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Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Theses and dissertations published by graduate students in the Department of Counseling and Human Services, College of Education, Old Dominion University, since Fall 2016 are available in this collection. Backfiles of all dissertations (and some theses) have also been added.

In late Fall 2023 or Spring 2024, all theses will be digitized and available here. In the meantime, consult the Library Catalog to find older items in print.

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Dissertation: Providing Family Centered Care Within Pediatric Integrated Care Settings , Emily D. Bebber

Dissertation: The Lived Experiences of 911 Dispatchers With Compassion Fatigue: An Interpretive Phenomenology , Angela Johnson

Dissertation: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Self-Identified Politically Conservative Students in Graduate Counseling Programs in Public Universities , Elizabeth A. Orrison

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Dissertation: Mental Health Counselors’ Perceptions of Professional Identity as Correctional Counselors in an Integrated Behavioral Health Care Setting , Jeanel L. Franklin

Dissertation: Complex Thought for Complex Work: Preparing Cognitively Complex Counselors for Work in Diverse Settings , Alexandra C. Gantt

Dissertation: Trauma and Crisis Counselor Preparation: The Relationship of an Online Trauma and Crisis Course and Counseling Self-Efficacy , Julia Leigh Lancaster

Dissertation: An Investigation of Healthcare Professionals’ Perspectives on the Tasks of Mental Health Counselors in Hospital Settings , Suelle Micallef Marmara

Dissertation: Broaching Race and Race-Related Issues: Phenomenological Inquiry of Doctoral Student Supervisors of Counselor Trainees , Judith Wambui Preston

Dissertation: A Phenomenological Investigation of School Counselor Antiracist Social Justice Practices , Stephanie Deonca Smith-Durkin

Dissertation: Counselor Perceived Competence Diagnosing Disorders from DSM-5 Diagnostic Categories Survey Results and the Development and Validation of Scores on the Diagnostic Self-Efficacy Scale , Erin Elizabeth Woods

Dissertation: The Experiences of School Counselors Providing Virtual Services During Covid-19: A Phenomenological Investigation , Allison Kathryn Worth

Dissertation: A Comparison of Sorority Women and Non-Sorority Women’s Alcohol Use: Perception, Rate of Use, and Consequences , Betsy Zimmerman

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Dissertation: Effectiveness of College Counseling Interventions in International Student Adjustment to United States Higher Education Systems: A Meta-Analysis , Joshua Ebby Abraham

Dissertation: What Are We Missing?: A Comparison of Experiences of Race-Based Trauma by Black Americans and Black Jamaicans , Bianca R. Augustine

Dissertation: Site Supervisors' Perspectives on Supervision of Counselor Trainees in Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) Settings: A Q Methodology Approach , Yeşim Giresunlu

Dissertation: The Impact of a Crisis Intervention Team Program on Psychiatric Boarding , Kurtis Hooks

Dissertation: A Case Study on the Application and Implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports for Students with Emotional Disabilities in Alternative Education , Kira Candelieri Marcari

Dissertation: Initial Development of the Escala de Fortaleza en Jóvenes para Padres , David Moran

Dissertation: Incivility of Coworker Behaviors and Minority Firefighters’ Belongingness in the Workplace , Alyssa Reiter

Dissertation: A Meta-Analysis of Three Years of Data on Outcomes of Therapy Groups for Inmates in the Virginia Department of Corrections , Abie Carroll Tremblay

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Dissertation: Improving Veterans’ Psychological Well-Being with a Positive Psychology Gratitude Exercise , Clara Im Adkins

Dissertation: An Examination of the Relationship Among Social Services Support, Race, Ethnicity and Recidivism in Justice Involved Mothers , Ne’Shaun Janay Borden

Dissertation: Development and Validation of the Students With Learning Disabilities School Counselor Self- Efficacy Scale: A Psychometric Study , Rawn Alfredo Boulden, Jr.

Dissertation: Minority Counselor Multicultural Competence in the Current Sociopolitical Climate , Kathleen Brown

Dissertation: A Meta-Analysis of Group Treatment Outcomes for Veterans with Substance Use Disorders , Robert “Tony” Dice

Dissertation: Investigating the Impact of the FAVA Well-Being Protocol on Perceived Stress and Psychological Well-Being With At-Promise High School Students , Renee L. Fensom

Dissertation: Mental Health Counselors' Perceptions on Preparedness in Integrated Behavioral Healthcare in Underserved Areas , Kyulee Park

Dissertation: Group Treatment Effectiveness for Substance Use Disorders: Abstinence vs. Harm Reduction , Jill D. Parramore

Dissertation: Best Practices in Clinical Supervision: What Must Supervisees Do? , Johana Rocha

Dissertation: A Phenomenological Investigation of Counselors’ Experiences With Clients Affected by Problematic Internet Pornography Use , Kendall R. Sparks

Dissertation: Counselor Education Doctoral Students’ Research Self-Efficacy: A Concept Mapping Approach , Zahide Sunal

Dissertation: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis of Psychoeducational Groups for the Treatment of Psychopathology Resulting from Child Sexual Abuse , Alexis Lynnette Wilkerson

Dissertation: School Counseling Professionals’ Experiences Using ASCA’s Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success to Achieve College and Career Readiness , George Wilson

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Dissertation: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Career Oriented Military Spouses Pursuing Education for Career Advancement , Melody D. Agbisit

Dissertation: Reshaping Counselor Education: The Identification of Influential Factors on Multisystemic Therapy , T'Airra C. Belcher

Dissertation: An Investigation of Posttraumatic Growth Experienced By Parents After a Miscarriage , Barbara Elizabeth Powell Boyd

Dissertation: The Psychometric Properties of the School Counseling Internship Competency Scale , Melanie Ann Burgess

Dissertation: Intersectional Identities and Microaggressions: The Experience of Transgender Females , Cory Daniel Gerwe

Dissertation: Comparing Higher Order Value Differences By Religious and Spiritual Association and Implications for Counseling: An Exploratory Study , Gregory C. Lemich

Dissertation: The Effects of Supervisory Style and Supervisory Working Alliance on Supervisee Disclosure in Supervision: A Moderated Mediation Analysis , Chi Li

Dissertation: A Comparison of College Student-Athletes With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Nonathletes With ADHD: Academic Adjustment, Severity of Mental Health Concerns, and Complexity of Life Concerns , Sonja Lund

