This dissertation is comprised of three studies which examine, among other issues, racial economic disparity. The first study examines racial and gender wage gaps and considers preferences among supervisors and workers as possible sources of wage differentials. After controlling for various wage determinants, I find little statistical evidence of a racial wage gap. However, I do find evidence of a significant gender wage gap. Also, the race of an individual‟s supervisor is found to be unimportant, but workers with male supervisors are found to earn significantly higher wages than workers with female supervisors. The results reveal little evidence of employee discrimination. However, it is found that both white and male workers receive a wage premium when working for a white male supervisor. I find these results to be strongest for, and possibly driven by, small firms in the South. The second study examines the factors that Bowl Championship Series (BCS) universities use in their decision to offer athletic scholarships to high school football players. I find that a player‟s physical characteristics are important in determining the number of scholarship offers he will receive as well as his athletic performance in high school. However, a player‟s high school grade point average is not a significant determinant of the number of scholarship offers he receives. The analysis also indicates a significantly higher labor market demand for African-American high school football players, and there is also evidence of racial position segregation as well. The third study analyzes the relationship between the racial makeup of counties and economic growth and convergence in the southern U.S. The results provide strong evidence that spatial dependence is present in the data, and it is determined that the spatial lag model is appropriate for modeling the data. Significant evidence of conditional beta-convergence among the counties in the sample is found. The results also reveal that the balanced growth paths of counties are inversely related with the percentage of the county population that is African-American. That is, counties with a higher concentration of African-Americans tend to exhibit relatively slow rates of income growth.

Local Education Foundations (LEFs), non-profit organizations that are closely associated with and in support of their local schools, have become a key resource in meeting the needs of today's students in public education. The purpose of this case study is to examine two LEFs in suburban Philadelphia, identify keys to their success or failure, and discuss their impact on and struggles in helping students in their communities. The theoretical frameworks of Overlapping Spheres of Influence and the Ethic of Community are applied to gain further insight into LEFs and will support the literature and research findings. The research questions that were answered are what is the perceived impact of Local Education Foundations on students and what are key indicators of a successful Local Education Foundation. Literature regarding the origins, goals, structures, and methods of fundraising, how their funds are distributed, outcomes, benefits, and limitations is examined. Pertinent documents about selected LEFs were gathered, observations of LEF board meetings were made, and interviews were conducted with many stakeholders, including LEF members, school district personnel, families, and donors. Based on the collected data, both LEFs embodied the three traits of a successful LEF as identified in the literature. Both have also made an impact on their community through scholarships and programs. / Educational Administration

This work is a discussion between myself and a couple of different professionals in the opera industry about stage fright, the importance of preparing and the positives and negative with preparing in different ways. The essay explains the different types of auditions with focus on auditions for scholarships and how to adapt to the statutes of the scholarship without losing your artistry. It ends with a recollection of my five latest large auditions, how they went and my reflections on the result versus my preparations. They also conclude how I can work specifically moving forward since the results were vastly different with the different levels of preparation.

