Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2019, Leadership Studies

Context: Research within athletic training has placed an emphasis on the importance of mentorship for the profession. Mentorship is cited as a key to professional socialization, a guide to student decision making in regard to continued education and career ambitions, and a motivator for clinical preceptors (Nottingham, Barrett, Mazerolle, & Eason, 2016; Mazerolle, & Benes, 2014; Klossner, 2008). Objective: To investigate attributes of mentorship within athletic training implementing a two-phase approach. Design: A two-phase approach. Phase I a modified Delphi technique. Phase II a national survey to novice athletic trainers'. Participants: Phase I included 16 experts of athletic training. Phase II included 107 novice athletic trainers. Results: The results of this study identify 86 attributes expert athletic trainers believe to be important to serving as an athletic training mentor. Phase II of the study identified how frequently novice athletic trainers' rate mentor attribute occurrence. Implications: This study presents an empirical list of mentor attributes important for athletic training mentors to practice. This study also identifies that the mentor attributes deemed important by exerts are rated to occur more frequently by the novice athletic trainer. This study supports the need for more intentional development of athletic training mentors and the mentoring relationships cultivated.

Committee: Paul Willis Ed.D (Advisor); Michael Decker Ph.D (Other); Amanda Jarriel Ph.D (Committee Member); Matthew Kutz Ph.D (Committee Member); Kristina LaVenia Ph.D (Committee Member); Patrick Pauken J.D, Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership; Sports Medicine

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2024, College of Education

This study explores the underrepresentation of women in the public school superintendency, a role historically dominated by men, and examines the barriers and opportunities that shape women's pathways to this senior leadership position in education, as well as strategies they credit with helping them in their role. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach, this study combines the analysis of open-ended survey responses with in-depth qualitative interviews. It identifies key challenges related to gender bias, work-life balance, mentorship opportunities, and institutional expectations. The study also delves into the strategies successful female leaders employ to overcome systemic obstacles, such as networking, leadership development programs, and advocacy for policy changes. Findings reveal that while progress has been made in diversifying educational leadership, significant disparities remain. The study offers recommendations for educational strategies and leadership development initiatives aimed at fostering a more equitable landscape for aspiring female superintendents. By highlighting the lived experiences of women in these roles, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the gender dynamics at play in educational leadership and provides actionable insights for cultivating a more inclusive pipeline for district leadership.

Committee: Peter Ghazarian (Committee Chair) Subjects: Education; Educational Evaluation; Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership , Franklin University, 2024, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

The underrepresentation of African American male teachers in K-12 education significantly impacts educational equity and student success, especially in urban areas where these students often lack relatable role models. Historically, African American males were a significant presence in teaching, but their numbers have drastically declined since the Brown v. Board of Education decision. This shortage limits cultural representation and mentorship opportunities essential for the academic and personal development of African American male students. This qualitative phenomenological study, conducted within the Columbus City Schools system, explores the motivations of African American male teachers and their impact on students. Using Social Learning Theory and Social Identity Theory, the research involved in-depth interviews revealing key themes such as the influence of positive role models, the critical need for cultural representation, and the desire to mentor and advocate for young African American males. The study highlights the importance of targeted recruitment, supportive environments, and professional development programs to attract and retain these educators. Increasing the presence of African American male teachers enhances student engagement, achievement and fosters a more inclusive and equitable educational environment.

Committee: Eric Parker (Committee Chair); Donis Toler (Committee Member); Charles Fenner (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

The research explores the lived experiences of minority women in K-12 educational leadership, examining their motivations for pursuing careers in this field, and the challenges they encounter on their professional and educational journeys. The challenges faced are multifaceted and include issues related to gender, culture, and race/ethnicity. These challenges also include limited access to leadership opportunities, biases and stereotypes, lack of support and mentorship, and the affliction of navigating interconnecting identities. In addition, minority women also face resistance and criticism from colleagues who may question their capabilities or qualifications. Minority women are motivated by a strong sense of social responsibility and a commitment to creating inclusive and empowering learning environments.

