Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2008, ED Physical Activities and Educational Services

The importance of supporting new career and technical education teachers has been emphasized as a component of any induction program designed to improve teacher excellence, teacher retention, and ultimately, student achievement. Limited research has been done recently in how best to prepare, mentor, and retain career and technical education teachers who enter the teaching profession through alternative-licensure programs such as Ohio's licensure program. The problem of insufficient information in the literature regarding alternative-licensed career and technical education teachers' perceptions of their preparation to teach as evidenced through university coursework and clinical experiences as well as perceptions of their mentoring programs and activities was the central focus of this descriptive, follow-up research study. Alternative-licensed career and technical education teachers were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the teacher licensure coursework taken between 1995 and 2006 at The Ohio State University. In addition, participants were surveyed concerning their perceptions of mentoring activities and programs in which they participated in the early stages of their teaching careers. As a part of the study, the employment status of the alternative-licensed teachers was also determined to see if those who obtained licensure were working in the field and planning to keep their teaching or education-related positions. Recommendations from the study included the need for mentors to be screened, assigned during the first year even to those teachers hired late, and well trained as to their role, expectations, listening ability, and willingness to give time to the new teacher. Secondly, mentors for alternative-licensed career and technical education teachers need to match with their mentees in content knowledge. Third is the need to avoid duplication of university coursework and mentoring content. Fourth, this study showed that two-thirds of all mentoring programs (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Christopher J. Z Ph.D. (Advisor); James J. Connors Ph.D. (Committee Member); Robert R. Hite Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Teacher Education; Vocational Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2014, College of Education and Human Services

The study was designed to determine the extent to which individual and institutional support variables can predict Latino/a students successful completion of high school and enrollment in post-secondary institutions in the U.S. Current research suggests that the Hispanic population will constitute approximately 25% of the national workforce in the USA by the year 2050. However, according to the NCES (2002) data, the high level of dropout rates from high school among Latino/a (11.5 for males and 10.3 for females) is alarming. The study examined individual student factors as well as institutional and family variables that may enhance the likelihood of Latino/a students completion of secondary education and enrollment in post-secondary institutions. Using the 2002-2006 Education Longitudinal Study data, consisting of a sample of 2,217 Latino/a students, the binary logistic regression model identified students socioeconomic status, their educational aspirations as well as the aspirations of their parents, and school support programs to be significant predictors of high school completion as well as enrollment in post-secondary education. The findings indicate significant differences between the predictive power of the individual and institutional variables on the completion of high school and enrollment in post-secondary institutions of first, second and third generations of Latino/a students in the U.S. In this study, females of first and second generation Latino/a students were found to be two times more likely than males in the same group to complete high school on time. This trend did not apply to third generation female students who were found to be less likely than males of the same group to complete high school on time, with males holding 20% more chances of completion of high school. The presence of institutional based Dropout Prevention Programs was significantly associated with less likelihood of Completion of High School and Enrollment in Post-Secondary In (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Joshua Bagaka's (Committee Co-Chair); Anne Galletta (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Education; Education Policy; Higher Education; Hispanic Americans; Minority and Ethnic Groups

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

The transition from adolescence to young adulthood is a critical period characterized by significant psychological, social, and developmental changes. The prevalence of mental health issues for teens and young adults has risen significantly over the past decade, yet there is a shortage of licensed professionals to treat the growing number of transitional-aged youth who are struggling. While mentoring programs exist for lower socioeconomic youth, few programs service affluent adolescents and young adults. Grounded in a comprehensive literature review, this program proposal identifies the unique challenges faced by affluent adolescents and young adults and proposes a unique therapeutic mentoring model to aid this specific demographic. This dissertation explores the efficacy of clinical mentoring programs designed specifically for adolescents and young adults to address their mental health needs and facilitate their journey into independent adulthood. The proposed program incorporates evidence-based practices and theoretical frameworks from developmental psychology, clinical psychology, and mentoring literature. It aims to provide structured support, foster resilience, and promote the development of critical life skills. Key elements include personalized mentoring relationships, promoting healthy coping skills, individuation, and continuous assessment to tailor interventions to individual needs. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by highlighting the importance of tailored clinical mentoring programs in helping emerging adults launch into self-efficacy. It provides a scalable model that can be adapted for various settings, offering a practical solution to the pervasive gap in mental health care. Through this research, I propose the potential of clinical mentoring as a critical element in empowering young individuals, fostering a smoother transition to adulthood and promoting long-term psychological well-being for the entire family system. This diss (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Stephen Southern Ed.D. (Committee Chair); Brett Kia Keating Ed.D. (Committee Member); Donald Grant Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Mental Health; Psychology; Psychotherapy

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2023, Educational Leadership

