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  A Different World: Examining Burnout in Live-On Residence Life Professionals

  Lexi Adams

  Higher education is faced with financial struggles, causing institutions to cut staff. In turn, the remaining staff take on additional work and projects. This research applies more to entry level professionals. For student affairs staff who live on campus and work and housing and residence life, they are in a different world than their colleagues who do not live in or live on campus. With additional work and a lack of work-life balance, housing and residence life professionals speak up about how they feel “burnt out.” This increases turnover rates at institutions and decreases the number of professionals in the field. Burnout can have an impact on mental, emotional, and physical health leading folks to experience emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased feelings of personal accomplishment in their work. The purpose of this study is to examine reported levels of burnout in live on residence life professionals. More specifically, it aims to see if there is a difference between reported levels of burnout for different gender identities. For this research project, I took a quantitative approach distributing the Maslach Burnout Inventory for Educators Survey which included 22 questions. I also asked three demographic questions including gender identity, geographical region, and institution type. Results suggest these professionals, particularly those that identify as a woman, experience high levels of burnout.

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  Analyzing the Correlation Between Financial Aid and Graduation Rates at a Small, Private, Liberal-Arts Institution

  Adam Lohrey

  This research investigates the connections between risk factors for persistence at a small, private, midwestern institution (Wilmington College). The primary objective was to identify students with a high financial risk of withdrawal based on known risk factors at the time of enrollment while tracking rates of graduation from each risk-identified cohort. While this study establishes one performance-based control group with regard to academic readiness, additional controls can be applied including behavioral characteristics to better understand the attitudinal impact on persistence as identified by unique institutional identity. Understanding all existing risk factors to attrition is a necessary reality for those charged with improving student retention at a college or university. The existence of a tool to specifically measure one primary risk factor can only help isolate specific risks prior to a student’s withdrawal from the institution. Financial need as indicated by the student’s EFC can significantly impact retention and graduation rates for students in similar incoming first-time full-time freshmen academic cohorts at a small, private, 4-year liberal arts college. The desired outcome of this study is to inform future enrollment and retention actions at similar peer institutions based on the known correlation between ability to afford and rate of graduation.

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  Developing, Implementing and Evaluating a Nutrition Intervention for Adolescents at Wright Brothers Middle School.

  Kathleen Curran, Madalynn Eads, Caroline Grannan, Jessica Moore, Julia Muccio, Addy Nichols, Dana Roscoe, Abby Sibley, Haley Stewart, Taylor Stewart, Hannah Waters

  In the US, overall dietary habits of adolescents promote obesity and chronic disease. For example, data from national sources indicated that less than 10% of adolescents consume the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables per day with the majority exceeding the recommendations for saturated fat, sugar and calories. In the adolescent population, various individual, social, environmental and political factors influence dietary behavior. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to examine factors contributing to dietary behavior in a small cohort of adolescents attending an after-school program at Wright Brothers Middle School, a Dayton Public School. Guided by the Social-Ecological Model, University of Dayton students enrolled in Community Nutrition, completed a community needs assessment to identify dietary-related issues and contributing factors in middle school students. The information gained from the needs assessment was used to inform the development and implementation of a culturally-appropriate intervention to address identified nutrition issues in the target adolescent population. The intervention was implemented during the after-school program at Wright Brothers Middle School. Using various data collection instruments and methods, the intervention process and impact was evaluated. In the future, the evaluation will be used to revise the intervention, if needed. The intervention protocol and materials will be provided to the coordinators and teachers of the after-school program for future use.

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  Examining the Critical Consciousness Heightening of Black Male Teachers: Imperatives for Social Justice Orientation Development

  Abdine Lewis

  Paramount to closing the student achievement gap is having a teaching force that reflects the racial and ethnic identities of the students. Black male representation in our nation’s schools may improve the success not only of Black boys but of all students because of the chance to engage with perspectives that may be different from one's own. Nevertheless, staffing Black male teachers has historically been a challenge for many school districts which is indicated by the dismal two percent of Black males who teach nationally (Whitfield, 2019). Despite this, some Black males are motivated to join the teaching force in order to address issues of social justice (Hudson, 2017). However, very little is known about how Black male teachers develop a critical consciousness, an important component to a social justice orientation. This study uses a phenomenological approach to understand the experiences that were essential for a sample of Black male teachers to develop a critical consciousness, and how critical consciousness influenced their decision to become a teacher. The results of this study may be used to inform the practices of teachers, faculty, and student affairs professionals who are involved with the preparation and recruitment of Black male teachers.