Dissertation: An Experimental Study of Research Self-Efficacy In Master’s Students , Nicola Aelish Meade

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Dissertation: Multilevel Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Family Adjustment Measure with Lower-Income, Ethnic Minority Parents of Children with Disabilities , Vanessa Nicole Dominguez-O'Hare

Dissertation: Risk and Resiliency Factors Affecting the College Adjustment of Students with Intersectional Ethnocultural Minority and LGBTQ Identities , Stacey Christina Fernandes

Dissertation: The Relationship Between Childhood Adversity and Adult Relationship Health for Economically Marginalized, Racially and Ethnically Diverse Individuals , Sandy-Ann M. Griffith

Dissertation: An Exploration of Practicum Students' Experiences of Meaning-Making Through Altruism , Debra Paige Lewis

Dissertation: Addiction Counselors' Perceptions of Clinical Supervision Practices , Marla Harrison Newby

Dissertation: Exploring the Variant Experiences Through Which Racial/Ethnic Minorities Select Art Therapy as a Career , Mary Ritchie Roberts

Dissertation: Psychosocial Determinants of Medication Adherence among HIV-Positive Individuals in Mexico City , Anthony Vajda

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Dissertation: Cross-Racial Trust Factors: Exploring the Experiences of Blacks Who Have Had White Mentors in the Counseling Profession , Eric Montrece Brown

Dissertation: Personality, Motivation, and Internet Gaming Disorder: Understanding the Addiction , Kristy L. Carlisle

Dissertation: The Relationship Between Trauma Exposure and College Student Adjustment: Factors of Resilience as a Mediator , Amber Leih Jolley

Dissertation: Establishing the Psychometric Properties of the Understanding Mental Health Scale: A Dissertation Study , Michael Thomas Kalkbrenner

Dissertation: Attitudes and Actions that Adoptive Parents Perceive as Helpful in the Process of Raising Their Internationally Adopted Adolescent , Marina V. Kuzmina

Dissertation: Towards a New Profession: Counselor Professional Identity in Italy. A Delphi Study , Davide Mariotti

Dissertation: Exploring the Relationship Between Depression and Resilience in Survivors of Childhood Trauma , Marquis A. Norton

Dissertation: Understanding the Experiences of Women with Anorexia Nervosa Who Complete an Exposure Therapy Protocol in a Naturalistic Setting , Gina B. Polychronopoulos

Dissertation: An Exploratory Factor Analysis Examining Experiences and Perceptions of Campus Safety for International Students , Sonia H. Ramrakhiani

Dissertation: The Role of Self-Care and Hardiness in Moderating Burnout in Mental Health Counselors , Traci Danielle Richards

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Dissertation: Examining Changes in College Counseling Clients’ Symptomology and Severity over an Eight Year Span , Caroline Lee Bertolet

Dissertation: Initial Development and Validation of the Transgender Ally Identity Scale for Counselors , Jamie D. Bower

Dissertation: A Counselor’s First Encounter with Non-Death Loss: A Phenomenological Case Study on New Counselor Preparation and Experience in Working with Non-Death Loss , Charles P. Carrington

Dissertation: The Relationship Between Counselors' Multicultural Counseling Competence and Poverty Beliefs , Madeline Elizabeth Clark

Dissertation: Counselors’ Perceived Preparedness for Technology-Mediated Distance Counseling: A Phenomenological Examination , Daniel C. Holland

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Dissertation: Factors Associated with Family Counseling Practices: The Effects of Training, Experience, and Multicultural Counseling Competence , Amanda A. Brookshear

Dissertation: An Examination of Supervisory Working Alliance, Supervisee Demographics, and Delivery Methods in Synchronous Distance Supervision , Robert Milton Carlisle III

Dissertation: A Phenomenological Investigation of Counselors' Perceived Degree of Preparedness When Working with Suicidal Clients , Heather Danielle Dahl

Dissertation: African American Pastors and Their Perceptions of Professional School Counseling , Krystal L. Freeman

Dissertation: A Phenomenological Investigation of Wellness and Wellness Promotion in Counselor Education Programs , Brett Kyle Gleason

Dissertation: Examining Disordered Eating Amongst Sorority Women , Andrea Joy Kirk

Dissertation: Bhutanese Counselors' Experiences with Western Counseling: A Qualitative Study , Susan V. Lester

Dissertation: An Exploration of Health Providers' Responses to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Malaysia , Kee Pau

Dissertation: A Mixed Methods Study of the Intersection of Sexual Orientation and Spiritual Development in the College Experience , Kevin C. Snow

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Dissertation: Ethical and Legal Knowledge, Cognitive Complexity, and Moral Reasoning in Counseling Students , Matthew W. Bonner

Dissertation: A Grounded Theory of the College Experiences of African American Males in Black Greek-Letter Organizations , David Julius Ford Jr.

Dissertation: The Experiences of School Counselors with Court Involvement Related to Child Custody , Crystal E. Hatton

Dissertation: A Grounded Theory of Suicidality in Children Ten and Younger , Katherine Angela Heimsch

Dissertation: School Counseling Program Models Utilized By School Districts , Tracy L. Jackson

Dissertation: The Relationship Among Counseling Supervision Satisfaction, Counselor Self-Efficacy, Working Alliance and Multicultural factors , Jennifer Dawn Logan

Dissertation: Development of the Profession of Counseling in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania: A Grounded Theory Study , Mueni Joy Maweu Mwendwa

Dissertation: Resident Assistants' Self- Efficacy for Participation in Counseling Activities , Miranda Johnson Parries

Dissertation: Role Ambiguity of Counseling Supervisors , Aaron Gabriel Shames

Dissertation: Degree of Implementation of the American School Counselor Association National Model and School Counselor Burnout , Katrina Marie Steele

Dissertation: College Health and Mental Health Outcomes on Student Success , Daniel Joseph St. John

Dissertation: Supervisor Perceptions of Their Multicultural Training Needs for Working with English Language Learning Supervisees , Hsin-Ya Tang

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Dissertation: Experiences of Resident Assistants with Potentially Suicidal Students: Identification, Referral, and Expectations , Katherine M. Bender

Dissertation: Counselor Demographics, Client Aggression, Counselor Job Satisfaction, and Confidence in Coping in Residential Treatment Programs , Erik Braun

