Communication Commons^™

Preferred Methods Of Communication Of Millennial Alumni Of The University Of Arkansas’ Agricultural Education, Communications And Technology Department And The Impact Of Brand Community On Potential Philanthropy, Wells William Clark

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions depend upon alumni support (Gaier, 2005). Understanding how those institutions communicate with alumni about methods of financial giving is necessary in securing their support. The concept of brand community, an idea formed through social relationships amongst consumers of a common brand, regardless of location, who acknowledge their overlapping interests and share traditions and a sense of duty related to the brand (McAlexander et al., 2006; Muniz & O’Guinn, 2001), can contribute to desired behaviors such as donations and engagement in alumni groups. Exploration of this concept was conducted in relation to young alumni (those graduating from 2008-2018).The …

External Funding Bulletin, January - June 2021, Uno Office Of Research And Creative Activity

Sponsored Programs Bulletins

No abstract provided.

Understanding Milk Consumption Habits Among College Students In Order To Redesign Outreach, Stacey F. Stearns, Adam N. Rabinowitz

Journal of Extension

College students consume less dairy milk than in the past. Increased competition in the beverage aisle influences their choices. However, much of the population is not meeting the recommended intake guidelines for calcium. A survey of undergraduate college students with university dining plans focused on milk consumption habits, beverage choices, and student attitudes toward healthful foods and nutrition. Results are guiding Extension program educational outreach campaigns to college students. By focusing on the healthful and nutritional benefits of milk, Extension educators could increase consumption among college age consumers, and their long-term healthful outcomes.

Building Research Capacity Through An Academic Community Of Practice: A Design Case Study, Olga Koz, Anissa Lokey-Vega

Faculty Articles

Purpose – The study’s purpose was to examine the faculty-driven organization’s design and development that supports faculty research needs, track the emergence of the community of practice (CoP) and provide greater insight into continued organizational design iterations.

Design/methodology/approach – In this longitudinal design case study, the authors employed different methods to collect and analyze archival, quantitative, and qualitative data to capture the phenomenon’s complexity.

Findings – The findings challenge the assumption that only formal organizational structures and top-down management approaches stimulate research and build research capacity in universities and propose a new sustainable and agile informal organizational structure and strategies …

In Search Of Kinship: Traveling Into New Worlds Through Conversation And The Impact On Building Community, Daniel E. Mcclary Ed.D

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This dissertation reports on qualitative research done with a phenomenological methodology on the topic of building community. This was explored through the voices of over 200 participants representing more than 30 countries. Surveys and in-depth interviews examined international experiences and cultural background of participants alongside many stakeholder voices from within higher education, including international and domestic students, faculty, and staff. Though the study and application is focused on a higher education context, the research has broader implications to society in looking at how intentional conversations across cultural symmetry impacts relationships and community building. The data touched on feelings of isolation …

Pathway Provider Programs: The International Student Experience, Aaron A. Mendez

Capstone Collection

As part of their commitment towards internationalization, many higher education institutions seek new recruitment practices to increase international student enrollment, to both enhance cultural diversity and increase the potential for revenue. Partnering with third-party pathway providers offers international students an opportunity to refine their English language skills, all while taking for-credit-bearing academic courses that ultimately prepare them for their second year upon matriculating into their degree-seeking programs. One difference between direct-entry international students and pathway program international students is the additional level of support for the latter.

This study explores the following research question: What are the experiences of international …

Digital Journalism Within The Framework Of Higher Education Public Relations: A Case Study And Manual For Creating Online Feature Stories To Engage Prospective Students, Hunter Desimone

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Higher education institutions (HEI) are facing increasing competition for student enrollment. Studies indicate that websites are now the main source of a prospective student’s information-gathering process, but little research has been done on how higher education institutions can operationalize their websites as functions of public relations to persuade prospective students to apply. This project investigates how concepts of digital journalism can be used to create online feature stories that engage prospective students. A case study was conducted that included an examination of digital journalism literature, an analysis of digital journalism and public relations textbooks, and a content analysis of college …

Social Media Preferences Of Individuals Seeking Graduate Business Degrees, Peyton N. Boxberger, Hannah C. Lee