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  Exploring Factors Affecting Decision-Making in Recruiting College Student-Athletes

  Kyle F. Butz, Turner Cook, Andrew Lutgens, Jakob H. Rosati

  For this study, we focus on factors that affect student-athletes’ decision to the University of Dayton. We want to answer two questions: 1) what are the key determining factors driving student-athletes to attend the University of Dayton; 2) do these factors differ by gender? Our research will provide information about what factors matter most when the student-athletes decide to come to UD. These factors can be both internal (e.g. proximity to home) and external (e.g. overall climate). We also plan to examine what UD does differently as opposed to other universities and the differences in their recruiting strategies. With a focus on gender, we will see if there are gender-based differences in recruitment process. We plan to send the survey to at least 100 student-athletes and the results will be presented at the symposium.

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  Exploring gender differences in sport-related job experiences

  Jess Marie Cheer, Jordyn Alexis Mitchell, Anthony Liam Mulherin, Tessa J. Shade

  Our research focuses on examining the gender equality issues in sports industry. We will conduct interviews and surveys with students in sport management major at the University of Dayton on their internship experience. Specifically, we will be asking them questions about their application process, job opportunities, intern duties, job satisfaction, and any gender-based biases/treatments they recognized/experienced while participating in their internship programs. The study is expected to help us more critically understand the gender differences in sport-related careers and to create a more inclusive workplace. The study is currently in progress and findings will be reported at the symposium.

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  "Get Up, Stand Up": Using Culturally Responsive Strategies to Empower Girls in Malawi, Africa

  Jordan K. Bailes, Lakesha M. Fountain

  Women in Malawi are faced with more challenges and pressures from society than their male counterparts. According to USAID.gov, Malawi has the eight highest child marriage rate in the world and is ranked 173 out of 188 on the Gender Inequality Index (GII). Due to these high rates of child marriage and inequality, young women are facing higher rates of gender based violence and teenage pregnancy. In Malawi, Determined to Develop is an NGO that works collaboratively with the Malawian community to identify needs and create solutions, primarily through a British-based education system. NGO’s in Africa often use their white, eurocentric culture to educate students through the NGO’s culture, often disregarding the students cultural capital and funds of knowledge. One of Determined to Develop’s main projects is a Girls Empowerment program that targets young women in the community and seeks to further develop them through activities and non-formal education designed to empower these women to advocate for themselves.Through a partnership with Determined to Develop (NGO), education programs can combine academic and activist voices to prepare young women as agents of change. This research seeks to develop agency and identity in young Malawian women through the Girls Empowerment Program by incorporating culturally responsive pedagogy into curriculum focusing on activism.

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  Historical 4th Downs and Win Probability Models in the NFL

  Jacob Speller

  Due to the rise of analytics in the NFL, teams go for it on 4th down more often than in past history. Teams like the Baltimore Ravens have adapted the philosophy of being more aggressive on 4th down, other teams still are more resistance to this change. Coaches may defend the decisions, statistics like win probability and estimated points added disagree. Using statistical models, this study includes all NFL 4th downs from 2014-19 with games within 21 points at the time of the play. The research will demonstrate when it warrants more aggressive behavior dependent on the situation, such as down and distance, score, time, or location of game, to enhance their chances of winning games.

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  Identity and Leadership: The Conceptualization of Black Female Undergraduate Development

  Rheja Taylor

  As institutions continue to enroll and prepare Black female undergraduate students for professional success, intersectionality of identity is essential to understanding the foundation of leadership development and practice. This study explores the lived experiences of Black female Undergraduate students’ leadership development and identifies the impact intersectionality has on defining values, expectations and principles. This study aims to analyze major themes that arise from how Black female undergraduate students conceptualize their race and gender as it relates to defining their leadership philosophy with intent to inform mentors, advisors, and future theoretical practice on elevating and advocating spaces that are inclusive to intersectional difference. Using a qualitative approach, the common themes that arose from the research were evaluated and analyzed from an intensive one-hour interview exploring past leadership experiences, the impact of other leaders and personal challenges and anecdotes. The findings from this research answer two research questions (1) how students conceptualize the foundation of their leadership and (2) how intersectionality impacts leadership development. The results explore themes such as code switching, stereotypes and bias that have the power to both challenge and empower strength in Black female leadership.