INTRODUÇÃO: A prevalência de depressão e ansiedade em estudantes de medicina tem proporção mundial significativa. Estudos sobre os fatores associados à esta prevalência são necessários para guiar as políticas institucionais de prevenção de doenças e promoção. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a prevalência de sintomas de depressão e ansiedade em estudantes de medicina brasileiros e sua associação com fatores pessoais e institucionais. MÉTODOS: O desenho do estudo foi transversal e multicêntrico. Os dados foram coletados entre Agosto de 2011 e Agosto de 2012, por meio de questionário sociodemográfico, o Inventário de Depressão de Beck (IDB) e o Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado (IDATE) em uma plataforma eletrônica (plataforma VERAS). Os fatores analisados em associação à prevalência de depressão e ansiedade foram: fatores pessoais (idade, sexo, condições de moradia e financeira) e fatores institucionais (anos do curso, natureza jurídica, localização e serviço de suporte). RESULTADOS: De 1.650 estudantes selecionados aleatoriamente, 1.350 (81,8%) responderam todos os questionários e foram incluídos no estudo. A prevalência de sintomas de depressão encontrada foi 41% (IDB > 9), ansiedade estado 81,7% e ansiedade traço 85,6% (IDATE > 33). Ocorreu uma correlação positiva entre os níveis de ansiedade estado (r=0,591, p < 0.001) e traço (r=0,718, p < 0.001) com os escores de depressão. Os sintomas de depressão e ansiedade foram associados positivamente com os fatores sexo feminino e localização da escola médica em capitais. Os estudantes com vulnerabilidade financeira tiveram maiores escores de ansiedade-estado, mas não ansiedade-traço e depressão. Em relação às condições de moradia, anos do curso e a natureza jurídica da escola, não foram encontras diferenças estatisticamente significantes. Os estudantes de medicina com níveis de sintomas de ansiedade e depressão mais elevados discordaram mais que seus pares com as afirmações \"Tenho acesso adequado a atendimento psicológico\" e \"Existe um bom programa de apoio para estudantes estressados\". CONCLUSÕES: A prevalência dos sintomas de depressão e ansiedade em estudantes de medicina brasileiros foi alta, principalmente em estudantes do sexo feminino e de escolas médicas localizadas em capitais. A vulnerabilidade financeira dos estudantes foi associada aos escores de ansiedade-estado e não ansiedade-traço nem depressão. A percepção do acesso ao apoio psicológico e programa de suporte foi mais negativa entre os estudantes com sintomas de depressão e ansiedade / BACKGROUND: The prevalence of depression and anxiety among medical students has significant proportions worldwide. Understanding of the factors associated with this prevalence is needed to guide institutional policies for disease prevention and health promotion. The aim of this study was to evaluate personal and training factors related to depression and anxiety prevalence of students from 22 Brazilian medical schools. METHODS: The study design is cross-sectional and multicenter with random sample of medical students from the six years of medical training. The data were collected between August 2011 to August 2012 by a electronic platform. The factors analyzed were students\' characteristics (sex, age, housing, financial inclusion programs) and Medical School\' characteristics (year of the medical program, school legal status, location and support service) in association with scores of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). RESULTS: Of 1,650 randomly selected students, 1,350 (81.8%) completed the study. The depressive symptoms prevalence was 41% (BDI > 9), state-anxiety 81.7% and trait-anxiety in 85.6% (STAI > 33). There was a positive relationship between levels of state (r=0,591, p < 0.001) and trait (r=0,718, p < 0.001) anxiety and depression scores. The depression and anxiety symptoms were positively associated with female sex and students from capital cities of both sexes. Scholarship students had higher state-anxiety but not trait-anxiety or depression. Medical students with higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms disagreed more than their peers with the statements \"I have adequate access to psychological support\" and \"There is a good support system for students who get stressed\". CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among Brazilian medical students were high and the main factors associated were female sex, school location and financial inclusion programs. Regarding to housing, legal status and years of the medical schools no significant difference was found. It is interesting that students with financial aid needs showed state-anxiety, but not depression and trait-anxiety symptoms. The perception of adequate support was more negative among students with depression and anxiety symptoms

