Graduate Students
2007-2008 Thesis Projects
Money: a blessing or a curse? An in-depth analysis of emotions associated with money in graduate students.
This research investigates the way graduate students at East Tennessee State University feel about their finances and what it means to be a graduate student. People encounter money in their daily lives, it cannot be escaped; this study explores the unique relationship that post-baccalaureate students have with debt, how they talk about it and how they experience student loans in their daily lives. Graduate school is an interesting stage in some people’s lives, because most people will experience it at different times and stages of their lives, therefore the graduate student experience is unique for every person. This study is ground-breaking in that it takes a close look at the individual experience of graduate students. Though all experiences are personal, this study finds commonalities in the stories of graduate students and delves deeply into the experiences, struggles and joys of being a graduate student at a small, regional university.
Adult Texting In Context: Exploring Norms for Mature Users of Text-Messaging Technologies
An online survey exploring the patterns of adult text-message use was completed by 150 traditional college age young adults ages 18-24 and 171 adults ages 25-73. Because youth traditionally are among the first group to adopt new communication technologies, much research has been conducted among the adolescent and young adult population regarding the prevalence and importance of text-messaging, however, a research deficit exists regarding adult text-message use. Data gathered from this survey were categorized and analyzed for emergent content regarding the use of text-messaging and the prevalence of this technology in adults’ lives.
An Examination of Changing Perceptions of Singlehood
In a patriarchal society where women are viewed as a weaker sex and are compelled by ideology and social norms to attach themselves to men through romantic relationships and the institution of marriage, how do never-married women fare? In particular, how do never-married women over the age of 30 navigate a social world where there is constant pressure to marry? This study explores the social experiences of never married women over 30 residing in Eastern Tennessee.
2006-2008 Applied Projects
The Workforce Investment Act: A Closer Look
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA), established in 1998, provides services for in-school youth, out-of school youth and adults and displaced workers. The primary goal of my internship was to increase the knowledge and awareness of different concepts in math, reading and work readiness to students who were enrolled in the program at Science Hill High School. At the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year, I assisted the youth coordinator with the enrollment process, during which I noticed that the eligibility requirements of the program restrict certain people from entering the program who may benefit from the program. This observation led to the development of a qualitative study to examine the impact of the certification process on students’ perceptions of the program.
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP): Davy Crockett College Center Review
The GEAR UP program is a competitive grant that supports early college awareness at the local and state levels. This grant creates partnerships between universities and high-poverty, disadvantaged middle schools; the partnerships encourage the students to graduate high school and to attend college. GEAR UP partnerships begin in the sixth or seventh grade and continue until the students graduate from high school. GEAR UP is a six-year grant that includes activities such as: comprehensive mentoring, tutoring, counseling, after-school programs, summer academic and enrichment programs, and college visits. These activities are designed to help students not only reach high school but to graduate from high school and to attend college. GEAR UP also helps students by assisting them with the academic coursework that will prepare them for the college entrance requirements. Information is also provided to the students and parents concerning college and financial aid resources. In Year 1 of GEAR UP funding, a college center was created at Davy Crockett High School. The college center’s primary focus is to be a facilitating agent to help prepare students for college. This internship project focused on creating and then evaluating the effectiveness of the college center, primarily by interviewing Davy Crockett High School students.
Internship Placement Report: Based on a comprehensive needs assessment conducted for the Rural Areas Development Association, Inc. (RADA) of Southwest Virginia, 2007-2008
The Rural Areas Development Association, Inc. (RADA), is a community action agency serving three counties and a city in Southwest Virginia. The organization’s primary funding, the Federal Community Services Grant, requires that a comprehensive needs assessment be conducted every three years. A needs assessment is used to set an organization’s priorities based on the needs that exist in a given area. I executed a telephone survey and focus groups to measure the extent of a variety of needs in RADA’s service area. I chose to use these two methods to reach a broad part of the population. The telephone survey allowed me to collect quantitative data from a large amount of people, while the focus groups provided more in-depth information from small groups conversing on questions. Topics addressed through these methods included housing, employment, education, energy, self-sufficiency, and childcare.