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

The present study utilized descriptive, correlational quantitative survey research to investigate the self-perceived multicultural counseling competence of 364 licensed counselors using the Multicultural Counseling Inventory (MCI; Sodowsky et al., 1994). The study aimed to explore (a) to what extent licensed counselors perceived themselves to be multiculturally competent; (b) how selected demographic factors, controlling for social desirability, contributed to self-perceived competence; (c) to what extent licensed counselors presented themselves in a multiculturally socially desirable manner with regard to multicultural competence; and (d) differences on multicultural competence and social desirability based on the race of the counselor. Respondents viewed themselves as multiculturally competent both in general (MCI Total score, M = 3.28, SD = .31) and specifically. Respondents viewed themselves as most competent in multicultural skills (M = 3.67, SD = .37) and least competent in multicultural awareness (M = 2.88, SD = .55). Univariate regression analyses were conducted to determine independent variables contributing significant variance in scores. Race, years of counseling experience, number of multicultural graduate courses taken, and number of multicultural trainings/workshops attended contributed significant variance to at least one of the MCI scales. Social desirability significantly contributed to the variance in scores on all five MCI scales. The majority of the sample presented themselves in a neutral fashion on the multicultural social desirability measure when compared to the samples' mean (M = 18.81, SD = 3.13). Non-White counselors endorsed a slightly higher mean social desirability score (M = 20.14, SD = 3.22) than counselors White counselors (M = 18.69, SD = 3.07). Non-White counselors had statistically significantly higher MCI Total (non-White, M = 3.41, SD = .46; White, M = 3.27, SD = .28), Awareness (non-White, M = 3.26, SD = .60; White, M = 2.84, S (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Program in Population Health Leadership DNP, Xavier University, 2024, Nursing

The purpose of this final DNP project is to create a cultural competency curriculum utilizing the Purnell Model for Cultural Competence as the scaffolding of the project. The objective is to increase staff awareness and desire to provide culturally competent care. The design of the project employed a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods design with a convenience sample of employees from a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Eastern Pennsylvania. Pre- and post-education assessments were conducted using the Doorenbos et al. (2005) Cultural Competence Assessment (CCA) Items tool. Participants completed a pre-test before either synchronous or asynchronous education sessions, followed by a post-test approximately two weeks later. The findings of the study revealed increased mean scores from pre- to post-education assessments. Synchronous participants displayed higher engagement scores than asynchronous participants. The findings of the study revealed increased mean scores on post-education assessment, indicating enhanced cultural competence. Synchronous participants demonstrated higher engagement levels compared to asynchronous participants. This DNP project aims to enhance healthcare delivery at the Eastern FQHC by promoting cultural competency among employees. Increasing awareness of cultural competency positively influences healthcare practitioners' ability to deliver culturally congruent care. Acknowledging personal attitudes toward a patient's culture can impact care delivery and contribute to improved health literacy. The project's goal is to provide tools for healthcare providers and non-clinical employees to embark on or continue their journey toward cultural competency. The increase in mean scores aligns with findings from other research, emphasizing the importance of informational sessions and cultural education in promoting cultural competency among healthcare professionals and staff. Keywords: cultural competence, cultural competency, Purnell Model fo (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2007, Graduate School

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2023, College of Education

Minority enrollment has been on a steady increase on college campuses across the United States and will continue to rise in the next several years. Diversity has been a challenge for many universities and colleges and they continue to struggle to create an inclusive environment for students with culturally diverse backgrounds. This study focused on the increasingly culturally diverse student population, cultural competence and the cultural humility of faculty, specifically in a predominantly white institution. This research study was chosen to fill a gap in literature on cultural humility and the impact it has on faculty in higher education and how they interact with adult graduate students. The research study consisted of interviews and a cultural humility questionnaire with a total of eight faculty members. A mixed methods study was used with a qualitative data collection from interviews and a quantitative data collection from a cultural humility questionnaire. After careful analysis four meaningful themes emerged from the study: (a) Empathy - understanding the thoughts and feelings of the perspective of others; (b) Flexibility – meeting the students where they are academically and socially; (c) Respect - practicing andragogical learning and student empowerment; and (d) Transparency - being genuine, displaying openness and accountability. The significant findings revealed that cultural humility has a significant impact in how faculty interact with graduate adult students with a culturally diverse background.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2022, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Counselor Education

