Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Christy Craft / Colleges and universities across the United States seek new, creative, and impactful ways to enhance student engagement. The study of student engagement has led to the identification of several “high-impact” educational practices that appear to generate higher levels of student performance, learning, and development than the traditional classroom experience (Brownell & Swaner, 2010). Internships – when done well – are among the recommended high-impact educational practices (Kuh, 2008). This qualitative study investigated internships to address the following research questions: What is the essence of internships that are done well? What are the student learning outcomes of internships that are done well? Utilizing interviews and a phenomenological approach, this study reconstructed internship experiences of 19 undergraduate students. For the triangulation of data collection, 5 faculty members and 5 employer representatives were also interviewed about their observations regarding student internships. After open coding and analyzing interview transcripts, four essence themes and four outcome themes emerged from the data. According to study participants, internships that are done well require commitment, connect the classroom to career, facilitate good communication, and provide a sense of community. In regards to resulting outcomes, internships that are done well develop the competencies of students, produce career-related crystallization, build self-confidence, and generate capital. The results suggest that when internships are done well, they can embody Kuh’s (2008) six elements of high impact practices as they are effortful, include feedback, apply learning, prompt reflection, build relationships, and engage across differences. The findings of this study have the potential to assist the campus community – faculty, advisors, and career development professionals – as they help students fulfill their learning and career development goals (O’Neill, 2010). First, this study’s findings essentially point to the need for students to demonstrate initiative and fundamental skills during internships. Second, employers must continue to be informed about what constitutes a meaningful internship experience for students. Third, universities should “scale up” high-impact educational practices like internships (Brownell & Swaner, 2010) by creating a developmental approach for program implementation. Furthermore, everyone in the campus community must work together to effectively facilitate internships and other high-impact educational practices.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction / Lotta C. Larson / The transition to college offers students the chance to explore, experiment with, and eventually begin to solidify their identities (Boyd, Hunt, Kandell, & Lucas, 2003), but for students from agricultural backgrounds, leaving home to head to a more urban area for college constitutes a threat to identity (Breakwell, 1986; Cicognani, Menezes, & Nata, 2011; Proshanksy, 1978). Although education research concerning rural students is plentiful (e.g., Antos, 1999; Donehower, Hogg, & Schell, 2012; Durham & Smith, 2006; Lester, 2012), research specific to agrarian students is sparse (e.g., Dees, 2006). The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to explore and describe the experiences of students from agricultural backgrounds as they transitioned to college and how the transition impacted self-perceived identity. In particular, this study inquired into the difficulties and successes faced by study participants, as well as strategies used for coping with the transition from their agrarian homes to their more urban university setting. Four male and four female participants attended a university situated in the Midwest and majored in agricultural education. These university participants were invited to complete two qualitative interviews, submit photographs they felt represented their home and school lives, invite the researcher to observe any facet of their university experience, and submit the most meaningful assignment completed in college. Additionally, three male and two female high school students anticipating the transition to college were interviewed about their perceptions of the upcoming transition. Analysis of research data revealed that participant identities were impacted by the transition to college, their agrarian backgrounds, and their university experiences. Twenty-three distinct codes emerged from the data and were further categorized into six patterns: merging worlds, differences and tensions, “it’s in my blood,” continuing educational legacy/impact, finding self-identity, and can I go home? This study’s results highlighted, first and foremost, the need for universities to keep statistics on rural student enrollment. Additionally, this study emphasized the need for teachers, advisors, and counselors to be mindful of students’ backgrounds and future plans. Finally, this study demonstrated the importance of exposure to more urban areas and educational opportunities for easing the transition to college in students from agricultural backgrounds.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Margaret G. Shroyer / This qualitative case study focused on 11 non-traditional, ELL, Latinas within a community-based, teacher education program. The purpose of the study was: (a) to explore the various internal characteristics and external factors that foster Latina, English language learner (ELL), non-traditional students’ resiliency in reaching and remaining in college and (b) to determine what ways these internal characteristics and external factors influenced participants’ desire to pursue and ability to persist in teacher education. The researcher utilized two primary sources of data, (1) an autobiographical, qualitative survey, and (2) individual in-depth, semi-structured interviews. As a secondary source, the researcher used academic documents to provide context for student success in the program. The internal characteristic of sense of purpose and a future (demonstrated in participants’ determination, identity, and responsibility) proved to be most protective for participants’ resiliency. Caring relationships (with the features of: consejos (advice or homilies), quality not quantity, and high expectations in the context of care) proved to be the most significant external factor for fostering participant resiliency. The study also identified the overarching emergent theme of advocacy inspired by hardship found among participant discourse. Within this theme, findings indicated that, as a result of their cultural and experiential understandings, participants were able to enact culturally responsive teaching with their Latino/a students. Furthermore, participants demonstrated a strong sense of agency to improve the education outcomes of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students and a desire to advocate specifically on behalf of ELL Latino/as students.