INTRODUÇÃO: A prevalência de depressão e ansiedade em estudantes de medicina tem proporção mundial significativa. Estudos sobre os fatores associados à esta prevalência são necessários para guiar as políticas institucionais de prevenção de doenças e promoção. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a prevalência de sintomas de depressão e ansiedade em estudantes de medicina brasileiros e sua associação com fatores pessoais e institucionais. MÉTODOS: O desenho do estudo foi transversal e multicêntrico. Os dados foram coletados entre Agosto de 2011 e Agosto de 2012, por meio de questionário sociodemográfico, o Inventário de Depressão de Beck (IDB) e o Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado (IDATE) em uma plataforma eletrônica (plataforma VERAS). Os fatores analisados em associação à prevalência de depressão e ansiedade foram: fatores pessoais (idade, sexo, condições de moradia e financeira) e fatores institucionais (anos do curso, natureza jurídica, localização e serviço de suporte). RESULTADOS: De 1.650 estudantes selecionados aleatoriamente, 1.350 (81,8%) responderam todos os questionários e foram incluídos no estudo. A prevalência de sintomas de depressão encontrada foi 41% (IDB > 9), ansiedade estado 81,7% e ansiedade traço 85,6% (IDATE > 33). Ocorreu uma correlação positiva entre os níveis de ansiedade estado (r=0,591, p < 0.001) e traço (r=0,718, p < 0.001) com os escores de depressão. Os sintomas de depressão e ansiedade foram associados positivamente com os fatores sexo feminino e localização da escola médica em capitais. Os estudantes com vulnerabilidade financeira tiveram maiores escores de ansiedade-estado, mas não ansiedade-traço e depressão. Em relação às condições de moradia, anos do curso e a natureza jurídica da escola, não foram encontras diferenças estatisticamente significantes. Os estudantes de medicina com níveis de sintomas de ansiedade e depressão mais elevados discordaram mais que seus pares com as afirmações \"Tenho acesso adequado a atendimento psicológico\" e \"Existe um bom programa de apoio para estudantes estressados\". CONCLUSÕES: A prevalência dos sintomas de depressão e ansiedade em estudantes de medicina brasileiros foi alta, principalmente em estudantes do sexo feminino e de escolas médicas localizadas em capitais. A vulnerabilidade financeira dos estudantes foi associada aos escores de ansiedade-estado e não ansiedade-traço nem depressão. A percepção do acesso ao apoio psicológico e programa de suporte foi mais negativa entre os estudantes com sintomas de depressão e ansiedade / BACKGROUND: The prevalence of depression and anxiety among medical students has significant proportions worldwide. Understanding of the factors associated with this prevalence is needed to guide institutional policies for disease prevention and health promotion. The aim of this study was to evaluate personal and training factors related to depression and anxiety prevalence of students from 22 Brazilian medical schools. METHODS: The study design is cross-sectional and multicenter with random sample of medical students from the six years of medical training. The data were collected between August 2011 to August 2012 by a electronic platform. The factors analyzed were students\' characteristics (sex, age, housing, financial inclusion programs) and Medical School\' characteristics (year of the medical program, school legal status, location and support service) in association with scores of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). RESULTS: Of 1,650 randomly selected students, 1,350 (81.8%) completed the study. The depressive symptoms prevalence was 41% (BDI > 9), state-anxiety 81.7% and trait-anxiety in 85.6% (STAI > 33). There was a positive relationship between levels of state (r=0,591, p < 0.001) and trait (r=0,718, p < 0.001) anxiety and depression scores. The depression and anxiety symptoms were positively associated with female sex and students from capital cities of both sexes. Scholarship students had higher state-anxiety but not trait-anxiety or depression. Medical students with higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms disagreed more than their peers with the statements \"I have adequate access to psychological support\" and \"There is a good support system for students who get stressed\". CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among Brazilian medical students were high and the main factors associated were female sex, school location and financial inclusion programs. Regarding to housing, legal status and years of the medical schools no significant difference was found. It is interesting that students with financial aid needs showed state-anxiety, but not depression and trait-anxiety symptoms. The perception of adequate support was more negative among students with depression and anxiety symptoms

The purpose of this correlational study was to explore the relationship between the new statewide two-year financial aid program, Tennessee Promise, and college choice among high school seniors in four counties in upper Northeast Tennessee. Independent variables included GPA, concern about ability to pay for college, and plans to attend a two-year or four-year institution. The dependent variables were scored on three dimensions: cost factors, social factors, and academic factors relating to college choice. Additionally, respondents reported perceptions of Tennessee Promise related to college choice. A 22-item survey was administered to high school seniors from four counties in upper Northeast Tennessee in Spring 2017. There were 294 completed surveys, resulting in a 33% response rate. The financial nexus concept was used as the conceptual framework for the study to explore how perceived affordability influenced college choice. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, crosstabulations and one-sample chi-square tests were applied to determine whether a relationship exists between Tennessee Promise and college choice and choice of institution for students concerned with the cost of higher education. Tennessee Promise significantly impacted the decision to attend college and what type of institution to attend. Respondents’ level of concern about ability to pay was shown to have a significant relationship to the type of institution they planned to attend. Additionally, there was a significant relationship between level of concern about ability to pay and the choice to accept Tennessee Promise.

This paper presents a conceptual framework and critical considerations for the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in academic public health. Academic education for public health has undergone significant transformation over the last two decades as the demand for responsive and innovative public health pedagogy and training for preparing graduates to deploy an increasing array of skills has grown. The authors suggest that the role of schools, administrators, faculty, and educational staff in developing promising practices for teaching and learning in public health involves an articulated conceptual framework to guide the development and dissemination of scholarly, pedagogical innovations. Building on seminal philosophical foundations of SoTL, the authors conceptualize SoTL from the foundational belief that knowing and learning are communal tasks and that faculty are both scholars and learners in the practice of education. The paper advocates for SoTL as a form of engaged practice and scholarly inquiry that exists in contextually rich, diverse educational environments that abounds with uncertainty. SoTL is guided by an educational philosophy, values, and learning theories that envision educators critically examining themselves, their teaching practice, scholarly literature, and students' learning to improve their teaching, enhance learning, and promote further inquiry. The authors suggest that SoTL involves the search for multiple forms of evidence and fosters dialogues on multiple interpretations and perspectives of the most promising practices of teaching and learning. The authors advocate for the term promising practices as an outcome of SoTL that supports and nurtures ongoing scientific discovery and knowledge generation, instead of supporting the search for best-ness in teaching and learning endeavors. SoTL should occur across formal, informal, and nonformal education.

