Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2005, Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics

This dissertation provides insights into the process of social capital formation by extending a model of individual social capital investment and empirically identifying factors that affect an individual's social capital behavior. Social capital is defined as those social interactions that generate externalities in which either the interaction or the external benefit persists in time. I extend the neoclassical social capital investment model developed by Glaeser, Laibson and Sacerdote (2002) by introducing instantaneous returns to social interaction as distinct from the stream of future benefits derived from social capital and by redefining the social multiplier to include community institutions and characteristics. The parameters of the social capital investment model are estimated using computational techniques. The estimated parameter values are then used to simulate changes in a representative agent's behavior due to perturbations in the model parameters, individual characteristics or community characteristics. I use survey data collected from homeowners in Franklin County, Ohio, and community characteristics from secondary sources to generate the parameter estimates and simulate investment behavior. There are four important results from this research. First, social capital investment is positively related to educational attainment and negatively related to wages, as has been suggested by others. Second, social capital investment appears to happen without concern for future benefits. Third, personal characteristics affect both the level of investment as well as the volatility in investment over the lifecycle. Fourth, the presence of formal institutions positively affects investment behavior, while community social capital stocks do not affect social capital investment. This research makes significant theoretical and empirical contributions to the social capital literature. The theoretical model provides a framework useful for analyzing social capital formation. (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2010, Sociology (Arts and Sciences)

Family SES has the potential to shape the opportunities, resources and life trajectory of college students. This study examines the effects of SES on college students‟ social capital through an online survey and innovative Facebook application measuring students‟ social networks. Participants were recruited through class visits and emails. Regression analyses measured the effects of SES on three measures of students‟ social capital, operationalized using online network data: general social capital (network size), bridging social capital (number of clusters), and bonding social capital (average degree). Students that had higher SES had larger networks with more ties per actor within the individual‟s network (average degree). Students from lower SES backgrounds had smaller networks with fewer ties per actor within ego‟s network. The effects of SES on social capital have never been studied in an online setting, and this study provides good evidence that more substantial research in the online environment can and should take place in the future.

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

This study sought to uncover teacher perceptions of social capital within a high school mathematics department utilizing a research design that acknowledged the complex environment faced by high school teachers and their subsequent interpretations of how and from whom they sought access to professional resources. Through an analysis of narratives captured as teachers interviewed one another in strong-tie pairs, the study identified the elements of social capital which were central to the professional lives of high school mathematics teachers. Narrative analysis revealed that the group, situated in an urban setting, was able to define issues around trust and structure within their network. There was significantly less discussion or acknowledgement of the remaining dimensions of social capital: level of professional expertise within their group, and the depth or content of their professional interactions. Teachers had no vocabulary, interactional routines, norms or other tools to assist in the analysis of these key social capital resources. The study found that there is a need for an additional dimension to be included in existing social capital models. Defined as “Group Self-Knowledge”, I describe this construct as a way for teacher networks to detect, define and assess their own capacity for change and innovation. The ability of a network to assess its social capital is described as necessary in determining specific needs for professional development resources, and in aligning those needs with the resources (physical, human or social capital) that are most likely to lead to conditions in which a network could learn, adapt, grow and change. Social capital models offer constructs which can assist in social capital analysis, and which could lead to significant impacts on educational organizations: a “systems” view that privileges the knowledge of the group and disrupts teachers' tendency towards individualism, presentism and conserv (open full item for complete abstract)

MA, Kent State University, 2020, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Sociology and Criminology

Since the late 1990's, the U.S. has been struggling with an epidemic linked to the use of opiate drugs and their synthetic counterparts. While many have died in this epidemic, many also recover. In this qualitative study, I aim to gain a better understanding of how people with opiate addiction seek out, navigate and sustain recovery. Eighteen in-depth interviews were conducted with individuals in recovery from opiate addiction. Analysis of data suggests that individuals with opiate addiction utilize a wide range of resources to access treatment and engage in recovery. In this paper, I discuss four major themes and four subthemes. Specifically, individuals who suffer from addiction mobilize various forms of recovery capital, including social, economic and cultural capital (e.g. Cloud and Granfield 2008). I also find that in this sample of middle-aged, White individuals in recovery, themes and experiences such as existential pain, hope, and engagement with the criminal justice system figure prominently in narratives about recovery.

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2016, Educational Leadership

This study revealed the complexities of curriculum leadership experienced by district central office curriculum administrators and how collaborations with each other led to unique, timely, and vetted resources. The study examined district central office curriculum administrators in a four county region of a Midwestern state and sought to answer three questions: How do central office curriculum administrators characterize and enact curriculum leadership? How do central office curriculum administrators collaborate with colleagues from other districts in similar positions? And, How does collaboration influence curriculum leadership? Through a conceptual lens focused on social structures of networks and communities of practice; social relationships including brokers and boundary spanners; and social interactions rooted in collaboration, this mixed methods study revealed three sets of findings. First, curriculum administrators' ubiquitous and complex curriculum leadership tended to three interrelated dimensions: student and teacher learning; curriculum artifacts and practices; and leadership grounded in systemic thinking, process development, relationship building, and leadership cultivation. The second set of findings uncovered that curriculum administrators collaborated in several types of settings (incidental, small group, and large group) while also revealing that depths of collaboration primarily included networking, partnering, and cooperating. The third set of findings established that curriculum administrators accessed and developed professional capital (human, social, and decisional) with other curriculum administrators to bolster their curriculum leadership to navigate a complex educational landscape by way of situational collaboration.

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Public Affairs, Cleveland State University, 2015, Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs

In spite of the growth of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in the non-profit sector, our understanding with regard to its organizational development process still lags behind. In particularly, given the connection between faith, identity, and social capital, the study argues that an investigation of organizational identity and social capital of FBOs would provide a deeper understanding of issues related to FBO development and management. With a focus on the communication processes of multiple stakeholders, the study is an in-depth qualitative case analysis of an emerging FBO in a Midwestern Metropolitan area in the U.S. A second phase of the study applied findings to other FBOs in the same geographical area. The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical model for the faith-based organization. The data obtained from the in-depth field interviews, organizational documents, and field notes were analyzed through a grounded theory research method. This research resulted in new findings that demonstrate connections between several bodies of literature adding to our understanding of the developmental processes of the faith-based organization. Concluding remarks suggest parallels between the faith-based nonprofit and society at large, proposing that similar practices for managing differing values and principles in our society could bring greater understanding between diverse people groups.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2006, Teaching and Learning

This study investigates the effectiveness of teaching U.S. immigrant Limited English Proficient (LEP) students in one district in Ohio. It studies the educational programs and instructional approaches related to linguistic development and academic achievement of LEP students. The study hypothesizes the effect of programmatic, interceptive social interactions both at an instructional and peer level in a school setting on the LEP students' learning, strategies, engagement, behaviors, motivation, and attitudes during their transition into the mainstream classroom and into society. The data help to understand the learning conditions, characteristics, and outcomes of the U.S. immigrant LEP students who entered one school district as a middle or high school student, and were at the final stages of their education and training in a high school setting. A sample of 103 voluntary 11th and 12th grade LEP English-as-a-Second- Language (ESL) students (immigrants, n=38, refugees, n=59, and temporary residents, n=6) in nine high schools in the district participated in the study by completing the three questionnaires. Validity of the instruments was established by expert opinions from colleagues in the state and district school, while reliability was assessed based on a pilot study. Measures were descriptive statistics and t-test statistics. The results of the data analyses showed that the district's LEP ESL high school students tended to have better proficiency in oral language (i.e., listening and speaking) than in reading and writing. In particular, ESL teachers were identified as “the best English helpers,” indicating a lack of systematic school support of LEP students from mainstream teachers, American peers, or ESL peers. The results showed that the LEP ESL high school students' social interaction was either self- or family-oriented, where they were more likely to use their home language and to receive little linguistic and academic assistance. Overall, the findings indicate (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2007, Educational Leadership

Access to a quality education is a recurring theme in the history of African-Americans. From America's infancy to the present, African-Americans have steadfastly held to the conviction that a quality education was inextricably intertwined with notions of freedom and upward mobility. Historically, most African-American parents relied on public schools to provide that education. However, by the mid-1980's, many African American parents became disillusioned with public education, and those who possessed the requisite resources to do so, began to abandon urban public schools, choosing to educate their children in suburban schools, independent private schools, and parochial schools. Researchers studying school choice primarily focus on charter schools and school voucher programs, giving little consideration to the abandonment of urban public schools by the African-American middle class. This qualitative study investigates the experiences of seven middle class African-American parents to ascertain how they constructed their decisions to exclude urban public schools as educational options for their children. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews, which allowed for the structure of qualitative inquiry and the flexibility and fluidity of natural conversations. In addition, more than twenty-five informal interviews and conversations with African-American parents of various socioeconomic levels were conducted. The parents' narratives revealed five concerns: academic achievement; discipline and safety; teacher quality; racism, and cultural issues. An analysis of those concerns resulted in two major findings. First, parents do not believe urban schools possess the requisite resources to effectively educate their children and enable them to gain admission to a reputable college or university. Second, parents do not believe their children can acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed as a prerequisite to become economically and socially successful i (open full item for complete abstract)

