Abstract available in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education.

<p>The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how school leaders are assisting at-risk students in urban schools develop social capital. It sought to understand specifically what strategies they perceive as useful for developing social capital with students. This study’s findings are significant to the field of education in providing educational leaders the strategies other urban principals are using to support the development of social capital for their students. Schools need to recognize all the different ways they contribute to helping students achieve academic success. One of the most significant benefits a school can offer students, in addition to academic rigor, is preparation for facing the social and emotional challenges of life. This instrumental case study focused on five former Principal of the Year (POY) recipients from urban secondary (grades 6-12) school environments to maximize the quality and experienced practice of the leaders being studied. The urban school settings were all categorized as predominantly diverse (high minority composition and/or low socioeconomic status). Three assertions resulted from the study:</p> <p>●Principals must have a clear and communicated vision of excellence for all within the community and implement systems and structures that consistently support the mission, vision, and values of a student-centered school. </p> <p>●Principals must consistently find ways to foster collaborative, trusting, relationships with and between members of the school and local community.</p> <p>●Principal and staff within the school must consistently model, create, and nurture opportunities for students to grow and find uses for their social networks.</p> <p>The results of this study may offer school principals specific strategies they can use to positively impact the growth of social capital within their schools.</p> <p><br></p>

The present thesis is an investigation into the impact and role of formal peer mentoring programmes as retention and enrichment strategies within UK Higher Education. Reviews of the literature highlighted several limitations within the empirical evidence for benefits of mentoring schemes. This thesis systematically evaluated the availability and impact of peer mentoring schemes within UK Higher Education. Firstly, a new measure of wellbeing was constructed and validated in student samples. A UK wide survey of 94 Universities supported the notion of increasing popularity of formal peer mentoring schemes and demonstrated the perceived benefits of peer mentoring as a retention strategy. Employing a theoretically driven longitudinal methodology a controlled comparison between first year students’ attending a UK university with a peer mentoring scheme versus a university without a peer mentoring scheme further substantiated the benefits of peer mentoring. Those within the peer mentoring university were three times less likely to think of dropping out of university, were coping better with the transition to university and were better adapted to university life: an important predictor in intention to leave. The relationship between peer mentoring and intention to leave was mediated by integration in university as proposed by Jacobi (1991). In support of the ‘buffering’ hypothesis existence of peer mentors moderated the relationship between predicted changes in social support, affect and self esteem during the transition to university. Within the fourth research study of first year students at a Scottish university; attitudes towards the introduction of a peer mentoring scheme within a university without such a scheme was investigated. Results indicated a positive perception of mentoring, with no student stating that they would not seek advice from a peer mentor if one was available. Although individuals who were experiencing greater levels of stress and homesickness were more likely to indicate they would use a peer mentor demographic variables did not differentiate between individuals who wanted peer mentors and those who felt less need. The most important attributes of a peer mentor for this sample of 158 first year students were commitment to the scheme and listening skills. Finally the impact of formal peer mentoring schemes within Higher Education was assessed from the perspective of the mentor, employing a qualitative (focus group) methodology at a university with an established peer mentoring scheme. Multiple benefits were indicated including personal, emotional, and academic advantages of becoming a mentor. All of the mentors within this study highlighted numerous motives for becoming a mentor although most important was their own previous experience (negative and positive) of the peer mentoring scheme. The results of each study are discussed in line with previous literature, limitations of the research and suggestions for future research. This thesis concludes that formal peer mentoring schemes can have a positive impact on the mentees, mentors and institutions involved and specifies nine recommendations for policy and practice.

This study was designed to analyze student wellness behaviors. The goal was to provide meaningful discussion regarding which behaviors students at a top ten university are engaging in and how that may contribute to their ability to thrive academically. Variables such as gender, year enrolled, and GPA were analyzed to arrive at recommendations on how students personally interested in maximizing their academic performance and ability to thrive on campus could incorporate behaviors that have been successful for their peers into their daily routines. Student development theory was also a component of this study. Undergraduate and graduate student wellness behaviors were comparatively analyzed to better comprehend wellness behaviors throughout the stages of enrollment. The study was designed to analyze what phase of development, through the lens of self-authorship, students were engaging in an effort to articulate how these top ten university students are "making their own ways." This study found that top ten university students are more positioned to thrive academically and perhaps beyond based on their engagement in wellness behaviors. The study also found that there are relationships among the variables gender, year enrolled, and GPA and specific wellness constructs such that different groups of students require different programmatic options. Based upon these findings, recommendations are offered for the incorporation of various wellness programmatic pieces into a university's academic and extracurricular services. Recommendations for other top ten Universities are offered, as well as ways in which non top ten Universities can innovatively adapt programs to support student wellness development with limited human and financial resources.