Intersectional Realities And Adaptive Leadership: A Phenomenological Study Of Black Women Administrators In Higher Education, Jocelyn Vernet

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Existing literature consistently documents the acute underrepresentation of Black women in administrative leadership. Furthermore, Black women administrators that are represented and visible in higher education often oversee programs and task forces that heighten their experiences to high-risk situations. Emerging narratives suggest Black women employ effective coping strategies and embrace opportunities to strengthen and cultivate support networks while in their leadership roles. However, there is a significant lack in understanding how these strategies are structured and sustained to overcome the underrepresentation of Black women administrators in higher education. Additionally, basing their experiences solely through a survival lens limits a deeper understanding …

The Effect Of Organizational Change On Performance-Based Funding And Decision-Making At A State-Funded Historically Black College And University, Valerie G. Williams

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Performance-based funding (PBF) has become an increasingly common mechanism for allocating state resources to public higher education institutions; however, questions remain regarding its effectiveness and potential unintended consequences for historically underfunded institutions, particularly Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This study examined the effect of organizational change on institutional performance and decision-making at a publicly funded land-grant HBCU in the southeastern United States operating within a PBF environment. Specifically, the study examined institutional changes associated with the implementation of the Complete College Tennessee Act (CCTA) and the Focus on College and University Success (FOCUS) Act and their relationship to student …

Don’T Let Us Down: A Phenomenological Study Of African American Employees’ Perceptions Regarding The Benefits Of Professional Development In Student Affairs, Courtney Nicole Demings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The experiences of student affairs professionals are critical to the success of higher education, allowing for a concentrated exploration of African American student affairs professionals who are often employed in 2-year U.S. community colleges. The general problem was that African Americans may leave student affairs in community colleges if they do not perceive supervisory support for professional development and, in turn, career advancement. The purpose of this dissertation was to understand and interpret their lived experiences, illuminate the barriers to their career advancement, and discuss the impact of supervisory support. As such, this action research employed qualitative research through the …

Beyond The Binary: Strengthening Nursing Students’ Proficiency Of Equitable Health Promotion, Martha K. Findley

Theses

Background: Sexual and gender diverse (SGD) populations continue to experience significant health inequities, yet prelicensure nursing curricula often lack structured, evidence‑based training to prepare students for equitable care.

Purpose: This study evaluated whether a targeted, transgender‑focused simulation could improve nursing students’ clinical knowledge and preparedness for providing equitable health promotion to SGD populations.

Methods: A pre‑/post‑intervention design was used with senior‑level nursing students who completed a transgender patient simulation emphasizing communication, assessment, and equitable health promotion. Students completed a validated survey measuring knowledge and preparedness in caring for SGD patients.

Results: Significant improvements across most survey items demonstrated that the …

The Role Of Critical Professional Development In Transforming The Teaching And Learning Practices Of White Faculty: Elevating Racial Consciousness To Center Equity, Kaitlyn E. Siner-Cappas

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of white faculty participants in a critical professional development (CPD) program that seeks to enhance racial consciousness at a public research university. The goal of the study was to understand any perceived changes in faculty positionality and teaching and learning practices following their participation in the program, as well as identify the extent to which the program supported participants in a journey towards enhanced racial consciousness.

Four themes characterized the experiences of faculty participants in this CPD program: 1) experiencing the benefits of a learning community, 2) gaining confidence in …

Traversing The Broken Staircase: The Experiences Of Academic Neglect For Black & Brown First-Generation College Students, Kashmeel D. Mckoena

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Although Black and Brown students are diversifying college campuses and opening doors for their families as new cohorts of first-generation collegians, they often find themselves silently dealing with the aftermath of academic neglect from U.S. secondary education. This phenomenon can be understood from extant literature as absence of reliable guidance, mentorship, resources, and support that help students persist and succeed in their academic goals. Existing explanations of grit and resilience (Duckworth et al., 2007) not only erase the existence and impact of academic neglect, but also mask the creative solutions and compensatory strategies that Black and Brown first-generation college students …

