The aim of this qualitative study is to examine the perceived impacts that negative stereotypes and/or labels have on the self-efficacy of students who choose to attend historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This research will give insight into students' perceptions of negative stereotypes and the influences that these perceptions…

Many Basic Writing students have stories which are informed by traumas, othering, and marginalization. Finding pedagogies which address students' stories, in addition to meeting academic goals, is crucial. Sometimes, students question how improving their reading and writing skills can help them navigate other areas of their education and…

Heteronormativity posits the superiority of heterosexuality and heterosexually-based norms over all other forms of sexual or gender expression, and heteronormative beliefs have been shown to affect how individuals view sexuality and gender. The concept of gender transition inherently goes against the ideals of heteronormativity. The current study…

This dissertation uses sociocultural linguistics to investigate how Black undergraduates at a Historically White Institution (HWI) understand Blackness, and how their racial socialization experiences in their pre-college years inform that perspective. This project reveals that many Black undergraduates in the HWI context may not have the benefit…

We place deficit-model labels on students who fall behind educational expectations and standards. Public discourses about underserved students pervade U.S-American politics and popular culture and tend to portray these students in a negative light. This study aims to uncover similarities between the dominant societal narratives about underserved…

This study examined the relationship between labels used to refer to mental health, whether or not participants were asked to reflect on their preconceived notions around these labels, and endorsement of mental health stigma across multiple dimensions. Based on the body of literature addressing how mental health stigma is transmitted via the…

What does it mean to be "smart?" Being identified as intelligent, gifted, or high achieving affords students stimulating experiences, motivating social environments, and advanced educational and career opportunities. However, research has also identified potential negative psychological and social costs to being labeled smart. These are…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the feelings and experiences of state college transfer STEM students regarding transfer from the state college to the university. The 25 participants in this study were asked to describe their feelings about the transfer process. Data were gathered from the interviews and from a review of…

The current study utilized data from young adults (undergraduate and graduate students) in order to examine the effect of feminist self-identification (as measured by the Self-Identification as a Feminist Scale) and feminist perspectives (as measured by the Feminist Perspectives Scale--Short Form) on self-efficacy (as measured by General…

This dissertation consists of three chapters that examine the effects of school and students improvement interventions. The first chapter investigates whether, for whom, and under which conditions high school mathematics and science course graduation requirements (CGRs) affect student achievement and educational attainment. Drawing on data from…

The purpose of the study was to explore the current perceptions of adults who were enrolled in the gifted program of the St. Louis Public Schools in the fall of 1959 or spring of 1960. At this time in history the Cold War was a reality and the U.S. enacted the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) to find talented young people and give them the…

This dissertation examines the construction of the label Muslim as an emerging racial and political signifier. I explore how students who identify as Muslim understand their own racial and religious construction, as well as their own subjectivity within the American social, political and cultural landscape. This dissertation asks: (1) How do…