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  Interrelationship of Alcohol Use and Masculinity Development for Nontraditionally Masculine College Students

  Justin Lyons

  This study sought nuanced, developed voices to demonstrate how individual experience of developing masculinity through a nondominant identity was interrelated with their alcohol use. Participants represent marginalized voices in the conversation of masculinity, specifically gay and bisexual, transman, trans femme, and non-binary participants. Participants grappled with masculinity from a nondominant lens, representing unique experiences not wholly captured by existing literature. Participants’ growth and change in gender identity largely correlated with changes in alcohol use. I found that alcohol served multiple purposes in guiding participants toward an individual sense of masculinity. Participants used alcohol as a means of suppressing emotions, conforming with masculine norms, and lowering inhibitions to break from masculine norms. Participants also made connections between traditionally masculine drinking spaces as contrasted with drinking spaces that decenter that experience, such as queer and women’s drinking spaces. While participants largely do not conform to traditional norms of masculinity, as college students, their experiences, at least externally, fit into the dominant experience. As practitioners, we must create space for students to move between identity groups and approach men from both a collective and individualistic perspective.

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  Is There a Relationship between Breakfast Nutrient Quality and Academic Performance?

  Maura N. Hohl

  Breakfast is considered to be the most important meal of the day by health professionals. Americans are recommended to eat a nutritious breakfast in the morning to fuel them for their busy schedules ahead. Many studies have reported the benefits of eating a well-balanced breakfast including having a lower BMI, meeting micronutrient needs earlier in the day, being more physically active, and even improving academic performance (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2018). The American Dietary Guidelines recommend five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables a day to promote a healthy individual in meeting their nutrient needs. However, according to the American College Health Association, only 5% of both female and male college students are meeting the daily recommendation of five servings of fruits and vegetables a day (2018). This suggests that college students are not meeting their daily fruit and vegetable needs, possibly due to their lack of nutrient quality breakfast, which could hinder their academic performance. This research study will measure whether there is a relationship between the breakfast nutrient quality and academic performance of the University of Dayton (UD) students. UD students will be electronically surveyed on breakfast consumption, quality of breakfast (breakfast choices), college class-level, and cumulative Grade Point Average. Once data are collected, the data will be analyzed, and conclusions will be drawn. In the final report, the limitations of the study will also be discussed.

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  Male-Identified Students and Campus Mental Health Services

  Sean McCarthy

  Previous studies have examined mental health on college campuses (American College Health Association, 2019; Center for Collegiate Mental Health, 2015). While there is an increased awareness of mental health concerns among male-identified students, there is a lack of research on male-identified students’ usage rates of campus mental health services as well as what services male-identified students deem as the most effective for their needs. To better understand male-identified students’ usage of campus mental health services and resources and what services and resources are most effective for their needs, male-identified students at the University of Dayton were surveyed. The survey concluded that male-identified students use campus mental health services and resources at a mixed rate and would like to see reduced waiting times and increased staffing at the University of Dayton Counseling Center. Based on the research conclusions, strategies for encouraging male-identified students to use mental health services and resources when they have a mental health concern and recommendations for what services and resources are most effective are provided.

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  Motivations and Constraints for Fan Attendance at Sporting Events: A Case Study of the NCAA First Four Games

  Sam Taro Banke, John M. Barrett, Emily Rose Fritz, Tom Jebron Graf, Matthew Joseph Green

  Fans are motivated to attend sporting events for a variety of different factors. These motivations may vary depending on the level of competition, the location the event is being held, and the demographic that makes up an area’s fan base. Our study will investigate the most prevalent factors that motivate fans to attend sporting events. The research will consist of a survey given to University of Dayton students, faculty, fans, and residents of Dayton who have interest in attending sport events. This survey will allow us to determine variables that most commonly motivate individuals to attend the First Four games, which may be unique because these games do not include the presence of University of Dayton’s men’s basketball team. We believe the results of this study can be useful for arenas who host neutral site events similar to the First Four.

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  Number Sense in Every Color

  Jordan Trenkamp

  Identify the importance of getting creative in your classroom especially with number sense. Students need multiple ways to learn how to engage in number sense and understand numbers. This presentation identifies the who, what, why, and how of strategies that help students better understand number sense.