“Nothing About Us Without Us”: Examining Sense Of Belonging And College Success Through The Experiences Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Courtney E. Mulligan

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Sense of belonging has become an increasingly important indicator of student engagement, persistence, and success in higher education. Despite this, limited research has explored how college students with autism experience and define belonging while at college. As increasing numbers of students with autism pursue postsecondary education, institutions face a growing need to better understand the factors that influence student experiences and outcomes. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the experiences of sense of belonging among current college students with autism and identify the factors that contribute positively or negatively to this experience to inform more inclusive higher …

Staff Members And Students’ Perceptions On Retention In A Trio Student Support Services Program, Gregoire N. Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed in this study was the low retention rates and consequent low completion rates of students who are low-income, first-generation, and/or disabled who did not participate in a TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program at Urban University. Grounded in Tinto’s student integration theory, Dweck’s mindset theory, and Duckworth’s grit theory, the purpose of this study was to determine staff members and students’ perceptions on the helpfulness of the TRIO SSS program in improving retention from Year 1 to Year 2 at Urban University. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews with nine students and four staff …

The Invisible Poet: Stories Of Higher Education Professional Staff Program Experiences Via Poetic Inquiry Through A Wellness Dimensions Framework, Freyja Hofler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is well documented that burnout and low levels of employee wellness have negative effects upon employees as well as the organizations that employ them (Gallup, 2019; Maurer, 2024; Wright & Bonett, 2007). This study was a program evaluation of the C2 Initiatives program via a constructivist paradigm, responsive evaluation approach, and summative outcome evaluation. The NWI’s Six Dimensions of Wellness model was utilized as the theoretical framework of the study and arts-based research was used as the conceptual framework.

Participants were given documents from the C2 Initiatives program as a text base to create blackout poetry, a type of …

A Policy Analysis Of Higher Education Support For Foster Youth In The Colorado Child Welfare System, Krystal Robles

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This policy analysis examines how two Colorado laws, House Bill 22-1374 (Foster Care Success Act), and Senate Bill 22-008 (Higher Education Support for Foster Youth), aim to improve educational outcomes and long-term stability for youth who age out of the foster care system. Critical Policy Analysis (CPA) and Resilience Theory are used in this paper to examine how these policies address systemic inequities, promote resilience, and offer protective factors that support educational attainment. Using policy review, state policy comparison, stakeholder interviews, and community perspectives, I evaluated how the implementation, effectiveness, and limitations of these bills shape real-world impact. The findings …

Healthcare Students’ Experiences Using Artificial Intelligence Simulation Tools In Clinical Simulated Laboratory Practice, Delicia S. Cousin

Student Dissertations

Artificial intelligence-driven simulation has become an important component of healthcare education by providing students with opportunities to strengthen clinical reasoning, decision-making, and technical skills in a safe learning environment. Despite its growing adoption, limited research has explored how healthcare students experience artificial intelligence-driven simulation during clinical laboratory practice. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore healthcare students’ experiences using artificial intelligence-driven simulation tools during clinical laboratory practice. Guided by Experiential Learning Theory and Transformative Learning Theory, the study examined how students interpreted, reflected upon, and learned from these experiences. Data were collected through a researcher-developed Qualtrics questionnaire …

Remixing Dialogue: A Case Study On Perceptions Of Hip Hop Pedagogy In A Professional Learning Course, Kelly J. Thelen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This qualitative case study examines how teachers’ decision-making and professional autonomy shift while participating in a Hip Hop Pedagogy Professional Learning course supported by structured FIXIT (Lo & Wachter, 2023a, 2023b, 2023c, 2023d; Wachter & Lo, 2024) game-facilitated dialogue in a rural, culturally and linguistically diverse Midwest community. Grounded in Freire’s (1970) Critical Pedagogy, Ladson-Billings’ (1995) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris and Alim, 2017), and Adult Learning Theory (Knowles et al., 2005), the study explores the reclamation of agency by teachers in a time of constrained creativity and educator autonomy shaped by strict policy environments, an emphasis on …