MA, Kent State University, 2009, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Sociology and Criminology

While numerous studies have demonstrated the positive effects of school social capital on academic achievement, its effects on school disciplinary problems have rarely been addressed. Due to its beneficial impact on other educational outcomes, school social capital may also lead to decreased disciplinary problems. Racial minorities may have less access to or receive fewer benefits from social capital, and so school social capital may be differentially advantageous in schools of varying racial integration. Disciplinary problems have been shown to be higher among racial minorities, and so an increase of racial minorities at the school-level may have a direct effect on the occurrence of offenses as well. This paper uses school-level data from the School Survey on Crime and Safety to examine the effects of school social capital and racial minority concentration on disciplinary problems and to determine if these factors interact in their effect on problem behavior. I find that two forms of school social capital – parent participation in school events and training provided to parents – are related to a decrease in disciplinary problems. Racial minority concentration, on the other hand, has no direct effect on disciplinary problems, but rather, moderates the impact of some forms of school social capital. Training provided to parents and community involvement are differentially beneficial depending on schools' racial minority concentration.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2005, Sociology/Population Studies

Although the U.S. student population has grown increasingly diverse both in terms of ethnicity and immigrant generational status since the late 1980s, schools have become more racially and ethnically segregated. Data also reveal that Latinos, the nation's largest minority, have become increasingly segregated over the last 30 years, with their segregation levels surpassing those of blacks. In this dissertation, I investigate the effects of school racial composition on Latino adolescents' academic achievement. The primary reason for focusing on Latinos adolescents is that they consistently account for the highest high school dropout rate among the nation's major ethnic groups. Previous research suggests that academic achievement is a function of both individual and family level characteristics. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) data I examine the interplay of school racial and socioeconomic composition, school social capital, family social capital, ethnic origin, and immigrant generational status on measures of school success, such as school grades and standardized test scores, while controlling for individual (e.g., sex, age) and family (e.g., family structure, SES) factors. The longitudinal Add Health data possess a hierarchical structure such that the individual-level factors are viewed as nested within the school-level factors. Hierarchical linear modeling is used as an appropriate statistical procedure for examining these nested data. I found that school racial composition has little, if any, effect on Latino students' academic achievement, but school socioeconomic composition does. Importantly, family social capital is likely to mitigate harmful influences of attending a low-SES school. I also found school social capital, as measured by peer network homogeneity and density, to be positively associated with Latino achievement. More than any other Latinos, Cuban-American adolescents were shown to have higher achievement in sch (open full item for complete abstract)

Ed.D., Antioch University, 2025, Education

The persistent health disparities faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the United States are deeply rooted in systemic racism embedded within medical education and clinical practice. Historical acceptance of racial supremacy in the United States has shaped both the foundations and continued practices of medical education, leading to entrenched biases that affect healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. This dissertation critically examines the intersection of race, education, and health by analyzing how historical and contemporary understandings of race and ethnicity shape medical curricula, healthcare practices, and patient care. Through the integration of Critical Race Theory (CRT), Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), and ScT, this study deconstructs racialized knowledge systems in medicine and examines their impact on health equity. CRT provides a lens to analyze how systemic racism is embedded within medical education and practice, illuminating the ways racial bias is institutionalized and perpetuated in healthcare structures. SCT contributes by exploring how individuals internalize societal norms and beliefs, which influence the attitudes and behaviors of both medical practitioners and patients. Finally, ScT emphasizes the role of social networks and relationships, highlighting how disparities in access to healthcare resources and support systems affect health outcomes in marginalized communities. Together, these theories offer a comprehensive framework for understanding the layered and interconnected influences of race, education, and healthcare, guiding the study's aim to challenge and dismantle biased practices within medical training and clinical care. Chapters I and II introduce the research problem and establish a comprehensive foundation, outlining key theoretical frameworks—CRT, SCT, and ScT—while exploring the historical roots of racialized practices in medicine, including the legacy of unethical experimentation and the Flexner Report (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2006, Graduate School