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  Physiology Understanding (PhUn) Week

  Jenna Sorensen

  Physiology Understanding Week (PhUn Week) is a nationwide outreach program. Beginning in 2005 as a small-scale pilot program launched by the American Physiological Society (APS) in four states, PhUn Week has steadily expanded to connect thousands of scientists and local school children every year. During the pilot phase, the theme focused on the physiology of exercise and fitness, with students looking at heart rate respiration, muscle contractions, and the cardiovascular system. PhUn Week fosters partnerships between researchers and K-12 teachers and students and brings increased representation to the field of physiology. It was designed with the goals of increasing student interest in and understanding of physiology, increasing teacher recognition of physiology in their science curriculum, and introducing students to possible careers in physiology. We want to foster curiosity in students and give them an “inside look” at what research can be about at a university and how important physiology is to all of us.The theme for this year’s PhUn Week is stress, specifically looking at the nervous system and stress (while still broadly introducing other systems to the students). As stress and components of the nervous system can be difficult concept for young students to grasp, we are taking an integrative approach to discuss the anatomy and physiology of sympathetic engagement in the nervous system, explain how diet and exercise can stress this system, and explore factors that can positively and negatively impact psychological stress.

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  Sense of Belonging of International Students in Living Learning Communities

  Paola Ortiz

  As higher education institutions increase international student recruitment and enrollment, one best practice for international student retention and connectedness is the creation of international living communities. This qualitative narrative inquiry explores the sense of belonging of international students in two living learning communities at a small private institution in the Midwest. Students shared their experiences in two different living learning communities on campus focused on intercultural development and the relation they had on their sense of belonging to the institution. This study provides suggestions for the current programs similar to these communities around the nation.

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  Social and Emotional Support for Siblings of Children with ASD

  Alison Jane Kolber-Jamieson

  Siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently experience a higher level of social-emotional issues when compared to siblings of typically developing children. This study examined data gathered from individual interviews with siblings of individuals with autism ASD. Participants described social and emotional issues that arose from living with an individual on the autism spectrum, what systems of support they accessed and benefitted from, and barriers to competent family-centered care. In exploring the social and emotional issues faced by siblings of individuals with ASD, analysis of the interview transcripts revealed five broad themes: anxiety/stress, depression, guilt, isolation, and anger/resentment. Exploration of the variables that influence these social and emotional issues (systems of support and barriers) reveal themes related to factors at school, factors at home, and factors within the community. Recommendations and implications for practice are provided for school personnel to support siblings of students on the autism spectrum.

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  Social Media and The Multiple In-Group Identity of the English Premier League International Supporter Clubs

  Nicholas Kerver

  This study addresses the use of social media by independent organizations – supporters clubs, which associate with sport teams to connect with fans. Arsenal America is a group of more than 70 supporters clubs ran independently from Arsenal FC across the United States. The organization was first founded in 2001 and was officially recognized in 2005. Club events are held for every home and away match at local restaurants and bars within each club’s region. While many of the events revolve around socialization between supporter club members, other events are held throughout the year including charity and philanthropy events. Each supporters club in Arsenal America has at least a Twitter and Facebook page, with the vast majority holding both. The purpose of this study is to show the use of social media by each Arsenal America organization in terms of content creation. A content analysis will be performed to examine the parameters which categorize the content delivered through both Twitter and Facebook by Arsenal America clubs. This study implicates the tactics revolving around content which can connect fans through an in-group identity, which can help fans feel both connected with their fellow fans, the local place identity, and the sport organization itself.

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  Special Education in France and The United States of America: A Comparison and Contrast

  Joy Rogers

  Special Education for young children has been changing for years. These changes have included more progressive education in a global sense, that involves a focus on the child over a focus on their disability. These progressive changes have not only changed Special Education in The United States but also in western Europe. During a study abroad experience in Angers, France in the summer of 2019, research was conducted on how the Special Education System in The United States differs from the Special Education System in France. The goal of this project is to educate university peers, staff and officials about progressive education in a global sense and its importance. This project focuses on the similarities and differences between the two systems. Through the use of interviews of relevant individuals, based on their experiences and expertise, as well as personal experiences and research while studying abroad, it has been discovered that more progressive instructional practices have been implemented in The United States.

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  The Co-Authored Self: Viewing the Experience of Priestly Vocation Through the Framework of Self-Authorship

  Nicholas Jobe

  Current student development literature on self-authorship describes “the developmental shift from reliance on external to internal sources of knowing, identifying, and relating” (Bryant, 2011, p. 17). The author seeks to compare and contrast this definition with the Roman Catholic idea of vocation as a call that originates from the voice of God - that is, outside of oneself. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore emerging adult students’ experience of vocation, and discernment thereof, through the lens and language of the self-authorship framework. For ease of identifying a sample population, participants are selected from those with a clearly defined and articulated vocation: in this case, the Roman Catholic priesthood. The study seeks to understand, through narrative, how students pursue this particular discerned vocation with authenticity, especially through the negotiation of their internal voice and the perceived voice of God.