The Hidden Costs Of Accountability: Unpacking The Emotional Labor Of Student Conduct Work And Building Tools For Resilience, Tiffany Marlene Shierling

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This dissertation explored the psychological challenges student conduct administrators (SCAs) face in higher education. These professionals have encountered significant emotional labor, vicarious trauma, and ethical dilemmas as they address student misconduct while striving to achieve educational and developmental outcomes. The study highlighted a research gap concerning the impact of these challenges on the mental well-being of SCAs, which hinders the development of effective support systems. This study aimed to address the mental health needs of SCAs by developing a comprehensive toolkit. Grounded in self-compassion theory and resilience theory, the toolkit provides resources for emotional self-regulation, supervisor training, and institutional recommendations.

Underrepresented Students’ Perceptions Of Precollege Programs And Challenges Of Transitioning To Postsecondary Education, Dana Truesdale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that underrepresented students (low-income and first generation college students) face challenges associated with the transition from secondary education to postsecondary education. Grounded in Schlossberg’s transition theory, the purpose of this study was to explore underrepresented students’ perceptions of support provided by precollege programs and remaining challenges when transitioning to higher education. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews with 11 underrepresented students who participated in a precollege program were conducted. Braun and Clarke’s six-phase data analysis was used. After deductive and inductive analysis, the following themes emerged: Students indicated that the …

A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study Of A 10-Week Wellness Program For Resident Assistants, Emily L. Lee-Chong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods pilot study used semi-structured interviews with 15 resident assistants (RAs), complemented by descriptive pre- and post-test data from the Five Factor Wellness Inventory (FFWEL), to explore their lived experiences of participating in a 10-week wellness program grounded in the Indivisible Self Model of Wellness (IS-WEL). The purpose of this study was to examine the program's perceived influence on wellness practices and to explore the feasibility of implementing wellness-focused programming. Using a hermeneutic inquiry approach, the study identified four themes reflecting participants’ experiences throughout the program. Themes highlighted the importance of self-awareness through the IS-WEL model, the value of …

Fast Class: A Transition Program Supporting The Transition Of Incoming Freshman Division Ii Football Student-Athletes, Andrew S. Beck

Masters Projects

Division II football student-athletes often experience academic, social, and athletic challenges in the midst of their transition to college, particularly due to their college journey beginning without well-established academic habits, intentional learning behaviors and strategies, and awareness of campus support services and resources. This project examines the array of transitional experiences of incoming Division II football student-athletes and the imperativeness of intentional, proactive intervention prior to their college journey beginning. The project is rooted in research related to student-athlete transition, academic preparedness, resource utilization, help-seeking behavior, and first-year transition programming and intervention. Schlossberg’s (1984) Transition Theory serves as the primary …

Using Creativity Tools To Improve Perception Of Mental Health Resource Access On A College Campus, Laura Reindl

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This paper outlines the planning and implementation processes for executing a Creative Problem Solving (CPS) session at Binghamton University, with the goal of developing new ways to communicate accurate information about mental health resources available to students on campus and refuting common misconceptions. Led by communications and marketing staff in the Division of Student Affairs, the process included staff from Health and Counseling Services, staff involved in delivering health promotion and prevention services, and students with an interest in health and wellness. The project focused on the ideation and development stages of CPS and offered ideas for future implementation.

