Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons^™

Political Perspectives And Freedom Of Speech In The College Classroom, Robin Zazove

Masters Theses

The concept for this study came about after a book read by the researcher claimed college faculty across the United States were "closed minded professors who tum their students into socialists, atheists, race-baiters, and sex-crazed narcissists" (Shapiro, 2004, p.1 ). Statistics and experiences in the book appeared extreme, leading the researcher to gain interest in further understanding the political nature of Eastern Illinois University faculty members.

The purpose of the present study was to examine differences between professors who identified politically as conservative and those who identified as liberal or progressive, andthose who identified as middle of the road, and …

An Exploration Of Factors Related To Alcohol Consumption Among Female Student-Athletes In Higher Education, Holly Ruth Hooe

Masters Theses

This study examined the perceptions of female student-athletes at a mid-sized Midwest university. The current study aims to better understand the reasons for alcohol consumption by female student-athletes. This study will examine these reasons and help put in place predictors of extreme alcohol consumption by female student-athletes.

Results of this study were limited based on outside roles of the primary investigator. Five female student-athletes were interviewed about their experiences. The findings of this study will guide future research in the area. Future research for this topic should be done in greater numbers and use mixed methods.

A Qualitative Study Of Heterosexual Ally Development Among The Traditional Student Population At A Mid-Sized Midwestern University, Miranda Therese Ambuske

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study conducted, at a mid-sized Midwestern university, was to examine the ally development of heterosexual college students, specifically with gay, lesbian and bisexual populations. Five participants who were current college students, who self-identified as heterosexual allies, took part in open-ended life-history interviews in which they were asked to share their perspective on what may have affected their ally development. The interviews specifically probed what, if any, institutional resources, faculty or staff members may have assisted in their development, as well as if any precollege factors made them more susceptible to developing into an ally in college. …

The Effects Of Gender On Rumination, Co-Rumination, Depression, And Relationship Satisfaction, Mera El Ramahi

Masters Theses

The present qualitative study examined gender differences in rumination, co-rumination, depression, and relationship satisfaction. Response style theory, gender role socialization, and social norms are proposed to explain the gender differences in depression. The researchers conducted a study with undergraduate and graduate students at a mid-sized Midwest university campus. The sample in the present study consisted of 232 students. There were 106 males and 126 females. Participants took an online survey that consisted of the Response Style Questionnaire (RSQ), Co-Rumination Questionnaire (CRQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Multidimensional Questionnaire (MRQ). The findings suggest that rumination is a significant predictor of …

The Impact Of A First Year Seminar On The College Success Of African American Males At Eastern Illinois University, Brandon L. Thompson

Masters Theses

This mixed method study was designed to understand the impact of a first-year seminar on the college success of African American males at Eastern Illinois University. The primary . researcher conducted one on one interviews with nine African American males. Three participants enrolled in EIU 1111 (first year seminar) by choice, three enrolled in EIU 1111 by conscription, and three did not enroll in EIU 1111. The interviews were transcribed and themes were identified. The results from the interviews indicated that peer support and faculty and staff interaction outside of the classroom influenced college success.

The quantitative data ( e.g. …

Student Perceptions On The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. University Union At Eastern Illinois University, Anthony Kwiatkowski

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect programs and services of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Union have on the educational experiences of students at Eastern Illinois University. Data were gathered :from 619 students using a Web Enabled Survey System developed by Educational Benchmarking, Inc. that focused specifically on students' perceptions of the experiences provided by the Union. The results of the study showed that even though student users are satisfied with their overall Union experience, there is a need for administrators to address developmental issues of Life and Leadership, as well as entertainment opportunities for the …

Formative Evaluation Of The Career Consultant On Call Program, Bernadette Grace So-Goodlin

Masters Theses

The Career Consultant on Call (CCOC) program was developed to address a gap in service at The Career Center (TCC) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Graduate assistants employed at TCC have been trained to serve in the CCOC role, but to date the effectiveness of training has not been examined. Effectiveness of CCOC training was analyzed in a mixed methods study through self-evaluations, videotaped CCOC/student client interactions, and satisfaction surveys of student clients to determine CCOC self-efficacy in microcounseling skills and quality of these microskills. While results demonstrated that CCOC self-efficacy increased over the course of a semester, …

Alcohol Consumption And Negative Outcomes At Eastern Illinois University, Matthew Michael Feely

