Higher Education Commons^™

“I Found My Place:” Exploring The Counterspace Experiences Of Black Alumni On Historically White College Campuses, Jacquelyn Burns Rucker

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the life experiences of Black alumni and their participation in intentional, multicultural programming of cultural facilities to create a sense of counterspace for Black students on historically White college campuses. The study captured the stories of 12 Black alumni who graduated from seven historically White institutions (HWIs), between the years of 2010 and 2016, across four different states. The 12 study participants completed undergraduate and terminal degrees during the years 2009 - 2016 and identified as Black, African, or bi-racial. The interviews, conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic, were conducted on zoom. The theoretical framework of the …

All Things Equal: Uncovering The Extent Sexism Influences Higher Education Through Faculty Perceptions Of The Inner Workings Of The Academy, Jonathan Yorkowitz

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The history of critical systemic issues in higher education has been well documented in recent literature (Delgado & Stefancic, 2017, Freire, 2018, and Wilder, 2013). Among the critical issues noted, sexism has remained a significant influence suppressing opportunities for women within higher education in the United States. bell hooks (1981, 2003, 2014) shared research about the specific systemic challenges encountered by Black women in the academy, providing a key connection between sexism and racism. The lack of significant proposed solutions to address sexism in higher education scholarship, along with the need for an updated and more comprehensive understanding of faculty …

Exploring Online Teaching Self-Efficacy Among University Faculty Members During The Period Of Covid-19 Pandemic, Sarah Alamri

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine faculty’s perceptions of their self-efficacy regarding online teaching and some variables that may affect online teaching efficacy. A quantitative survey was administered to examine whether three faculty variables (online teaching experience, professional development experience, and COVID-19) predict a significant portion of the variance in faculty self-efficacy in online teaching on four subscales: student engagement, instructional strategies, classroom management, and teachers’ computer use. Faculty participants were recruited from King Khalid University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a web-based survey adapted from Robinia (2008). The data collected in this …

Implementing Pain Curricula In Prelicensure Physical Therapy Education: Faculty Perspectives And Experiences, John D. Kiesel

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The impact of pain on society has implications for individuals’ well-being and the overall health of society. Despite the high prevalence of pain, many new healthcare providers often lack the confidence and skills to manage patients with pain effectively. This phenomenological research study aimed to understand the lived experiences of faculty responsible for developing and delivering pain education to prelicensure physical therapy students. A secondary purpose was to examine the barriers that exist from the perspective of faculty members with subject matter expertise in pain education to implementing effective pain education in prelicensure curricula. Prelicensure pain education is essential for …

University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Agenda, December 1, 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

Meeting agenda from the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, December 1, 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

Meeting minutes from the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

“I Was The Only One Who Was Alone:” The Impacts Of Covid-19 Pandemic On International Students In U.S. Higher Education, Lawrence Ejiofo

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international students. The study focused on their academic, racial, emotional, psychological stress and trauma experiences. The student participants interpreted these experiences through their lens and backgrounds as international students. They expressed the feelings of desertion and abandonment during the pandemic. The findings showed that the impacts sustained and endured by international students during the COVID-19 pandemic were real, painful, disturbing, and emotional. The image created of the US and other first world countries in the 21st century was very damaging and showed failure of leadership management. It had been more …

Child Development: A Developmentally Appropriate Practices Approach, Second Edition, D.R. Meece

Open Textbooks

The book follows a topical approach and covers children from prenatal to late childhood/early adolescence. The book follows a Developmentally Appropriate Practices approach, emphasizing that development results from the interaction of age-related expectations, culture and context, and individual child characteristics. The text is written for education majors, as well as others who will work with children and families in a variety of fields, including psychology, social work, nursing, and others.

Interview With Orca Award Winner Karen Kunc, Unl Art; Abstract Print Artist, Mark Griep, Karen Kunc

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Emeritus Prof. Karen Kunc the Outstanding Research and Creative Activities Award in 1998. She was born in Ralston, Nebraska, in the Omaha Metro Area. Something in her youth must have sparked an interest in art because she earned her bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1975. Next, she ventured 800 miles east to Ohio State University in Columbus, where she earned a master of fine arts. For the next six years, she enhanced her teaching credentials as a printmaking instructor at the Columbus College of Art & Design. From there, she joined the University of …

An Exploration Of Enablers, Barriers, And Strategies Influencing Black College Alumni's Sense Of Belonging Through The Lens Of Cultural Competence, Marc' C. Bady

Dissertations

According to Pew research, 53% of Black students in the United States are enrolled in predominantly White institutions, or PWIs (Hatfield & Anderson, 2024). Black alumni who attend PWIs are one among many marginalized and underrepresented vulnerable populations (Tucker, 2021). The purpose of this study was to engage with Black alumni who attended and graduated from PWIs to learn about their experiences with academic enablers, barriers, and strategies for success as a PWI student. The researcher interviewed six alumni who graduated from a Southeastern research one institution to explore their lived experiences at a PWI. The researcher chose to use …