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  The Effects of Food Insecurity on the Student Experience

  Ben Breh

  As colleges and universities begin to see an increasingly more diverse student population, food insecurity is becoming more and more prevalent on campuses. Food insecurity is a condition in which persons do not have adequate resources to feed themselves, either nutritiously, or at all (United States Department of Agriculture [USDA], 2013). The purpose of this study is explore the impact of food insecurity on the student curricular and co-curricular experiences. This study is intended to further the profession’s knowledge of the intersection between food insecurity and the collegiate experience. Through an intentional and in depth case study of an undergraduate student who identifies as experiencing food insecurity this study addresses the following research questions: How do college students conceptualize food insecurity through their personal lived experiences? How does food insecurity impact college students’ curricular experience? How does food insecurity impact college students’ co-curricular experience? The results of this study addresses common themes between student experiences through the students own words.

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  The Effects of Gender on the Supervisory Relationship of Resident Assistants and their Supervisors

  Adam Schwartz

  The purpose of this study was to examine the effects that gender plays in the supervisory relationship that exists between resident assistants and their supervisors in the department of Housing and Residence Life at the University of Dayton. The main goal of this study was to see what kinds of effects gender has in shaping the way resident assistants view, interact with, trust, and experience supervision with their direct supervisors. The focus being to find out if there is a difference between male and female supervisors when paired with the same or different gender resident assistants. While studies like this have been done in the past, my goal was to see if there were any changes that should be made to the supervision model in wake of the #MeToo Movement. This study contains the findings gained from looking interviews with resident assistants on the University of Dayton campus, and the themes that arose from those interviews, concluding with the implications for future practice in the field of housing and residence life supervision.

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  The Impact of First Generation Programs

  Emma L. Sule

  First-Generation students are often thrust into the world of academia without a firm foundation of what to expect. Students are left to navigate a world that their parents cannot even guide them through and must begin to navigate academia themselves while also tackling what it means to be an adult. The stress and lack of understanding associated with beginning this journey alone can cause students to lose a crucial part of sense of belonging developed in the early stages of being on campus. Some institutions have chosen to combat this issue by engaging first-generation college students in population specific programming meant to prepare them for college life and intentionally create that sense of belonging. Programming can vary in levels of intensity and learning outcomes may differ, yet often with the purpose to acclimate these students to the university. As more institutions begin to develop these programs while they grow in popularity, one cannot help but wonder the outcome that these programs play on the students involved. How does first-generation specific programming impact current first-generation students’ sense of belonging? Through a mixed methods approach, First-Generation students from Mount St. Joseph University’s First To Go and Graduate program provide data on their personal experiences related to the impact the program has played on their student life. Results demonstrate that First-Generation programs not only impact a student’s sense of belonging but their overall student experience. By providing such programs, institutions are able to better support this unique population of students.

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  The Impact of Legalized Sports Gambling on Fan Engagement

  Andrew Foster Labuda, William Andrew Melucci, Sam Garrett Orazen, Alex David Reilly, Tori Sedlmayer

  With sports gambling being legalized across the country, we expect sports fans to not only bet on the games but also engage more in the events. This could mean going to more games, watching games fully to the end, or even watching sports and events they would not have otherwise. This along with a variety of other engagement methods have already seen increases due to sports gambling. In states that have legalized gambling, there has been a larger economic impact than expected and teams and leagues are actively trying to see what trends they can exploit in order to increase fan engagement. Through a survey of sports fans, we expect to find a strong connection between potential gambling behaviors and fan engagement. We believe that different types of hypothesized gambling behavior, including Daily Fantasy Sports and live betting, will encourage fans to both become more knowledgeable about their teams/ leagues, but also consume more on a variety of sports. The study is currently in-progress and the findings will be reported at the symposium.

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  The perceptions and knowledge of concussions among collegiate intramural athletes at the University of Dayton.

  Kathryn Marie Grismer, Zachary J. Krohn, Tommy Kevin Lee, Christopher Michael McMaster

  Many students at the University of Dayton participate in intramural sports of all kinds. One topic that is growing rapidly in the health and sports world is concussion. Concussions can be diagnosed or undiagnosed but exist either way. The purpose of our study is to survey students across the University of Dayton who participate in intramural sports and understand their perceptions and knowledge of concussions. We expect that the intramural athletes will be less worried than collegiate and professional athletes to sustain a concussion because intramural sports are typically for recreational purpose. We also expect students to be less worried about returning to their sport after sustaining a concussion because there is a less intense approach to intramural sports. We hope to raise more awareness among students about concussions in intramural sports and possibly spark more research of concussions in intramural sports.