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Best practices for supporting homeless youth achieve academic success
No full textCalifornia has amassed a vast and growing population of homeless people. There exists a need to discuss the more significant generational impact that homelessness presents for students in secondary schools and to develop strategic planning to dismantle cyclical homelessness. Currently, there is an alarming trend in the number of youths who are experiencing homelessness. While much research in the past observed families experiencing housing instability, there are also burgeoning patterns of youth who are enrolled in high school, yet are becoming homeless due to running away from home. Both nationally and in California, youth are running away from their families and foster care and cyclically falling into homelessness because of the lack of resources available. In addition, they are more susceptible to experiencing human trafficking, mental illness, substance abuse, arrests, and chronic absenteeism from school because their focus becomes survival. This study examines the relationship, if any, between homeless youth and their attainment of academic success. Specifically analyzed in this research were the structures of schools and the leaders charged with developing equitable systems to ensure retention and graduation for youth experiencing housing instability. Utilizing Appreciative Inquiry as a framework in this qualitative phenomenological research, educators were empowered to reflect on their current practices and discuss the possibilities for future strategies schools could enact strategically and systemically to help more youth experiencing homelessness obtain a high school diploma. Additionally, this study involved high schools, the roles of educators appointed to homeless youth, understanding the structures of schools, and gatekeeping that upholds privilege and denies ensuring students’ social mobility to thrive in academic spaces, how schools can academically support homeless youth by listening to the students and families experiencing inconsistent housing and those that have direct service with this population and can attest to how funding and support should be allocated, namely for mental health and wraparound services, an onsite case manager, and a service provider directory updated semi-annually
Marooned: a Western Frontier Dismal Swamp Narrative
No full textMarooned: A Western Frontier Dismal Swamp Narrative centers the erased figure of Samuel Mars, a lost Black station master whose movements through the Great Dismal Swamp have been excluded from dominant Underground Railroad cartographies. Here, the term “Marooned” refers not to abandonment, but to the maroon geographies of Black and Indigenous resistance encoded in land, lineage, and fugitive infrastructure.
Guided by Diasporic Maroon Memory Theory, Lineage as Method, and the Maroon Geographies Framework, this research reconstructs Mars’s trajectory through oral testimony, spatial patterning, and ancestral land memory. Rather than casting the Dismal Swamp merely as a site of refuge, this work positions it as an operational corridor of maroon resistance, a space where cosmological knowledge, ecological intuition, and strategic concealment converge. Through a Black-Indigenous interpretive lens, the research surfaces submerged geographies and behavioral codes embedded within slave testimonies, often overlooked by Western historical frameworks.
These original methodologies together reveal maroonage not only as flight from enslavement but as a sophisticated knowledge system, a spatial technology rooted in kinship, spiritual inheritance, and freedom-making. The narrative reframes the swamp as a living epistemic site where insurgent geographies remain active across generations through memory, naming, and land. Ultimately, this paper restores the Dismal Swamp as an intellectual and tactical center of Black and Indigenous resistance. It contributes to Black Studies, curriculum theory, and decolonial historiography by proposing scalable methods to map erased freedom logics across the African Diaspora
Proposing Augmented Reality Game-Based Learning for Higher Education
No full textSimulating the role of an instructional technologist, negotiation takes place to implement the AR technology for use in a higher education institution. There are arguments both for and against the use of augmented reality for higher education. Overall, examining and highlighting these arguments to make an important decision that will shape learners\u27 future. Using BATNA and examining arguments during the negotiation process
Emergent leadership: a study of Ethiopian and Eritrean diaspora leaders
No full textThis study explores the lived experiences of young Ethiopian and Eritrean diaspora leaders in the United States who have been recognized by others as embodying emergent leadership. The research was inspired by the firsthand observations of a gap in leadership representation and recognition among first- and second-generation East African diaspora young adults, particularly those navigating bicultural identities and intergenerational tension. Guided by Borderland Theory (Anzaldúa, 1987) and Emergent Leadership Theory (Bormann, 1972; Mumford et al., 2002), the study explored how young adult Ethiopian and Eritrean diaspora members in the United States, nominated as embodying emergent leadership by their communities, experience and navigate differing cultural and community expectations. Employing a generic qualitative research design, the study interviewed 15 participants (ages 25-40) across multiple U.S. states who had been identified by others as community leaders. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic coding rooted in four analytic categories: Identity in the Borderlands, Cross-Cultural Navigation, Stepping into Leadership, and Choosing How to Lead.