Language Learning Under Pressure: Rethinking Anxiety, Assessment, And Support In Second Language Classrooms, Bryn C. Cole

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This portfolio examines the role of anxiety in second language acquisition (SLA) and its impact on student performance, assessment, and overall participation. Drawing on both the author’s classroom experience and SLA research, it argues that language anxiety should be understood as a structural feature of classroom environments rather than an individual learner deficit. The paper explores how traditional assessment practices may obscure students’ underlying competence by prioritizing performance under pressure. It proposes two key shifts in response: reformatting assessments as a more flexible and context-sensitive process, and integrating peer mentorship as a form of interpersonal instructional support. Together, these approaches …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Mentoring Experiences Of Black Women Faculty At Public Hbcus, Leona Quatena Mcgowan

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Despite increases in the representation of women in academia, Black women remain significantly underrepresented, accounting for approximately 4% of full-time faculty in postsecondary institutions. This lack of representation contributes to intersecting challenges, including experiences with racism, sexism, and limited access to mentorships in higher education. Previous studies have established that mentoring aids in the success and retention of faculty, but there is limited research examining how Black women faculty experience mentoring within public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived mentoring experiences of Black women faculty employed at public …

Analyzing The Institutional Factors Associated With Sense Of Belonging Among Stem Adjuncts At Community Colleges, Karuna Taneja

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

In this study I examined the relationships among organizational support, workplace conditions, and sense of belonging among adjunct faculty teaching STEM courses in community colleges. Grounded in the need-to-belong theory (Baumeister & Leary, 1995) and Herzberg’s two-factor theory (1968), I distinguished between relational and structural dimensions of faculty experiences. Perceived organizational support was conceptualized as a relational construct reflecting faculty members’ perceptions of being valued and included within their institutions, whereas workplace conditions were examined as structural factors influencing job satisfaction.

Using a quantitative, cross-sectional correlational survey design, data were collected from adjunct STEM faculty (N = 64) teaching at …

Retention During Turbulent Times Of Higher Education: Modeling Intent To Leave Academia For Research University Faculty, Jordan Monroe Ball

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

University faculty operate as the lifeblood of any institution given that their job requires a “double duty” to develop both scholarly research and student minds. Due in large part to these expectations, research shows a long history of poor mental health for faculty, which ultimately results in faculty turnover. One model of faculty work motivation (Padilla et al., 2023) details the way in which the faculty work environment influences their mental health, and subsequently informs their job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intent to leave academia, which serves as a proxy for turnover. Retention related issues have not been a pressing …

Exploring Literacy Preparedness And Academic Experiences Of First-Year Community College Students, Alexandra Ranieri

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Community colleges enroll students with diverse levels of academic preparation, yet placement into college-level coursework often relies heavily on high school grade point average (GPA), which may not fully reflect students' literacy preparedness. Although research has linked literacy proficiency to academic success, little is known about how first-year community college students experience literacy preparedness during the transition to college. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the literacy preparedness of first-year community college students and explore how their reading abilities aligned with their early academic experiences. Guided by the Reading Systems Framework (Perfetti & Stafura, 2014), the …

Staying The Course: Community College Student Lived Experiences On Program Completion And Motivation, Jessica Leigh Mills

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of former community college students who successfully completed an associate degree, certificate, or program of study and to understand how they experienced the personal, institutional, and environmental factors that supported their persistence to completion. The study, guided primarily by Tinto’s (1975,1988) Model of Student Departure and was complemented by Bandura’s (1988) Social Learning Theory (SLT), and Maslow’s (1943) Hierarchy of Needs, explored the extrinsic and intrinsic motivations students attributed to their successful completion of their associate degree, certificate, or program of study. Twelve former community college students who …

The Mediating Role Of Hope In The Relationship Between Everyday Discrimination And Depression Among College Students, Busra Vurkun

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Research shows that marginalized populations experience disproportionately higher psychological distress (Budhwani et al., 2015; Bailey et al., 2019). Everyday discrimination, defined as chronic interpersonal mistreatment such as microaggressions and disrespect, is associated with greater depression and lower psychological well-being (Essed, 1991; Calabrese et al., 2015). Although the negative effects of discrimination are well established, less is known about protective factors that may reduce these outcomes. One such factor is hope, conceptualized by Snyder et al. (1991) as agency thinking and pathways thinking and linked to lower depression and greater resilience (Arnau et al., 2007; Banks et al., 2008). This study …

Autistic Students' Experiences With Hybrid Flexible Instruction In Higher Education: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study, Tracey Nicole Barr

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

During the twenty-first century, autistic learners have enrolled in colleges and universities in greater numbers; however, the majority of research focused on their experiences in higher education has found them to be less academically successful than their neurotypical peers. The academic skills that autistic students bring to higher education are often tempered by social, emotional, and self-regulative challenges. The body of research focusing on autistic learners’ experiences in higher education is currently limited and focused primarily on fully in-person and online course models. No extant research has focused on autistic students’ experiences with hybrid or blended course models.