The goal of counselor training programs is to equip graduates to work with a wide variety of clients with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and identities. Multicultural competence is a required part of the 2016 CACREP (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) Standards, but disability lacks equitable inclusion in multicultural course materials and resources. After a merger in 2017 with CORE (Council on Rehabilitation Education), CACREP is now responsible for accrediting rehabilitation counseling programs previously under CORE. New standards are scheduled to be released in 2024, and a task force was established to review the current standards and make recommendations on how to incorporate disability. This study sought to identify if disability competence is a facet of multicultural counseling as is currently being taught or if it is a separate competence. Through a web-based survey sent to all clinical mental health counseling programs currently accredited by CACREP, faculty and students were asked to complete a disability competence measure (CCDS), multicultural competence measure (CCCI-R), and a social desirability measure (MCSDS). Analysis done of student and faculty responses identified a statistically significant positive correlation between multicultural competence and disability competence. Additionally, disability experience and disability identity are identified as predictors of disability competence in students while only disability experience is a predictor for faculty.

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, 2022, Psychology

Psychoanalysis has undergone an evolution in which classic techniques have been augmented by more modern relational techniques (Diamond, et al., 2020). This shift in thought and practice may be most relevant to patients classified with Borderline Personality Organization (BPO) – a group historically challenging to treat using psychoanalytic and other treatment methods (Lingiardi & McWilliams, 2017). The current study compares the psychoanalytic treatment of two individuals with BPO symptomatic presentations, one of whom experienced a positive outcome and the other a negative outcome. The eight sessions near the beginning of treatment, four in the middle of treatment, and eight near the end of each analysis are analyzed for Therapist Dynamic Competence, Therapist Relational Competence, and Interaction Quality (Gazzillo et al., 2018) to determine how relational and classical techniques were associated with positive versus negative treatment outcomes. Results indicate that the therapeutic process in the positive outcome case was characterized by significantly greater levels of Therapist Relational Competence and Interaction Quality, as predicted; however Therapist Dynamic Competence was also higher in the positive outcome case, contrary to the prediction. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2021, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

By the year 2023, most children attending public school in the United States will be of a minority race (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2013). However, 80% of the teachers in public schools are White (Musu, 2019). Student identity (race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, cultural/linguistic, disability, gender identity/expression, and sexual orientation) fosters inequities, negatively impacting students' experiences, academic outcomes, and graduation rates (Cooc & Kiru, 2018; Frattura & Capper, 2015; GLSEN, 2017; Gorski, 2013; Shifrer, 2018; Shifrer, Muller, & Callahan, 2011; Theoharis, 2007; U.S. Department of Education, 2018, 2019). Principal leadership is instrumental to developing culturally competent cultures to navigate the dynamics of student diversity and mitigate the impact of identity-based inequities (Fullan & Quinn, 2016; Gorski, 2013; Leithwood & Jantzi, 2005; Lindsey et al., 2019; Robinson, 2013; Shields, 2010, 2017; Theoharis, 2007). A descriptive case study design was used to explore participants' leadership actions and cultural competence beliefs as they lead diverse schools. Three urban high school principals from one district in Ohio participated in the study. The findings revealed that participants enact both leadership actions and cultural competence beliefs to develop culturally competent cultures and that the process is developmental and continuous. Implications for principal leadership include providing school leaders understanding of the complexity and nuance of culturally competent leadership. Central office administrators and educational leadership preparation programs can better understand culturally competent principal leadership to inform their work based on this study.

Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2020, Educational Administration (Education)

Institutions of higher learning in the United States have been admitting students from different countries since the 18th century. These universities have arguably had difficulty with the challenge of integrating such students into the life blood of the institutions due to their institutional overriding purpose of developing and sharing knowledge, oftentimes of a highly specialized nature. Given the constraints of time, resources and purpose, universities have struggled to capture the richness of their cultural diversity due to the highly peripheral nature of most cross-cultural engagements. The reality has been that what cross-cultural learning has occurred is largely unidirectional and such students have largely been made to feel that it is their responsibility to conform to local administrator, faculty, staff, and student expectations. Efforts have largely been aimed at recruitment and settlement assistance for such international students. Much of the existing scholarship on internationalization in the context of higher education places the emphasis on one dominant culture, thereby implicitly marginalizing the international student voices. Although careful planning and implementation of internationalization could contribute greatly to curriculum that embodies multi-cultural perspectives, the lack of the international student perspective in the planning and implementation of internationalization is problematic. It ignores the value that they could contribute as stakeholders in such institutions of higher education. This study explored the notion of glocalization, an enriching term suggesting the blending of mutual local perspectives in a global context when it comes to exploring the experiences and perspectives of international graduate students on internationalization planning and implementation in an effort to foster university stakeholders' glocal competence, a cosmos of global proportions. Twenty-nine students from five global regions patiently sat for i (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2019, Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures

Becoming a competent speaker of a language requires learning how culture and language interact with one another. Language, broadly speaking, can be used to help project a desired identity. A competent L2 user can use language to bring about desired social effects, just as an L1 speaker can. For example, a competent L2 speaker of English should be able to use politeness to avoid disrupting commercial transactions; they should be able to recognize and use sarcasm to align with others; they should be able to vary their speech according to the level of formality of a given setting. Generally speaking, however, these aspects of linguistic competence are not taught in the language classroom. Instead, it is generally assumed that this knowledge will be acquired when a language user is immersed in the target-language context. Yet this is a problematic assumption for a number of reasons: first, prior studies have indicated that time spent in the target culture is not necessarily tied to higher sociolinguistic competence; and second, quite often, only a privileged minority have access to the target culture. This dissertation tests an educational intervention designed to teach Russian L2 learners about culturally-situated aspects of language in a way that is broadly accessible. Students of Russian were taken through an online program that taught them about the intersection of culture and language; this program also trained them in ethnographic methods. After this, the participants carried out small-scale ethnographic explorations of an online Russian-using speech community. At various points, quantitative and qualitative measurements of their intercultural competence and sociolinguistic competence were taken. Participation in this program was correlated with an increase in intercultural competence and sociolinguistic competence. Qualitative data showed that participants saw particularly strong development in certain aspects of their competence, while other areas lagge (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2018, College of Education and Human Services

Researchers across multiple disciplines suggest that teacher-student relationship quality (TSRQ) has a strong association with positive student outcomes across all domains of student functioning (McGrath & Van Bergen, 2015) and serves as a moderating factor in outcome measures for students of color (Murray, Waas, & Murray, 2008) and for those considered economically disadvantaged (Olsson, 2009). Despite the clear benefits of positive TSRQ, the literature is scarce regarding teacher specific factors that may impact TSRQ. This study is the first to explore TSRQ in relation to implicit teacher factors utilizing a mixed-methods approach. Through canonical correlation analysis, utilizing a sample of 135 urban K-12 educators, one significant root (Wilks' ¿ = .63, F (22, 244) = 2.85, p < .001) and one trending root (Wilks' ¿ = .87, F (10, 123) = 1.73, p = .081) were identified, suggesting a statistically significant amount of the variance in TSRQ could be traced to one or more burnout and culturally competent factors. Further analysis found cultural awareness, culturally responsive classroom management, and levels of personal accomplishment to be the most highly correlated with TSRQ. Grounded theory qualitative inquiry was then used to provide context to the findings from Phase I. Seven participants were interviewed, and their responses helped to lay the groundwork for a framework of Teacher-Student relating that is multi-leveled, multi-dimensional, and cross-disciplinary. This framework, arising from both the interview data and the canonical correlation analysis highlights two primary dimensions at play in teacher-student relationships: the environment, which includes, but it not limited to, home, school, and political environments, and the teacher's inner working model, or way of viewing the world, the student, and the self within the world of education. Implications for research, theory, and practice in both the educational and psychological fields are dis (open full item for complete abstract)

Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), University of Dayton, 2018, School Psychology

Intercultural competence is an emerging topic of interest in service-based professions, including school psychology. The National Association of School Psychologists has long asserted the importance of interculturally competent practices in schools in the form of ethical and unbiased assessments and interventions, collaboration with families, and overall justice and advocacy for all students. Research indicates that participating in a study abroad experience during an undergraduate or graduate program of study is one option for future professionals in schools to gain intercultural competence. Previous research examined the impact of study abroad experiences on future teachers and school counselors, but little research exists on the impact of study abroad on school psychologists, who serve diverse student groups. This qualitative project examined the unique experiences and perceived intercultural competence growth of school psychology graduate students who participated in study abroad experiences, as well as how their experiences prepared them to serve diverse populations in schools. Implications regarding future research and practice are provided.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2017, EDU Physical Activity and Educational Services