Despite the push for universal education, many disadvantaged and poor children in developing countries still do not have access to basic education. This among other reasons is due to poverty where poor families cannot afford the cost of basic education even when it is `free' of tuition (McDonald, 2007). Demand-side financing interventions such as scholarship programs are promising to be viable financing interventions of reaching out to the poor and marginalized children in order for them to access basic education. Although such financing strategies have been praised as having worked in mostly Latin American countries, very little is systematically known about how these interventions would work in poor African countries such as Malawi. This study therefore examines demand-side financing strategy through an evaluation of a scholarship program implemented in Malawi. It uses qualitative mode of inquiry through in-depth interviews of 36 key participants as a primary method of data collection. In addition it reviews program documents and conducts some cohort tracking on beneficiaries in Zomba rural district which is the site of the study. The findings show that community based targeting was used in the program and proved successful in identifying the right beneficiaries in a cost effective manner. It seems to offer a model to be adopted for such interventions in low resource countries. Findings further show that beneficiaries who received scholarships were able to persist however there was a substantial number that dropped out. There were a number of factors that caused this but it seems the internal motivation of beneficiaries to persist was very critical. This puts under the microscope an assumption that once scholarship is received, beneficiaries would persist in school. Last but not least, the findings also show that an assumption that local communities will be able to sustain such programs might be but a mere illusion as communities view themselves too poor to do this. Overall the study praises such programs as effective in targeting the poor and marginalized children however it puts a caution on assumptions about persistence & sustainability. It suggests further scrutiny on these assumptions to improve on the effectiveness of such programs and demand-side financing strategies in general.

Employing Museus’ (2014) Culturally Engaging Campus Environment framework, this mixed-method exploratory study sought to ascertain what prospective (proTSCC) and current transfer students from community colleges (TSCC) knew about nationally competitive awards and to identify factors that influenced their decision to apply. Beginning with phenomenological interviews of transfer students and alumni, their responses informed the development of an Access to Nationally Competitive Awards Scale, which was then disseminated to currently enrolled community college students who indicated intentions of transferring to a four-year institution. Transfer students from community colleges (TSCC) make up approximately 19% of enrollment at four-year institutions, yet research has shown that TSCC frequently feel unsupported and lost during and after the transfer process (Schmertz, & Carney, 2013; Tobolowsky & Cox, 2012). Nationally competitive awards (NCAs) fund a variety of opportunities, including study abroad, research, graduate school, and more (Cobane & Jennings, 2017). Currently, there is a dearth of research on NCAs, specifically in relation to access and awareness of these opportunities (Terri Heath et al., 1993). Furthermore, many NCAs require campus support, generally in the form of an institutional endorsement or nomination letter (National Association of Fellowship Advisors, n.d., Guidelines for Institutions section), which places access directly in the hands of institutions. Findings show that TSCC and proTSCC were mostly unaware of NCAs, yet they were eligible for at least one of the study exemplars and highly interested in learning more about these opportunities. Moreover, specific external, individual, and campus environment factors influenced their motivation to apply.

Athletic scholarships are approved by the athletic department and awarded by the University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. The athletic business manager was not actively involved in this procedure. The athletic business manager is the individual directly accessible to the financial figures of an athletic department. The process of approving and awarding an athletic scholarship needed to be designed. A computer program was created to aid the athletic business manager in maintaining athletic scholarship information. The computer program is flexible to allow information to be entered or deleted concerning athletic scholarships. Budget allocations for each sport, agreed upon by the athletic business manager and the Director of Athletics, are programmed into the computer. Each time information is entered, adjustments concerning total scholarship expenditures and variances between budget allocations and scholarship expenditures are made. The computer program is a good tool for the athletic business manager in justifying, maintaining, and controlling scholarship costs. The program is capable of generating numerous financial reports. The financial reports may aid the athletic business manager and the A.D. in developing budgets for future athletic scholarships. / Master of Science