Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design / Melody L. A. LeHew / The UN has challenged higher education to integrate sustainability across all disciplines, declaring 2005-2014 the Decade for Educational for Sustainable Development (DESD) (UNESCO, 2003). Education for sustainable development (ESD), a UNESCO initiative, advocates for reorienting education away from the industrial model of education, and has significant pedagogical implications for cultivating knowledge, skills, and values thought to support sustainable development (Rode & Michelsen, 2008; Sterling, 2004). Responsive action to this call has been sluggish (Everett, 2008; Rode & Michelsen, 2008). Concurrently, product development and design protocol is becoming more progressive in an effort to limit the impact of products on people and the planet, and there is an urgent need to evolve apparel and textile (AT) curriculum to better prepare undergraduates for this evolution. ESD may provide a way forward, but little is known about how it may succeed current educational practice or how such practice may impact learners in AT. The purpose of this study was to examine the learning and development experience of students enrolled in an apparel product development (APD) course that has been redeveloped according to the ESD framework. A qualitative case study was conducted during one semester to examine how students experienced the course. Data collection included student reflective writings, focus group interviews, and a researcher reflexive journal. Also, a survey was utilized to determine how students perceived their progress in the development of skills related to ESD. Both theory-driven and inductive coding procedures were used to identify themes across the qualitative data. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze the quantitative survey data. Results of the study indicate that students yielded a positive, though challenging, learning and development experience in the course, and one that was considered exceptional in comparison to other courses in the same program. Among the learning and development outcomes experienced in the course considered most important, according to students, were sustainability literacy and the development of change agent skills. Further, the pedagogical perspectives of ESD which influenced the course redevelopment were perceived to be highly impactful. The study has identified pedagogical and curriculum design approaches which may be used to integrate sustainability more effectively into the AT curriculum and better foster the development of change agent skills.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Kevin Gwinner / This research focuses on factors that serve as motivators or as barriers for consumers in their purchase of local beef. To understand the purchasing habits and preferences of the consumer, a designed survey was used. A convenience population was recruited and encouraged to participate in the survey online. Supporting local agriculture was found to be the highest motivating factor for purchase of local beef within the survey population. That was followed by taste, environment, humane treatment, and health benefits, in that order. Women agreed to all motivating factors at a statistically significantly rate greater than their male counterparts. Price was found to be the largest barrier to the purchase of local beef among the respondents. Lesser barriers were appeal of specifics, convenience, unfamiliar brand, and quality. Statistically significant differences were noted between respondents who had actually purchased local beef versus those that would consider such purchase. Respondents with prior purchasing experience did not perceive the listed barriers to be as inhibitory to their purchase as those who had no prior buying experience. Recommendations produced from this research encourage farmer groups and individual farms to focus on their customer characteristics through key motivating factors, women, and those supporting local agriculture. Finding ways to encourage consumers to try local beef should combat barriers to purchase. Farmers markets should create an experience that customers want to come to and enjoy and individual producers should be relatable and available to customers. Future research could include a large, randomized population of respondents that could give a more accurate description of the typical American consumer with opportunity to expand into other motivating or barrier influences. Other ideas for research could include other motivating and barrier factors, as well as open ended questions and focus groups to gain further insights into the consumer mind with regard to local beef.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Sonya L. Britt / This dissertation, consisting of three studies, explores the factors that influence the financial wellness of employees participating in a workplace financial education program. This dissertation also explores the influence that financial wellness has on the intention to engage in retirement planning activities and perceived retirement preparedness. Data for all three essays was obtained from a Financial Wellness Assessment instrument used in conjunction with a workplace financial education program provided by Financial Finesse (2013). The primary conceptual framework used to guide the three studies was Joo’s (2008) conceptual framework of financial wellness. The first essay examined factors that have been conceptualized as components of financial wellness—financial behaviors, perceived financial knowledge, and financial attitudes. Results showed that employees comfortable with their current level of non-mortgage debt and those with perceived financial knowledge had a greater sense of overall financial wellness. Core financial behaviors and advanced financial behaviors were also found to be associated with financial wellness with core financial behaviors having the biggest effect on financial wellness. Maintaining an emergency fund, having a handle on cash flow, paying credit card balances off in full each month, and paying bills on time were significantly related to greater financial wellness. Personal factors associated with a greater sense of financial wellness included household income, being under age 30, homeownership, being married, and not having children in the household. The second essay examined the influence of various subcomponents of financial wellness on retirement planning intention. Results indicated that retirement was the leading financial topic of interest of employees. Findings also demonstrated that desirable core financial management behaviors and a financial attitude of comfort regarding current non-mortgage debt increased the likelihood of employee intentions to engage in retirement planning activities. Specific financial behaviors associated with retirement planning intention included having a handle on cash flow, paying bills on time, and paying off credit card balances in full each month. Personal factors such as age and income also influenced retirement planning intention as older employees and those with greater household income were more likely to intend to plan for retirement. Having children in the household and non-Caucasian/White ethnicity decreased the likelihood of retirement planning intention. Finally, the third essay utilized Joo’s (2008) conceptual framework of financial wellness to explore factors that predict perceived retirement preparedness. Higher levels of financial satisfaction, perceived financial knowledge, and confidence in current asset allocation increased the likelihood employees demonstrated a sense of retirement preparedness. Core and advanced financial behaviors were also associated with perceived retirement preparedness. Younger employees and household income of $100,000 or more increased the likelihood of perceived retirement preparedness. Results of these three studies demonstrate that financial wellness has a significant influence on perceived retirement preparedness of employees engaged in information seeking activities as part of a workplace financial education program. Key components of financial wellness such as objective financial status, financial knowledge, financial attitudes, financial satisfaction, and financial behaviors were also found to be associated with the intention to engage in retirement planning activities. These findings are relevant to financial counselors, financial planners, financial educators, academicians, and employers dedicated to promoting increased financial wellness among employees.