Masters Theses

The primary focus of this study was to examine Eastern Illinois University student alcohol consumption and associated negative outcomes. Negative outcomes defined for the purposes of the present study were poor academic perfonnance, getting into a physical fight, driving under the influence, and sexual assault. Data collected by Eastern Illinois University's Health Education Resource Center using the CORE survey was analyzed for the study. A review ofliterature indicated that student alcohol consumption often resulted in negative outcomes. The literature suggested that Caucasians consumed the most alcohol among all groups by ethnicity/ race. The location of consumption played a major role …

Eliminating Hazing By Addressing Masculinities In A Fraternity Setting, Kevin J. Kolman

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Defining Diversity: An Exploration Of The Perceptions Of First Semester Students At A Mid-Sized Midwestern Institution, Angela Hobkirk

Masters Theses

The present study is a qualitative exploration of how first semester college students operationalize the term diversity and whether or not they believed their university was successful in creating an environment supportive of diversity. Previous research in this area focused primarily on how to train faculty to teach diversity related issues within their classrooms; yet there has been limited research about student conceptions of diversity. While scholars and practitioners research multiculturalism, the effectiveness of diversity awareness programs, the effectiveness of diversity training programs, and other related ideas, there seems to be a gap in the literature in terms of the …

A Survey Of Disability Support Services In Illinois Higher Education, Courtney Diann Quinn

Masters Theses

This study explored the services and accommodations available to students with disabilities at several institutions of higher education in the state of Illinois. Focus was on the number of students with disabilities matriculating, the types of disabilities the students had, and the services colleges and universities were providing to support success among students with disabilities. A survey was distributed to disability services administrators at eighty colleges and universities in Illinois to obtain data regarding college and university demographics, and the programs and resources offered by the colleges and universities. Additional phone interviews were conducted to receive further information to supplement …

Students Attitudes And Beliefs Towards Recycling On The Campus Of A Midwestern Masters Granting Institution, Mark D. Bates

Masters Theses

In choosing this topic, research was conducted to determine what students know about recycling, how they participate in recycling on campus and see how the recycling programs on the campus of Eastern Illinois University (EIU) has been beneficial to the institution, and to the campus community as it attests to helping develop students as global citizenship. Recycling on the Eastern Illinois University's campus generally takes place in two distinct areas: residence halls and academic buildings. Each of these areas presents a unique challenge for the recycling coordinator, in terms of materials readily available, the collection method, and the level of …

Factors Influencing The Academic Major Selection Of Undecided Students: A Phenomenological Study, Christina D. Thompson

Masters Theses

This phenomenological, qualitative research study was designed to determine the most commonly selected academic major chosen by previously undecided students, the various factors that influenced the academic-major decision, and the similarities between the study participants. By comparing a Fall 2006 spreadsheet of undecided freshmen enrolled at Eastern Illinois University to a Fall 2008 spreadsheet of Eastern Illinois University students, the major choice of these previously undecided students was Communication Studies, determined to be the most highly selected academic major. Previously undecided students who had chosen Communication Studies were recruited for participation in this research. Data was collected through a demographic …

C.U.B.S.: Creating Unique Beginnings For Student Involvement On Campus, Alisha Scaggs

Masters Theses

Promoting student involvement on college campuses is an important asset for the college community. Involvement plays a role in several factors, one of the most important being overall student satisfaction. In what way is student satisfaction affected when first year students are given an extra leadership opportunity where they are automatically put in a leadership position just as they move onto campus? More importantly, in what manner will placement in a leadership role impact their development? The present study investigated the role of student involvement in the personal development of a group of Midwestern university freshmen women placed in a …

Technology And Its Impact On Face-To-Face Communication: Does It Bring Us Together Or Tear Us Apart?, Marilyn Holmes

Masters Theses

This study assessed the use of technology and its impact on face-to-face communication among college students and adults. The researcher utilized a selfdesigned questionnaire to ascertain usage patterns and teclmological devices used by participants in their daily communication with family, friends, and co-workers. A total of 673 respondents participated in the study, consisting of 334 college students (undergraduate and graduate students), and 339 adults (administration, faculty, administrative & professional, and civil service employees) from Eastern Illinois University.