The major purpose of this study was to investigate whether successful practice trials in throwing would mediate the relationship between perceived throwing competence and skill improvement in throwing among 1st graders in physical education. A correlational research design was utilized to examine the mediating relationships among variables. Participants (n=33) were from three 1st grade classes and received 120 minutes of throwing instruction and practice during the 4-day throwing unit. Participants' perceived throwing competence was assessed using a self-reported survey before and after the unit. Their throwing performance was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) and Component of Overhand Throw before and after the unit. A sub-sample of 18 participants was selected and their total number of practice trials and percentage of successful practice trials during practice and games were lived coded during the unit. Descriptive statistics (i.e., means and frequencies) and regression analyses, and paired sample t-test were used to analyze data. The results indicated that successful practice trials in throwing did not mediate the relationship between perceived throwing competence and skill improvement in throwing as measured by the TGMD-2, but completely mediated the relationship between perceived throwing competence and skill improvement in throwing as measured by Component Sequence. Furthermore, participants significantly improved their throwing performances and perceived throwing competence from pretest to posttest. The findings of the study suggested that physical education teachers should employ motivational strategies to increase students' efficacy beliefs and focus their instruction on increasing their percentage of successful practice trials in order to improve their skill proficiency.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2015, Higher Education (Education)

This study examined the intercultural experiences and learning outcomes of U.S. undergraduates participating in four different short-term study abroad programs in three different African countries. Whereas the design for this study targeted nontraditional destinations in general, it proved difficult to get responses from students from the two institutions who had participated in programs in other nontraditional destinations. Utilizing a constructivist grounded theory methodology in the study design (Charmaz, 2006) qualitative interviews and participant journals /reflective papers were used as data sources. A total of 12 U.S. undergraduate students who had participated in short-term study abroad programs to South Africa, Botswana and Tanzania took part in this study. The study utilized the constant comparative method in the interpretation and analysis of data. From the data analysis, five dimensions of transformational learning in study abroad were identified: (a) positioning as learner, (b) situating the experience, (c) experiencing dissonance (d) resolving conflict and (e) making with other cultures. These dimensions provide insight into the learning processes within culturally disparate contexts that affect perspective change.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2015, EDU Physical Activity and Educational Services

Sport is a critical context for youth development (Riley & Anderson-Butcher, 2012; Weiss, 2008). Through engagement in sport-based positive youth development (PYD), vulnerable youth can experience relief from risk prevalent in their environment and develop assets to overcome adverse circumstances (Anderson-Butcher, Iachini, Riley, Wade-Mdivanian, Davis & Amorose, 2013; Petitpas, Cornelius, Van Raalte, & Jones, 2005). Organizational effectiveness of sport-based PYD programs is imperative due to the impact programs can have on youths' successful transition to adulthood. A sport-based PYD program is considered effective when exposure to an intentionally designed intervention, with theoretical justification, produces the desired program outcomes (Dusenbury, Brannigan, Falco, & Hansen, 2003; Law & Shek, 2011; Nation, Crusto, Wandersman, Kumpfer, Seybolt, Morrissey-Kane, & Davino, 2003). Research examining organizational effectiveness, within the context of sport-based PYD, can inform program planning, improve program practices, and enhance PYD. The purpose of the current study was to examine program dosage as a programmatic mechanism of PYD, to determine how program implementation and engagement influences youth development in the context of sport-based PYD. To investigate program dosage as a programmatic mechanism of PYD, within the context of sport-based PYD, data were collected from 52 staff and 417 youth participants engaged in a sport-based PYD summer program. Program staff completed self-assessments of their implementation of the program, including adherence to program structure, use of curriculum, and creation of a caring, mastery-oriented climate. Additionally, youth reported perceptions of program engagement (i.e., behavioral engagement, belonging, leader support), as well as social and athletic competencies (i.e., PYD indicators). Youth attendance was collected as secondary data, as a measure of quantity of program dosage. Confirmatory factor analyses (open full item for complete abstract)