Dissertation: School Personnel Perceptions of Professional School Counselor Role and Function , Caron N. Coles

Dissertation: Factors That Influence Minority Student Enrollment at Various Levels of Postsecondary Education , LaShauna Mychal's Dean

Dissertation: Experiences and Perceptions of Mental Health Professionals Considered Effective in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder , Bonita H. Erb

Dissertation: A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Gatekeeping Among PhD Counselor Educators , Carol A. Erbes

Dissertation: Investigating Similarities and Differences as Measured by the DUREL and GSQ Between Three Subgroups Attending a Local AA Meeting to Develop a Profile of Long Term Attendees , Keesha Masean Kerns

Dissertation: Experiences of the Process and Outcomes of Group Dream Work , Penny Makris

Dissertation: Initial Development and Validation of the Rural Competency Scale , Cassandra Gail Pusateri

Dissertation: A Consensual Qualitative Research Study of the Transformation From High School Dropout to Second Chance Alumni , Jayne E. Smith

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Dissertation: Counselor Beliefs and Perceived Knowledge Regarding Clients with Learning Disabilities , Tamekia R. Bell

Dissertation: Using the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms - 34 (CCAPS-34) to Predict Premature Termination in a College Counseling Sample , Sean B. Hall

Dissertation: The Development and Validation of the Preference for Adherence to Theoretical Orientation Scale , Tiffinee S. Hamilton

Dissertation: Factors Impacting Counselor Competency When Counseling Sexual Minority Intimate Partner Violence Victims , Ryan Hancock

Dissertation: An Exploration of the State-Trait Continuum in Counseling and Positive Psychology , Michael A. Keefer

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“We Are the Heartbeat of the School”: How School Counselors Supported Student Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Emily r. alexander.

1 School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA

Mandy Savitz-Romer

Tara p. nicola, heather t. rowan-kenyon.

2 Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA

Stephanie Carroll

The COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to online learning exacerbated the mental health needs of children and adolescents, especially among minoritized students who were disproportionately impacted by the virus. Although the pandemic has increased the demand for counseling, research finds that school counselors are often hindered by organizational constraints. Using organizational role theory, this study examined school counselors’ perceptions of their role delivering mental health supports during the pandemic. Findings indicate that school counselors reported an increased need for counseling, but faced multiple barriers to supporting students, leaving those who most needed the support particularly vulnerable.

The global COVID-19 pandemic upended students’ lives, creating new challenges for schools as they attempted to deliver instruction to students and address their diverse needs. Students experienced social isolation, parental unemployment, food insecurity, fear of illness, and grief over deaths from the virus, which affected both their academic achievement and well-being ( Hamilton & Gross, 2021 ). Concerns for students’ mental health mounted with evidence that rates of youth anxiety and depression soared during the pandemic ( Singh et al., 2020 ). When schools closed or resorted to hybrid learning models in 2020, many students were also distanced from the stability and support their schools provided, compounding their mental health issues ( YouthTruth, 2021 ). These impacts deepened preexisting racial disparities in learning and educational opportunity ( Office for Civil Rights [OCR], 2021 ).

School counselors are uniquely positioned to promote social/emotional wellness beyond the academic core due to their training and professional standards ( Gysbers & Henderson, 2012 ). The American School Counselor Association ( ASCA, 2020 ) states that school counselors are “qualified to provide instruction, appraisal and advice and short-term counseling to students and referral services to students and families” (para. 6). Specifically, school counselors are trained to address students’ mental health concerns through implementation of data-driven, comprehensive school counseling programs that promote social/emotional wellness via preventative and developmental supports ( ASCA, 2019 ; Goodman-Scott et al., 2020 ).

Emergent research examining school counselors’ professional experiences carrying out their responsibilities during COVID-19 suggests that the absence of in-person, face-to-face interaction with students and an increase in noncounseling duties created significant obstacles to delivering school-based support (e.g., ASCA, 2021 ; Savitz-Romer et al., 2021 ; Strear et al., 2021 ). Our article extends this extant research, using a mixed-methods design to examine school counselors’ experiences supporting students’ social/emotional wellness during a time of remote and hybrid learning. We use the terms mental health, well-being, and social/emotional wellness interchangeably to reflect their synonymous use in the school counseling field, the academic literature, and by our study participants.

Literature Review

The mental health needs of school-aged children are a prominent concern for schools and mental health professionals ( Lambie et al., 2019 ). Anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation and attempts among youth have become increasingly prevalent over the past decade, with an estimated 20% of children and adolescents meeting the diagnostic criteria for a mental or behavioral disorder ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2019 ). The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these mental health issues, particularly among students of color ( OCR, 2021 ). Not only did minoritized youth experience disproportionate impacts of challenges brought on by the pandemic, but they also had to face the racial reckoning unfolding in the United States during 2020 ( Flanagan et al., 2021 ; OCR, 2021 ).

Despite their growing mental health needs, students had limited access to school-based mental health services in the months following the pandemic’s onset. Most students who access mental healthcare do so at school ( Freeman & Kendziora, 2017 ); historically marginalized students in particular tend to rely on schools for mental health support ( Ali et al., 2019 ). However, the shift to remote learning created challenges to providing school-based mental health services ( OCR, 2021 ). In fact, a nationally representative survey of school districts found that high-poverty and rural districts—those which serve many low-income students and students of color—especially struggled to provide social/emotional support to their students during COVID-19 ( Vinson & Naftzger, 2021 ).

The pandemic particularly impacted the work of school counselors—school-based mental health professionals who provide social/emotional support to students. Counselors are an integral part of schools’ student support systems, working alongside psychologists, social workers, and nurses to offer direct and indirect group and individual services to students ( ASCA, 2021 ; Gysbers & Henderson, 2012 ). Guided by a set of Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies, school counselors address educational disparities through their roles as leaders, advocates, and culturally responsive clinicians ( Singh et al., 2020 ).