Black urban youth face many obstacles in their personal development and future pursuits. Many of these obstacles result from systemic challenges that exist within their communities and cultural norms that negatively shape their self-concept and possible selves, a concept which argues that future self-concepts are constructed through personal evaluation of a current and desired future state. Corporate-education partnerships have recently been introduced to urban communities as a way to introduce youth to alternative professional pathways, although there are few studies about the extent to which Black urban youth are impacted by such partnerships. Using the possible selves theory, this study explored how one corporate-education partnership influences the self-concept and possible selves of Black urban youth engaging in a mentoring program, and the extent to which engagement in the program affected their view of themselves and future aspirations. This study focused on the Infinity Mentoring program, which is a partnership program between the Ascension corporation, Woodsby High School, and community-based organization Cincinnati Youth Connection (all pseudonyms). Findings from this study showed that participants in the program had improved feelings or self-concept about themselves and that participants gained increased motivation toward college, career, and their future aspirations as a result of the Infinity Mentoring program. The study adds to the scholarship on corporate-education partnerships, demonstrating the intrinsic impact these partnerships can have on Black urban students.

Committee: Dr. Kate Rousmaniere (Committee Chair); Dr. Sherrill Sellers (Committee Member); Dr. Michael Evans (Committee Member); Dr. Denise Taliaferro Baszile (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; Behavioral Sciences; Black Studies; Business Community; Developmental Psychology; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Educational Sociology; Individual and Family Studies; Social Psychology; Teacher Education; Urban Planning

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2019, Higher Education (Education)

With an increased focus on accountability in higher education, particularly concerning institutional effectiveness, it has become vital for universities to determine what experiences students consider influential to their success. Although academics tend to be most emphasized in discussions surrounding institutional effectiveness, co-curricular programs also have the potential to play a crucial role in student achievement. Due to the impact these programs may have on student success, this qualitative case study sought to explore the influence the Ohio Fellows program had on collegiate and post-collegiate success at Ohio University. Through analysis of archival information about the Ohio Fellows in conjunction with interviews conducted with original and current participants, the purpose of the program, its connections to success, and changes since its inception were recognized. The students who participated in the Ohio Fellows were reliant on an influential community, which evolved over time, as it focused on developing them into actively socially-conscious future leaders, while illustrating which attributes lent themselves to collegiate and post-collegiate success.

Committee: Peter Mather PhD (Committee Chair); Lijing Yang PhD (Committee Member); Laura Harrison PhD (Committee Member); Greg Kessler PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2018, Leadership and Change

The purpose of this research study was to examine the effects of K–12 early career teacher participation in a mentoring or induction program as well as personal resiliency on intention to teach next year and still be teaching in five years. Teacher retention has been an issue for over 50 years and is one of the least understood issues in the education profession. High teacher turnover rates are costly to districts and impact student learning. Teacher resilience is an emerging field and researchers are beginning to study teacher resilience to understand what enables some teachers to carry on in the face of instructional and behavioral challenges and why others succumb to the effects of stress, attrition and burnout and leave the profession. Wagnild's (2009) RS14™ resilience scale was used to determine the resiliency levels for early career teachers measuring skills in self-reliance, purpose, equanimity, perseverance, and authenticity. The general purpose for mentoring and induction programs for early career teachers is to improve the overall quality of their instructional and assessment skills in order to impact student learning. This study looked at the influence of personal resiliency and experience in mentoring or induction programs on intention to remain in the K–12 teaching profession. Multiple regression results showed a significant relationship between resiliency, a positive assessment of mentoring program experience, and intention to continue teaching next year and in five years; family situations and personal health also influenced intention to teach in the next year. Results also show a high percentage of these early career teacher respondents did participate in a mentoring or induction program and that those participating in a two year or multi-year program were more likely to have a positive assessment of their experience than those in a one year or less program.

Committee: Carol Baron Dr. (Committee Chair); Jon Wergin Dr. (Committee Member); Pamela Greene Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Teacher Education; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2018, Higher Education Administration

Mentoring in graduate education is considered a vital component of graduate education. The purpose of this qualitative research was to hear the stories Black women in doctoral programs (BWDP) tell about their faculty mentoring experiences. The theoretical frameworks used to ground this study were Critical Race Feminism and Hunt and Michael's (1983) framework for the study of mentorship. The participants were nine Black women currently enrolled in doctoral programs across the United States. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who self-identified as being Black and enrolled in a doctoral program. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or virtually. Through a `creative nonfiction' style, the stories BWDP shared about their faculty mentoring experiences were illuminated. Findings revealed that faculty mentoring for BWDP was about guidance, relationships, and having a faculty mentor who is culturally competent. The discussion section linked previous literature to the current study. This study contributes to the knowledge base on mentoring and doctoral education. It also illustrates the importance of centering the needs and the lived experiences of BWDP to counter dominant mentoring approaches within doctoral education.