Committee: Ricardo Garcia Ph.D. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Educational Leadership; Gender; Minority and Ethnic Groups

EDD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

Although the majority of individuals in education fields are women, very few educational leadership positions are held by women. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of women in educational leadership positions. The study aimed to explore women educational leaders' lived experiences, how they navigate barriers and opportunities, and how a community of women educational leaders can provide unique support to one another. This study utilized narrative action research to investigate the stories of five women educational leaders who held leadership positions ranging from teacher leader, building principal, and curriculum specialist. Members of the study participated in interviews, observations, reflections, and focus group sessions. The study uncovered the importance of community and mentorship on women leaders and ways structures can help grow those concepts in a school or district setting. Additionally, the study highlighted the value of collaboration to navigate barriers and provide opportunities. The study justifies how community and mentorship can be accomplished through collaboration. Women in educational leadership can impact a school or district and this study provides a call to action to dismantle oppressive structures in order to support women in furthering their leadership careers.

Committee: Shannon Navy (Committee Chair) Subjects: Educational Leadership

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 Education , University of Dayton, 2023, Educational Administration

Black women make-up a large percentage of the workforce in higher education, specifically in administrative roles. Yet, while they enter higher education workspaces starting at entry-level and mid-manager positions, their numbers diminish significantly at executive levels. This imbalance between Black, female administrators in entry-level/mid-manager positions and executive roles points to a clear gap in existing resources, strategies and models for leadership development for this group. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the Funds of Knowledge that Black women use to navigate their careers as administrators in Commuter College and to create a guide for building a professional mentoring program at the college. Using critical participatory action research methods, six Black women from both senior and entry-level roles, participated in a semi-structured focus group called a Leadership Development Collective. The women, who served in various administrative functions of the college, used their experiences with navigating their professional success to collaboratively build a model for professional mentoring for all Black women at the institution. Using qualitative analysis methods, the Leadership Development Collective was assessed. The results of the first phase of the Leadership Development Collective indicated that Black women utilized Funds of Knowledge which can be categorized into five general themes: education, family matriarch, biculturalism, their sense of community and their resilience. These themes can also be seen as working in tandem to influence the women's sense of resilience. Using these Funds of Knowledge, the group collaboratively created a model for professional mentoring at the college that can be expanded to include a larger number of similar participants. The guide included recommended timelines, actions steps and activities that were to be integrated into the mentorship program. This study has essential implications for futu (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Matthew Witenstein Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Nuchelle Chance Ph.D. (Committee Member); Ieesha Ramsey Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Black Studies; Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Womens Studies

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership , Franklin University, 2023, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

This explanatory sequential mixed methodology study examined the impact of mentorship on African American female accountants' advancement to executive leadership positions. The target sample included mentored African American female accountants in the Accountants of Color (AOC) Facebook group, Alliance of Black Women Accountants (ABWA), Black Women in Accounting and Finance Network LinkedIn group, and the Accountancy Board of Ohio. The goal of the mixed methods study was to understand the mentoring relationships, perceived mentorship benefits, and social networks experienced by African American female accountants. Due to the small sample size for the quantitative portion of the explanatory sequential mixed methods approach, multiple regression analysis was not performed. Phenomenological interviews were conducted for the qualitative approach to gain insight into participants' lived experiences regarding the benefits of connecting with a mentor, which contributed to the findings. Aside from the benefits of connecting with a mentor, the study's findings identified obstacles experienced by African American female accountants as they climbed the career ladder. The study's findings highlight a need to enhance the recruitment and retention of African American female accountants, diversity at the executive-level in leadership positions, and organizational strategies within accounting firms to help shatter glass and concrete ceilings in order for African American female accountants to obtain executive leadership positions. The study's research contributions highlight the benefits of mentoring relationships, networking, and the promotion of diversity initiatives within the organizational culture of accounting firms. The study enriched existing research as it focused exclusively on the lived experiences of African American female accountants to examine if mentorship influenced career advancement.

Committee: Valerie Storey (Committee Chair); Shantelle Jenkins (Committee Member); Jennifer Harris (Committee Member) Subjects: Accounting; African Americans; Education; Womens Studies

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2023, Educational Leadership

