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The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to investigate the in-class and out-of-class experiences of undergraduate African American traditional-aged college students who were on a "success" path at a predominantly White campus in the Midwestern USA. It provided the opportunity for the voices of the participants to be heard. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to identify thirteen research participants. A semi-structured interview format enabling conversational interview was used.Findings suggested that the students' experiences were multifaceted and multilayered. They had to contend with racial microaggressions and verbal abuse. This called on their resilience occasioning the expending of psychic energy and extending of the self to cope. The experience of racism clearly suggested that the educational environment was not totally welcoming and supportive of African Americans as, These experiences consisted of discrimination, stereotyping, verbal assaults, and treatment that suggested that the African Americans had major deficits as persons. In the second place, the students described experiences in which they defied the odds. Hence surviving and thriving became an apt metaphor that captured the contours of the experience. Respondents described the importance of investing in the Black community, utilizing the networking opportunities, fellowshipping with friends, family and faculty, and developing disciplined approaches to life as important in the quest to survive and to thrive. In the third place, they also described college as a place where their lives were sculpted, and where they were sculpted for life. This theme was expanded through descriptions depicting college as a place that allowed for the defining, refining, and redefining of the self. They also encountered and came to value diversity, benefited from immersive learning and were challenged to balance and to learn to manage their lives as efficient stewards.The finding that elevated the use of Black community organizations and networking opportunities as counter and recuperative spaces and particularly the importance of body pedagogy in those spaces has value for ongoing research. Further, in negotiating college students had to balance their lives, employing folk wisdom or practical intelligences developed from their socialization in their families and the Black community. / Department of Educational Studies

Sixty-six African American seniors at Martin University, graduating in 2002, described the activities, programs and procedures experienced at Martin University that they judged contributed to their persistence to graduation. Often the reported experiences of the graduates were similar to those of students who dropped out of college, yet these66 persisted to completion of their degree. Also, the graduating seniors suggested policies and procedures to support persistence of current and future students.As a commuter university, many important learning experiences that supported students to graduation occurred in Martin University classrooms. Well-prepared, empathetic, and competent instructors were very important in causing graduating students to realize that the university respected them as serious and worthy students and valued them as competent and determined individuals. Graduating students valued prompt, just communications with administrators concerning instructors and computer equipment.Students stated that the faculty members, other students, administrators, and Martin University as an organization had provided them with life changing experiences, differing from their off campus lives, yet shaping and adding opportunities to their off-campus lives.Responses indicated that Martin University should follow classroom and administrative procedures that cause students to earn a sense of ownership in the university. Also, the university should provide a constant flow of communications about university convocations, policies, procedures, and about changes to academic programs.Martin University must maintain and build on the policies and practices graduating seniors have found valuable. / Department of Educational Leadership

This study examined the effects of an early reading intervention with 652 students with disabilities and students at-risk of reading failure over the 2004-2005 school year. An intervention was put into place in a general education setting in Kindergarten (n=155), first (n=246) and second grade (n=251) that consisted of 30 minutes a day of explicit intensive instruction that focused on phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency in a small group setting. The intervention met the requirements of a Tier II intervention. After one school year of intervention, students who were at risk of reading failure or who were already identified as being eligible for special education services made significant progress toward predictive reading benchmarks as assessed by using DIBELS measures. The greatest gains were seen in kindergarten and first grade.This study provided evidence that the intervention was effective with students who were socio-economically at risk. Sixty-five to 80% of students in the study were eligible for free or reduced lunch and 31 to 54% were students with disabilities yet made significant progress toward reading benchmarks. The intervention seemed to ameliorate the `negative' effects of special education status or low socio-economic status. As urban schools struggle to meet AYP, this is an encouraging and welcomed development. / Department of Special Education

Cancer is devastating. Medical advances have resulted in the ability to diagnose cancer at its earliest stages and increase survivorship. Unfortunately, Black Americans possess a disproportionate cancer burden, with the highest mortality and lowest survival rate of any racial/ethnic group. Lung cancer is the most deadly, yet most treatable cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact that the healthcare education program had on healthcare students’ level of cultural development and awareness of disparities regarding Black Americans and tobacco cessation. In light of the data substantiating that health disparities stem from a combination of racial and ethnic inequities in the access of the healthcare system, healthcare professionals’ low levels of cultural development, and the missed opportunities for promoting Black American tobacco cessation, the following questions were developed to frame the research: Research Question #1: How will the level of healthcare students’ cultural development change as a result of a healthcare education program? This question corresponds to the following hypotheses being tested in this study: Methods to answer this question included evaluation of findings from 1) comparison of pre and post-program Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals – Revised (IAPCC-R) mean scores by degree of study and by gender; and 3) comparison of pre and post-program Tobacco Cessation Assessment (TCA) mean scores by degree of study and by gender. Research Question #2: What is the relationship between cultural competence and increased awareness of disparities regarding Black Americans and tobacco cessation? Methods utilized to answer this question included evaluation of findings from comparison of results of knowledge gains in TCA vs. IAPCC-R mean scores, including using the Pearson’s correlation coefficient to determine existence and strength of the relationship. Findings were 1) level of cultural development increased; 2) awareness of disparities regarding Black Americans and tobacco cessation increased; and 3) weak, but statistically significant relationship between higher level of cultural development and increased awareness of disparities regarding Black Americans and tobacco cessation. This study could serve as a model for future partnerships with researchers, faculty, and healthcare professionals, linking pre-profession preparation with continuing professional education. / Department of Educational Studies

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2007. / Abstract. Vita. Includes survey instrument (HESSS). Includes bibliographic references (ℓ. 126-150)