Higher Education Commons^™

Taking Back The Trades: Southwestern Illinois Work-Based Learning Inventory Report, Alexia Santiago

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

In 2025, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University (EdSystems) partnered with Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC), regional school districts, and industry partners to build a strong and comprehensive system of work-based learning opportunities for K-12 students that is aligned with Illinois statutes and frameworks. In this report, EdSystems identifies the existing regional events and activities that promote high-quality work-based learning for college and career pathways in the health sciences and manufacturing sectors.

2025-12-18 University Graduate Committee Emergency Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., University Graduate Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Emergency meeting minutes from the University Graduate Committee from December 18, 2024.

Directional Reflection: Realising Its 'Practical Potential' At The University Level, Simon P. Brownhill

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

Reflection is ‘a foundational concept’ in higher education, yet its successful implementation often demands purposeful intervention and thoughtful scaffolding (Harvey et al., 2025, p.1). This Brief Communication explores the potential of Directional Reflection (Brownhill, 2025), a visual strategy that uses arrows to prompt students towards specific types of thinking. Recent dissemination activities of said strategy acknowledge the pressing need to balance the theory with the practice, identifying practical ways that Directional Reflection could be embraced by lecturers and students at the university level. Thus, this brief communication proposes an assortment of pedagogical ideas to nurture silent in-session communication, offer cohort …

2025-12-17 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 17, 2025 by the University Graduate Committee.

2025-12-17 University Graduate Committee Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., University Graduate Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Meeting minutes from the University Graduate Committee from December 17, 2025.

Student Voices On Trauma And Resilience: A Critical Phenomenological Study Of Gun Violence And College Student Experiences, Lucia Helena Garcia

Dissertations

This study posits that gun violence in the United States is a public health crisis and that colleges and universities must actively collaborate to develop and implement solutions to address and prevent this crisis, which affects communities and students. Gun violence can and does lead to disruptions in educational access, travel and safety, as well as have longstanding impacts on mental health. While extensive research exists that is focused on the impact of community and gun violence exposure on K-12 students, the impact of community violence and gun violence exposure on emerging adults in university settings is limited and remains …

Plan Your Way To Tenure And/Or Promotion, Wendy Doucette, Jill Cirasella

Journal of Graduate Librarianship

In this editorial, we share our best advice for preparing the dossier necessary for professional advancement. While our advice is unavoidably shaped by the specifics of our experiences and universities, we believe most of it is broadly applicable to academic librarians in general. We cluster our advice into three categories: framework and planning, building your portfolio, and ongoing recordkeeping. We hope this “from the ground up” presentation will help those new to academic librarianship, though it’s never too late for more experienced librarians to (re)consider their own approaches.

A Content Analysis Of Spanish Language Curriculum In Texas, Sarah Moore, Jessica Sanchez, Sarah Herrera

Journal of Global Awareness

The shortage of Spanish-speaking social workers is significant in the United States, especially in border states such as Texas. Experts are calling for Spanish language training in social work education. However, it is unclear whether social work programs are incorporating Spanish into their curriculum at a pace needed to keep up with demand. Using conceptual content analysis, this article examines the frequency of Spanish language courses relevant to social work education across Texas.

Global Pathways: Suwon, South Korea, Amanda D. Ledger

Capstone Collection

This capstone proposes the Global Pathways: Suwon program, a semester-long study abroad initiative developed in partnership between Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and Kyonggi University (KGU) in Suwon, South Korea. The program responds to current limitations in study abroad, particularly the prevalence of short-term tourism-oriented experiences and curricula that prioritizes Western perspectives. A needs assessment consisting of student interviews, surveys, and professional consultation demonstrated strong interest in programs that combine language learning, cultural immersion, and career development. Findings also highlighted the importance of financial accessibility, reciprocal host partnerships, and ongoing advising support. Drawing on Freire’s critical pedagogy and Vygotsky’s sociocultural …

Exploring Perceptions Of Generative Ai On Study Abroad Programming, Justin T. Sleppy