Participants’ emergent leadership arose from navigating bicultural identity, intergenerational tension, and unmet community needs. Leadership emerged in liminal spaces through cultural translation, early role-taking, and relational trust. Their values emphasized humility, collaboration, and sustainability. Without formal authority, they led responsively—embodying adaptive, context-driven leadership forged in the complexities of diasporic life.
The study recommends leadership frameworks that recognize diasporic complexity and calls for more culturally responsive support for emergent leaders in immigrant communities. Future research should examine bicultural leadership longitudinally, cross-culturally, and transnationally
Mentorship: the impact on defining identity for women veterans after the military
No full textThe purpose of this study was to explore the potential impact that mentorship can have on women veterans to achieve success and define their identity after the military. This study examined women\u27s veteran stories: self-identity, personal narrative, challenges, personal and professional development, physical challenges, sources of motivation, and purpose by addressing their needs as they transition into the civilian sector. Interviews were conducted with a diverse group of 15 women veterans to gather data. This group of women veterans were in different life stages during their transition from the military. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed for further investigation and revealed that women veterans navigating post-military transitions benefit most from three interrelated forms of support: reflective exchange through shared experiences, emotionally safe environments for healing, and structured peer-based mentorship that fosters identity reclamation. The thesis examined the barriers, opportunities, and potential for the positive impact of mentorship on women veterans
The effects of exposure to war & attachment disruption on children of war leading to negative mental health outcomes
No full textChildren of war tend to endure abuse, witness deaths, killings, and sexual violence, and are also often coerced into committing violent acts. They are subjected to exposure to war-related traumas and as a result often become displaced from their primary caregiver and attachment figure and this relationship is disrupted. The primary aim of this systematic review was to explore the negative mental health outcomes in children of war into adulthood following attachment disruption and exposure to war. It also aimed to examine what protective factors mitigated these negative mental health outcomes and whether outcomes and protective factors varied according to culture. This review posed the questions: (1) are exposures to war and disruptions in attachment among children of war related to adult mental health outcomes? (a) do these mental health outcomes vary by cultural orientation (collectivistic vs. individualistic)? (2) what are protective factors that mitigate negative adult mental health outcomes among children of war? (a) do these protective factors vary by culture (collectivistic vs. individualistic)? A textual narrative synthesis approach revealed that childhood exposure to war and disruptions in attachment are strongly associated with adverse adult mental health outcomes. Additionally, protective factors such as social support and positive attachment experiences can mitigate these negative effects. Psychopathology was a common outcome among children of war regardless of whether individuals came from collective cultures or individualistic cultures
Reflection & reciprocity: the role of community in the career decision-making processes of indigenous & non-indigenous college students
No full textThis dissertation explores the complex role of community in the career decision-making of college students. Our career decisions impact our life in many ways; individualistic cognitive models provide some insight but miss the important relationships and interaction we have with our communities and the role of culture. Through 45 interviews across a primary sample and two contrast samples with public university college students and student service professionals, this research revealed two key processes in how we utilize community in our career decision-making, reflection & reciprocity. The data resulted in a Community-Embedded Career Decision-Making Model showcasing the process of “how” we incorporate community into our career choice. Distinct characteristics of the relationship with community are identified for Indigenous students with a subsequent model highlighting the interconnectedness of people and place, the moderation of culture, the role of Elders, and the enhanced process of reciprocity. This research provides empirical data and extensions of multiple career development theories including social cognitive career theory, the relational theory of work, and the spatio-relational model of career development. The models created through this research provide insight and tools for student support professionals and human resource professionals to better support career decision-making. This research honors and uplifts Indigenous ways of knowing, understanding that these communal processes have been embraced by cultures for millennia, adding this important voice to career development and business conversations
Exploring the perception and experiences of California female superintendents