Although school counselors are trained to deliver social/emotional programming, significant changes to the professional role of the school counselor have led to confusion among education leaders about what counselors can and should do ( Levy & Lemberger-Truelove, 2021 ). The ASCA National Model ( ASCA, 2019 ) explicitly states that school counselors work across three domains: academic, college and career readiness, and social/emotional. School and district leaders are often unaware of what this means in practice and lack understanding of the benefits of implementing comprehensive school counseling programs; as a result, they fail to utilize school counselors as mental health professionals ( Benigno, 2017 ; DeKruyf et al., 2013 ). School counselors—especially those from under-resourced urban and rural schools—frequently report having neither the time nor support to provide counseling services, with their days instead consumed by administrative tasks and other noncounseling duties that draw time away from implementing comprehensive school counseling programs ( Chandler et al., 2018 ; Hilts et al., 2019 ). As such, school counselors’ specialized education, training, and expertise in social/emotional counseling may be underutilized ( Blake, 2020 ).

School counselors, especially in low-income districts or rural settings, may be the only counseling professionals available in a school ( Whitaker et al., 2019 ); thus, they are often called upon as critical resources during times of crisis ( Pincus et al., 2020 ). New research suggests that school counselors encountered challenges supporting students during the pandemic due to organizational constraints. For example, school policies restricting virtual counseling and limited face-to-face interactions made it difficult for counselors to identify and address students’ mental health concerns ( ASCA, 2021 ; Savitz-Romer et al., 2021 ). Thus, school counselors’ experiences during the pandemic were in many ways similar to those prior to its onset. Role confusion and lack of administrative support persisted. School counselors reported spending less time delivering individual and group counseling than they did previously, in part due to school policies that made it difficult to connect with students, such as those prohibiting video conferencing during counseling sessions ( Savitz-Romer et al., 2021 ). The assignment of noncounseling duties also increased in the remote format, with school counselors spending a substantial amount of their time managing attendance, distributing technology, and supporting families ( ASCA, 2021 ). Although these findings provide valuable insight into school counselors’ professional experiences generally during the pandemic, little is known about their role addressing students’ wellness concerns specifically.

This study extends early research on school counselors’ experiences during COVID-19 by examining their enactment of a key element of the ASCA National Model: supporting students’ social/emotional development ( ASCA, 2019 ). We used role theory to understand the highly specialized role of the school counselor as it pertains to administering mental health support within the school context during the pandemic.

Theoretical Framework

Role theory, situated within the organizational theory literature, is a widely used framework for conceptualizing the expectations of actors within a larger organization ( Bidwell, 2001 ). Role theory explains an individual’s role and behavior within an organization and posits that role stress is a major contributing factor to an individual’s performance and efficacy. Role stress is composed of three constructs: role conflict, ambiguity, and overload ( Bidwell, 2001 ; Turner, 2001 ). Individuals experience role conflict when they are subjected to multiple opposing expectations for their role, while role ambiguity occurs when individuals receive unclear or inconsistent expectations regarding their role responsibilities ( Biddle, 1986 ). Role overload occurs when one has limited time and resources to meet work demands ( Biddle, 1986 ). Understanding role stress is critical due to its effects on job performance, satisfaction, and burnout.

Role Theory and School Counseling

Role theory is useful when examining the experiences of school counselors and explaining the dilemmas they face in fulfilling their roles. Scholars investigating role stress have consistently found that school counselors report significant levels of role ambiguity, conflict, and overload ( Blake, 2020 ; Cervoni & DeLucia-Waack, 2011 ; Coll & Freeman, 1997 ). Role ambiguity is prevalent in part because of widespread confusion as to what the role encompasses, including the degree to which counselors are mental healthcare professionals ( Levy & Lemberger-Truelove, 2021 ; Lewis et al., 2020 ). Unclear job descriptions, differing expectations among school stakeholders, and the presence of other school-based mental health professionals (i.e., social workers, psychologists) exacerbate role ambiguity ( DeKruyf et al., 2013 ).

Role conflict and overload may also be attributed to the assignment of noncounseling duties falling outside of the scope of ASCA’s (2019) definition of the school counselor role. Studies show that counselors are often given administrative responsibilities, including scheduling, administering standardized tests, and lunchroom duty ( Benigno, 2017 ; Chandler et al., 2018 ). Several scholars have found that performing noncounseling duties is significantly associated with high levels of exhaustion and burnout ( Holman et al., 2019 ), and takes time away from the job counselors are trained to do—counsel students. Our study draws on organizational role theory to identify how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the role of the school counselor in their ability to respond to rising student mental health needs.

Purpose and Rationale

Although evidence shows that school counselors positively influence students’ social/emotional well-being ( Whiston & Quinby, 2009 ), studies have yet to document whether counselors were able to enact this support during the pandemic. This study aims to fill that gap in the literature using a mixed-methods approach to capture school counselors’ lived experiences and perspectives during this unique period. We addressed the following research question: What were school counselors’ experiences providing social/emotional support to students during the COVID-19 pandemic?

This project is part of a larger study embracing a pragmatic epistemological approach ( Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004 ) to broadly explore how school counselors enacted their roles during the pandemic. The larger study utilized survey and focus group data through a sequential explanatory, mixed-methods design outlined in Figure 1 (see Savitz-Romer et al., 2021 , for more information). The present study focuses exclusively on qualitative data collected from open-ended survey responses and focus group transcripts.

Explanatory sequential design components used in this study.

Data Collection Procedures and Participants

Our study draws on data from the COVID-19 National Survey of School Counselors (NSSC; N = 1060). Any counselor working in a U.S. public school was eligible to participate. We primarily recruited school counselors via national and state professional organization email lists and social media. We also purchased contact details for 3000 urban and rural school counselors, and invited them to participate to ensure their voices were adequately reflected. Participants represented a range of school contexts, with the sample evenly split by urbanicity (see Table 1 ).

Overview of Survey and Focus Group Samples.

The 80-question online survey, administered during May and June 2020, solicited information from school counselors about their experiences adapting to remote schooling at the onset of the pandemic. The survey included six open-ended response questions about the challenges school counselors faced and how schools, districts, and states could better support them. This study analyzed four of those questions, which focused on school counselors’ perceptions of students’ mental health and experiences enacting the social/emotional component of their role. Questions included, “What are challenges you faced fulfilling the responsibilities of your role during the pandemic?” and “What are three effective things that your school, district, or state education agency did to support counselors during the coronavirus outbreak?”