Significant differences were found regarding levels of technology usage and faceto- face communication among college students and adults. Both students and adults used …

Videogame Use Among Male Residents In University Housing At Eastern Illinois University, Mark Bodnar Nicklaus

Masters Theses

The present quantitative study of 331 male students living in university residence halls or in university fraternity housing explored whether playing video games promoted social networking and social opportunities for males living in college residence halls. Previous research on video gaming focused on the social networks created among players; however, little research focused directly on male students living in residence halls. Most participants (73%) played video games between 6 p.m. and midnight. Using the Spearman Rho for rank ordered data, a positive relationship was found between the number of hours spent playing video games and the time spent in conversation …

Ethnic Lesbian Identity Development: A Focus On African American And Latino Women, Alexandria Quinones

Masters Theses

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate if there were differences in the developmental progression of a lesbian identity for ethnic women, specifically African American and Latino women, from that of majority lesbian women. Selected societal, familial and personal beliefs were examined to discover their influences on the women's development of a lesbian identity. Responses from ten women indicated there was a variation during their progression towards a lesbian identity in relation to the previous stage models based on majority homosexual individuals. Future recommendations for practitioners and researchers included considering environmental influences for expanding research models examining lesbian …

Retaining At-Risk Undergraduates Through Mandatory Interaction, Brian Jacob Gorman

Masters Theses

Eastern Illinois University has developed an academic assistance resource center for low achieving students k:no-wn as the Student Success Center (SSC). A major service of the SSC is EIU 2919, Strategies for Academic Success, a mandatory course for students who have fallen below a 2.00 cumulative GP A that focuses on removing barriers to success. In the first year of the Center's operation, the percentage of students on academic probation who regained good standing increased from 34% following the 2006- 2007 academic year to 70% following the 2007-2008 academic year. The purpose of the present study was to define what …

Levels Of Homophobia Among Students Attending A Comprehensive Midwestern University, Amy J. Baumgart

Masters Theses

This study looks at past research completed on the topic of homosexuality in the United States, including the history of acceptance of homosexual individuals and perceptions of homosexuality in the perspectives ofreligion, gender, and the law. In addition, the research looks at how the college experience tends to liberalize students. Putting these two ideas together, the study uses the Homosexual Attitude Scale and other demographic information gathering questions to determine the factors that contribute most prominently to homophobia in college students. The sample of students being studied are all undergraduates attending a public, Midwestern, comprehensive university. As a general overview, …

Examining At-Risk Students' Perceptions Of The Role And Function Of School Counselors, Colleen Marie Johnson

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study was to examine the perceptions of the school counselor's role from the perspectives of at-risk middle school students. The principal researcher conducted one-on-one interviews with the sample population in order to better understand the way in which they regarded and perceived the school counselor's role and function. Analysis of the student responses allowed for the identification of emergent themes and commonalities. Several conclusions were drawn from this study's findings. The findings indicated that students denote individual counseling as the primary duty of the school counselor. Further, students believe school counseling is important within their …

Factors Affecting Resident Assistant Burnout At Eastern Illinois University, Lindsay A. Gustin

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to identify factors that contribute to Resident Assistant burnout. Burnout is defined as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment that can occur among individuals who do "people work" (Hardy & Dodd, 1998). Definitions for burnout including emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment are located in the definitions section of chapter one.

The study was conducted on the campus of Eastern illinois University. The sample population was Resident Assistants currently under contract with the department of University Housing and Dining Services. The level of burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout …

Student Spiritual Development Associated With Fraternity Affiliation, Jason B. Goldfarb

Masters Theses

This study examined the relationship between fraternity affiliation, spirituality and associated beliefs and values as measured by a survey instrument (Higher Education Research Institute, 2004c) that contained 19 factor scales. Factors were grouped within categories of spirituality, religiosity, and other related qualities (Lindholm, Park, Curley, & Schwartz, 2008). In addition, the relationship between fraternity affiliation and spirituality was examined via six planned analyses based on present research dealing with implied outcomes of fraternity membership. Finally, a scale was developed from items within the College Students Beliefs and Values Survey to assess respondents' relative levels of hegemonic masculinity.