Committee: Maureen Wilson Dr. (Advisor); Dafina-Lazarus Stewart Dr. (Committee Member); Hyun Kyoung Ro Dr. (Committee Member); Louis Katzner Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; African American Studies; Black Studies; Education; Educational Leadership; Ethnic Studies; Gender Studies; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Pedagogy; Womens Studies

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2015, College of Education and Human Services

Research focusing on online doctoral programs in preparation for academic careers consistently reveals a perception that online doctoral degree programs lack opportunities for social learning, mentoring, and submersion in the academic culture (Adams & DeFleur, 2005; Flowers & Baltzer, 2006; Columbaro, 2007; Guendoo, 2007; Good & Peca, 2007; Columbaro & Monaghan, 2009; DePriest, 2009). In addition, the value of mentoring within doctoral programs has been addressed in several empirical studies (Green & Bauer, 1995, Golde & Dore, 2001; Paglis, Green, & Bauer, 2006; Creighton, Parks, & Creighton, 2007; Mullen, 2006; 2008; 2009). However, little research has specifically attended to the mentoring experiences of online doctoral students and their perceptions of how those experiences prepared them for tenure-track employment within four-year, land-based higher education institutions. The purpose of this study was to explore the existence and nature of mentoring relationships within online doctoral degree programs. Further, it explored how these relationships prepare online doctoral degree graduates for full-time, tenure-track employment in four-year, land-based higher education institutions. The following research questions guided this study: 1) How did graduates of online doctoral degree programs, currently employed as tenure-track faculty members at four-year land-based colleges or universities, experience mentoring while completing their online doctoral degree programs? 2) How did mentoring relationships prepare these graduates to become tenure-track faculty members in four-year, land-based colleges and universities? The study was informed by social learning theory in that it explores the role and purpose of interpersonal mentoring relationships in supporting doctoral students, as well as preparing them to serve as faculty in higher education environments. The research design employed basic interpretive qualitative research approach using semi-stru (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Catherine Hansman Ed.D. (Committee Chair); Joanne Goodell Ph.D. (Committee Member); Jonathan Messemer Ed.D. (Committee Member); Mittie Davis Jones Ph.D. (Committee Member); Mary Hrivnak Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Educational Technology; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2009, Leadership Studies

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to investigate the preparation of 310 academic deans at four-year public and private higher education institutions in the United States. The 21-item Professional Preparation of Academic Deans Questionnaire (PPADQ) was administered online and determined the types of preparation methods that academic deans experienced and which preparation methods they perceived to be the most beneficial. The study also investigated demographic differences (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, years as an academic dean) among academic deans and their perception of how each method contributed to their preparation and to the leadership dimensions essential to the academic dean position. Heck, Johnsrud, and Rosser (2000) provided the framework for defining the leadership dimensions. Of the 1,185 surveys distributed, 310 were submitted yielding a response rate of 26.2%. T-tests and ANOVAs revealed demographic group differences in preparation methods experienced and preparation methods contributing to the overall effectiveness as well as the seven leadership dimensions.The conclusions from the study include: (1) informal methods such as on the job training and informal mentoring were the most common for an academic dean's preparation, (2) female and non-White academic deans were more likely to participate in more formal preparation methods, and (3) more formal preparation methods were more beneficial to females, non-Whites, and academic deans with more years of experience. Findings present an understanding of how academic deans are prepared for their positions, which preparation methods are most beneficial to their overall effectiveness, and which methods contribute most to the leadership dimensions of the deanship. The results of this study may benefit higher education institutions as they seek to increase the effectiveness and retention of academic deans. The researcher offers other explanations and suggestions regarding the findings from this st (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Rachel A. Vannatta PhD (Committee Chair); Maureen E. Wilson PhD (Committee Member); Nancy Hritz PhD (Committee Member); Ellen U. Williams PhD (Committee Member); Judith A. Zimmerman PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2008, Leadership and Change

This was an exploratory study to understand the lived experience of those involved in mentoring relationships within a formal mentoring program in a corporate context. The researcher looked for rich detail about the nature of the relationship from the perspective of the mentor and mentee. To achieve a holistic perspective, the experience of organizational managers was deliberately included in the research. Exploration of this triadic relationship of mentor, mentee, and organizational manager has been neglected in the empirical literature. An exploration of where meaning intersected and diverged among the triad relationship members gave depth to the dimensional frame. Findings suggested that the lack of a holistic approach to mentoring in the workplace may be creating counterproductive mentoring participant behaviors. Values misalignment may be creating cultural miscues that potentially misdirect mentoring program design and policies. Findings pointed to the need for increased integration of mentoring, leadership development, cultural transformation, and organizational learning initiatives in order to better serve the aims of the corporation and increase the capacity of the workforce. The qualitative paradigm was followed for this research. Grounded theory dimensional analysis was employed to discover the dimensions of mentoring important to participants. Open-ended interview techniques allowed the participants to express their experiences in their own words. A research team experienced in the tools and techniques of this research approach collaboratively analyzed the data. As theoretical propositions emerged they were explored via a theoretical sampling method. The basic social process of mentoring among the three members of the mentoring triad and other human and non-human actors was illustrated. Metaphorical and theoretical models were developed that illustrated the participants' perspectives on the interrelated and interdependent parts of the ancient human activi (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Elizabeth Holloway PhD (Committee Chair); Laurien Alexandre PhD (Committee Member); Laurent Daloz PhD (Committee Member); Michael Carroll PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Management; Organizational Behavior; Personal Relationships; Social Psychology