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

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2023, College of Education and Human Services

Urban ethnic churches across the nation continue to be beacons of light in communities throughout the United States. The people within have endured the same centralized struggles found in every impoverished urban neighborhood, be it crime or gentrification. Many, like the millions of Latinos across America, find respite in belonging to ethnic spaces where they can preserve parts of their cultural identities as they navigate the duality of their culture, what it means to be Latino, while navigating acculturation, what it means to be American. Whether they are immigrants, English Language Learners, or second-and-third-generation Latinos, the meaning-making found in faith-based affinity groups, like ethnic churches, where faith and ethnicity intersect, can serve as a source for understanding leadership and social mobility among minority groups. The leaders of these communities, or pastors, have a unique ability to function as transformational leaders, gatekeepers of social capital, and agents of social and economic advancement in addition to their role as spiritual leaders. This hermeneutic phenomenological study conducted in the Midwest region of the United State States, questions whether urban pastors perceive themselves as social and economic transformational agents, and how keen they are on discovering the meaning-making that happens within the walls of their often small but mighty congregations. When urban Latina/o pastors and their churches discover the intersection of their ethnic and religious identity and their ability to use their social capital through trust (Coleman, 1988), networks (Bourdieu, 1986), and resources (Putman, 2000), they may not only empower their congregations spiritually but also socially and economically.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Environment and Natural Resources

Mountain ecosystems and communities are undergoing profound changes driven by a complex interplay of environmental, economic, and sociocultural factors, including climate change, natural hazards, land use change, and rapid infrastructure development. These interconnected changes have far-reaching impacts on local livelihoods, the supporting ecosystems, and the overall sustainability of mountain social-ecological systems. While community resilience has been promoted as a collective capacity to navigate change and advance development, empirical studies on its effectiveness within mountain communities remain limited. To bridge this knowledge gap, this dissertation embarks on an ethnographic and citizen science study in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan region, employing a mixed-methods approach comprising interviews, interventions, and ethnography. This dissertation presents an exploration of community resilience within the context of complex mountain social-ecological systems. By illuminating the significance of social capital and participatory knowledge engagement, the study unveils pathways towards community resilience. A novel conceptual diagram aids in untangling the essence of community resilience as a collective capacity, while subsequent case studies dissect the interactions among critical capacities such as social capital, knowledge, and learning. The dissertation underscores the necessity for context-specific approaches and capacity dynamics, as well as the ethical and political dimensions inherent in community resilience initiatives. This work not only enriches the understanding of community resilience from conceptualization to practical application but also provides actionable insights for effective development interventions. Moreover, the empirical study, conducted in a mountain community and employing digital mapping techniques, offers a small-scale perspective on how to facilitate effective learning and knowledge sharing. To finish, this dissertation research (open full item for complete abstract)

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Ohio University, 2023, Political Science

This thesis addresses the decline in social capital outlined in Robert D. Putnam's scholarship, through the contemporary context of the Covid-19 pandemic. This thesis indicates that, broadly, the pandemic weakened United States citizens' sense of community towards one another. This is displayed through the many recorded acts of citizens acting out of self-interest and openly disregarding community safety. Chapter Three of this thesis outlines the ways in which elected officials and public health officials faced threats to their safety in response to their Covid-19 guidelines, discusses the scapegoating and hatred towards Asian Americans that has increased during the pandemic, and examines the impacts of libertarian individualism on citizens' responses to Covid-19. Chapter Four details case examples of organizations (CAP Tulsa, Roca, Inc., LatinoLEAD, My Brother's Keeper Alliance, the UNC American Indian Center, and Project CARE) working together to strengthen social capital to generate a sense of social responsibility in the current moment. Chapter Five offers a first-hand look at community-based events in rural southeastern Ohio through the use of autoethnography.