PHD, Kent State University, 2014, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

The Deaf World is part of the national fabric with its citizens utilizing American Sign Language as an indigenous language. Sign language interpreters facilitate sociolinguistic access between Deaf and hearing persons. Information presented in this inquiry focused on interpreter cognitive and behavioral development of Deaf-World cultural competence. Cultural competence relates to learning new patterns of cross-cultural behavior with effective application in various contexts (Gallegos, Tindall, Gallegos, 2008). The inquiry explored expert participants descriptions of interpreter Deaf-World cultural competence. Participants described transformational processes interpreters experienced entering the Deaf-World or in other words, becoming HEARING, the ASL representative gloss for the sign hearing. This inquiry explored how participants made meaning around co-constructed Deaf-World cross-cultural connections. Participants expressed lived experience stories of Deaf-World cultural competence informed by the concept of currere narrative (Pinar, 1975, 2006). Data were coded in aggregate and themes found in participant narratives. Analysis described participants significant statements, themes and essence of the phenomenon (Creswell, 2007) within the data set. Themes expert Deaf and hearing participants described about Deaf-World cultural competence included: HEARING participants avowed Deaf-World affiliation or affiliation-alliance and ascription of Deaf-World efficacy; and Deaf participants avowed Deaf-World alliance and efficacy as well as conditional ascription of interpreter affiliation or affiliation-alliance. The essence of the phenomenon consisted of the idea that becoming HEARING included co-constructed community and cultural connections leading to Deaf-World affiliation or affiliation-alliance. Participants also described a tacit seven step process of entering the Deaf-World titled the interpreter affiliation-alliance narrative (IAAN) paradigm. (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2013, Educational Leadership

This study was designed to identify factors that contribute to undergraduate students' global perspective development. Global perspective is defined as a viewpoint that the world is an interdependent complex system and interconnected multi-reality whereby certain values, attitudes, knowledge, experiences and skills are demonstrated through cognitive, intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions in an international, intercultural or global environment. This study utilized Larry Braskamp's Global Perspective Inventory (GPI) instrument and surveyed 1,637 students from regional campuses, school of business, and study abroad subgroups of a Midwest university. This dissertation included the much needed study of non-traditional students' global perspective development from regional campuses. GPI was informed by the holistic development theory in cognitive, intrapersonal, and interpersonal dimensions by Kegan (1994), King and Baxter Magolda (2005). Accordingly, students' global perspectives were evaluated through the six subscales of Knowing, Knowledge, Identity, Affect, Social Responsibility, and Social Interaction. Hierarchical multiple regression models were utilized in this research after validity and reliability tests. The findings were that students' global perspectives were strongly related with their curriculum, co-curriculum, and sense of community factors, but were not related to most social location and academic factors, such as parents' education and GPA. One surprising finding was that students' global perspectives were not related to their study abroad participation for the all-university dataset as well as business and regional campus subgroups. When using GPI, five of its six subscales (Knowledge, Identity, Affect, Social Responsibility, and Social Interaction) are recommended together with the Global Citizenship subscale. Implications for higher education leaders include cultivating an environment that focuses on quality and aims for long-term eff (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2013, Psychology-Counseling

Older sexual minority adults are a “hidden” or “invisible” part of the aging population (Brotman, Ryan & Cormier, 2003; Crisp, Wayland & Gordon, 2010; D'Augelli, Grossman, Hershberger & O'Connell, 2001). Sexual minority individuals warrant scientific attention in order to identify how their unique life experiences, such as gay or lesbian identity development, interact with the aging process. Existing theory regarding sexual minority aging processes suggests older gay men and lesbians have conceivably spent the majority of their adult lives confronting discrimination, and they could show resilience as they cope with the stressors of aging (Kimmel, Rose, & David, 2006). The concept that older sexual minority adults who have successfully handled one stigmatized identity (i.e., gay or lesbian), will successfully navigate an additional stigmatized identity (i.e., old age) is called stigma competence (Balsam & D'Augelli, 2006; Friend, 1990; Kimmel, 1977). The current study empirically tested one aspect of the theory of stigma competence. The current study explored the relationship between sexual orientation identity and healthy aging (life satisfaction and happiness) as mediated by internalized ageism and moderated by social support. Recruitment and participation was internet-based. A total of 356 people participated. On average, participants were 67.84-years-old (range 60-87-years-old, SD=5.77), and 59.6% identified as female (n=212). I found support for the theory of stigma competence in that older sexual minority adults who were more accepting of their sexual minority identities had lower levels internalized ageism, and had higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness than their peers who were less accepting of their sexual minority identities. The relationships between social support satisfaction (for family, friends, and LGBT family and friends) were largely not statistically significant, indicating that the relationship between sexual orientation i (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2012, Management