This interpretive …

Strategies Black Male Students With Social Anxiety Use To Persist And Succeed At Rural Community Colleges, Gwendolyn F. Houston

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Social anxiety, one of the more common types of anxiety, has been linked to poor concentration, impaired performance, and lower academic achievement (BlackDeer et al., 2021; Derakshan & Eysenck, 2009; Leigh et al., 2021). This study addresses the questions: “How do Black male students with social anxiety at rural community colleges in the Southeastern United States handle both academic and non-academic challenges and cope with these stressors?” and “How do Black male students with social anxiety navigate barriers during their journey at rural community colleges in the Southeastern United States, and what strategies do they use to manage these obstacles?” …

A Correlational Study Exploring The Influence Of Organizational Climate On Job Satisfaction Of Non-Faculty Staff At Texas Community Colleges, Tamesha M. Hilliard-Daniels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As U.S. higher education institutions face increasing challenges related to employee morale and retention, understanding the drivers of workplace satisfaction is critical for institutional stability. This research investigates the relationships between organizational climate factors and job satisfaction among staff within Texas community colleges, applying Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Herzberg’s motivator-hygiene as the theoretical framework. Specifically, this study explores the influence of institutional communication, employee well-being, and organizational mission and pride on staff job satisfaction. Utilizing a quantitative correlational design, the study analyzed secondary data from ModernThink’s Higher Education Insight Survey©. The sample consisted of 2,265 higher education professionals collected …

The Relativity Of Education: Student Perspectives On Artificial Intelligence In Community College, Ashley Greta Magana

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This hermeneutic phenomenological study examined how diverse community college students experience and make meaning of the integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into their educational contexts. Although AI is quickly transforming higher education through automated grading, personalized learning systems, and new models of assessment, the discourse surrounding its implementation remains dominated by administrators, faculty, and institutional stakeholders, while the perspectives of students, specifically community college students who are often historically underrepresented and economically marginalized, are systematically excluded. Most existing research is quantitative and centered on universities, leaving a critical gap in qualitative understanding of the most diverse population in higher …

Speakin’ Southern: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Lived Experiences Of College Students With A Southern Dialect, Michael J. Farmer

All Dissertations

Southern dialects are often stereotyped, and southern speakers are often negatively perceived.  The prejudice they may face is perpetuated by Standard Language Ideology (SLI) in which linguistic discrimination is intentionally or unintentionally perpetuated through power structures. While scholarship exists regarding southern dialectal speakers facing SLI in settings such as K-12 classrooms, the workforce, and dialectally unique communities, research into southern dialectal college students navigating the power structure of higher education is sparse. What research does exist in this space often utilizes a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods to track linguistic variables in light of these experiences. This dissertation, however, …

From Gatekeeping To Opportunity: Authentic Assessment In Natural Resources Education, Aradaryn Marsh

All Dissertations

Assessment practices play a central role in shaping how students engage with learning, demonstrate understanding, and participate in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Despite increasing calls for more inclusive and professionally relevant educational practices, undergraduate STEM assessment remains heavily dominated by traditional examinations emphasizing memorization, speed, and standardized performance. These concerns may be particularly important within Natural Resources (NR) education, a field that requires students to integrate scientific knowledge with communication, collaboration, and applied problem-solving. This dissertation explores authentic assessment within undergraduate NR education through a multi-phase investigation examining assessment prevalence, student experiences, racially marginalized (RM) student perspectives, …