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Catharine Mattox

Theses and Dissertations

While graduate teaching assistants teach the majority of introductory lab and discussion sections at colleges and universities across the United States, there is a lack of empirical evidence on how to adequately prepare graduate teaching assistants for faculty roles and responsibilities outside of research. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to address a gap in the literature by examining a professional development activity that encouraged pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) development in conjunction with experiential learning for biology graduate teaching assistants. Specifically, this study sought to understand how: (a) the Teaching Triangles professional development activity supported biology graduate teaching …