Focus Groups

Focus groups allowed the research team to delve beyond the numbers in the survey data, gaining deeper insight into the lived experiences of school counselors ( Savin-Baden & Howell Major, 2013 ). Focus group participants consisted of a subsample of school counselors who completed the survey and agreed to be contacted about further research opportunities ( n = 232). We invited survey participants to attend 90-minute, online focus groups during February and March 2021. The demographics of focus group participants ( n = 47) were generally similar to the larger sample of survey-takers (see Table 1 ). To ensure we asked relevant questions, we organized our focus groups by grade levels served. Four elementary/middle school focus groups, six high school focus groups, and one pilot focus group across grade levels were completed. These focus groups facilitated deeper exploration of key themes arising from the survey data, including school counselors’ experiences supporting student mental health. Sample questions included, “What has your role been in providing mental health support to students?” and “What factors have complicated or facilitated you in your ability to deliver these services?”

Data Analysis

We used thematic coding and subcoding to analyze the survey and focus group data ( Saldaña, 2013 ). The text responses from the NSSC and the theoretical framework guided the formation of an initial codebook, developed after three team members open-coded 100 responses in Dedoose. Each transcript was coded by two team members, using the established codebook. The research team met regularly to discuss and refine codes and make meaning of salient themes.

Trustworthiness and Reflexivity

We utilized several strategies to attain trustworthiness. First, the sequential mixed-methods study design facilitated triangulation of the data ( Creswell, 2015 ). By comparing the thematic consistency across the survey responses and the focus group transcripts, we gained confidence in the validity of our findings. Second, at least two team members coded each piece of data and met frequently with the research team to discuss and refine codes. Finally, we used memos to critically reflect on how our positionalities may have affected participants and the information gleaned from them, as well as our interpretations of the data.

A team of five researchers conducted this study, each bringing a distinct lens to the work. Authors 1, 3, and 5 are current or former graduate students interested in promoting school counseling research, while Author 4 is a higher education faculty member whose work focuses on college access and student success. Author 2 is a counselor educator and a former school counselor. Authors 2 and 4 have extensive experience conducting mixed-methods research and have closely mentored the graduate students involved in this research. All team members identify as White, cis-gendered women. Our use of memo writing allowed us to remain cognizant of these identities and our varied backgrounds and experiences with school counseling.

Limitations

The findings from this study should be interpreted with recognition of their limitations. First, our survey-takers are broadly representative of the school counseling profession, but survey participants are not necessarily representative of all counselors nationally. Similarly, the limited number of focus groups conducted, and the fact that we recruited participants from the survey sample, impacts the generalizability of findings. Second, our findings largely highlight the experiences of White and female school counselors, and thus do not necessarily reflect those of male counselors and counselors of color. Third, this study is cross-sectional and solicited information from participants during spring 2020 and fall/winter 2021. Given the rapidly shifting nature of the pandemic, our findings pertain to specific time points in the pandemic and may not accurately reflect the state of schools today.

We first discuss school counselors’ perceptions of the state of student mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then describe their experiences delivering services in remote and hybrid learning contexts.

School Counselors Perceived High Need for Mental Health Support

The school counselors in our study overwhelmingly expressed concern for the mental health of their students. As demands for counseling increased during the pandemic, school counselors saw their role as essential to supporting students, especially given limited access to many local mental health providers.

Increased Worry about Students’ Well-Being

Counselors underscored the deterioration of students’ mental health during the pandemic, largely due to the social isolation, anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma brought on by COVID-19. One focus group participant shared her concern: “I think the social/emotional welfare can kind of keep you awake at night because you know there’s kids that are struggling that you don’t know how to reach out and support.” Other counselors in communities with high infection rates described their heartbreaking experiences consoling students who lost family members to the virus. One survey participant wrote, “Unlike before the outbreak, when a few of my students would have major life traumas happening, since the outbreak many of my students have major life traumas happening, and this has been terribly difficult to keep up with.”

Participants reported that many of the students they counseled experienced a form of “distance learning loneliness,” brought on by “feelings of isolation, disconnect with school and . . . with other people in general.” School counselors emphasized that low engagement and lack of motivation were common across their schools. Some participants explained that students who had been making progress in counseling before the pandemic regressed. One focus group participant shared, “We’ve had a number of students who last year were doing well and probably would have progressed out of therapy, [but] this year are now just going backward day after day.”

Heightened Demand for Mental Health Counseling

School counselors observed increases in both the number of counseling referrals from teachers and those that they themselves made for students to access outside mental health resources. Several participants noted changes in the content of referrals, with marked increases in those focused on coping with grief and loss. Participants reported that local mental health providers were inundated with requests during the pandemic, with one focus group participant explaining that in her community, it was “difficult for parents and families to get in quickly if they need to see some of the local agencies, especially those who take Medicaid or state insurance.”

One of the most notable consequences of the increased demand for counseling was an uptick in counselors’ time devoted to social/emotional support. Participants emphasized that although they are trained to provide short-term mental health counseling, they tended to engage in longer-term counseling to ensure students had access to support in a timely manner. This was especially true in cases where students were left on long waitlists for appointments with local social service agencies. According to one participant: “I think normally the students that we might have referred out, I’m more likely to see for a little bit because I know it’s going to be a little bit of a wait and we can provide some support.” An elementary school counselor shared a similar experience, stating, “I have had a few kiddos that I’ve had 30-minute sessions with all year. And normally that would not be what I think a school counselor would do.” Other counselors in our study emphasized that meeting consistently with students was one way of supporting those who may not have a “mental health qualifying problem” to get a referral.

School Counselors Struggled to Remotely Deliver Counseling Services

The second major theme reflects the obstacles school counselors faced in trying to provide mental health support to their students. School counselors shared that they saw themselves as “the heartbeat of the school,” offering critical resources to meet increased needs during the pandemic and the return to in-person learning. Participants reported that the rapid transition to remote and hybrid learning strained their efforts, a byproduct of both the nature of being virtual and of school-level organizational constraints. Here, three central subthemes emerged: limited access to students, difficulty forming meaningful connections with students and confidentiality issues.

Limited Access to Students

School counselors expressed frustration with school administrators who overemphasized an academic focus despite warnings about emerging mental health needs. Participants experienced this protection of instructional time as reducing their access to students. One school counselor remarked, “It hasn’t been written policy, but admin has made it explicit that I’m not allowed to take up class time.” Counselors reported barriers to accessing classrooms for the delivery of preventative, social/emotional programming, and explicit restriction from making appointments for individual or group counseling during instructional time. Even with the return to hybrid models of schooling, participants recounted stories of teachers who were reluctant to relinquish any in-person time with students. Counseling work continued to be relegated to remote connections.