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to provide actionable insight to the Walton MBA Programs Office for a cohesive social media strategy that is inclusive of all audiences. This research hopes to help the Walton MBA program better understand potential and current students based on their social media behavior and learn how social media use has changed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. This report will analyze the results of a survey crafted to better understand the social media preferences of individuals seeking graduate business degrees. From these, a social media marketing strategy can be created to tailor content to …

Virtual Reality For Public Speaking Rehearsals: Student And Faculty Perceptions, Carrie A. Saltsman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Speeches and speech rehearsals are an important part of many basic communication courses. However, instructors are developing new ways for students to rehearse their speeches every day; one way may be for students to use virtual reality. Although virtual reality is somewhat of a new innovation, it is effective in various settings, including higher education, and more specifically, the speech classroom. However, this efficacy may not matter if students and instructors are unwilling to adopt it into the classroom. Diffusion of innovation theory, developed by Rogers (2003), focuses on how an innovation is diffused and adopted. Using two of the …

An Analysis Of The Effects Of Covid-19 On Students At The University Of Mississippi: Family, Careers, Mental Health, Hannah Newbold

Honors Theses

This study analyzes the effects of COVID-19 on students at the University of Mississippi. For students, COVID-19 changed the landscape of education, with classes and jobs going online. Students who graduated in May 2020 entered a poor job market and many ended up going to graduate school instead of finding a job. Access to medical and professional help was limited at the very beginning, with offices not taking patients or moving appointments to virtual only. This would require that each student needing help had to have access to quality internet service, which wasn’t always guaranteed, thus producing additional challenges.

These …

Chimes: April 30, 2021, Calvin University

Chimes

Sexual assault exists at Calvin, so do the tools to find healing by Harm Venhuizen and Katherine Benedict

Ask an immunologist: Prof. Shen on five vaccine myths by Alex Raycroft

Chimes sits down with Calvin's new provost: Noah Toly by Juliana Knot

A "Calvin walk" through dating history by Ezra Craker

Professor on weekdays, feminist footballer on weekends by Lauren Vanden Bosch

Women's soccer victorious in spring edition of MIAA tournament by Ellington Smith

Swimming upstream: Calvin women reflect on fields dominated by men by Abigail Ham

A last word on what Calvin was, is and needs to be by …

Best Practices For Voter Engagement Within Higher Education, Alyssa Tomins

Honors Projects

It is imperative that higher education institutions learn more about how to recruit members of younger generations to participate in future elections. Young people have historically voted at low rates, but that trend has started to change in recent years as more resources are being devoted to voter engagement among young people. This leads to the interest of understanding what best practices and strategies have academic institutions utilized to advance voter engagement on their campuses. This qualitative study analyzes these best practices and strategies at 84 colleges and universities, all of whom are members of The Andrew Goodman Foundation Vote …

Chimes: April 16, 2021, Calvin University

Chimes

Student athlete Simon Detmer breaks national para athletics record by Harm Venhuizen

Committee to decide future of academic cuts by Juliana Knot

Suspect arrested after female students harassed on Calvin, Cornerstone campuses by Juliana Knot

Admissions offers slate of virtual events for prospective students by Jamison Van Andel

Last man standing: men in SPAUD reflect on overwhelmingly female field by Sarah Gibes

Students struggle to find time for sabbath by Michaela Giovannelli

Chimes: April 9, 2021, Calvin University

Chimes

Asian student organizations stand together against hate by Abigail Ham

Met By Love sparks revival by Michaela Giovannelli

What your profs think you should watch this weekend by Mattheus Colyn

Calvin, Spectrum Health offer vaccine to students, staff and faculty by Ezra Craker

Pause week changes pace of break-less semester by Abigail Ham

What went wrong: An overview of Chimes' disastrous bracket by Ellington Smith

Biochemistry prof's cell research earns $350,000 grant by Sarah Gibes

Six influential people you didn't know are Calvin alumni by Abigail Ham

Pandemic Pandemonium Speech Assignment, Cynthia Rostankowski

All Assignment Prompts

No abstract provided.