Capstone Collection

This study examines the perceptions and experiences of international education professionals regarding the integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. While AI offers new opportunities for enhancing learning, existing research highlights both potential benefits and ethical, environmental, and pedagogical concerns. Using a qualitative approach, this study explores how study abroad staff in the Claremont Consortium engage with and assess the implications of AI within international contexts. Guided by critical frameworks from Paulo Freire, the research situates AI within broader discussions of power, labor, and knowledge production. Findings indicate that sampled staff predominantly use AI for low-stakes tasks or …

2025 December 16 - Medical Student Education Committee Minutes, Medical Student Education Committee, East Tennessee State University

Medical Student Education Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

December 16, 2025 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

The Lived Experience Of Students With Neurodevelopmental Disabilities And Smartphones For Higher Learning, Eric F. Sandstrom

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of college students with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) using smartphones for online learning during historic levels of both enrollment of students with NDDs and smartphone use in education. The guiding framework is Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory, which explains how learning occurs in a social context that includes interpersonal, behavioral, and environmental factors. This study asks: What are the lived experiences of students with NDDs in college using smartphones for online learning? The study seeks to understand how smartphones influence students’ perceptions of disability accommodations, internal locus of control, …

Utilization And Preparedness Of Physical Therapists For Management Of Migraines In Georgia, Heath B. Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative survey experiment was to examine the referral to and utilization of physical therapists in Georgia for assisting with the management of migraine patients, explore the preparedness of Georgia physical therapists to provide evidence-based interventions for migraine patients, and compare the differences between the utilization and preparedness of rural physical therapists and urban physical therapists within the state. The theories guiding this study were the behavioral and biopsychosocial models. The behavioral model demonstrated that individuals' behaviors affect their access to care and perceived need for medical interventions. Due to the demographics of Georgia, characterized by a …

A Phenomenological Study On The Connection Between Perceived Funding And Hbcu Athletic Staff Self-Efficacy, Ashley Nachez Keys

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceived influence of funding on self-efficacy towards technology use after professional development for HBCU professional athletic staff at Vartell University in North Carolina. The central research question explored how HBCU professional athletic staff perceive the influence funding has on their self-efficacy towards technology use after professional development. Thirteen professional staff members who collaborate with athletics at Vartell University participated in the study. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s theory on self-efficacy, as it provides insight into how HBCU professional athletic staff perceive funding influencing their self-efficacy towards technology use after professional development opportunities. …

Motivations And Challenges Of First-Generation College Students From Rural Areas To Pursue A Master’S Degree, Bridget Weber

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

First-generation college students from rural backgrounds remain underrepresented in graduate education, and limited research has examined the factors influencing their pursuit and persistence in master’s degree programs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the motivations, challenges, and support systems experienced by rural first-generation college students pursuing a master’s degree. Five participants who identified as first-generation college students from rural communities participated in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, visual educational timelines, and reflective journals. Data analysis involved open coding, analytic memoing, and thematic analysis to identify patterns across data sources.

Findings revealed three primary …

Leading From Within: Integrating Ignatian Pedagogy Into A Theoretical Framework For Leadership Preparedness, Vivian A. Amu

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

In Jesuit higher education institutions, enduring principles and values invite educators and students from all backgrounds to consider integrating the essence of Ignatian pedagogy into their own practices as well as develop leaders who are prepared to confront, transform, inspire, and participate in leadership globally. It requires both institutional investment and student involvement in the learning process. Using the Ignatian pedagogical model, constructivism theory of learning, Dewey’s theory of experience, and past literature on leadership preparedness, this article presents a dynamic self-exploration for leadership preparedness (SELP) framework. It is a theoretical framework rooted in self-discovery through reflection and growth. The …

