Leadership Studies Commons^™

Should We Move To Suspend Robert’S Rules Forever: A Review And Proposal For Student Government Communication, Harper Estus

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to understand and improve how student leaders in student government (senators) communicate with one another during their meetings. My research question was, how can I effectively work with the Associated Student Government (ASG) at the University of San Diego (USD) to improve the senator’s meeting communication through parliamentary practice? The use of Robert’s Rules (parliamentary procedure) is common for student government. I analyzed mixed-method data through three cycles: focus group, survey, and semi-structured interviews. Findings indicate that there are pros and cons to meeting structures, most participants are open to different meeting …

Supporting Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Neurodivergence: University Of San Diego Accommodations And Resources, Carina Mendoza

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

This research focuses on better understanding the unique classroom experiences faced by autistic and neurodiverse students at the University of San Diego (USD) and offers recommendations to improve their college experience. Through a well-studied literature review and data collection through semi structured interviews and focus groups, the overall goal was to have a more holistic understanding of the current support services from faculty and staff that are available for students at USD. The study will provide unique challenges and curated recommendations for students with autism spectrum disorder and neurodiverse identities. This research also identifies specific areas where the USD can …

Insights Into Impact: Evaluating An Adult Leadership Program Offered Through Michigan State University Extension, Aaron J. Mckim, Jordan Pusateri Burroughs

Journal of Extension

Agriculture, food, and natural resource (AFNR) systems need leaders to catalyze positive change. Thus, Extension professionals have consistently developed innovative and impactful leadership programming. In the current study, the alumni of one such program in Michigan were surveyed to evaluate the sustained impact of the program. Program alumni rated themselves highest in Empowerment and Perspective Development and perceived the strongest programmatic impact in Empowerment and Emotional Resilience. These data were further analyzed to create a “Leadership Impact Factor,” which illuminates the impact of a program using a single number. Recommendations are made for Extension professionals facilitating similar leadership education programming.

Supporting International Students' Emotional And Social Wellbeing: Addressing Pressing Issues Related To Tuition And Visa Status Anxiety, Jinyi Chen

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of my research was to engage and build community with international students and to find ways to support them emotionally and socially leading to better mental health outcomes. My research question was: how can I support international college students to alleviate common mental health issues many continue to experience as a result of their international status? This occurs particularly when they must deal with tuition and visa status anxiety. I did three cycles in the research process using online surveys, interviews, and a large debriefing group meeting. Findings indicated that visa status anxiety is one of the most …

Building Leader Self-Efficacy In Kenyan Teenage Girls, Maureen Malomba

Dissertations, 2020-current

Most social-cultural problems are wicked problems that require innovative and sustainable solutions. Gender equality is just one of them, and this study looked at the approach of leadership development in teenage girls as a strategy to make advances toward gender equality. I conducted this study in Kenya, in a small, rural girls’ primary school that incorporates a leadership development curriculum to assess the duration and the types of interventions in leadership development programs, and how they relate to self-efficacy. The school has 40 girls aged between 12 and 16 in their first and third years. This study incorporated a convergent …

Bridging Usd Graduate Student Life And Mcnair Scholars Program: How To Enhance Mcnair Scholars’ Transition To Graduate School, Emily S. Esquivel

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

Research has shown a need to support graduate students with intersecting identities (e.g., first generation, underrepresented). Further, there is little research on the transition of McNair students to graduate school. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to learn about how McNair students at the University of San Diego (USD) can navigate graduate school preparation with the support of Graduate Student Life (GSL). The research questions that guided this project were: (1) How can I collaborate with GSL to enhance support for USD McNair Scholars as they transition to graduate school? and (2) How can GSL support McNair Scholars’ sense …

Breaking Barriers And Cultivating Collaborative Partnerships For The Torero Renaissance Scholars Program, Ti'shaun Allen

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

There is a high global demand for institutions to implement and maintain supportive programming for system-impacted students. System-impacted students are those who identify as former foster youth, homeless or at risk for homelessness, emancipated minors, or students in legal guardianships. My action research aimed to understand how to improve the Torero Renaissance Scholars (TRS) program model, delivery, and infrastructure to increase student engagement, program awareness, and partner collaboration at the University of San Diego (USD). TRS is a supportive program that assists students who are system-impacted. Findings from qualitative semi-structured 1:1 interviews, group conversations, and focus groups suggested increased employment …

Generational Diversity In Military Leadership: Exploring The Opportunities And Challenges, Cassandra Marie Wachowiak

M.S. in Leadership

ABSTRACT & BIOGRAPHY FORM

Citation:

Wachowiak, Cassandra, M (Spring 2024). Generational Diversity in Military Leadership: Exploring Challenges and Opportunities. MSLD, Granite State College.

Abstract:

This capstone project explores the complexities of generational diversity within military leadership. Focusing mainly on the challenges and opportunities presented. Through a comprehensive literature review, the project examines the distinct characteristics, values, and communication styles of different generations in the military. By identifying potential areas of tension and teamwork, the project aims to provide insights for fostering cohesion, enhancing collaboration, and optimizing performance across generations within military leadership. The findings will help contribute to a deeper …

Social Identity Theory In Emergency Response Organizations, Erik J. Litzenberg

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Emergency response organizations operate in an increasingly complex environment and could benefit from further understanding of culture. While there is not a single measure of culture, Social Identity Theory (SIT) examines the effect of group informed identities on individual perceptions and group participation. The purpose of this study was to explore SIT as it relates to emergency response organizations. A survey was shared with responders across the United States; a total of 397 responses were collected and analyzed. Social identification and groupness scores were relatively high (Mean = 5.40 on a scale of 1-7; Mean = 7.29 on a scale …

Financial Self-Efficacy Among Puerto Rican Women In The United States: An Ethnographic Action-Based Research Study, Melinda Jimenez Perez

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this ethnographic action research study was to better understand the financial self-efficacy of Puerto Rican women in the United States. There is a gap in the literature in identifying the relationship between middle-class Puerto Rican women and financial literacy. In a pilot study, four major findings emerged from the survey about Puerto Rican women and their relationship with finances: (a) as children, mothers taught them to save, and as adults, they rely on the male figures in their families; (b) the traditional education systems did not provide financial education; (c) the childhood culture of poverty and scarcity …

Retention Of Employees In Student Affairs Positions In Private Higher Education, Lanita Robinson

Leadership Education Capstones

This is a comprehensive exam project for the Leadership Education Department at Winona State University. The purpose of the study was to discover and implement successful strategies that private higher education managers can use to retain support services staff in departments across the university.

Female Leaders In Occupational Safety And Health: Perceived Barriers And Potential Interventions, Jacqueline Basham

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Limited research exists about the challenges women face working as leaders within the occupational safety and health (OSH) industry. This study aimed to help fill this gap by utilizing key informant interviews to qualitatively analyze what the perceptions of female safety leaders were within OSH related to barriers and interventions to sustain or increase the number of female safety leaders. Both convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods were utilized to recruit female safety leaders to participate in key informant interviews. In order to be eligible for inclusion in the study, participants needed to identify as female, be safety leaders currently …

Enhancing Student-Athlete Well-Being Through Effective Leadership In College Athletics, Jake Peavey

All Student Scholarship

For many young adults, the transition from high school to college athletics can be a challenging and intimidating process. It is common knowledge that many student-athletes struggle with finding the balance between their mental health and their academic, athletic, and social responsibilities. In fact, many student-athletes feel that their commitments are greater than a full- time job when you factor in all that is expected of them (Cutler & Dwyer, 2020). Student-athlete life balance is affected by pressures such as demanding training schedules, strict dietary guidelines, expectations on performance, and many other factors that can contribute to commitments totaling over …

Evaluating “Grit” (Genuine Relationships, Intergenerationally Tied) Groups At The Highland Church Of Christ: An Intergenerational Enhancement Of Small Group Community Life, Beth Ann Fisher

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT This project, Evaluating “GRIT” (Genuine Relationships, Intergenerationally Tied) at the Highland Church of Christ: An Intergenerational Enhancement of Small Group Community Life is a response to the request for intergenerational partnership in worship, fellowship, and ministry by the university students at Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. The church’s robust small group life was a logical place to create a vehicle in which intergenerational partners could ride for a determined period in pursuit of their common goals of furthering Highland’s mission and vision. The “Genuine Relationships, Intergenerationally Tied” or GRIT groups were formed by combining existing small groups …

Fostering Creativity In The Workplace: Unlocking The Power Of Diversity Through Psychological Safety, Samantha Rosario

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

With a growing recognition of the advantages associated with forming culturally and cognitively diverse teams, understanding the crucial role of psychological safety in leveraging diversity for creativity and innovation is paramount. Additionally, since leaders establish the tone of the workplace culture, it's crucial to ensure they possess the necessary expertise to lead inclusively to establish psychological safety. This project aims to meet the demand for skill development by producing a facilitator guide and workshop presentation. These resources are designed to empower workshop leaders with the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities to facilitate a workshop with the goal to promote workplace …

Stories Of Motivation And Values Of Small-Scale Farmers In Jamaica And The United States, Raquel Taylor

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Small-scale farmers add to global and local food systems through various means such as connecting communities to local food and support economies. Small-scale farms can address issues related to food and nutritional security. However, farming can be a challenging career to engage in, especially for those who are small-scale farmers. Matters related to succession, higher paying off-farm employment, policies, and more can make it challenging to engage in farming. Leaving the question of what would motivate someone to engage in small-scale farming. Motivation can be viewed through multiple lenses; this study chose to use self-determination theory to understand the motivations …

A Fish Out Of Water: An Examination Of Self-Identified Introverted Business Students' Perceptions Of Their Leadership Ability, Katie J. Jolicoeur

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Current American cultural and societal ideals favor personalities that are outgoing, positive, and talkative in nature, due to the rise of the Culture of Personality (Wilmot, 2019; Kim, 2012; Cain, 2013). Beginning with the industrial revolution and expanding rapidly midcentury, parents began to view children who are quiet as less favorable than those who are more gregarious, thus children and parents began forced socialization at an earlier age (Wilmot, 2019; Cain, 2013). Very little, if any, research has been conducted to understand the impact that the cultural ideal of favoring extraversion has upon undergraduate students seeking a degree in business, …

Sexual Exploitation: The Crisis And Eradicative Solution, Tonnie Adams Bracey

Nonprofit and NGO Studies Student Projects

French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” I find this to be true in our current era of the digital age. Although technology has gifted a newly improved and vast method of making worldwide connections and broadening our perceptions and views, a change in how we communicate has conveniently presented itself, but the historic pattern of how we handle these new advancements have indeed stayed the same.
Smart phones are a mainstream vessel employing the world with a plethora of information while giving all sorts of people access to individual’s lives …

Creative I'Mprint, Melissa Rheaume

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Creative I'mprint

This Master's project delves into the innovative concept of a "Creative I’mprint" and its implications for creative practitioners in fostering effective change leadership. The project aims to investigate the dynamic relationship among perception, influence, and creativity, with the goal of empowering creative practitioners to better comprehend how their creativity impacts others and leaves a lasting impression. Through the design of a comprehensive workshop and conference presentation, the project facilitates the exploration and definition of creative practitioners' Creative I’mprint. Drawing from diverse theories and frameworks including emotional intelligence, lateral thinking, and self-awareness tools, the project provides a structured approach …

Exploring Interoception - An Essential Skill Of Exceptional Self-Leadership, Suzanne Dameron

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Research into interoception, the awareness of the body’s inner state, suggests that the body is the true star in the mind-body relationship. Interceptive findings suggest that when we pay attention to our physical sensations – twinges, tingles, a quickening heartbeat – we have a depth of information now available to us that enhances our self-awareness and self-leadership. This paper is the result of exploring the theory and practice of developing interoceptive awareness and its implications for self-leadership.