Over the last two decades, firms have operated in increasingly accelerated ‘high-velocity' dynamic markets, which require them to become agile. During the same time frame, firms have increasingly deployed complex enterprise systems - large-scale packaged software innovations that integrate and automate enterprise-wide organizational processes. While supporting efficiency, literature is divided on whether such innovations promote or hinder organizational agility. Relatively little is known about the effects of enterprise systems on organizational agility along the dimensions of organizational impact, organizational processes and organizational knowledge. These dimensions form the basis for the research in this dissertation: 1) What is the organizational impact of enterprise systems on agility i.e. do enterprise systems promote or hinder agility? 2) What are the organizational processes by which organizations reconcile with enterprise systems' changing business needs driven by organizational agility? 3) What are the effects of organizational knowledge and competencies on the impact of enterprise systems on organizational agility? To address these research questions the dissertation adopts a mixed methods approach. Part 1 proposes a theoretical framework based on innovation assimilation and dynamic capabilities and utilizes a quantitative approach to empirically validate the framework, by measuring the impact of enterprise systems on organizational agility, the effects of systems agility on organizational agility, as well as how systems agility influences enterprise systems' impact on organizational agility. Part 2 employs a qualitative approach to examine a) how organizations reconcile with enterprise systems' changing business needs driven by agility, as well as b) the outcomes of such reconciliation processes. Part 3 uses a quantitative approach to more deeply delve into the critical role of two organizational competencies - business competence in IT (BCIT) and IT (open full item for complete abstract)

PHD, Kent State University, 2013, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

Intercultural competence through study abroad is widely recognized as a preferred teaching approach for the development of globally competent health care practitioners. Colleges and universities are looking for multiple ways to encourage students to study abroad because of the noteworthy effects that these experiential opportunities have on students. Sparse research has been conducted to determine if short-term study abroad trips of less than two weeks are achieving these same outcomes. The purpose of this basic interpretative qualitative study was to describe the nature and meanings of a short-term international cultural experience for nursing students, and whether or how their understanding of the role of the professional nurse was changed. A group of baccalaureate nursing students traveled to Tanzania and took part in professional and social opportunities over an 8-day period. All participants were required to complete a nursing course with global objectives prior to the trip and pre-immersion seminars. Data were collected from reflective journals during the study abroad experience, focus group discussions one month after returning home, and personal interviews 6 months later. The results indicated that the participants experienced culture shock, but they also gained in self-awareness, cultural empathy, leadership skills, a desire to learn more, and a new perspective of the role of the professional nurse. Langer's theory of Mindfulness, Bennett's Developmental Model of Sensitivity and Campinha-Bacote's Process of Cultural Competence provided the theoretical framework for this study.

Master of Arts, University of Akron, 2013, Communication

With more and more international students coming to the United States to study, aside from gaining education, many of them also choose to work on campus to get a better experience of American life. Aside from working on campus as student assistants with assistantships, many international students work for dining services on campus to earn extra income. This paper explored the process of how working for dining services on an American university campus influences international student employees' intercultural communication competence. The Campinha-Bacote cultural competence model's five dimensions: cultural awareness, cultural desire, cultural knowledge, cultural skills, and cultural encounters were discussed through a qualitative investigation of eight international student employees who are working at a school cafeteria at a Midwest university. The analysis revealed that workplace cultural encounters became the one essential theme that represented the main influence for participants' development of intercultural communication competence. Additionally, four sub-themes emerged from the data: gaining cultural knowledge, becoming culturally aware, increasing cultural desire, and learning cultural skills. Meanwhile, the subcategories of self-awareness and stereotyping were found under the sub-theme of becoming culturally aware; self-motivation and motivation from “others” were found under the sub-theme of increasing cultural desire; and English speaking, listening and asking questions were found under the sub-theme of learning cultural skills.