Significant differences were …

Latino Student Perceptions Of Trio/Sss Program Effectiveness At Eastern Illinois University, Kristin K. Flores

Masters Theses

TRiO Programs are completely grant funded through the Federal Government's Department of Education. These programs are constantly under review for continued funding. There are a total of 8 TRiO Programs and Eastern Illinois University (EIU) receives funding for one, Student Support Services. TRiO Programs were created for first- generation, low- income students; many Latino college students meet both criteria. First-generation college students have unique needs and concerns. TRiO/SSS provides assistance for these students to guide them throughout the college career and prepare them for graduate school and a career after graduation. This qualitative thesis describes the interaction of f:IU TRiO/SSS …

An Exploration Of The Perception Of Collective Identity Threat Among Muslim Students In Higher Education, Donna Vitale

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study was to examine the perspectives of Muslim students in higher education concerning their connections to campus based on their perceptions of collective identity threat. Collective identity exists when an individual holding group membership fears that in-group members' behavior will reinforce a negative stereotype about their group. Similarly, stereotype threats are personally relevant threats in which individuals may fear reinforcing the stereotype themselves (Cohen & Garcia, 2005). Research in the area of stereotype threat has high generalizability and can transfer to any race or gender (Steele, Spencer, & Aronson, 2002). For the purpose of the …

Female And Male Student Leadership Characteristics: Differences & Similarities, Amber Mishala Shaverdi

Masters Theses

Females and males differ in a variety of areas, yet these genders also have similar qualities. Are these similarities and differences affecting our college environment? In this research thesis the researcher set out to gather data that identifies the similarities and differences among undergraduate student leaders at a mid-sized Midwest public institution. The researcher first identifies student involvement and the many advantages for students who choose to be involved in cocurricular activities. Literature is presented highlighting a variety of theories that identify gender differences among females and males. The theories range from male masculinity, cognitive development, and societal gender roles. …

Searching For A Connection: Internet Communication And Mobile Phone Use For Social Membership, Cathy Marie Quast Sowa

Masters Theses

College students struggle to develop successful interpersonal relationships, explore personal identity and establish social group memberships. The purpose of this study was to explore measured levels of social connectedness and social assurance among undergraduate student users of Internet communication and mobile phone. Survey results indicated that the number of hours students used electronic communication tools was not related to their feelings of social connectedness on campus. However, the data indicated that students mixed electronic communication media to make connections, even to simultaneous use of mobile phone and Internet communication. Results supported the researcher's connection attachment theory, which proposed that students …

Barriers Faced By Hispanic Women In Higher Education Institutions In The State Of Illinois, Zoraida Irizarry

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study was to ascertain the perceptions of Hispanic women concerning barriers to their career advancement to faculty and administrators in higher education institutions in the state of Illinois. Specifically, attention was given to issues of national origin, mentoring relationships, education, gender, culture, socialization, socioeconomic status, and financial compensation.

Qualitative one-on-one interview were conducted with six Hispanic women who were faculty and directors of departments at state universities. The interviews were tape recorded, transcribed into computer files, and coded to identify themes.

The findings of the present study revealed that most of the factors, excluding those …

Psychosocial Adjustment Of International Students At A Midwestern Illinois University, Shilpa Maheshwari

Masters Theses

The study assessed the psychosocial adjustment of international students in higher education in the United States (U.S.) and examined their overall experiences since their arrival in the country. Pa1iicipants completed the 54-item Inventory for Student Adjustment Strain. The adjustment variables which were examined in the inventory were culture shock, language fluency, academic difficulties, social support, loneliness, and assertiveness. The hypothesis of the study was that the variables of age, gender, and length of time in the U.S. would predict the psychosocial adjustment of the sample of international students after their arrival to an unfamiliar country. A total of 167 international …

The Career Services Department: Assessing Preparedness, Confidence, And Knowledge Among Lake Land College Students, Teri Lynn Atkinson

Masters Theses

This thesis addressed the issue of assessment in Career Services Departments (CSDs) and specifically how prepared, confident, and knowledgeable users of the CSD perceived themselves to be in comparison to students who had not utilized services provided by the CSD. Ultimately, the intent of this project was to generate research about assessment methods and provide an assessment tool specifically for use in the assessment of CSDs.

A total of three surveys were constructed by the primary researcher. The initial surveys, similar in construct, were composed of 28 questions and distributed on the basis of the students' use of services provided …

A Look At The Relationship Between Underage Student Drinking Rates And Student Involvement Rates, Kathryn A. Tomlinson

Masters Theses

Underage drinking, that is, anyone consuming alcohol under der the t age of 21, is one of the most important issues facing college campuses today. In thee United States, two out of every three full-time college students report having drunk alcohol in one capacity or another in the last 30 days (Wechsler et al., 1998). An estimated 307 college student were involved in non-traffic alcohol related deaths in 2002 (Hingson, Heeren, Zakocs, Kopstein & Wechsler, 2002). According to a 2002 NIAAA study, more sexual assaults, robberies, vandalism, and other crimes occur when students have been drinking previo to the crime …