Among our sample, we did have a few outlier cases in which counselors found that remote schooling allowed for increased access to classrooms. One school counselor described, “Teachers have been really generous about letting me go in and do little bits and pieces of my mental health first aid in their classes, just to kind of remind kids about potential symptoms and triggers.” However, with instructional time carefully safeguarded and prioritized in most cases, many participants reported not having sufficient time and space to carry out classroom lessons.

Participants found that endless administrative duties that fall outside of their role created another barrier to accessing students. Tasks such as temperature checks and extra lunch duties resulted in school counselors spending a significant amount of time not performing counseling duties. One elementary counselor shared, “My role has changed from being a counselor to being just the secretary . . . attendance takes the vast majority of my time.” School counselors were especially frustrated by administrative requests that indicated a lack of understanding of the counselor role. One high school counselor lamented:

You know, if you look at it in the sense of when a doctor goes to school to be a neurologist or to be a cardiologist, when they come out of school and they go into their practice, do they all of a sudden become a foot surgeon or become a pediatrician? No. . . . It's confusing to me that I feel like I learned something and then somebody is trying to tell me to do something totally opposite.

As this participant highlighted, organizational barriers prevented school counselors from interacting with students, a requisite for their work.

Lack of Meaningful Connections

A common thread across stories about limited access included school counselors’ difficulty forming meaningful connections with students. Participants believed that these connections were essential for all students, especially those who did not have previous relationships with counselors. As one high school counselor noted in a focus group:

We have our freshmen who never stepped foot on campus. . . . And then our sophomores, they’ve only had, what, seven or so months with those few teachers? And they haven’t had the opportunity to connect with us as a counselor to know who to come to with some of those concerns.

Many participants similarly lamented the challenges of relationship building with students in a remote environment. One survey participant recalled their experience at the onset of the pandemic, noting that it was “tough to deal with student needs when we can’t be with them. We are relationship driven, and face-to-face makes our jobs easier.” This lack of connection in a physical school building and inability to check in with students casually throughout the day inhibited school counselors from identifying those students who most needed support.

Scheduling difficulties and student disengagement in a remote environment further compounded counselors’ attempts at relationship building. Focus group participants shared that scheduling was difficult because students did not “always respond, and then 50% of the time they don’t show up because they forget or whatever it might be. They’re just tired.” Similarly, one high school counselor lamented:

When you are a school counselor and you have students that are readily available, meaning they're in the classroom, down the hall or in the cafeteria, you can easily have conversations with them. But they're not in the building and you can't easily get a kid who doesn't show up on Zoom, doesn't answer the phone, doesn't respond to a text, doesn’t respond to an email, doesn't respond to you calling the parent. They've, you know, I guess the word is “ghosted” you.

Even when school counselors managed to connect remotely with students, they recalled difficulty overcoming the “virtual barrier” between themselves and their students and felt the quality of the connection was not the same. As one survey participant said, “You can’t give a hug over the phone.”

Confidentiality Challenges

School counselors’ inability to have confidential conversations was another barrier to their connecting deeply with students and supporting their mental health. When schools moved online, counselors were reliant on parents to connect them with students for counseling sessions. One survey respondent wrote:

My district made it a requirement for me to get parent consent before reaching out to the student. This made my job very difficult because the parents with mental health stigma did not allow for me to talk to the student.

Other participants described some parents’ behaviors as overly involved in counseling sessions, thereby straining confidentiality. Survey and focus group participants reported instances in which parents listened offscreen and answered questions meant for students. Counselors sensed a palpable discomfort among their students when privacy was limited, and family members were “never out of earshot” during counseling sessions.

Some school counselors were able to address sensitive topics via texting or the chat features of video conferencing services, but others felt uncomfortable having sensitive conversations. One participant detailed a suicide assessment she completed over video conference without knowing that the student’s “mom was right there. He was being supervised with what he said because she doesn’t want him discussing those issues.” Multiple counselors described the challenge of filing an abuse or neglect complaint, with one focus group participant sharing:

When a student discloses something that is, like, potentially something that could be filed on a 51A, you have that conversation with the kid. . . . There's no conversation I can have with this kid right now. He wrote what he wrote and if I'm going off of what he's saying is accurate; I can't just call him up and talk about it because he's right there with the parent that he's talking about. So that was terrible.

As mandated reporters, school counselors rely on trust and confidentiality that they nurture in their relationships with students. Remote schooling made these facets of their job more difficult.

Confidentiality issues continued to surface in hybrid schooling as school counselors found themselves relegated to remote connections. Participants described the challenges of finding private spaces within the school, with one school counselor sharing in a focus group:

I see some of my students in my office, but then others, I'm supposed to see while they’re in school, but we're both on a computer. And . . . where are they going to go? And I had to be really clear that they actually need some place that they're going to talk to me. And I lucked out, I think, because I pushed really hard to get them a space where they could shut the door. But I do have some colleagues who are seeing kids sitting outside their classroom just with headphones on.

Counselors thus felt they were struggling to maintain confidentiality during virtual counseling sessions.

The findings from this study provide a valuable description of school counselors’ professional experiences delivering social/emotional support to students during the pandemic. Findings emerged around two primary themes: school counselors’ perceptions of increased mental health needs among students and the unique barriers they faced in attempting to address those needs. School counselors were concerned for their students’ well-being and perceived increased demand for both counseling services and mental health referrals, especially in light of the dual pandemics that were disproportionately impacting students of color. However, school counselors felt constrained in their ability to effectively support students due to consequences of remote schooling and organizational structures that impeded their work.

Applying organizational role theory to these findings, we found evidence that school counselors experienced role stress when trying to execute the social/emotional facets of their role. First, school counselors perceived high demand for counseling services yet had limited time and resources to meet these demands—an exacerbated form of role overload. An increase in noncounseling duties and novel challenges to virtual counseling (e.g., policies that protected instructional time at the expense of individual counseling) restricted school counselors from delivering social/emotional support. Finally, school counselors’ experiences revealed heightened role ambiguity and conflict as they encountered a lack of alignment between what they believed was needed to support students’ mental health and administrators’ expectations. The assignment of noncounseling duties only further increased role stress. These findings align with previous research on role stress and its negative effects on the counseling profession ( Blake, 2020 ; Cervoni & DeLucia-Waack, 2011 ; Coll & Freeman, 1997 ). Drivers of role stress are deleterious because they can compromise the quantity and quality of the social/emotional support counselors are trained to provide.

