Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2021, College of Education and Human Services

African American (also called Black American, or Black) students' performance in higher educational institutes reveal critical issues concerning their matriculation through higher education. A 2014 report by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) on cohorts of university students from 2004 to 2007 showed the graduation rate of Black students was 20 percent while White students' graduation rate during the same period of time was 40 percent. African American male students had the lowest graduation rate; of all African American males who enrolled in four-year higher education institutions from 2007 to 2013, only 8 percent graduated (www.nces.ed.gov). To support African American students, Black Cultural Centers (BCCs) also called African American Cultural Centers, were instituted around 1960 as supportive entities for Black students on many higher education predominantly White institutions (PWIs). However, in spite of the advent of BCCs on college and university campuses, the high dropout rate among the college Black student populations in predominantly White institutions (especially male students) has persisted (Harkavy & Hodges, 2012). The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of African American undergraduate male students in an urban predominantly White institution campus (PWI) to explore how (or if at all) the Black Cultural Center prepared and assisted them in negotiating the barriers posed by the PWI's campus-cultures and enabled them to achieve academic success. The use of instrumental case study qualitative research approach including semi-structured interviews, and study of archival documents provided insight and in-depth understanding of the issue. It revealed the answer to the overarching research question: In the context of PWIs, what meaning do African American male students enrolled in higher education give to the Black Cultural Centers or African American Cultural Centers? The sample of five student-participan (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Catherine Hansman EdD (Committee Chair); Mittie Davis Jones Ph.D. (Committee Member); Anne Galletta Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; African American Studies; African Americans; Behavioral Psychology; Black History; Black Studies; Continuing Education; Education; Ethnic Studies; Families and Family Life; Higher Education

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), Wright State University, 2013, School of Professional Psychology

There is limited research on African-American college students and their participation in group psychotherapy in a university counseling center setting. This study examined the barriers to group psychotherapy for African-American college students. A 61 item survey was designed to obtain African-American college students' views on their willingness to participate in group therapy, expectations of group psychotherapy, expectations of group members, expectations of group leaders, coping skills when in distress, and multicultural considerations relating to group psychotherapy. Data collected from a sample (N = 108)was analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analyses. Results of the this study found that coping strategies for African-American college students were predominantly based around family and friends, facing their problems directly, faith and religion and group psychotherapy was seen as a method less desirable than many other coping methods. Results also found that barriers to group psychotherapy included fear of being judged, fear of being discriminated against, fear of being stereotyped and a number of other salient factors. More should be learned about the barriers to group psychotherapy for African-American college students so as to identify effective ways to effectively recruit and retain African-American college to group psychotherapy.

Committee: Martyn Whittingham PhD (Committee Chair); James Dobbins PhD (Committee Member); Daniela Burnworth PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, EDU Physical Activity and Educational Services

This qualitative study used Black Feminist Thought as the interpretive lens to investigate the perceptions and experiences of African American female doctoral students at predominately White institutions. Semi-structured interviews were used to gain an understanding of their experiences and the influences these experiences had on their academic persistence and overall well-being. Fifteen participants were interviewed, and their responses were analyzed to identify the emerging themes. The following seven themes emerged from the data: (a) outsider, (b) perception of tokenism, (c) shifting: the academic mask, (d) prove-them-wrong syndrome, (e) part of a bigger whole, (f) expectations versus reality, and (g) discouragement versus encouragement. A summary of findings is presented, as well as specific recommendations to specific individuals.

Committee: James Moore III PhD (Advisor); Anika Anthony PhD (Committee Member); Antoinette Miranda PhD (Committee Member); Kisha Radliff PhD (Other) Subjects: Academic Guidance Counseling; African American Studies; African Americans; Counseling Education; Higher Education; Womens Studies

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, EDU Policy and Leadership

The first objective of this phenomenological research project was to interrogate how fictive kin exists as social capital and functions as a part of the Black collegiate experience at Predominately White Institutions (PWI). The second objective was to demonstrate fictive kin as a sustained African tradition and a phenomenon that continues to occur on the campuses of PWIs (Mutisya & Ross, 2005). The third objective was to illuminate the explicit and implicit connection shared by fictive kin, social capital, and persistence of Black students at PWIs. Coleman's (1988) interpretation of social capital theory was used in partnership with Portes' social capital functions (1998). Additionally, I utilized Asante's (2003) theory of Afrocentricity, which seeks to challenge Eurocentric standards as normative for those of African descent and promotes knowledge and pride in African customs and traditions for Black people throughout the African Diaspora. The research questions that guided this study were: 1) In what way(s) does/have fictive kinships aided in helping African American students remain enrolled at PWIs? 2) What is it like for Black collegians enrolled in a PWI to participate/experience fictive kin? 3) What meaning do Black college students ascribe to fictive kin? Data collection included an in-depth semi-structured interview with a sample of eight participants. Data explicitation included four readings of the data corpus to elicit the essence of the phenomenon. The findings demonstrated that fictive kin acted as social capital in three ways: lack of representation as motivation, community of support, and cultural reproductions in institutional settings. Their experiences were hallmarked by consistent presence, trusted interaction, and their fictive kin members. As a result of their experiences, the significance of fictive kin was captured in African Group Interest and social debt.

Committee: Tatiana Suspitsyna (Advisor) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Educational Studies

This dissertation explored how Black graduate womxn (BGW) who are matriculating or who have matriculated through The Ohio State University's (Ohio State or OSU) College of Education and Human Ecology (EHE) are located in both organizational sites with regards to professional socialization. The study is concerned with the relationship among BGW's locations, socialization, and abilities to access desired career pipelines upon degree completion. It is also concerned with BGW's locations in “epistemological third spaces” (Seremani & Clegg, 2016), as “outsiders within” (Collins, 2000) the academy who must create knowledge about academe in order to navigate it and attain career success. I conducted the study as a bricolage (Denzin & Lincoln, 2018), borrowing from constructivist case study (Merriam; 1998; Stake, 1995, 2000), and narrative inquiry (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990; Kim, 2019). Although the study examined BGW's socialization at specific organizational sites, it has broad implications for BGW with regards to their organizations as possible pathways into their desired professional fields. Embodiment was the epistemic frame that underpinned data collection and analysis. Data collection took place through interviews and focus groups via Zoom, because of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic. I conducted thematic narrative analysis with the assistance of broadening and restorying processes (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990). Black Critical Race Theory (BlackCrit; Dumas & ross, 2016) and postcolonialism (e.g., Said, 1978; Bhabha, 1994) supported analysis as frameworks through which to understand exercises of anti-Black and colonial power during BGW's professional socialization while matriculating through EHE. I also presented findings as composite narratives (Orbach, 2000; Willis, 2019) to capture participants' responses to protocol questions in ways that supported answering the dissertation's study questions. Amid discussions about the lack of diversity in the profess (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Marc Johnston-Guerrero PhD (Advisor); Lori Patton Davis PhD (Committee Member); Tatiana Suspitsyna PhD (Committee Member); Tracy Dumas PhD (Other) Subjects: Black Studies; Epistemology; Higher Education; Multicultural Education; Organizational Behavior; Womens Studies

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2011, EDU Teaching and Learning

This study sought to address the lack of research on young Black girls' experiences in schooling and in their relationships with peers by exploring the experiences and perspectives of three second-grade Black girls, Adrianna, Raell, and Mariah. The particular goal of the study was to examine the ways that they were positioned and the ways they positioned themselves within the peer cultural discourses of the classroom and the prominent sociocultural discourses they drew from to explain their perceptions of these peer cultural discourses. Additionally, I was interested in the way in which discourses of difference, including discourses of race, class, and gender, were taken up within their perceptions and experiences. The results indicated that each girl had similar, yet distinctly different positionings within the larger sociocultural discourses of the classroom and their peer cultural worlds. Their perspectives were imbued with the sociohistorical, political, familial, and personal worlds that were a part of their experience. I began to theorize across each of these cases in the final chapter, revealing the complexity and commonalities of their perspectives and agency.

Committee: Barbara Seidl PhD (Committee Chair); Cynthia Dillard PhD (Committee Member); Laurie Katz PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Black Studies; Early Childhood Education; Education; Educational Sociology; Gender; Womens Studies

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2023, Educational Administration

The lived experiences of Black/African American male students at a suburban community college in North Carolina were explored in this qualitative narrative study. Institutional data from the North Carolina Community College System revealed these students had the lowest percentages of persistence toward degree completion and of graduation. In an attempt to understand the factors affecting these students' daily experiences on campus that may contribute to these education gaps, five students and former students were interviewed during semi-structured narrative interviews. The stories shared by these students during their interviews, in combination with the literature review, led to the suggestion of the creation of a mentorship program as a potential strategy in alleviating the education gaps.

Committee: James Olive (Committee Chair); Elizabeth Essex (Committee Member); Brenda DeLee (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Community College Education; Community Colleges; Education; Educational Leadership

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Franklin University, 2021, Business Administration

This dissertation studies how institutions of higher education occupy a unique space that can add to the discourse of business studies by relating how consumers can simultaneously function as products. This is substantiated by defining the word “student” beyond the traditional meaning of a student as learner when considering the higher education business model. As such, the student as defined in this research co-exists as both consumer and product, shifting institutional culture and power dynamics while influencing senior-leadership decision-making. Given current research on the topic shows a one-sided view, concentrating on students as consumers rather than products or both, this study addresses gaps in the current research, with a focus on how the concept of higher education has not only two products (the curriculum and the student), but also two consumers (the student and the corporate structure who seeks to employ graduates at the lowest value, but the most productivity). A further gap in the research that served to benefit this study considered low-resourced, minority serving institutions with business models that depend on student enrollment, particularly Full-Time Equivalencies (FTE), to meet institutional budget constraints. Such a definition of the student binary that exists at tuition-driven, mission focused institutions create challenges that exist with accommodating and somewhat acquiescing to student socio-economic needs, organizational behavior, and institutional culture. Thus, using grounded theory, this qualitative study identifies semiotics as a business practice that not only creates symbolic meaning of the word “student”, but also identifies how that definition shifts depending on function, influencing the institutional power structure and decision-making practices of institutional leadership particularly at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In particular, this study used a sample of nine senior-level administrators at the 37 s (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Beverly Smith (Committee Chair); Bora Pajo (Committee Member); Jeffrey Ferezan (Committee Member) Subjects: Business Administration; Economic Theory; Education; Education Finance; Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Organizational Behavior

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Educational Studies

The purpose of this narrative study was to understand how Black students with criminal records experience higher education and the extent to which they experience a sense of belonging. Four research questions guided the study: (1) How do Black students with criminal records describe their experiences within institutions of higher education?; (2) How do Black students with criminal records describe the connection between their experiences with the criminal justice system and their experiences with higher education?; (3) How do the systems of racism and criminalization work together within institutions of higher education to shape the experiences of Black students with criminal records?; and (4) How do the systems of racism and criminalization operate within institutions of higher education to support or challenge sense of belonging for Black students with criminal records? To answer these questions, this study applied a critical epistemology (Jones et al., 2014) and was further guided by the tenets of Critical Race Theory (Bell, 1980; Delgado & Stefancic, 2001). Six participants, who were all Black students with criminal records, served as the sample for this dissertation research. Data for this study were collected through two semi-structured interviews and, consistent with the tenets of CRT and narrative inquiry were analyzed using thematic and dialogic/performance analysis. The analysis revealed three themes: Presenting and Understanding the Self, Navigating Higher Education, and Knowing What I Know. Participants' individual narratives were also presented to emphasize and honor their unique experiences. Implications are shared for research, theory, policy, and practice with a focus on creating greater equity and inclusion for Black students with criminal records.

Committee: Susan Jones (Advisor); Marc Johnston-Guerrero (Committee Member); Amna Akbar (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2018, Higher Education

The literature on psychological well-being of Black college students is limited to a few single institution studies, and as such, a nationwide, multi-institutional empirical study of the factors that predict psychological well-being was greatly needed by higher education scholars, student affairs professionals, faculty, and administrators. This dissertation analyzed what influence, if any, demographic and college environment variables have on psychological well-being among college students. Tests of group means found four demographic variables with significant differences in psychological well-being scores within each variable. Moreover, a regression analysis revealed one input variable, one between-college characteristic, five environment variables, and eight intermediate outcome variables as significant predictors of psychological well-being among Black college students (n = 899). The findings of this dissertation are intended to provide faculty and administrators information to promote psychological well-being that has been shown through this research to influence Black college students' academic performance and college satisfaction.

Committee: Ronald Opp (Committee Chair); Sunday Griffith (Committee Member); Debra Harmening (Committee Member); Christopher Roseman (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Black Studies; Higher Education; Mental Health; Psychology

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2018, Arts and Sciences: Communication

In this study, I sought to understand the parallel of Black identity and experiences in the context of Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In utilizing Cultural Contracts Theory, Identity Negotiation, and Communication Theory of Identity as its conceptual framework this study takes a grounded theory approach to exploring Black students' experiences at different race institutions and the extent to which they feel culturally supported. The primary aim of this study is to understand whether one institutional space provides greater opportunities for enhancing self-efficacy and/or affirmation for Black students than the other. The findings show that HBCU graduates gained a sense of confidence from their institution that made them less likely to conform or assimilate in contexts where ready-to-sign contracts are present. The findings also provide insights into higher education in America and reflect an initial exploration of the concepts of identity affirming spaces and identity fulfillment. African American Students, Black Students, Higher Education, Cultural Contracts Theory, Identity, Identity Negotiation, HBCU, PWI, Self-efficacy.

Committee: Ronald Jackson II Ph.D. (Committee Chair); John Lynch Ph.D. (Committee Member); Bridgette Peteet Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1975, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, EDU Physical Activity and Educational Services

African-American students in suburban schools are underperforming. Data reveals that African-American students who attend suburban schools do not perform as well as their Caucasian peers (Alson, 2003; Ferguson, Clark, & Stewart, 2002; Ogbu, 2002). The achievement gap between African-American and Caucasian students appears in not only scores, but also in other academic areas, such as attendance rates, graduation rates, special and gifted education placements, percentages of students in college preparatory or advanced placement classes, numbers of students in extracurricular activities, honor roll nominations, and grade-point-averages (Kober, 2001; Ogbu, 2002). The purpose of this study is to examine the difference in academic emphasis between high performing and low performing African-Americans in predominately white suburban schools by examining the relationship between academic emphasis and the achievement of African-American students. More specifically, examine the relationship between academic emphasis and the achievement of African-American children in predominately white suburban schools by observing the opinions of parents. The study is designed to indicate the importance of School, Family, Children, and Student Peer Academic Emphasis for African-American children in predominately white suburban schools based on parents' perceptions. Participants in this study were black parents of 221 African-American students attending predominately white suburban schools. Parents' opinions were collected during the third quarter of the academic school year 2007- 08 using a self-constructed questionnaire. Results reflected that after controlling for significant demographic variables, School Academic Emphasis was not related to grade point average; however, Family, Children, and Student Peer Academic Emphasis, as well as, characteristics of academic emphasis remained to have significant relationships to student achievement.

Committee: Antoinette Miranda PhD (Advisor); Adrienne Dixson PhD (Committee Member); Kisha Radliff PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Education; Educational Psychology; Educational Sociology; Multicultural Education; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2006, Educational Policy and Leadership

The premise of this study was to explore the recollections of the experiences of African American graduates from a predominately White university and to understand how these experiences shaped them within the context of their professional and personal lives. Using a qualitative research design, this study uses Critical Race Theory, an emerging theoretical framework in the field of education to better understand the stories and cultural life worlds of the minority college student. Through in depth interviews the study draws from Sarah Willie's work, Acting Black (2003) as a starting point to understand what the researcher defined as The New Talented Tenth, a term coined by the great intellectual African American, W.E.B. DuBois in an effort to illustrate the responsibilities of the gifted of the race in regard to those who were unable to obtain a higher education. The major findings of the study were: African American students create a separate community with internal cliques. They transmit values to new members, however, the extent of this acceptance of values changes. They do not view the need for this community as one of protection from hostility on campus; rather, the community perpetuates itself for social and emotional purposes. The very nature of racial identifiability, all African American students who do not consciously choose to self-exclude from this community are a part of it, even if they see themselves as outsiders. African American students are dealing with tension between maintaining Africentric values of cooperation and collaboration while adopting more Eurocentric values of competition and individualism. The leadership of a African American president at a predominately White university greatly changed the perceptions of success for African American students on campus as well as the climate. Thus, his death retarded the development of diversity and inclusion and changed the campus climate forcing African American students to adopt new ways of coping o (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Beverly Gordon (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2006, Educational Services and Research

This study examined the composition and status of disability support services (DSS) among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). A national census was conducted via the dissemination of a web-based self-report questionnaire to 103 designated DSS administrators. Data was collected to capture the institutional landscape and availability of accommodation provisions for students with disabilities (SWD). Procedures were executed to control for the primary four sources of error (coverage, sampling, measurement and nonresponse) relative to survey research. The two research questions posited were as follows: (1) What is the status and composition of support services for SWD at HBCUs? (2) How can services to SWD at HBCUs be developed and implemented? Analyses were guided by four primary research objectives that correspond to the research questions and produced results as follows: 1) A test of two proportion comparisons revealed significant differences in the organizational structure of DSS Offices and the variation in accommodation provisions. Results revealed a need for more centralized, formal DSS Offices and additional accommodation provisions. 2) Data suggested that the general distribution of types of disabilities (self-disclosed) in the population of SWD within HBCUs varied substantially. 3) A chi square test of independence was employed to evaluate the influence of accommodation provisions for SWD at public and private HBCUs. No significant difference was observed. 4) The general linear model was robust for performing the analysis of variance (ANOVA) of unweighted means. The ANOVA for differences within the types of institutions and organization structures of DSS Offices on eligible SWD revealed a significant main effect of the DSS structure, but no statistically significant main effect for institution type. Findings of this study described and validated the efficacy of establishing DSS programs where absent or underdeveloped. Theoretical applications a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Bruce Growick (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2010, Educational Psychology

This qualitative dissertation study investigated the success of an African-America religious school located in a Midwestern low SES neighborhood. There are inequities in educational opportunities. Schools, as mandated by the local and state agencies, have a history of not fulfilling the stated mission of educating all children especially African American students. This school developed in response to the historic denial of unequal opportunities. The prophetic mission and call to achieve equity gave rise to the founding of this school by the membership of the Messiah Christian Alliance Fellowship Church. The foundation of this educational facility was essential in the building of healthy African American students. Historical data shows that children who are members of lower socio-economic (SES) groups achieve at lower rates than middle class white students and students from wealthier homes. Yet for many of these students the reality of obtaining a quality is in fact another deferred. This qualitative study investigated the success of at a school located in an urban community. Through the theory base of Black Liberation Theology, the pastor and followers answered the call of providing excellent education to the children attending this school.

Committee: Raymond Terrell (Committee Chair) Subjects: Educational Leadership

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2009, Psychology

This study examined the relationship of minority status stress (MSS) and adjustment with risk for dropping out of college and the impact of MSS on the adjustment of Black undergraduate students at a PWI. Similar to White students, adjustment was a predictor of risk for dropout for Black students at a PWI. Additionally, this study found MSS impacted the adjustment of Black students at a PWI. The findings from this study indicate that interventions aimed at decreasing the risk for dropout for Black students at PWIs should focus on decreasing MSS. This paper also provides specific recommendations as to how this can be done. Further research is necessary to understand what specific aspects of MSS (e.g. faculty relationships, cross-cultural relationships) impact adjustment to academic and social environments.

Committee: Paul Flaspohler PhD (Committee Chair); Jhan Doughty Berry PhD (Committee Member); Roger Knudson PhD (Committee Member); Geri Susan Mosley-Howard PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Academic Guidance Counseling; African Americans; Black History; Education; Higher Education; Mental Health; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Multicultural Education; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 0, Counseling Psychology

Black women's educational attainment continues to rise as there has been an increase in the number of doctoral degrees conferred to Black women within the past decade (NCSES, 2022b). However, Black doctoral students are still underrepresented in doctoral programs across fields, and they must navigate systemic barriers such as longer time to degree completion, higher rates of attrition, greater financial difficulties, and oppression (Nagbe, 2019; NCSES, 2022a, 2022b, 2022c, 2022e). The current study had four main aims. The first aim of this study was to understand the relationship between a form of racism, gendered racial microaggressions, and anxiety among Black women PhD students. The second aim was to examine the moderating role of John Henryism on the relationship between gendered racial microaggressions and anxiety among Black women PhD students. The third aim was to investigate the moderating role of the impostor phenomenon on the relationship between gendered racial microaggressions and anxiety among Black women PhD students. Lastly, the fourth aim was to explore the moderating role of sense of belonging on the relationship between gendered racial microaggressions and anxiety among Black women PhD students. A total of 191 Black women PhD students participated in the current study. Results indicated significant and positive bivariate correlations between the frequency of gendered racial microaggressions (Angry Black Woman subscale, Silenced and Marginalized subscale) and anxiety. Plus, there were significant and positive bivariate correlations between the stress appraisal of gendered racial microaggressions (Angry Black Woman subscale, Silenced and Marginalized subscale) and anxiety. Results suggested that John Henryism did not significantly moderate the relationship between gendered racial microaggressions and anxiety. Additionally, the impostor phenomenon did not significantly moderate the relationship between gendered racial microaggressions and anxiety. (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dawn Johnson (Advisor); Ingrid Weigold (Committee Member); John Queener (Committee Member); Delila Owens (Committee Member); Juan Xi (Committee Member); Suzette Speight (Other) Subjects: Counseling Psychology; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2024, Levin College of Public Affairs and Education

The current literature regarding the complex experiences of Black students pursuing advanced degrees is insufficient. Moreover, previous research has used a deficit-based lens by focusing on barriers that Black students experience rather than their resiliency and strength. This study utilized a critical phenomenological qualitative methodology to explore the lived experiences of Black doctoral psychology students enrolled in predominately White institutions (PWIs), regarding their encounters with racism and racial trauma. Furthermore, this study was guided by the radical healing framework, which aims to explore how Black students can thrive within racist and oppressive environments, to explore potential healing from various racialized harms. A sample of 12 doctoral students [female (n=7), male (n=3), non-binary (n=2)], who identify as Black, African American or having African ancestry were interviewed for inclusion in this study. Data was analyzed via a critical phenomenological approach (Guenther, 2019), resulting in 10 emergent themes (Williams, 2008). These themes include the following: persistent racialized encounters, perpetual traumatic experiences, required resiliency, exorbitant emotions, intersectionality, simultaneous hypervisibility and invisibility, cumulative comradery, intentional intransigence, analytical awareness, and obstinate optimism. Implications are discussed for research, as well as for education and training.

Committee: Ingrid Hogge (Committee Co-Chair); Julia Phillips (Committee Co-Chair); John Queener (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Clinical Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Psychology

EDD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The broad goal of this study was to explore the experiences of Black fashion alumni while they were undergraduate students at a large, public university in the Midwestern United States. Participant demographics, their social capital, and their attitudes towards technology were examined to understand the impact of these variables on their experiences. An explanatory sequential mixed methods model was used. First, levels of social capital and attitudes towards technology for Black undergraduate fashion alumni were measured. That data was then further explored by analyzing the relationships between demographics and social capital and demographics and attitudes towards technology. Quantitative results revealed that only years in field were significantly related to the social capital subscale of bonding and that only year of graduation was significantly related to their attitudes towards technology. There was not a statistically significant correlation between scores on the social capital or technology instruments. Second, drawing on varying levels of both social capital and attitudes towards technology, four specific Black undergraduate fashion alumni were chosen for in-depth interviews to further explain quantitative outcomes. Qualitative analyses revealed that regardless of level of social capital, attitude toward technology, or college generation status, self-efficacy and belonging were important themes related to their undergraduate experiences. While technology was the least mentioned of the interview-related themes, there was some evidence that engagement with technology made a difference in their lives. This study contributes to the extremely limited literature related to Black undergraduate fashion students and the impact of both social capital and technology during their educational experiences. Information gathered in this study will be used to inform future academic research and provide implications for practice related to this wicked problem.

Committee: Richard Ferdig (Committee Chair); Terry Roberts (Committee Member); Enrico Gandolfi (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Black Studies; Educational Technology; Fine Arts; Higher Education; Social Research; Technology