Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Commons^™

What We Want The Decision Makers To Know About First-Generation College Student Success: Insights From Students’ Perspectives, Monique N. Legendre

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

One-third of all undergraduates in the U.S. are first-generation college students (FGCS) (Center for First-Generation Student Success, 2020). Due to barriers such as inequitable access to rigorous college preparatory programs and coursework, limited resources and access to college and career counseling, financial constraints, and a lack of college knowledge such as the expectations, norms, and language of higher education, FGCS often arrive less prepared for college than continuing-generation students, impacting first-generation student success and persistence in post-secondary education (Broadhurst et al., 2023; Campoverdi, 2023; Cataldi et al., 2018; Hamilton et al., 2016; Katrevich & Aruguete, 2017; Osborne, 2023; Pratt et …

Race Evasion In White Student Affairs Professionals In Minnesota Higher Education: A Phenomenology, Cindy Boe

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Language that includes race-evasive frames is used by White individuals to maintain a status quo wherein White individuals hold greater access to societal power and resources than people of color. Race-evasive frames include abstract liberalism, naturalization, cultural racism, and disconnected power-analysis. In higher education, use of race evasive frames has been primarily documented in White college students and White faculty members. This study addressed in a gap in the literature related to race evasion in White student affairs professionals. Student affairs professionals provide direct support to college students. Scholars have suggested that student affairs professionals carry responsibility for advancing equity …

Being Compassionate Helps Improve College Students’ Perceived Well-Being. The Mediating Role Of Cognitive Flexibility And Perceived Anxiety, Saurabh Singh, Sarath Nonis

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Perceived well-being of college students is crucial to the success of students and institutions of higher education alike. Through this study we assert that promoting compassion among college students can improve their perceived well-being. Furthermore, the effect is mediated by cognitive flexibility and anxiety felt by students. The study has theoretical and managerial implications. The results can guide educators and university personnel to better craft curriculum and university communication.

The Role Of White Racial Identity Development In Leadership Practices: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study In White Educational Leaders, Kaitlyn Ryan

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how white educational leaders experience and make meaning of their racial identity development as they lead adult professional learning focused on racial equity and culturally responsive practice. Grounded in Helms’s White Racial Identity Development (WRID) model and guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study explored the lived experiences of ten white leaders across PK–12 and Institution of Higher Education (IHE). Data were collected through three semi‑structured interviews per participant and analyzed using IPA’s six‑step process. Five major themes emerged: transformational experiences that shifted leaders’ understanding of race and privilege; the critical role of white affinity …

Accessing Campus Mental Health Services In A Nigerian Southwestern University: Barriers To Academic Success, Caroline Dada

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental health disorders are a significant health concern among higher education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. A substantial treatment gap exists in the Nigerian healthcare system, and this gap is further worsened by cultural and religious barriers, which reinforce stigma that discourages students from seeking professional help. This qualitative narrative inquiry explored the barriers students encountered when accessing mental health services at a university in Southwestern Nigeria, to increase service access. Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted with seven professional mental health providers at a university counseling center between March and April 2025. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify …

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 …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

9th Gsep Research Symposium - 2025

GSEP Research Symposium

The Ninth Annual GSEP Research Symposium, themed "Building Bridges to Elevate Humanity: Innovations and Insights in Education and Psychology", was hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) on June 19–20, 2025, at the historic Château d’Hauteville in Switzerland and virtually via Zoom.

This hybrid symposium convened a vibrant global community of students, alumni, faculty, and scholars to share research that addresses real-world challenges, advances scholarly inquiry, and builds pathways for inclusive collaboration and leadership. Spanning a wide array of topics—from artificial intelligence and mental health to trauma-informed practices, educational equity, social justice, and cross-cultural leadership—the …

The Evolution Of Schooling: From Industrial Obedience To Techno-Autonomy, Seb Taylor, Ron Roberts Ii

Digital Laboratory: Publisher of Internet Journal

This paper examines the enduring architecture of the American education system as a mechanism designed for compliance, not creativity. Rooted in 19th-century industrial logic, the structure of schooling, its physical design, time constraints, and assessment methods, has remained largely static despite seismic cultural and technological shifts. Through historical analysis and contemporary critique, this work interrogates the persistence of standardized methods, institutional prestige, and top-down instruction as barriers to meaningful learning and value creation. Drawing from interdisciplinary research and live case studies, including Alpha School’s AI-powered, mastery-based model, the paper advances the concept of techno-education: a student-centered paradigm informed by feedback …