Implications

These findings reveal practical implications for school counselors and educational leaders as they transition to a postpandemic era of schooling. First, education leaders must recognize school counselor expertise in promoting students’ social/emotional development, especially considering the collective trauma and grief brought on by the pandemic. Students of color and those who experience conditions related to poverty were disproportionately impacted by the dual pandemics and will heavily rely on schools for support. School leaders would be wise to leverage school counselors as partners in articulating counselors’ roles and expectations for helping students and the school community recover from disruption. Recovery plans should elevate social/emotional counseling responsibilities, structure time in the schedule for students to access support, and prioritize counseling duties that fall within the scope of the school counselor role. School leaders might pay specific attention to the role overload that counselors experience by relieving them of administrative tasks that were added during the pandemic. This can help alleviate role stress so that school counselors can focus on the support they are trained to provide. Moreover, since school counselors struggled to maintain confidentiality while providing virtual counseling, school and district leaders need to protect counselors’ time and the spaces that enable them to hold confidential conversations with students.

Second, school counselors recognized that social service providers that support families on medical assistance were especially overwhelmed with referrals for long-term support, and low-income students relied on school counselors for mental health services more than ever. Thus, school counselors’ ability to identify and support students’ mental health needs is especially critical for marginalized students who may not have access to non–school-based, clinical support. Therefore, administrators should utilize school counselors as mental health professionals, and counselors must continue to advocate for this aspect of their role. This includes clarifying school counselors’ role as mental healthcare providers, ensuring they have adequate time to address students’ increased mental health needs, and supporting preventative social/emotional programming. In light of rapid changes in school delivery models and student needs, school counselors need ongoing access to professional development to guide adaptations to their in-person practices.

Finally, with more students seeking support from school counselors, counselors will need to scale social/emotional support. Although individual counseling will remain important, many counselors found such support to be unsustainable given increased demand for these services during the pandemic. School counselors might employ multi-tiered systems of support that target student programming at different levels of need and utilize distributive counseling that leverages teachers and other educators as screeners and information providers.

Several recommendations for future research also emerged from this study. First, further scholarship on school counselors’ professional experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic is needed. Although this study put a spotlight on how counselors enacted their social/emotional counseling roles, researchers could profile innovative practices and role adjustments that occurred during this unique time, especially in schools that serve high proportions of minoritized youth. Likewise, large-scale survey and qualitative studies will be necessary to understand the long-term impact of the pandemic on student mental health and school counselors’ work in this domain. These studies should examine how marginalized students disproportionately bear such long-term, mental health impacts of the pandemic. Studies might also explore what virtual practices were most effective and, therefore, should be carried forward into a postpandemic era or applied in continued online learning environments.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented disruptions, professional obstacles, and personal challenges to all educators, including school counselors. Our findings indicate that counselors were hindered in supporting student mental health when their services were most needed. The pandemic has highlighted the myriad organizational constraints that undermine students’ access to meaningful school counseling and the unique challenges of virtual counseling. Moving forward, school counselors must be better positioned to support the whole student and respond to students’ postpandemic needs, whether in person or virtually.

Author Biographies

Emily Alexander , Ed.M. is a program manager in the Office of Evaluation, Research, and Accountability for the School District of Philadelphia. She received her master’s in education in Prevention Science and Practice at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, MA. Email: ude.dravrah.esg@rednaxelae .

Mandy Savitz-Romer , PhD, is the Nancy Pforzheimer Aronson Senior Lecturer in Human Development and Education and Faculty Director of the Certificate of Advanced Study in Counseling program with the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University.

Tara P. Nicola is a doctoral student in the Culture, Institutions, and Society concentration at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

Heather T. Rowan-Kenyon , PhD, is a professor with the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College in Boston, MA.

Stephanie Carroll is a doctoral student at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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Home > CEHS > EDUCATION > Dissertations

Educational Leadership & School Counseling Dissertations

Dissertations from 2017 2017.

The Influence of Technology Usage on Academic Achievement (Reading and Math) from a Teacher's Perspective , Kimberly L. White-Harris

Dissertations from 2016 2016

Novice and Veteran Teachers’ Perceptions of Crisis Management Training Concerning School Fights , Heather Ann Chesman

Teacher Beliefs Regarding Positive Behavior Support Programs in Mississippi Middle Schools , Chad Joseph Davis

Dual Enrollment Efficacy on College Readiness as Perceived by High School Dual Enrollment Teachers and Counselors in South Alabama , Shulanda Stallworth Franks

The Relationship Between Early Childhood Education and Student Success , Fina F. Gayden-Hence

Social Media As A Tool To Effectively Communicate With Stakeholders: School Administrators and Superintendents' Perceptions , Steven Coleman Hampton

Teachers’ Perceptions of the Mississippi Statewide Teacher Appraisal Rubric (M-STAR) Evaluation , Steven Douglas Hampton

Administrators', Counselors', and Teachers' Opinions Regarding the Impact of Freshman Academies, Schools-Within-Schools, and Ninth Grade Schools as It Relates to Effective Transitioning , Robyn Suzanne Killebrew

Teacher Perception of School Safety Between Mississippi Secondary Schools with School Resource Officers and School Safety Officers , David Audet dit Lapointe

A Comparison of the Attitudes of Administrators and Teachers on Cell Phone Use as an Educational Tool , Karen Smith Lockhart

Is There a Relationship Between Physical Fitness and Student Academic Achievement? , William Rushton Parker

An Investigation of Selected Variables Related to Student Algebra I Performance in Mississippi , Undray L. Scott

Teachers' Awareness of Cultural Diversity and Academic Achievement in Ninth Grade Academies and Senior High Schools , Jamellah Whipps-Johnson

Dissertations from 2015 2015

An Analysis of the Impact of the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST) on Capital Outlay Expenditures in Georgia School Districts , Robert Bradley Benson

The Socio-Cultural Influences of School Choice , Duke Jon Bradley III

Mississippi High School Assistant Principals' Perceptions of Their Readiness to Pursue the Principalship and Factors that Might Influence Readiness , Bennett Teague Burchfield