Master of Science / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Kevin R. Roberts / The psychological contract is comprised of the perceived obligations between two parties, such as an employee and an employer. When an individual joins an organization, the employee has a specific set of personal needs to be satisfied, which will be fulfilled by the psychological contract. Research has historically focused on the consequences of the psychological contract violations. The antecedents and the formation of the psychological contract are less known. Two types of psychological contracts exist: transactional and relational. In past research, undergraduate students enrolled in hospitality programs have indicated that transactional contracts are most important. Research has been limited on undergraduate hospitality students and their expectations of the workplace, thus the purpose of this study was to explore undergraduate hospitality students’ pre-entry career expectations. An online survey was distributed to undergraduate hospitality students at universities in the United States. Students highly ranked a safe work environment (8.7 ± 2.5), resources (7.8 ± 3.0) and equipment (7.4 ± 3.2) to do their jobs, training (8.2 ± 2.9), and job security (7.7 ± 3.1). The least important and expected items were work schedules with limited nights and weekends (2.5 ± 4.3) and working 40 or less hours per week (2.5 ± 4.1). The number of college credit hours completed and amount of work experience had the largest effects between expectations. Results of this study will assist hospitality educators in preparing students for post-graduation employment and offer industry recruiters insight into what expectations are important to new hospitality graduates.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction / Rosemary Talab / The purpose of this study was to examine student motivation in a blended learning digital literacy course and its relation to student characteristics. The study consisted of 136 student participants enrolled in a blended learning digital literacy course at a Midwestern university. The Keller ARCS Motivation Model was the theoretical framework. The Course Interest Survey was used in the study, which was designed to measure motivation using Keller ARCS categories. Data was collected through the Course Interest Survey to voluntary student participants and through data obtained from the research setting. The study examined the following research questions: Research Question 1: Do statistically significant relationships exist between non-performance student characteristics and the Keller ARCS Course Interest Survey student motivation scores in a blended digital literacy course? Research Question 2: Do statistically significant relationships exist between pre-course performance student characteristics and the Keller ARCS Course Interest Survey scores in a blended digital literacy course? Research Question 3: Do statistically significant relationships exist between post-course performance student characteristics and the Keller ARCS Course Interest Survey student motivation scores in a blended digital literacy course? To examine these relationships, the study utilized MANOVAs to analyze the student characteristics on the four categories of the Keller ARCS Motivation Model. One significant relationship was found for Confidence within Academic Rank (p < .05), between Seniors and Freshmen. Seniors reported a .4799 higher Confidence score, on average, than Freshmen. Other characteristics did not have significant relationships. The mean change in pretest and posttest scores in digital literacy on the ALTSA assessment was 6.64. Recommendations for the research setting included the use of student focus groups to better understand and increase Freshmen confidence and the Freshmen experience, a review of course design and delivery methods, an exploration of variations of blended learning models, an examination of current test-out procedures, and adjustment of the scale used in this study to provide a wider range of motivation responses. Recommendations for future studies included a qualitative study of student performance characteristics, a mixed methods study of different learning models for course delivery, and an exploratory study aimed at expanding student characteristics.