A Case Study In Evolving Academic Governance: Democratic Accountability And Academic Capitalism, William C. Schulz, Denise Dezolt

Higher Learning Research Communications

As the higher education market becomes both more competitive and fragmented (as well as controlled through uncertain and changing regulatory regimes), and as those whom the higher education market serves become more discerning as consumers who apply proven customer behaviors within the market, universities must re-evaluate their internal governance systems. Re-evaluation of customer behaviors and governance systems may allow universities to become more inclusive, responsive, and adaptive within an academic capitalism setting.

In this case study, we present a research-based and integrated “Shared, Informed, Stakeholder-Engaged Governance” model. We describe how a large online university developed and implemented a model that …

The Battle Is Not Ours!: The Impact Of Racial Battle Fatigue On The Career Trajectory Of Black Women Administrators At Predominantly White Institutions, Tonishea M. Jackson

Dissertations

This qualitative narrative inquiry examines the impact of Racial Battle Fatigue (RBF) on the career progression of Black women administrators at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). While RBF has been studied extensively among students and faculty, there has been little research exploring its influence on Black women leaders who navigate both racial and gendered power structures in organizations where they are often underrepresented and unsupported. Grounded in the theoretical framework of Intersectionality, this study explores one primary research question: What is the relationship between RBF and the career paths of Black women administrators at PWIs, including the stages in their careers …

Becoming A Beloved Community: A Restorative Reckoning For A Radical Conversion To Transform Discourse In Higher Education, Latasha Tomay Varlack-Butler

Dissertations

This dissertation critically examines the misappropriation of Restorative Justice Discourse (RJD) within three predominantly white institutions (PWIs), analyzing 59 institutional documents through Critical Discourse Analysis, Relational Critical Discourse Analysis, and Rhetorical Criticism (Fairclough, 1995; Vaandering, 2021; van Dijk, 2008). Tribal Colleges and Universities and South African institutions have emerged as exemplars of authentic RJD, countering co-optation within PWIs. The findings demonstrate that RJD as applied in PWIs is framed in ways that attenuate its transformative potential, perpetuating color-evasiveness (Bonilla-Silva, 2017) and obscuring the intersectional experiences of Black, Indigenous, and disabled communities (Crenshaw, 1991; Million, 2009).

Grounded in decolonial praxis (Smith, …

Understanding And Engaging In Equity Work: A Phenomenological Action Research Study Of Community College Esol Instructors, Emily E. Packer

Dissertations

Community colleges (CCs) are regarded as accessible and affordable pathways to higher education and financial mobility, offering significant potential to promote educational equity (Fink et al., 2023). These institutions enroll the largest number of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students in adult education; however, CC ESOL students face lower rates of degree completion and transfer compared to their non-ESOL peers (David & Kanno, 2021; Fink et al., 2023; Raufman et al., 2019). While research has examined factors contributing to low CC ESOL student persistence and interventions to improve overall CC student outcomes, research on specific efforts to support …

Double, Double, Toils And Troubles: Analyzing The “Magical” Relationships Between University Leaders’ Personality Traits And Their Self-Efficacy In Leadership Situations, Fay Ludvine Boudreaux

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This present study investigated the relationship between higher education leaders’ personality traits and their self-efficacy in leadership situations. A total of 151 leaders employed across the nine institutions within the University of Louisiana System completed a survey that prompted them to identify their personal values, traits, and skill sets, as derived from the online Pottermore quiz, the official Harry Potter Hogwarts House sorting instrument. This niche personality metric was chosen to cater to higher education’s evolving landscape, as it welcomes an influx of Millennials into leadership positions. Participants’ responses were eventually recoded to “sort” them into their respective Houses: Gryffindor, …

Elevándose Más Allá De La Culpa: Navigating Family Achievement Guilt And Familismo In The Academic Journeys Of Latino Male First-Generation College Students In The Inland Empire, Thomas C. Robles

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explores the experiences of Latino first-generation college students (FGCS) in California’s Inland Empire, focusing on family achievement guilt—the emotional tension felt when academic success surpasses that of family members. Rooted in familismo and cultural expectations, this phenomenon can lead to self-doubt, stress, and academic struggles, particularly for Latino males in community colleges. This qualitative study uses a phenomenological approach and testimonios to examine how participants navigate familial obligations, cultural expectations, and academic identities. Findings indicate that while family achievement guilt creates emotional and psychological barriers, students develop resilient coping strategies, including mentorship, peer support, and reframing education as …

Team Teaching As Honors Faculty Professional Development, Richard Badenhausen

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Discusses how team teaching may serve as professional learning and development for honors faculty in higher education and why it is valuable to frame it as such.