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2023, Agricultural Communication, Education and Leadership

Social capital theory has been studied for decades; one perspective is it's the attainment of resources through collective action. Volunteerism connects to social capital where social responsibility is derived, and volunteering opportunities can develop a network. The Community Capitals Framework (CCF) is a framework that assesses seven different types of capital, with social capital being the initiating factor for the CCF outcomes. Through a qualitative approach using narrative inquiry, nine participants of six youth-serving organizations described their connections with youth and community. A total of 72 themes emerged and seven categories were formed from these themes including; opportunities (it's the intersection of experience and exposure where this intersection creates possibilities.), connections (the linkage between two people where volunteers build relationships and capacity for youth.), environment (the place to belong where spaces are cultivated to serve and empower youth as well as consisting of constructive factors for youth building agency, autonomy, and meeting physical needs.), social responsibility (The responsibility of the volunteer is to be a good community member and showing up for the youth, by leading, guiding, and educating.), growth and development (youth and volunteers learning together.), trust (innately present and integrated), and self-efficacy (the outcome of how to navigate the world). Key findings defined themselves as reflective, community shaping and building, growth, purposeful, authentic, and safe. The findings led to a call for improved diversity and representation efforts amongst volunteering for youth, the bridging between youth and high-level leadership, and a space for youth to just be and exist. This research describes non-familial adult volunteer's connections with youth and community. Recommendations for research are to examine if we help youth feel safe, do we cultivate safe spaces for youth, and, how can we increase n (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, Environment and Natural Resources

The killing of nonhuman animals is a routine and widespread practice in many contemporary human societies. In the context of wildlife specifically, this practice can occur under legal circumstances, such as through the authorized application of lethal control or illegally through the killing of wildlife in violation of state, federal, or international law (i.e., poaching). Regardless of legal status, the decision to support or engage in any action that results in the intentional death of a wild animal is influenced by a range of cognitive, social, and cultural factors. Thus, this dissertation draws upon theoretical frameworks established within the fields of sociology and psychology to advance, and refine, the application of social science concepts to better understand factors that influence individual judgments and decisions about the appropriateness of killing wild animals. Specifically, Chapter 2 assesses unexplained support for the lethal (and legal) management (i.e., punishment) of both human and nonhuman (wild) animals accused of violating social expectations or rules, via the application of capital punishment and lethal control respectively. Demonstrating that certain individuals report greater support for punishment irrespective of species or circumstance (i.e., experimental condition), results suggest that heuristic processing in the absence of detailed information upon which one could deliberate leads to significant consequences for the punishment of others. Exploring the ways in which perceptions of the illegal killing of wildlife are shaped by one's social landscape, Chapter 3 engages social norms theory to examine normative beliefs regarding the frequency, acceptability, and accountability one may expect if choosing to engage in wildlife-related noncompliance. Revealing the perceived power of informal sanctioning via one's community, results indicate that while increasingly punitive “tough on crime” anti-poaching policies may be widespread, learning and (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2021, College of Education

The enrollment decision-making process of a master of business administration (MBA) applicant contains multiple factors. Social influences from group memberships, marketing ads, and socioeconomic status carry varying amount of influence on the individual's choice for an MBA program. It is unknown what impact informal leaders, interpersonal influence, and word-of-mouth communication, both in person and electronic, have on a prospective MBA applicant's enrollment decision-making process. This study examines the ways word-of-mouth marketing, marketing ads/messages, and applicants' socioeconomic status influence their enrollment decision. This qualitative case study investigated the individual's social identity, social networks, and marketing tactics to determine the potential interpersonal influence found therein that affects the enrollment decision-making process. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and observations. The findings reveal that the impact of those in social and professional networks as well as the individual's personal development goals were the most influential, followed by the marketing ads and online reviews.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Program in Population Health Leadership DNP, Xavier University, 2021, Nursing

The South has long been recognized for indulgent food, sweet tea, and inactivity as a way of life. Sadly, for many, this stereotypical depiction is not far from the truth. These unhealthy habits wrought with gluttonous eating and lack of physical exercise have created a state of health emergency in many cities and states. The natural progression of this lifestyle lends itself to the development of chronic disease states such as obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes. Although all the aforementioned wreak havoc on the health of those affected, complications from uncontrolled diabetes have the ability to affect not only major organs like the kidneys and heart, but also the nerves, eyes, and the integumentary system (Tabesh et al., 2018). Combatting a disease process in which the stakes are so high requires innovative, resourceful tactics that are both accessible and implementable. Historically, faith communities have been integral in promoting “whole-person-health” which caters to the mind, body, and spirit (Langdon & Hinton, 2020). The implementation of a diabetes management program in a faith community amplifies this charge by capitalizing on commonality and established rapport in order to improve self-efficacy in individual diabetic care.