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Kenneth F. Hughey / African American and Latino students continue to experience lower retention and higher attrition rates then their White counterparts. The aim of this qualitative interview study was to understand how African American and Latino students at a predominantly White institution (PWI) achieved graduation in Agriculture-STEM (A-STEM) disciplines. Based on the global need for more A-STEM and STEM professionals and the under-representation of African American and Latino students in the fields, there appeared to be a gap in the research on this population and success attributes with respect to completing undergraduate degrees. There was a tendency in the literature toward examining African American and Latino students utilizing the deficit model. This study explores the lived experiences of two African American and one Latino alumni of A-STEM programs. Understanding the life stories, via counter narratives, of these students may help universities develop stronger support for student success in college for not only African American and Latino students, but for all students in A-STEM disciplines. Critical Race Theory was the framework used for the analysis and the interpretation of the data in this study. The data consisted of interview transcripts, timeline, documents, photographs, and e-mail conversations. Communicating the findings in qualitative interview studies is the result of constructing the experiences and meanings of events through the eyes of the participants in a manner that portrays a representation of their experiences. Each participant’s counter narratives were created to highlight salient patterns reflected in their experiences. The writing around the participants’ experiences, and the interrogation of data allowed for the identification of patterns that were consistent with each participant’s stories and their individual unique details. The findings revealed: (a) ethnic minority students want faculty and administrators who looked like them because having someone to understand their experiences as people of color in PWI is needed; (b) the need for organizations that support ethnic minority student academic and social success, which in turn helps to create a sense of belongingness and a more inclusive campus climate; (c) more overall faculty support in and out of the classroom; and (d) opportunities for involvement in faculty-led research projects.

Doctor of Philosophy / Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Christy D. Craft / BeEtta L. Stoney / The United States of America’s demographic population has shifted vastly to include a “new” multiracial growing population. Multiracial individuals are those who self-identify as two or more races, which now reflects a very young population. Higher education institutions are noticing an influx of more and more multiracial individuals, and many institutions are grappling with how to recognize and to support this growing population. Specifically, higher education institutions need to understand how multiracial graduate students think about their own racial identities and how they navigate their graduate school experiences. The purpose of this research was to gain a deeper understanding of multiracial graduate students’ lived experiences. There is an imperative to understand the daily experiences of multiracial graduate students to allow these students to retell the stories of their everyday lives in graduate school. The theoretical framework used to guide this study was critical race theory. Narrative inquiry methodology was the methodology chosen to focus on the unique voices and experiences of the participants in this study. Narrative analysis was employed to make meaning of the data retrieved from self-reflective writing samples and two semi-structured individual interviews with each of three participants. The findings from this research revealed the ever-present importance of racism and colorism and their impact on racial identity, the continued challenges of the campus climate experienced by multiracial students at a predominantly White institution (PWI), the impact and influence of religion at a PWI, and how multiracial students manage different types of relationships with peers and faculty. Implications for research and practice are provided as a result of the insights gleaned through this research about the lived experiences of three multiracial graduate students at one predominantly White higher education institution.