A Critical Role For An Honors Community Of Practice, Rebecca C. Bott-Knutson, Scott O'Leary, Scott Breuninger, Karen D. Youmans, Jeff Chamberlain, Sheila Nowinski

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

The Honors Community of Practice is a promising form of professional development in honors, where the wide variety of institutions, professional roles, and structures can present challenges to inclusive and relevant programming. The HCoP’s flexible and responsive format allows individuals in different contexts to connect, share resources, and learn from one another. The fluid nature of HCoP discussions, in which participants shift between mentor and mentee roles, highlights expertise in the community and encourages new voices to emerge. Of course, the advantages of Communities of Practice are not confined to honors. Their adaptability and simplicity make it effective programming in …

An Edifying Honors Collaboration, Rebecca C. Bott-Knutson, Jonathan D. Kotinek, Hedi M. Appel, Joy L. Hart, Paul Knox, Andrea Radasanu, Daniel M. Roberts, Timothy J. Nichols, Leigh E. Fine, William L. Ziegler, Mary Bryk, Susan Sumner, Rachael Budowle, Kaetlyn Cordingly, Graham E. Bastian, Noah Roerig, Adam Stroud, Keith Garbutt

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

In this chapter, we describe how one honors collaborative was formed, how it functions, and how it continues to evolve. For members of this collaborative, it has been an extraordinary professional journey with edifying impacts as we have been instructed, improved, and enlightened by our involvement.

Our collaborative emerged as a space to engage with colleagues across the nation with the common goal of better preparing honors students to tackle the grand challenges we face as a society (Appel et al., 2023). It comprises a network of honors leaders from 14 universities representing a variety of land-grant, Historically Black Colleges …

Hacking Through The Silos: Honors Faculty Development, Joy L. Hart, Rebecca C. Bott-Knutson, Hedi M. Appel, Jonathan D. Kotinek, Paul Knox, Susan Sumner, Noah Roerig, William L. Ziegler, Leigh E. Fine

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Based on our work with a multi-institutional honors hackathon, we examine the faculty benefits of planning and leading hackathons, focusing especially on enhanced understanding across disciplines—or hacking through academic silos.

Where Honors Education And Faculty Development Meet: Front And Back Matter, John Zubizarreta, Victoria M. Bryan

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Front and back matter

Where Honors Education and Faculty Development Meet [NCHC Monograph Series], John Zubizarreta and Victoria M. Bryan, editors

Lincoln, Nebraska, United States: National Collegiate Honors Council, 2025

Includes:

Front and back covers

Table of contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword, Victoria Mundy Bhavsar and Suketu P. Bhavsar

Introduction, John Zubizarreta and Victoria M. Bryan

About the authorsAbout the NCHC Monograph Series

List of NCHC monographs and journals

NCHC publications order form

From the back cover:

This volume contains an assorted collection of theoretical and practical essays that demonstrate the value of collaborations between honors programs or colleges and faculty development, …

Leadership Academy: Fostering Honors Faculty Growth Through Peer-To-Peer Learning, Chelsea Redger-Marquardt, Doug Stucky, Cindi Mason, Bobby Berry, Samantha Gregus, Kimberly Engber

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Discusses the Lead for Tomorrow program at the Cohen Honors Leadership Academy at Wichita State University, fostering honors faculty growth through peer-to-peer learning.