This study sought to explore the perceived effectiveness of a teacher mentoring program in a large urban school district in Ohio. One hundred fifty-three new teachers enrolled in the district's residency mentoring program were surveyed about its effectiveness and general demographic information within their first five years of teaching. Furthermore, ten survey respondents volunteered to be interviewed, with five randomly chosen for the study. The results of this study were intended to provide insight into how teacher mentoring programs can help reduce the rate of new teachers leaving the profession, which has increased by 50% in the last decade, as well as the rate of experienced teachers going, which is over 20%. Half of all new teachers are gone within five years, leaving districts and states to invest heavily in recruiting, hiring, and retaining new teachers to combat this growing issue. Over the past decade, the number of new teachers leaving their profession has increased by more than 20% nationally. Many new teachers leave the profession within the first three years, and half are gone within five years. To address this issue, billions of dollars are spent by districts and states to recruit, hire, and retain new teachers. The research was conducted to understand how new teachers feel about their mentoring program in a large urban school district. The opinions of these teachers were examined to explore the program's effectiveness, given the significant investments districts and states have made in recruiting, hiring, and retaining them. This research utilized Bandura's social cognitive theory, sociocultural theory, and Knowles's adult learning theory to explore how new teachers viewed the benefits and drawbacks of their mentoring program, the strategies employed, and what modifications could be made to enhance it. Through surveys, interviews, and transcripts, the research found that having a mentor, more structure, collaboration, and support (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lucian Szlizewski, Dr. (Advisor); Sherrill Sellers Dr. (Committee Member); Kate Rousmaniere, Dr. (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Educational Leadership

MA, Kent State University, 2023, College of the Arts / School of Art

The patriarchal structure of education and the lack of political equitability calls for feminist(s) leadership as the opposing structure, where power thrives with the inclusion of others, and is informed by the sharing of others' lived experiences. This study aims to contribute to the active conversation of feminism(s) in the field of art education through a cross-generational examination of feminist(s) narrative experiences. Focusing on qualitative methods such as narrative inquiry, feminist ethnography, and arts-based educational research, data was collected through personal journaling, participant journaling, and a panel interview of six feminist-identifying art educators. The findings presented through data analysis coincide with current feminist(s) art educators' discussion of mentorship or co-mentorship, inclusive leadership and feminist(s) action, deconstruction of patriarchal curriculum, and continuous conversations across generations with a focus on reclaiming the joy and histories of feminism(s).

Committee: Linda Hoeptner Poling (Advisor); Juliann Dorff (Committee Member); Janice Kroeger (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education

DNP, Otterbein University, 2024, Nursing

The project addresses mentorship in a graduate nursing anesthesia program. The goal is to improve the existing mentorship program and to implement a durable and consistent system that gathers and responds to feedback from the students. Two literature reviews form the underpinnings of the structure and evaluation components of the project. Three structural components were identified in the review as highly effective in multiple studies of diverse mentorship programs. The first component is establishing an effective dyad matching scheme. The second component is establishing clear goals. The third component is maintaining the relationship and achieving goals through frequent and consistent meetings. In evaluation, an effective tool to assess the program was identified, with small modifications to allow for both quantitative and qualitative responses. A Plan, Do, Study, Act model forms the core of the implementation process. Finally, baseline and ongoing data collection will be used to further guide continuing improvement of the mentorship program.

Committee: Kacy Ballard (Advisor); Joy Shoemaker (Committee Member); Amy Bishop (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Sciences; Medicine; Nursing

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

The creation and implementation of holistic educational experiences is invaluable for optimal student and staff development and retention in an institution of higher education. This dissertation involves a participatory action research on one such mechanism: mentorship. This study on mentorship leverages Tinto's(1975 - 2014) theoretical frameworks regarding student integration, aiming to strengthen the Northbound University (NU) student bonds with the collegiate community so that they complete their college career at NU and potentially bridge the gap between degree attainment and professional pursuits as well. A mixed methods approach with qualitative and quantitative data analytics was utilized to define and develop learnings about mentorship. The study focused on students at the NU College of Business Administration (CBA). The population of students studied was bifurcated into two main groups because of their markedly differing needs. The first group included at-risk students whom I referred to as “fledgling eaglets.” Fledgling eaglets were beset by challenges such as financial burdens, academic shortcomings, and university administrative problems. I called the second group of students “soaring eagles.” Soaring eagles were more established high potential students who were seeking solutions about possible professions ahead of their college commitments. Both these student groups needed to “matter” in the college cooperative. They needed to feel individually integrated and welcomed into the extended family in the university society. My findings resulted in initial interventions that addressed the needs of these two student groups with differing needs. For fledgling eaglets, I included innovative mentorship program features that involved development of academic skillsets in conjunction with contingent financial awards with requisite training. The concurrent but separate soaring eagle program incorporated professional networking and realistic career building oppo (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: James Olive (Committee Chair) Subjects: Academic Guidance Counseling; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Higher Education

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2022, Educational Administration

The focus of this study is the retention of Black male students at universities. The study explored themes of sense of belonging, community building, and mentorship opportunities as ways to increase the retention of Black male students. In this qualitative study, Black male students from Penn State-Abington participated in interviews to discuss their experience at the university, which revealed things that the university could do to enhance their experience. Networking opportunities, social programs, and more representation with faculty and staff were some of the things the students suggested that the university should provide to enhance their experience. Establishing a mentorship program to assist the students with fostering a sense of belonging and building community at the university was the main action step of this study. The mentorship program would be co-created with professional staff and the Black male students with a goal of increasing retention of the students by 10% in an academic year.