Coronavirus Chronicles, Diane Guerrazzi

All Assignment Prompts

No abstract provided.

Pandemic Pandemonium, Tina Korani

All Assignment Prompts

Like many classes, the curriculum for MCOM 284: Advanced User Experience was derailed by COVID-19. However, the students quickly adapted to the situation and instead used what they’ve learned this semester to support the distribution of reliable information regarding the global pandemic. They were challenged to make an interactive visualization, infographic, or game that educates or informs an audience about the symptoms, preventions, or statistics of COVID- 19. Though the individual students worked remotely, they were still able to collaborate to create a diverse set of engaging experiences. Each of the 5 groups: 1. Used Adobe XD to gamify their …

Examining Natural Resource Conservation: In The Classroom, Through Collaborative Conservation, And Across Public Communication Platforms, Shauni Seccombe

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Barriers To Post-Secondary Success, Douglas Swanson, Najeana Henderson, Maritza Sloan

Dissertations

This study reviews factors that prior studies have identified or failed to consider as barriers to post-secondary success. The three main areas include academic success for Latinx students after high school, organizational systems and their impact on African-American students’ postsecondary readiness, and what workers think of their high school education with regards to career preparedness.

Five factors are identified as major barriers for Latinx students to continue in a higher education system. A survey of former students from Saint Louis, Missouri, and Dallas, Texas, metroplex area identified 56 Latinx students that participated in an initial survey. This led to a …

Chimes: March 26, 2021, Calvin University

Chimes

First look at Calvin's largest building project to date: $75 million Commons Union by Katherine Benedict

Congregations part ways with Bethany over same-sex adoption by Juliana Knot

A socially-distanced Holy Week by Jamison Van Andel

What are the ingredients of a good dorm event? Schultzde-Eldersveld weighs in by Ezra Craker

Wild weekend in the NCAA with lots to look forward to by Ellington Smith

LGBTQ inclusion disagreements threaten Reformed Church in America split by Ezra Craker

No news is good news: COVID variants not found on campus by Alex Raycroft

The Writing For Healing And Transformation Project, Heather Elizabeth Osborn

Education Doctorate Dissertations

As a qualitative action research study, the purpose of The Writing for Healing and Transformation Project was to facilitate more inclusive writing strategies and to promote individual and collective healing on issues of social suffering and oppression (Kleinman, Das, & Lock, 1997; Pennebaker & Smyth, 2016) for diverse students at a community college located in the northeastern United States. The 18 participants in the study included students in my English II literature and composition course. The theoretical framework encompassed Pennebaker’s (2016) “writing for healing” paradigm, advocating the use of expressivist writing and “social suffering theory,” examining how power structures affect …

Chimes: March 19, 2021, Calvin University

Chimes

Abuses of religious power: Why do they happen? by Susannah Epp

Revenue continues to fall short of operating budget. Endowment has grown by Harm Venhuizen & Michaela Giovannelli

Anti-LGBTQ tabling event sparks outrage, organizers applied as apologetics event by Harm Venhuizen

Chimes gives bracket advice by Ellington Smith

Calvin softball eager for 2021 season by Jamison Van Andel

Navica app streamlines COVID surveillance testing by Sarah Gibes

Tracking the trash: it doesn't just go to a landfill by Sarah Gibes

Relational Dialectics In College Ldrs: Managing The Tensions Of Long-Distance Dating In College, Kenessa Copeland

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

A significant population of college students have been, or are currently, in a long distance relationship (LDR). This study examined tensions experienced by college students in LDRs using Relational Dialectics Theory (RDT) and Dark Side Theory. I used a thematic analysis to analyze responses from an open-ended survey distributed to and answered by 23 students in LDRs. I found that RDT was exemplified in the study by finding tensions of connection-autonomy and predictability-novelty, as well as tensions of balancing time and FOMO-living in the moment. The most common tension management strategies used were selection, separation, and reframing. Finally, I found …