An Examination Of African American Male College Students’ Perceptions Of Academic Engagement, Social Capital, And Success As Members Of Black Greek Letter Organizations On Predominantly White Campuses, Jerid P. Woods

Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative study examines the experiences of Black male students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) through the lens of Yosso's Cultural Capital framework. It explores how membership in Historically Black Greek Letter Organizations (HBGLOs) shapes academic engagement, development of cultural and social capital, and academic success by leveraging cultural wealth.

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from various HBGLOs, and thematic analysis was used to identify key themes and patterns. Findings highlight that HBGLOs act as vital sources of social, cultural, and academic support, fostering a sense of belonging, promoting academic achievement, and creating leadership opportunities. …

Teaching Note - Embedding The Human Library Experience Within Social Work Curriculum, Emily M. Paine

Social Work Faculty Works

The Human Library is a global initiative designed to challenge stereotypes and foster dialogue through storytelling and presents a unique opportunity for experiential learning within social work education. This teaching note explores how the Human Library framework can be integrated into social work curriculum in alignment with the 2022 Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards, with particular emphasis on Competency 3: Engaging in Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practice. When embedded in coursework, the Human Library enables students to engage in brave and authentic conversations with storytellers who share aspects of their lived experiences, promoting mutuality, …

Summer Melt: The Transition Of Rural Students To Post-Secondary Schools, Niquan Alston

Dissertations

Rural high-achieving students face unique challenges as they prepare to transition to college. While many graduate with aspirations for higher education, a significant number fail to transition to college in the fall due to barriers that arise between high school graduation and college enrollment. Rural schools, particularly those serving low-income populations, frequently lack the resources, counseling, and exposure opportunities that help students navigate the transition from high school to postsecondary education. These circumstances leave students to manage financial barriers, incomplete paperwork, limited support, and the pressures of balancing family and community responsibilities. Their lived experiences shape the way they respond …

Recruitment And Retention Of Adult Learners In The State Of Louisiana: A Look Into The Adult Learner’S Decision-Making Process As A Consumer, Austin T. Rogers

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

With the looming enrollment cliff and several institutions across the state and country already experiencing decreased enrollment, schools across the country have begun adjusting their current practices to maintain steady enrollment in the future. University administration and admissions offices are having to target new student groups in order to offset the traditional student populations they have historically worked with. However, in order for these new student groups to be successful on campus, these schools must also understand the needs of these new student populations. This narrative study aimed to better understand the experiences of adult learners currently enrolled at University …

Where's Waldo?: Finding The Missing Voice Of The College Counselor, Krystyn K. Dupree

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

College counseling has been integral to higher education for more than a century; however, the role of college counselors has become increasingly complex amid rising student mental health needs, growing symptom severity, and constrained institutional resources. Despite extensive research on college student mental health, little contemporary scholarship has examined the lived experiences of the professionals providing these services. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how college counselors who provide mental health services perceive their professional role within the context of higher education.

Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study conceptualized college counselors as embedded within interconnected …

International Panther Monthly, December 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of International Engagement.

Office of International Engagement newsletter

Contents:

--- From the Director's Desk
--- Fall 2025 with OIE
--- Student Spotlight
--- UNI's World Window
--- Did You Know?
--- Behind the Scenes
--- Find Connection at OIE
--- Get Involved

Associations Between Food Insecurity And Gpa Among Full-Time California State University Undergraduates During Covid-19: The Impact Of Mental Health, Lindsey Jones

Master's Theses

Food insecurity is a persistent public health concern among college students that has been associated with student’s academic and mental health outcomes. This thesis examined the associations between food insecurity, academic performance (measured by GPA) and mental health (using Kessler 6 psychological distress and self-perceived mental health impacts on academic performance), among full-time undergraduate students within the California State University (CSU) system. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using data from the Spring 2021 CSU National College Health Assessment, administered across all 23 campuses. Of the 20,167 respondents, 12,899 students were included in the analytical sample. Bivariate analyses were conducted to analyze …

2025-12-01 Caudill Connection, Morehead State University. Caudill College Of Arts, Humanities And Social Sciences.

Caudill Connection

Caudill Connection newsletter for December of 2025.

Collaborative Textbook On English Syntax, Chih-Hsin Hsu

ATU Faculty OER Book Reviews

Review of OER English textbook by Matt Garley and Karl Hagen, available at https://pressbooks.cuny.edu/englishsyntax/

External Funding Bulletin July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025, Office Of Research And Creative Activity, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Sponsored Programs Bulletins

No abstract provided.