Empowering Honors Education: A Joint Initiative For Teaching Excellence And Curriculum Enhancement, Alexandra Bitton-Bailey, Ryan Z. Good, Gabriela Hamerlinck, Melissa L. Johnson

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Honors leaders should consider faculty development partnerships as outlets for not only communicating instructional opportunities to a wider audience but also broadening teaching opportunities for faculty in departments that are not always represented and for faculty in non-tenure-track as well as tenure-track lines. An ongoing partnership with a faculty development group can also help honors leaders stay aware of teaching with new technologies, manage emergent trends in the classroom such as the use of artificial intelligence, contribute to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and provide an outlet for reflection about honors instruction. The CTE-Honors partnership at the University of …

Leadership And Change From Within: An Honors College And Ctl Partnership, Connie M. Schroeder, Hilary K. Snow

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Scaling sustainable change in teaching and learning is an institutional priority in higher education, yet often it is elusive, given the decentralized and siloed academic landscape. Most colleges and departments lack the necessary expertise to design and implement scaled change or the critical organizational structures to sustain change. Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs) seek to advance improvement in teaching and learning and highlight improving institutional culture as part of their mission. Reliance on traditional programming and consultations, however, primarily targets individual change versus scaled or sustainable change.

The successful process of change at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Honors College …

Reimagining An Honors Education: Building A Community Of 21st-Century Learners, Robyn M. Brighton, Rebecca J. Toole

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Throughout the spring 2021 academic term and in response to a multiyear redesign of the long-established Seneff Honors College, faculty and staff from both the honors college and the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation at Valencia College set out to develop a professional development certification that would provide faculty with the information and tools needed to develop an honors curriculum aligning with the newly designed honors college.

The Brief Life Of A Students-As-Partners Model For Improving General Education, Rick Fisher, Janel Seeley

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

A Students-as-Partners (SaP) model has significant potential for meaningful relationships between centers for teaching and learning (CTLs) and honors programs or colleges. Honors programs and colleges are excellent partners in that they often have flexibility in course offerings and students interested in non-traditional learning opportunities. Too often, education planning and assessment are done to students rather than with them. Having students conduct scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) on university-wide initiatives not only provides the institution with valuable information about its teaching and learning efforts but also offers applicable research experience for students that can meaningfully impact future programming.

A Comprhensive Honors College Faculty Certification Model, Magda J. Castineyra, Virginia Fuillerat, Marianne Maduro

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Provides an overview of the Honors College (HC) at Miami Dade College (MDC) which uses a faculty certification process to introduce the honors college model and present classroom expectations.

Honors Civic Foundations Faculty Fellows Program, Lauren E. Davis, Kevin D. Egan

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

In 2022–2023, Drexel University’s Pennoni Honors College implemented the Honors Civic Foundations Faculty Fellows Program, a new initiative for faculty development and enrichment grounded in principles of civic education.

A Faculty Inquiry Group For The Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning In Honors, Kevin Sackreiter, Rebecca C. Bott-Knutson, Christine Larson, Evren Celik-Wiltse

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

This chapter details a collaboration between the Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College and the Center for Professional Enrichment and Teaching Excellence (CPETE), formerly known as the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), at South Dakota State University (SDSU). This collaboration launched an Honors Faculty Inquiry Group (FIG) on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Greater philosophical themes, such as the desire to normalize scholarly emphasis on teaching and learning and how honors faculty can serve as teaching leaders on campus, will be explored in addition to the practical details and outcomes of the collaboration.

From Classrooms To Communities: Integrating The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Into Honors Education, Megan Mcilreavy, Pamela L. Martin

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Embracing the United National Education for Sustainable Development (SDG) framework empowers students to reflect on their actions and understand current and future social, cultural, economic, and environmental issues from local and global perspectives. Inherent in the concept of lifelong learning, these values should resonate with our next generation of students (Gen Z) who, studies show, are making career choices that contribute to making real changes on our planet. Leveraging different institutional strengths, honors programs and colleges can tailor their education within the framework that SDG provides to accommodate various needs that will benefit the institution itself.

Transforming Partnerships: Developing A Model For Experiential Learning In Honors, Grace Troupe, Tamy Burnett

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Although the collaboration between the University Honors Program (UHP) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and UNL's Center for Transformative Teaching involves several elements, this essay focuses on one element with significant impact: the development of curricular components and co-curricular programming facilitating students’ engagement with experiential learning. Experience-based education is learning that occurs through direct, hands-on experiences such as internships, research, education abroad, and teaching practicums. When UNL moved toward requiring experiential learning for all undergraduate students, the partnership between UHP and CTT was transformational in facilitating UHP’s building on its existing framework for experiential learning and thus serving as …