abstract: This research examines the communicative processes of resilience in the organizational context of public education. The research utilizes one-on-one interviews to elicit descriptions of resilience and well-being and collect stories of success and overcoming challenges. The study purpose is two-fold: (1) to understand the ways in which organizational members construct and enact resilience individually and collectively through their talk and stories, and (2) to extend the communication theory of resilience through an empirical investigation of resilience in an organizational context. An iterative, thematic analysis of interview data revealed that resilience, as lived, is a socially constructed, collective process. Findings show resilience in this context is (1) socially constructed through past and present experiences informing the ways organizational members perceive challenges and opportunities for action, (2) contextual in that most challenges are perceived positively as a way to contribute to individual and organizational goals and as part of a “bigger purpose” to students, (3) interactional in that it is constructed and enacted collaboratively through social processes, (4) reciprocal in that working through challenges leads to experience, confidence, and building a repertoire of opportunities for action that become a shared experience between educators and is further reciprocated with students, and (5) is enacted through positive and growth mindsets. This study offers theoretical contributions by extending the communication theory of resilience and illuminating intersections to sensemaking, flow, and implicit person theory. I offer five primary practical applications, discuss limitations, and present future directions highlighting community development and strengths-based approaches. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Communication 2018

<p>This study explores how working moms show resiliency in the age of social media; consumed by the pressures to excel in their careers and in raising their families. Fifteen self-identified working moms are interviewed about their reason(s) for working, their purpose behind their social media usage, the challenges and rewards of being a working mom, their definition and their assumption of society’s definition of what a working mom is, and how they overcome tough days.  The following themes emerge: moms assessing situations, moms adjusting their daily lives, self-scrutiny, money, expectations, the influence on the children, and the gleaning of humor not hate from social media platforms. These themes are supported by participant voices and existing literature to add to research surrounding this important topic. Limitations and future directions are also discussed. </p>