Living The Humanities: Ghosts, Literature, & Social Justice, Emily A. Phillips

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

How do we bridge the perceived divide between the study of humanities in our Jesuit universities and the real-world problems that surround our campuses? Jacques Derrida’s “hauntology" offers us a compelling way to move between the classroom and life, to guide our students through the Universal Apostolic Preferences of “To walk with the poor, the outcasts of the world, those whose dignity has been violated, in a mission of reconciliation and justice” and “To accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future.” This article offers a framework for combining literary analysis, historical inquiry, and creative writing in an …

Teaching Stem Courses Using Ignatian Pedagogy, Gintaras K. Duda

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Despite the impact of the Jesuit educational endeavor on the rise of science, the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm (IPP), the signature Jesuit Pedagogy, is not frequently used to teach courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and very little literature exists documenting any such attempts. In this paper, I describe a framework for how to apply the IPP to STEM courses using active-engagement strategies and assessment tools from disciplinary-based educational research (DBER). I provide three examples of how I have implemented the IPP in physics courses at various levels in the curriculum at a Jesuit University complete with assessment results …

The Relative And Absolute Social Capital Of Jesuit Universities: Are There Differences?, Mark S. Rzepczynski, John Kalil

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

We test whether Jesuit universities, a specific college subset, are unique from public, private, and other religiously affiliated institutions of higher learning using social capital data for network cohesiveness, economic connectedness, and civic engagement from the Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas. Social capital dispersion is also measured across the set of AJCU Jesuit universities. Jesuit colleges show greater and more distinct social capital across selected college classifications and characteristics; however, there is limited social capital uniformity across the set of 27 U.S. Jesuit universities.

'That All May Be One’: Incarnation, Solidarity, And Anti-Racism In Jesuit Education, Yancy Hughes Dominick

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Jesuit colleges and universities in the US have been striving to become anti-racist. This work is often tied to mission and to a shared commitment to Jesuit and Catholic values like a faith that does justice and the dignity of all persons. At the same time, however, many Jesuit institutions frame their commitment to anti-racism in language that does not appeal to specific aspects of Jesuit tradition; likewise, mission and Jesuit identity is often described in ways that make no overt reference to anti-racism. A robust anti-racism, I argue, arises necessarily out of Jesuit Catholic thought, and fully realized Jesuit …

Generative Ai And The Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm, Nicole Reibe

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

A group of seven faculty members, the Digital Teaching Fellows (DTF), were formed in 2023 to explore issues related to generative AI at a Jesuit university in the United States. The group incorporated generative AI assignments into their courses and conducted a survey assessing students’ experiences with generative AI in the course. Drawing from both quantitative and qualitative analysis, the DTF reached two key conclusions. First, despite their reservations, students’ overall receptiveness to generative AI integration creates a fitting moment for thoughtful pedagogical innovation. Second, our findings reveal a critical gap between generative AI’s current implementation and its potential to …

Walking The Walk: Centering Praxis In Teaching Abolition, Mei-Ling N. Malone

Feminist Pedagogy

Teaching abolition in the university setting from a theoretical standpoint often leaves students feeling disconnected from its real-world implications and does not connect or empower students to join this work. Bettina Love argues that “too often we think the work of fighting oppression is just intellectual. The real work is personal, emotional, spiritual, and communal.” As an assistant professor of African American Studies and an abolitionist feminist, who centers praxis in my pedagogy, my involvement in abolition organizing on campus is the real work that Love asks of educators. I organize with a small group of students and professors to …

Decolonizing Monopoly: Intersectionality, Abolition, And Fun, Faith Deschamps, Caroline Mullins, Elizabeth Sumoza, Vanessa Hildebrand, Veda Hyunjin Kim

Feminist Pedagogy

“Abolitionist teaching is not sustainable without joy” (Love 2019: 120). We propose a joyful classroom activity that recreates the game “Monopoly” to bring to the forefront the lived experiences of people in late racial capitalism. This re-creation is an exercise in which undergraduate students rewrite both the characters to represent intersectional identities in the United States and the chance cards to represent the contemporary context. Students then play the game with these characters and end with a reflection on the lesson. In this way students are able to exercise prior course learning on identity, privilege, inequality, intersectionality, social stratification, organizing, …

From Margins To Center: Black Feminism And Radical Imagination In The Classroom, Jane Mahon, Amanda Pierson, Jovanna Walker

Feminist Pedagogy

We center Black feminism and the radical imagination as necessary conditions of abolitionist pedagogy, and share our experiences of how the prominence of these epistemological frameworks fostered the co-construction of knowledge in a police and prison abolition course at one of the richest and whitest private educational institutions in the United States. Drawing on our experiences as abolitionists, activists, and scholars, we remain resolved that abolitionist epistemologies and pedagogies can and should be incorporated into traditional classroom settings to the benefit of all classroom members. Traditional postsecondary curriculums and the preeminence of official knowledge require the segregation and diminution of …

Profit & Loss: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Salience Of The Black Male Experience In Top-Tier U.S. Mba Programs, Craig Woodward

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study aimed to explore the educational, cultural, and personal challenges faced by Black males in MBA programs and to identify factors that aid their persistence in completing their degrees. The research design employed a qualitative approach to narrative inquiry as its methodology, using one-on-one semi-structured interviews. The study used resilience theory as its theoretical framework, approaching it from both an academic and psychological perspective. Respondents were recruited from the top 50 MBA programs in the United States according to the 2023 edition of U.S News and World Report (2024). There were a total of 15 African American respondents who …

Building Your Epic Life: Your Journey, Your Way, Your Masterpiece, Luciano Castillo

Purdue University Press Books

Building Your Epic Life empowers young people to understand that failure is an inevitable—and essential—part of the journey to success. The author shares his own challenges and struggles, showing that no path to success is linear and without setbacks. The book teaches the value of building a healthy body, mind, and spirit, and includes exercises that offer actionable plans for individuals to realize a meaningful, self-defined life based on their core values. A proven roadmap workbook and short lectures guide readers through a series of practical steps to discover their purpose, vision, and understand the value of mentorship—and why each …

Studying Causal Inferences For Student Success In Higher Education, Prabesh Shrestha

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions strive to support students in achieving their academic goals through targeted interventions and data-driven strategies. This study analyzed 19 variables, spanning student demographics, enrollment patterns, and institutional interventions, to identify predictors of students completing all enrolled courses in a semester. Using random forest, logistic regression, and bootstrap forest models, we assessed variable importance and derived causal estimates to determine their impact. Results from causal analysis indicate positive effects from session type, term load, referrals, kudos, flags, and scholarships, while negative impacts were associated with location, course delivery method, enrollment status, advisor contact, and registration interval. These findings …

Holistic Support And Development: Collaboration Between Residence Life And Faculty On Short-Term Education Abroad Programs, Kendra Sherman

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Short-term education abroad programs are designed to increase students’ intercultural competencies, expose them to new cultures and languages, prepare them for future employability, and further their academic development (Castiello-Gutiérrez & Gozik, 2022; Yao, 2021). While education abroad programs may result in strong benefits for students, they are not without their challenges when it comes to facilitating and managing them. Both the faculty who lead these programs and the students who participate in them face challenges respective to their experiences abroad. Many researchers emphasize collaboration between student affairs and academic affairs to alleviate these challenges, but no one office is identified …

When Prayers Aren’T Enough: The Need For Mission Formation And Professional Development For Lay Faculty At Catholic Colleges And Universities, Lucy A. Pesce

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Current literature suggests that administration and faculty must make a more intentional effort within Catholic higher education to articulate the mission of these religiously-affiliated institutions in response to two current issues: dwindling numbers of clergy and vowed religious faculty and administrators, and fewer students nationwide who self-identify with any form of organized religion. However, few studies have examined the experience of lay faculty at Catholic institutions who are entrusted with advancing the mission, regardless of their religious affiliation, and their professional development needs.

Using the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities’ Catholic Identity and Mission Assessment (CIMA) as a framework …