Doctor of Education / Department of Educational Leadership / Jeff Zacharakis / Serving in the military today is a very specialized and intense experience, with the use of technology requiring dedicated training and education. The military provides much of this specialized training, but also recognizes the value of higher education for its personnel. Our military personnel are supporting our country daily and their increased time away from their home station diminishes time for their personal pursuits which, for many of them, is off-duty education. This exploratory study sought to understand the perceived barriers and goals influencing participation in postsecondary education by active duty Air Force personnel, in particular those that have served in austere, remote locations. This study used a modified version of Finks’ survey design to develop a questionnaire. The survey was administered to airmen, non-commissioned officers, and officers who were stationed at McConnell Air Force Base. Data examining motivational factors and barriers to participation in postsecondary education were analyzed using descriptive and nonparametric statistical tests. Comparative analyses were conducted based on data from the demographic portion of the survey. Goals for postsecondary participation included preparing for when they leave the military, securing professional advancement, giving them higher status in their jobs, and increasing competence in their jobs. Time was identified as a barrier, including not having time to study, taking time away from family or giving up leisure time. Some respondents indicated that the available courses did not seem interesting or that they did not enjoy studying. Other commonly reported barriers included not being able to attend class regularly or because the course was offered at an inconvenient time or location. A number of respondents also indicated that courses not being offered at remote locations was a barrier to their participation in postsecondary education. Although this was an exploratory study, the results can inform future empirical research as well as contribute to the literature focusing on personnel management. The findings from this study can be used as a first step that will allow the Air Force, postsecondary institutions and other stakeholders to enhance educational opportunities for this group and inform organizational effectiveness.

Master of Science / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Kevin L. Sauer / Satisfaction with internal communication is important in all organizations and is influenced by the quality and consistency of communication exchange. Job satisfaction is also widely studied in organizations and plays a significant role in employee behavior. Job satisfaction typically correlates with communication satisfaction across different occupations, yet little is known about the communication and job satisfaction relationship in the hospitality industry or specific foodservice organizations. This study explored multiple facets of communication and job satisfaction in a university foodservice setting using the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Abridged Job Descriptive Index. Results indicated that student employees had the highest levels of communication satisfaction (M=181.75±38.24) while classified employees reported lower communication satisfaction (M=161.00±35.04). Managers reported the lowest levels of communication satisfaction (M=156.17±30.34) and also expressed the highest job satisfaction (M=78.66±18.66). Substantial relationships between job and communication satisfaction were not clearly defined in this study; however, specific themes and opportunities for future research were discovered. Results of this study advance the knowledge about communication and job satisfaction in the foodservice environment.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Christy Craft / The purpose of this phenomenological study was to provide insight into Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) graduates’ reflections on their cooperative education (co-op) experiences and resulting career self-efficacy. Wichita State University houses a cooperative education program, the only one of its kind in the state of Kansas. This program helps students in all academic disciplines find work experiences related to their major for which they can earn academic credit, and sometimes even get paid. Engineering and business students typically identify immediate benefits of participating in cooperative education; however, LAS administrators, faculty, and students have been slower to accept and include this experience in their academic programs. The two research questions that guided this study were: (a) How do former LAS students describe their co-op experience? and (b) What did these students gain, with regard to career self-efficacy, through their co-op experience? Because LAS students may not learn skills specifically related to a career due to the general nature of an LAS degree program, the current study focuses more on the graduates’ reflections of their own experiences within co-op as well as the skills that were developed. Data analysis revealed the following nine themes: (a) resume-building and interview preparation were essential skills learned to aid in their co-op search; (b) the ability to “try out” various settings and areas of interest was experienced; (c) participants’ initial anxiety was gradually replaced with greater comfort and confidence; (d) participants were able to learn from positive as well as negative characteristics of their co-workers; (e) positive feedback, support, and networking opportunities were received from co-workers and clients; (f) interviewing confidence as well as increased resume-building skills were useful in obtaining a full-time job; (g) an increased sense of professionalism was gained, along with job-specific skills, and communication skills; (h) positive attitudes were experienced, along with a perceived ability to handle success and challenges in a new job; and (i) participants gained leadership and supervisory skills, enabling them to take on responsibility in their current full-time work after receiving their degree. It was determined that participating in cooperative education is beneficial to students and that the graduates still consider it an integral part of their college experience. The students also shared that they were able to use the skills and knowledge learned from their co-op in the job search as well as in their current full-time job. Therefore, it is determined that the study supports the idea that career self-efficacy is in fact developed by recent LAS graduates while participating in co-op.