Nevertheless, She Persisted: An Examination Of The Lived Experiences Of Single Mother College Students And The Factors That Drive Motivation And Persistence, Amy N. Migura

Theses & Dissertations

How single-mother college students find the motivation to persist toward achieving their college degrees is an underexplored phenomenon in the current literature. This qualitative study used an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach to explore the lived experiences of single-mother college students and the things that motivate them to persist. Participants described their personal challenges counteracted by the ways in which they were able to persevere. Findings of this study identified both a positive and negative component of the factors that impacted their motivation to persist, along with providing a closer look at the way the participants set and achieved goals.

Ink (2025)

Ink, 2008-

The student-run features magazine covering the fashion, art, music and culture worlds at VCU and in Richmond. Published annually in print and updated regularly online.

Book Review Of Douglass, J.A. (2021). Neo-Nationalism And Universities: Populists, Autocrats, And The Future Of Higher Education., Bhavika Sicka

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Student Perceptions Of The Impact Of Faculty Race And Gender On Their Sense Of Connectedness, Engagement, And Persistence, Sherrie Y. Fuller

Dissertations

This quantitative study examined how faculty demographic characteristics, specifically race and gender, influence undergraduate students’ perceptions of connectedness, engagement, and persistence at a public Midwestern university. Guided by Tinto’s Model of Student Integration (1975, 1993, 2012), the research explored whether perceived alignment between student and faculty identities contributes to students’ sense of belonging and motivation to persist toward degree completion. Data were collected from 100 undergraduate participants representing diverse racial, gender, and academic backgrounds. Participants completed a researcher-developed survey instrument utilizing a four-point Likert scale to measure connectedness, engagement, and persistence.

University Athletic Subsidies Connections To Various Campus-Wide Outcomes, Daniel Vainner

Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between university athletic subsidies and outcomes for the broader undergraduate student population. The athletic subsidy, referred to as an athletic tax, is defined as institutional and student fees used to support athletics. Although athletics are often viewed as enhancing institutional prestige and recruitment, most universities depend heavily on subsidies to sustain their programs. In 2019, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) institutions spent over $18.8 billion on athletics, with $8.3 billion, or 44 percent, coming from institutional and student sources rather than athletic revenue (NCAA, 2019a). This research explores whether such subsidization predicts measurable differences in …

Intercultural Competence Among Emerging South Asian Leaders: Preliminary Results Of The 2025 Ysali Cohort Study, Elizabeth J. Sandell, Malaika Azam

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

In today's connected world, young leaders need more than just technical skills—they must be able to work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds. This study examines intercultural competence (the ability to interact respectfully and effectively across cultures) among participants in the first Young South Asian Leadership Initiative (YSALI) program. Using the Intercultural Development Inventory and follow-up interviews, investigators considered how well these emerging leaders from seven South Asian countries were prepared to lead in multicultural environments. This article presents a preliminary report, based on early survey returns from 15 of 82 participants. This research will provide important insights into …

2025-12-01 Course Proposal / Course Suspension / Deletion Forms, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., University Graduate Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Course proposal, suspension, and deletion forms approved on December 1, 2025 by the University Graduate Committee.

A Word From The Writing Team (December 2025), Pam Walter, Mfa, Laura Deloretta, Phd

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Ethnic Identity, Parental Involvement, And Academic Outcomes: A Qualitative Study Of African International Students' Experiences, Kenanile Olivia Marie-France Bigba

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative study explored how parental involvement intersected with cultural backgrounds and values through ethnic identity formation among African international students, and how these interactions influenced students' self-concept clarity, self-esteem, and subsequent academic attitudes and performance. Using hermeneutic phenomenological methodology guided by van Manen’s (2023) approach, the study conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with African international students (one from East Africa, one from West Africa) enrolled at a Midwest university. Through systematic thematic analysis, five interconnected themes emerged: (1) Evolving Parental Involvement, from direct guidance to distant trust, revealing how parental engagement transforms across geographical distance with financial circumstances moderating this …

Conceptual Gerrymandering In Sffa And Some Thoughts On How It Enables The Case’S Weaponization, David Simson

Buffalo Law Review

This Article makes two main contributions at the intersection of Constitutional Law and critical analyses of race and racial (in)equality. First, and more narrowly, the Article provides an in-depth analysis and critique of the Supreme Court’s most recent affirmative action decision in Students for Fair Admission v. Harvard (SFFA), specifically with respect to a crucial aspect of the case that has not been addressed in depth in other scholarship on the decision: how key opinions conceptualize “race” in their reasoning. The Article shows how the SFFA majority opinion and a concurring opinion by Justice Gorsuch incorporate multiple, and inconsistent, understandings …