Get PDFWhen examining the modern-day gender distribution of the American K-12 public school district superintendent role, women remain underrepresented at 26.7% (Tienken, 2021). Based on the model of superintendents ascending from the teacher and principal workforce, the educational pipeline is robust, with 77% female teachers and 56% female principals (Irwin et al., 2023; National Center for Education Statistics, 2023). Factors preventing a higher percentage of female teachers from attaining the superintendency are unknown, and there is a need for a better understanding of the barriers female educators face as aspiring superintendents. California is second in the U.S. for female superintendent representation, with 45% of women in the role during the 2023-24 school year (California Department of Education, 2023; White, 2023). Therefore, this qualitative phenomenological study conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 California female K-12 superintendents to explore their lived experiences and document their career pathways from classroom teacher to superintendent. Utilizing Lave and Wenger’s (1991) theory of situated learning and subsequent framework of communities of practice, research questions were designed to identify influential support mechanisms, including sponsorship and mentorship, and barriers the women experienced while ascending to the superintendency. Overall findings included (a) connecting and learning with others, (b) the importance of networks and mentors, (c) an insider pathway to the superintendency, (d) the presence of societal bias, (e) the challenges of educator retention and being underestimated, (f) self-imposed barriers, (g) access to opportunities, power and influence as benefits of mentorship and sponsorship, (h) professional growth and leadership development, (i) industry conferences and data consumption as a means of ongoing development, and (j) the critical need for personal systems of support. Conclusions supported were (a) participation in professional networks to connect and learn with xii others, (b) the persistence of societal perceptions and bias, (c) lack of recognition and having one’s competence underestimated as barriers for aspiring female superintendents, (d) the power of mentorship and sponsorship, and (e) use of social learning spaces for growth and development. Finally, the study provided recommendations to improve female superintendent representation, enhance administrative credentialing curricula, create superintendent induction programs with job-embedded professional learning, and expand national research
Corporate soft power strategy in shaping global influence: a case study of Microsoft
Get PDFSoft power, defined as the ability to attract and persuade through appeal and influence rather than coercion, has emerged as a critical component in the arsenal of global corporations navigating the complexities of the interconnected world. This study, using Microsoft as a case, delves into the realm of soft power in global corporations. Drawing upon qualitative methodology, this study aims to uncover the nuanced factors contributing to global corporation soft power prowess. Key areas of investigation include organizational culture and communication, corporate branding, corporate social responsibility, emerging technological applications, global branding strategies, and leadership approaches. Through an analysis of these factors, the study aims to offer valuable insights into how multinational corporations employ soft power to forge significant connections, influence perceptions, and further their objectives across diverse cultural and geographical landscapes. This is done with the aim of appealing to a global audience, setting themselves apart from competitors, and strengthening cohesion among clients and stakeholders.
Through a comprehensive analysis of soft power strategies, this case study not only contributes to the academic understanding of soft power dynamics within global corporations but also offers practical implications for businesses seeking to enhance their influence and effectiveness in an increasingly interconnected world
Educational Policies Impacted by the Utilization of AI
Get PDFThe integration of Artificial Intelligence into educational policies has ushered in a new era of technological advancement and transformation in global education policies. As AI continues to expand, there is a growing need for educational policies that govern its utilization to ensure responsible implementation. This paper aims to explore the impact of AI utilization on educational policies, supported by economic theories and academic resources. With the rise of AI technology, there is an urgent call for regulatory frameworks that uphold ethical standards and safeguard against its misuse as there are currently no real educational policies surrounding AI. Within the realm of global education, where students, faculty, and staff all rely on the educational system for their daily lives, the development of these policies is necessary. Economic theories, such as trade-offs and market efficiency, provide valuable insights into the economic implications of AI integration into the field of education. By analyzing economic principles, policymakers can better understand the costs and benefits of AI utilization, as well as its potential to drive innovation and enhance productivity. Also, policies that promote ethical AI frameworks, continuous monitoring and improvement, global collaboration, and data privacy are essential for ensuring the effective utilization of AI in the field of education. Through evidence-based educational policies and lifelong learning initiatives, policymakers can address economic disparities and promote access to AI-driven educational resources. Overall, this paper aims to explain the economic implications of integrating AI into global educational policies and provide recommendations for policymakers to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape