PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2014, Nursing: Nursing - Doctoral Program

Intimate partner violence (IPV), is a major public health problem in the United States, with a lifetime prevalence of nearly 1 in 3 women (Black et al., 2011). Negative outcomes of IPV affect women's ability to attain and maintain stable employment. However, workplace formal and informal supports have been shown to be associated with a significantly reduced risk of negative outcomes for these women (Coker et al., 2002). Although IPV prevalence and its effects on employment and health are well documented, how women who have experienced IPV attain and maintain employment has not been fully explored. The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical framework that describes and explains the process by which women who have experienced IPV attain and maintain stable employment. Understanding this process is central to determining effective strategies to promote health and safety among this at-risk population. Grounded theory methods based on symbolic interactionism, guided the exploration of this psycho-social process. Thirty four women who had previously experienced IPV, as well as five community members, familiar with IPV and employment, were recruited by posting flyers in community settings throughout west central Ohio, and interviewed regarding this phenomenon. Charmaz's (2006) approach was used to analyze data gathered through these interviews. Initial, focused, axial and theoretical coding was used to develop a theoretical framework that describes and explains the process of attaining and maintaining employment. Analysis of the transcripts suggests that women who have experienced IPV are able to attain employment; however, they have difficulty maintaining employment. Results suggest that women cannot have true job security and satisfaction while in an abusive relationship. All of the women experienced a period of time when the work itself was used as a source of control by the partner resulting in the intertwining of work an (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2009, Counselor Education (Education)

Research indicates that people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder have a high rate of unemployment. This qualitative phenomenological study was designed to explore the perceptions of eight individuals with either disorder who have secured employment after diagnosis. The rationale for this study arises from the researcher‘s desire to find the process which was used by individuals with either disorder to become employed. It was the researcher‘s assumption that uncovering such a process could lead to implementation of employment as a therapeutic goal of treatment with such individuals.The purposefully selected sample consisted of eight individuals from a Midwestern state who have been diagnosed with either disorder. The primary method of data collection was three in-depth interviews. The data were organized according to the research and field-developed questions asked of participants. Analysis and interpretation of findings were completed using the van Kaam method of qualitative data processing. The research revealed that participants in the study interpreted recovery as living in asmuch of a perceived degree of normalcy as possible. Recovery was found to be a developmental concept among participants. The six following categories were developed from the data: self-help; employment; assistance with employment; benefits of employment; functioning at a perceived normal level while living as full a life as possible with the illness; and recovery to employment. Five themes were found: self-care; supports; issues of employment; rewards of employment; and recovery process. Fourteen sub-themes emerged from the analysis of data. They were as follows: medication compliance; stress reduction; approaching employment gradually and carefully; stigma; disclosure of condition; formal accommodations; change of employers due to problems of disability; lack of failure; family and friends; governmental support; private supports; intrinsic rewards of employment; extrinsic rewar (open full item for complete abstract)

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

This qualitative case study is situated in the area of educational leadership. It aims to explore possible strategies for increasing community-integrated employment for graduates of a Job Training Coordination Program at OakVeil High School. It is important to consider the lived experiences, hopes, fears, and barriers experienced from a caregiver's perspective so that a Job Training Coordinator can better assist families during the transition from school to a career. There is a gap in employment between people with disabilities and their non-disabled peers. Caregivers' perspectives on participation in community-integrated employment for their children of transition age with disabilities were examined through the investigation of three sub research questions. Open-ended interviews and record reviews were gathered and analyzed through coding. Data analysis resulted in the following themes: Employer and Person-Centered Values for CIE, JTC as CIE Support, Alternate Settings from CIE, and Family Support Services. Key findings were interpreted to consider safety, transportation, self-determination, caregiver support, and caregiver involvement. This study demonstrates how policies, safety at the workplace, and transportation are common barriers to community-integrated employment from the caregiver's perspective. Suggestions are offered to help Job Training Coordinators, special education teachers, job coaches, employers, and caregivers improve the rate of Community-integrated employment. This study also suggests that barriers, support services, personal preference, civil rights, and familial needs are interwoven and recognition of this is necessary for successful employment in the community for people with disabilities.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, EDU Teaching and Learning

Abstract This research attempted to begin to examine the problem of why youth and consequently, adults with complex disabilities, are not being employed in competitive, integrated environments. As policy, WIOA mandates this status with few exceptions. The study asked, “who and/or what state, and local agencies provide services that mean to support employment and community access?” The study also questioned what services are successful in providing employment supports to consumers with complex disabilities, as well as the barriers to providing supports. The study used a theoretical framework that combined a Stages-Heuristic policy model and Organizational Niche Theory in which to view the problem. A qualitative research design was used along with descriptive statistics of an electronic survey sent to 123 VR, DD agency and Blind/VI services personnel. A Focus Group was facilitated to expand on survey responses and help discover or add to emerging themes from open- ended survey questions. The results of the survey were limited, with only 17 participants responding to questions. The Focus Group with three members, was also limited in geographical regions, as well as representative agencies. Therefore, it was impossible to answer the main questions regarding what state agencies provide specialized services to individuals with complex disabilities for the purpose of competitive, integrated employment. However, the open-ended questions/responses gave good insight into what services are provided, which are successful, and what barriers the responding agencies have in providing specialized services. The Focus Group discussion added to the survey responses, and several themes were apparent. The responses also reinforced much of the current literature (of which there is little) around employment attainment for individuals with significant disabilities.

Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ), Bowling Green State University, 2014, Criminal Justice

The large number of offenders being released from incarceration and returning home presents numerous challenges for both the offenders and their communities. Difficulties in finding housing, gaining employment, and reconnecting with families/friends are some of the main hurdles ex-offenders face throughout the reentry process. While many of the challenges faced by ex-offenders are significant, securing gainful employment can often prove to be the most challenging. Many of the offenders returning to the community have gaps in their employment history, limited skill sets, and insufficient education. This exploratory study investigated the differences between non-urban and urban reentry by relying on the literature provided concerning reentry in urban areas and data collected from employment applications within a non-urban area. Previous research has mainly taken place within large, urban areas and has ignored non-urban areas. This study examined the content of employment applications in Wood County, Ohio. This study specifically explores the use of employment applications as an initial screening for employment. Also, included is a discussion on the concerns of ex-offender employment, encompassing all ex-offenders not just ex-offenders released from a period of incarceration. Results show that barriers to employment upon reentry differ between urban and non-urban settings. Implications of the differences for offender reentry are discussed.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2012, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

The purpose of this study is to depict the personal narrative of African American women as central to understanding how life experiences, gender, race and culture intersect to impact their educational expectations. To establish context, the broader purpose of this study is to understand the belief system and ideologies African Americans as a cultural group associate with education. Cultural group beliefs are important to address as these beliefs may factor into the motivation, efficacy and human agency of African American women who attain graduate degrees.

Bachelor of Science, Miami University, 2007, College of Arts and Sciences - Economics

During the decade between 1980 and 1990, the level of self-employment among employed women grew dramatically from 4.8% to 7.1%. In the following decade, the level grew to 7.8%, still an increase but of a much smaller magnitude. This study investigates the reasons why women entered into self-employment both in the 1980s and in the 1990s. It also examines why the magnitudes of the increases in each decade were so different. The analysis reveals that demographics, education, and job distribution are the most influential factors for the self-employment increase in both decades and that changes in the United States' racial and ethnic composition account for part of the smaller increase in the 1990s.

Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 1954, Educational Administration and Supervision

Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 1954, Educational Administration and Supervision

Master of Science in Criminal Justice, Youngstown State University, 2020, Department of Criminal Justice and Consumer Sciences

Racial disparities in law enforcement have been a point of contention since their origin in the middle of the 19th Century. Employment in law enforcement has frequently shown discriminatory treatment to females, minorities and other ethnic groups due to its white-male dominated, paramilitary origin. Deviation from this paramilitary structure has caused more widespread discrimination, prejudice, and racism. This thesis will examine the amount of racial disparity present in a selection of Ohio law enforcement. There have been many advances in minority employment but minorities are still underrepresented in law enforcement. There are still minority communities that don't see diversity in their police departments, courts, and correctional facilities. Data will be used from the 2016 Bureau of Justice Statistics survey, and the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) database and information on six Local Police Departments in Ohio, namely Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Steubenville. Statistics from the Pew Research Center and the Census Bureau will also be used to pull statistics from local police departments and their numbers of minorities amongst the ranks. This research will cover the hiring and the promotional processes that often disqualifies minorities. It will also proffer a solution that will allow for a more nondiscriminatory process.

Master of Education (M.Ed.), Xavier University, 2019, Education

Education law states that when students with disabilities turn 16 years of age, schools must start preparing them for their transition to adulthood. For many students with special needs, this means preparing them for entry into the workforce. Literature review on best practices for this endeavor reveal that there are many types of job training programs, and all studies have shown that job training in any form improves employment outcomes for students with disabilities. However, advocates for this population often struggle to find business owners and managers to hire individuals with special needs. Integrated employment is an unknown venture for many companies, so fear and misconceptions of hiring someone with a disability are issues that advocates face. This study addresses the perspectives of approximately thirty businesses and community partners regarding their experiences employing someone with a disability including their advantages and concerns. Findings are under analysis. Implications and recommendations for advocates will be featured. Advice on how to create relationships with local businesses and suggestions for how to approach managers to create more job coaching and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities will be included.

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, 2017, Psychology

The purpose of this study was to examine whether depression and employment status are predictive of maternal use of spanking. Participants were 248 mothers of 2- to 4-year-old children, recruited from a number of Facebook groups focused on motherhood. Participants anonymously completed self-report measures of depression, beliefs about the effects of maternal employment on children, and spanking. Participants who reported working outside the home for at least 10 months out of the last year (working mothers) reported significantly fewer depression symptoms that mothers who were not employed outside the home (stay at home mothers). Mothers whose employment was congruent with their beliefs reported significantly fewer depression symptoms than mothers whose employment was incongruent with their beliefs. Stay at home mothers were significantly more likely to report the use of spanking than working mothers, but there was no significant difference between the reported depression symptoms of the do spank and do not spank groups. Further analyses were used to further clarify the differences between the working and stay at home mother groups that may account for the difference in the reporting of spanking.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1980, Graduate School

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2009, Arts and Sciences : Sociology

In a free market economy, entrepreneurship plays a central role in economic growth. There is a unanimous agreement that entrepreneurship creates new economic entities, promotes new markets and innovations, and introduces new goods and services. However, scholars disagree on the issue that why people start their own businesses in the first place. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of various socioeconomic indices on the probability of becoming self-employed. It sheds some light on who the new entrepreneurs are—the haves who start their own businesses as a career option to pursue more opportunities (opportunity pursuit theory), or the have-nots who use self-employment as a default to deal with economic hardship (survival strategy theory). Using 2005 and 2006 Current Population Survey (CPS) data, this study applies multinomial regression analysis to examine 20,571 respondents' socioeconomic indices and their employment status, either as being self-employed (unincorporated/incorporated) or as being employed workers. By examining explanatory variables in the model, including prior employment experience and occupation-related variables, this study reveals that the self-employed should not be treated as a homogenous category. People who are in incorporated self-employment often fall in the category of the haves (i.e., higher earnings and professional status), which fits the opportunity pursuit theory; the unincorporated self-employed is in general associated with lower income and longer period of unemployment, which fits the survival strategy theory. Possible explanations are presented, and related policy implications are discussed.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2003, Physical Activity and Educational Services

The Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (ORSC), the Ohio state-federal vocational rehabilitation program, in partial fulfillment of its commitment to the United States Department of Education, periodically performs a statewide survey of people with disabilities. The factors studied in this “Compass 2002” study focus on education, severity of disability, employment rate, compensation, presence of health insurance and other benefits, and access to assistive technology. This study is a replication of the 1994 “Compass” project, and provides comparisons of randomly selected subsets of Ohio's disability population. The study also focuses on the impact that education has on employment and earnings within the 2002 dataset. Employment for people with disabilities has improved from 28.7% in 1994 to 35.9% in 2002. The education level of people with disabilities improved nearly one-half of a grade, from 11.8 to 12.2. Personal earnings and household earnings are significantly higher in 2002 than they were in 1994. The presence of health insurance and other benefits has risen significantly in Ohio in the past eight years. The most significant variables that predict earning potential for people with disabilities in 2002 are gender, level of education, and length of job tenure. The presence of multiple disabilities also has a significant negative impact upon earnings. In the 1994 study, the variables were gender, length of job tenure, level of education, and level of job satisfaction. When conducting cluster analysis, the variables that had the most dramatic effect of clustering cases were severity of disability and, to a lesser extent, race of the individual. The economic and educational status of Ohioans with disabilities has improved since 1994. More people with disabilities are working, they are earning more money, and they are being afforded essential benefits. Educational levels are higher and its impact on employment and earnings is significant.

Master of Labor and Human Resources, The Ohio State University, 1977, Graduate School

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 1973, Graduate School

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Ohio University, 2025, Environmental Studies

Seasonal trail crew employment is an important aspect of public land management. The costs associated with recruitment, selection, and training that is required annually for these positions makes an employee's seasonal return especially vital to an agency. The following study investigated the role that work need satisfactions and place attachment have on a trail crew employee's intention to return to their place of work in the future. Results indicated that both work need satisfactions and place attachment were positive predictors of intention to return. More specifically, the study revealed that among work need satisfactions, Relatedness seemed to have the most prominent role in staff's intention to return. Similar results were found with the Place Identity dimension of place attachment. Practical implications of the study results are discussed from an agency perspective.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2025, Sociology

Gender and workplace stratification literatures consistently highlight wage inequalities for women compared to men. While partly due to occupational segregation and the devaluation of women's work, these inequalities may also be sequential, tied to post-secondary educational backgrounds and divergences in labor market attachment over time. Drawing on NLSY97 data, I uniquely analyze gender wage disparities, field of study in college, and the impact of labor market attachment and detachment. Findings reveal significant differences across college majors: applied non-STEM and applied STEM degrees appear to be tied to stronger labor market attachment, yet women benefit less from applied non-STEM degrees compared to men—an inequality likely related to the concentration of women in care-centered majors. Although applied STEM degrees offer comparable advantages to men and women, women's significant underrepresentation in such fields means that these advantages are disproportionately realized by men. Further analysis of wage gaps reveals that: (1) wage disparities across college majors can be partially explained by divergent degree of labor market attachment after earning a bachelor's degree, and (2) earnings gains associated with greater labor market attachment are nearly double for men what they are for women. I conclude by discussing these patterns and what they mean for gendered labor market disparities, but also for conceptions of education-labor market connections.

PHD, Kent State University, 2025, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

This qualitative research aimed to identify the factors influencing selected international graduate students to study in the United States or Canada and to explore their post-graduation employment experiences. The researcher compared the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program in the United States with Canada's Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP). The ultimate goal was to determine the similarities and differences in the students' rationales for choosing a study destination and in their experiences with post-graduation employment, considering the post-study work program available in each host country. A thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 11 international graduate students identified six key factors that influence the choice of a study destination: (1) academic considerations, (2) financial concerns, (3) social influences, (4) language and culture, (5) immigration and employment policies, and (6) students' perceptions of the host country. Regarding post-study employment experiences, the findings highlighted that U.S. graduates often find the OPT program challenging to navigate and face significant career uncertainty after its completion. In contrast, graduates in Canada report a more favorable experience with the PGWPP, although securing employment remains a challenge in both countries. Mazzarol and Soutar's (2002) push-pull framework was employed to analyze the factors driving international graduate students to North America. This study deepens the understanding of international student mobility and highlights the challenges impacting graduates' ability to transition into the workforce in their host countries. The findings have significant implications for policymakers, higher education institutions, employers, and international students currently studying or planning to study in the United States or Canada.