Free To Hate: Hate Crimes' Intertwinement With The Evolution Of Free Speech In The United States, Lee F. Paulson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In response to the growing tension between civil liberties and civil rights, this research investigates the relationship between the relative expansiveness of free speech and a the nationwide propensity for hate crimes. I argue that government’s legal limitations of speech influence the development of linguistic and hierarchical norms in a national culture. Given structural inequality’s association to violence and crimes of intimidation, I hypothesize that as the government expands the legal bounds of free speech, the national propensity for hate crimes decreases. Text analyses of 50 influential freedom of expression rulings in the United States (U.S.) Supreme Court from 1919-2019 …

Perceptions Of Black Lives Matter: An Analysis Of The Movement And Its Impact On The Relationship Between The Lincoln Police Department, The Media And The Public, Paige Heinemann

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This study examines the relationships between the Lincoln Police Department (LPD), the Lincoln Journal Star (LJS), and the public as they interacted during the Black Lives Matter protests in Lincoln, Nebraska, during June 2020. In order to analyze the relationships between the three actors, I utilized previous research that examined the role of the media on perceptions of police, how media framing of police brutality influences perceptions, and how the four models of public relations function in communities. This led me to pose the following research question: How do the relationships between the Lincoln Police Department, the media and the …

Implications Of Information: An Analysis Of How State Secrecy Prevails Over The Rights Of Free People, Cassandra Kostal

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis is an analysis of the withholding of information at the hands of the federal government and the subsequent creation of a culture of secrecy that threatens the freedom of information. The primary research question was: How does the government keep information classified in the age of information and how does this penchant for secrecy and nondisclosure undermine the public’s faith in their leadership? Research into this question was conducted through two means: printed and online publications. The printed publications were books recommended to me by Dr. John Bender and the online publications were sources found through searches using …

Chimes: March 5, 2021, Calvin University

Chimes

New policy will require three years on campus, effective class of 2026 by Katherine Benedict

Business school construction begins with groundbreaking ceremony by Abigail Ham

Prince no longer needed to house sick; RVD nearly empty by Juliana Knot

Calvin's push to get profs 1B vaccine status met with support, criticism by Alex Raycroft

Traffic at the TNT is blowing up by Jamison Van Andel

Remote services leaves students longing for post-pandemic worship by Jamison Van Andel

International freshmen share their experiences navigating college in a pandemic by Agua Brantuo

Course evals perpetuate racism and sexism in higher ed by Abigail …

Chimes: February 26, 2021, Calvin University

Chimes

Changes in admissions strategy could lead to first enrollment increase in seven years by Harm Venhuizen

Students are getting sicker, ER visits increasing in second semester by Abigail Ham

Morale dips during increased restriction, but revives as cases fall by Ezra Craker

Empty stadiums force teams to create their own energy by Juliana Knot

Frogs, earthworms and zebrafish: How Calvin uses live animals in lab by Sarah Gibes

Ex-CRC church added to list of hate groups by Liana Hirner & Jamison Van Andel

GOP feature meant to educate, not promote by Afua Brantuo

Chimes: February 12, 2021, Calvin University

Chimes

Surge in cases results in campuswide stay-at-home order by Juliana Knot

New core requirements, explained by Abigail Ham & Juliana Knot

Students ride GameStop stock roller coaster by Ezra Craker

Search for new provost attracts dozens of applicants by Juliana Knot & Abigail Ham

Women's basketball team bounces back after tough losses by Ellington Smith

Meeter Center director examines Reformation in new book by Jamison Van Andel

Calvin's first football team isn't what you'd expect by Lauren Vanden Bosch

What comes next? by Abigail Ham

Chimes: February 5, 2021, Calvin University

Chimes

Virtual January Series reaches 96,000 viewers globally by Alex Raycroft

One-third of professors sign letter opposing CRC sexuality report by Juliana Knot

Grand Rapids restaurants respond to increased costs during pandemic by Jamison Van Andel

Health students share COVID vaccine experiences by Abigail Ham

Calvin Peacemakers hope to bridge Knollcrest, Handlon campuses, promote restorative justice by Katherine Benedict

New men's basketball roster off to a promising start by Ellington Smith

'Stay vigilant': Students encouraged to observe COVID-19 rules by Sarah Gibes

Meet the Dutch House: the Christian fraternity at the University of Michigan started by Calvin alum by Afua Brantuo