Committee: Matthew Witenstein (Committee Chair); Iyeesha Ramsey (Committee Member); K. James Evans (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2022, Educational Leadership

What factors, as perceived by adjunct faculty in an academic department at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) institution, had the greatest impact on adjunct faculty and their decision to continue to serve in the part-time role? In this study, I explore the effects of not receiving professional development and mentorship can cause for disruption among the adjunct faculty. Largely in response to economic issues, universities of higher education have increased their hiring of part-time adjunct instructors. In 2011, adjunct faculty accounted for 50% of instructors in degree-granting institutions. Studies indicate that adjunct instructors have less access to faculty development resources, may not have office space to meet with students, and have less prestige than their full-time counterparts (Maybee, 2014). The reorganization of academic departments is one response to the economic, political, and intellectual challenges that universities face. This study focused on six participants from academic departments. However, little research has explored how faculty members understand their professional identities and affiliation during the structural and cultural shifts engendered during an academic department reorganization which is the focus of this qualitative case study.

Committee: Meredith Wronowski (Committee Chair) Subjects: Education; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2022, Secondary Education

Mentorship has been an integral part of education throughout history, as has been a topic in a variety studies and discussions. Autoethnography is one of the up-and-coming forms of qualitative research in modern anthropology. Documentary filmmaking is a medium that can be used to collect data for autoethnographies. In this study, the researcher used past research, foundations of autoethnography, and his academic experiences of visual autoethnography. Using documentary and working with people in his life, the researcher explored (a) how mentorship supports overcoming adversity and (b) how scholars can transmute research mediums, such as autoethnography or storytelling pedagogy, into meaningful and impactful research. The autoethnography in the documentary form includes the researcher's recollection of events during his respective disciplines for all his degrees. Using a grounded theory lens, the researcher examined the data through a three-stage, constant-comparative coding process. Findings show deep, meaningful connections between the emerged themes and how mentorship archetypes are imperative to his struggle to attain his highest level of education. The specific themes that emerged were (a) Mentorship Archetypes and the Role of Principal Mentor (PM), (b) Self-Mentoring as a Scholarly Tool, (c) Pop Culture and Humor as a Coping Mechanism in Education, and (d) Mentors as Scaffolds Through Educational Adversity.

Committee: Gary Holliday (Advisor); William Visco (Committee Member); I-Chun Tsai (Committee Member); Renee Mudrey (Committee Member); Natalie Sydorenko (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Cultural Anthropology; Education; Education Philosophy

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2022, Educational Leadership

Early Childhood Education (ECE) is constantly evolving as research examines a solid foundation concerning the life of learning and opportunity for young children. However, ECE is plagued with poor representation, low pay, long hours, harsh, sometimes miserable working conditions, and low teacher retention rates attributed to teacher attrition. The purpose of this action research study is to identify strategies that may impact teacher retention and mitigate attrition in ECE. The mixed methods action research study obtained data from six local early childhood centers in Akron, Ohio. Results showed a significant positive relationship between how long someone has worked in childcare and their current rate of pay or r(35) = .400, p < .05 (see Appendix D, Table 5), indicating that the longer someone worked in ECE, the higher their pay was. This was confirmed through interviews where everyone interviewed said the pay was the largest factor in consideration of leaving childcare. To create meaningful and sustained change within the childcare field, three interventions have been put into practice to decrease attrition in the field of early childhood education. The interventions that were put into place are; creating a mentorship program for the teachers, increasing the level of formal education of the teachers, and increasing ECE teachers' total compensation. With the implementation and completion of this action plan, early childhood centers will see enhanced longevity of the teachers within their centers. With an active and participatory mentorship program, a program to assist in increasing teachers' formal educational level, and a compensation scale that is equitable for the work that is being done, attrition will decrease. The successes and failures here will continue to set off a chain of events that can positively impact future generations.

Committee: James Olive (Committee Chair); Shauna Adams (Committee Member); William Cortezia (Committee Member) Subjects: Early Childhood Education

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Franklin University, 2020, Business Administration

The under-representation of women in top executive positions has tremendously gained attention in the corporate world, among researchers, and policymakers, which led this researcher to investigate this topic. Despite the legislation on equal employment opportunities, and the government provided solutions to eradicate discriminatory practices and inequality in the workplace, 11% of women functioned in managerial to chief executive positions in the United States banking industry (Catalyst, 2020). These numbers make experienced and qualified women feel undervalued and reduce the zeal and desire of younger women to aspire to get into top executive positions in the future. The study synthesized existing literature to have a better understanding of the research problem and applied a qualitative phenomenological approach to collect data from 18 bank executives. Data was collected through unstructured, open-ended interview questions, and analyzed to generate 15 significant themes. The findings disclosed that women are desirous of advancing their careers into top executive positions, but the continuous male dominance in top executive positions might be the likely reason for the low representation of women in top executive positions in the U.S. banking sector. The findings also suggested strategies for women to overcome challenges in the U.S. banks and provided opportunities for them to progress their careers into top executive roles.

Committee: Kim Campbell PHD (Committee Chair); Sherry Abernathy PHD (Committee Member); Lewis Chongwony PHD (Committee Member) Subjects: Business Administration

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2020, Educational Studies

This study assessed the Aspiration for Women's Advancement and Retention in Engineering and Science (AWARES) mentorship program designed for female undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students on the cusp of transitioning to the workforce. Thirty student mentees and 33 mentors were included in this study. Data were collected via a single-timepoint survey assessing participants' career self-efficacy and suggestions for program improvement. Results revealed that mentees who participated in this program had high levels of self-efficacy for career-related interpersonal skills, and mentors had similarly high levels of self-efficacy for the mentoring role. Assessment of the program structure revealed that mentors and mentees valued the bi-weekly in-person meetings, curriculum topics, and the yearlong length of the program. Overall, findings suggest that mentorship may be one effective method to equip young women with the self-efficacy needed to manage the barriers that can exist for underrepresented individuals as they transition to STEM careers.

Committee: Shirley Yu PhD (Advisor); Gonul Kaletunc PhD (Committee Member); Michael Glassman PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Psychology

Doctor of Management, Case Western Reserve University, 2016, Weatherhead School of Management

As organizations contend with how to prepare the next generation of leaders amidst all the discourse about the challenges associated with the multigenerational workplace, important dynamics related to developing female leaders are being lost. The advancement of women presents a compelling opportunity for organizations. Women have been progressing their education and participation in the U.S. workforce, yet the number of women in leadership positions has been modest. Addressing the low rates of women in leadership roles is particularly important today as the millions of Baby Boomers retire and organizations contemplate how to prepare Generation X and Generation Y professionals to fill the leadership ranks. A mixed methods study of 691 U.S. professionals shows that generation affiliation does limit career commitment and reveals that mentorship provides Gen X and Gen Y women with specific leader development guidance that is different than their male peers in relation to building leader traits, growth areas, self-awareness, management style, and ownership. The results of this study can contribute to the development of more robust mentorship and succession planning programs.

Committee: Bo Carlsson, Ph.D. (Advisor); Stephan Liozu, Ph.D. (Advisor); Peter Whitehouse, M.D., Ph.D. (Advisor) Subjects: Gender Studies; Multicultural Education; Womens Studies

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2017, Leadership and Change

The purpose of this study is to gain knowledge about the relationship between sponsor and sponsee in Al-Anon Family Groups from the perspective of sponsors and sponsees in Al-Anon. The main question guiding my research is: What is the nature and quality of the sponsorship relationship as perceived by sponsors and sponsees? Nineteen men and women were interviewed and shared stories of their experience of being a sponsor and a sponsee in the Al-Anon program. I utilized a holistic-content approach to analyze the date from the interviews. To help situate the findings in current literature a discussion of sponsorship in Alcoholics Anonymous, therapy, mentoring, and other helping groups is provided. The findings suggest that there are similarities between Al-Anon sponsorship and mentoring in that both relationships progress through stages of development. The findings suggest that boundaries are an important aspect of Al-Anon that helps its members to healthily detach from other people. Al-Anon members are motivated to help based on the culture of helping found in the program as seen through its service structure and sponsorship. The leadership that Al-Anon sponsors provide finds connections with several leadership theories including, transformational, servant, relational, and authentic leadership. The electronic version of this dissertation is at AURA: Antioch University and Repository Archive, https://aura.antioch.edu/ and Ohio Link ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu

Committee: Elizabeth Holloway Ph.D (Committee Chair); Laurien Alexandre Ph.D (Committee Member); Mary Lee Nelson Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Families and Family Life; Psychology