Determining Whether a Link Exists Between the Academic Performance of Mississippi Public School Districts and School Administrators' Use of Persuasive Communication Techniques and Self-Efficacy in Communication , David Alexander Burris

Special Education Teachers' Knowledge of the Discipline Section of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 as it Relates to Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plans , Tricia Michelle Cox

The Perceptions of Mississippi Secondary School Counselors and School Administrators Regarding the Role of School Counselors in Dropout Prevention , Sherrell Chollottie Gilmore

Teacher Perceptions of the Use of School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports at Reducing the Presence of Bullying in Middle Schools , Kristine Marie Harper

An Analysis of the Correlation between ACT Scores and One-to-One Computing , Jeffrey Brian Heath

The Relationship Between Teacher Collaboration and Teachers' Level of Knowledge, Implementation, and Confidence Related to Common Core State Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subject Areas , Talia Shaunte' Lock

A Mixed Method Study of the Effectiveness of Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Federal Incentive Program in Southern Mississippi Public Secondary Schools , David Micah Maxwell

Teacher Professional Learning and High School Students' Mississippi Subject Area Test Performance , Christine A. Moseley

High School Culture, Graduation Rates, and Dropout Rates , Philip L. Pearson

School Connectedness and Racial-Ethnic Identity Among Alaska Native Students: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study , Robert J. Picou

Preferences for Intrinsic and Extrinsic Sport Motivators of Mississippi's Public Sschool Teachers , Jason Hugh Rayborn

Teachers' Perceptions of Their Ability to Respond to Active Shooter Incidents , Carole Frances Rider

The Relationship Between Professional Preparedness and Long Term Teacher Retention , Deborah Ann Smith

Gender Inequity in the Representation of Women as Superintendents in Mississippi Public Schools: The "No Problem Problem" , Deidre Joy Seale Smith

Mississippi Teachers’ Perception of Merit Pay , Diana M. Stephens

A Study of Prekindergarten Impact on Early Literacy Readiness , Lakeisha Shantae Stokes

Dissertations from 2014 2014

A Qualitative Study of African American Female Administrators in the Academy: Identification of Characteristics that Contribute to Their Advancement to Senior Level Positions of Authority , Mary Louise Alexander-Lee

Principal Emotional Intelligence and Teacher Perceptions of School Climate in Middle Schools , Ashley Dawn Meadows Allred

Teacher and Administrator Perceptions of the Implementation of the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) Grant in Mississippi Pilot Schools , Albert William Carter

Relationships Among Job Satisfaction, Professional Efficacy, Student and School Performance, and Teacher Absenteeism , Laura Beckham Dana

Relationship Between Teacher Perception of Positive Behavior Interventions Support and the Implementation Process , Janice Marie Hansen

Relationship Between Leadership Styles of High School Teachers, Principals, and Assistant Principals and Their Attitudes Toward School Wide Positive Behavior and Support Implementation , Geneva Cosweller Lampton-Holmes

The Relationship Between Frequency and Functionality of Professional Learning Communities to Student Achievement , Jack Linton Jr.

Teacher Expectations of Students in a Predominantly African American School District , Durand Duron Payton

Effective Instructional Strategies Utilized in Successful and High Performing Secondary Schools in the Southern Region of Mississippi , Jeanifer Lynn Pearson

Relationships Between Participation in Extracurricular Activities, ACT Scores, GPA, and Attendance in Select Public High Schools in Mississippi , Lance Kelvin Reed

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Response to Intervention and Teacher Support Team Effectiveness within a Mississippi Gulf Coast School District , Shanta Dannette Rhodes

The Implementation of Common Core Standards and Teacher Intent to Persist , Eddie Miles Louis Smith

The Effects of Leadership and High-Stakes Testing on the Retention of Teachers , Amy Krohn Thibodeaux

Using Online Education to Transition Teaching Assistants to Teacher Certification: Examining the Differences Among Teacher Education Programs , Billie Jean Tingle

Comparing Professonal Development Practices of Low Performing Public Schools and High Performing Public Schools in the State of Mississippi , Lori Rogers Wilcher

Teachers' Self-Efficacy in Mathematics and Teaching Mathematics, Instructional Practices, and the Mississippi Curriculum Test, Second Edition for Mathematics in Grades 3-5 , Tracy Hardwell Yates

Dissertations from 2013 2013

Teacher Perception of School Culture and School Climate in the Leader In Me Schools and Non Leader In Me Schools , Brian Patrick Barkley

An Analysis of Teacher Perspectives on the Mississippi Alternative Assessment of Extended Curriculum Framework , Greerlynn Myrtice Bezue-Tull

Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Teachers' Perceptions of Demographic Determinants and Academic Success , Melanie Ellen Boyle

The Impact of Smaller Learning Communities on 9th Grade Mathematics Student Achievement and Graduation Rates , Keisha Burney Cook

An Examination of Referral and Eventual Placement of African American Students and English Language Learners in Special Education , Eneas Ruel Deveaux

The Influence of Classroom Management, Administrative Support, Parental Involvement, and Economic Factors on the Retention of Novice Teachers , Katrina Moody Dwyer

Teacher Perceptions of Working with Children with Specific Special Education Exceptionalities in the General Education Classroom , Kimberly Geneva Fisher

Factors That Impact Administrator-Teacher Relationships , Patrick Sean Gray

Principal Leadership Styles, Faculty Morale, and Faculty Job Satisfaction at Selected Elementary Schools , Dawn Vyola Ramsey Hearn

Academic Intrinsic Motivation and Differentiated Instruction in the Regular Classroom: Potential Relationships During the Transition Away from Gifted Programming , Heather Lyn Houston

Teacher Perceptions Regarding the Relationship of Modified Year-Round School Calendars with Student Achievement, Student Behavior, and Teacher Efficacy , George Eugene Huffman

The Effect of Preschool on Reaching Achievement Among Kindergarten Students , Reisha Monique McKinney

Teachers' Perceptions about the Types, Quality, and Impact of their Job-Embedded Professional Development Experiences , Delilah Mitchell

Teacher Dialogue and Its Relationship to Student Achievement , Heather Norton Montgomery

The Impact of the Addition of Community Based Truancy Intervention Panels on the Reduction of Student Absences , Lenora Jane Nyeste

"Having Our Say": High Achieving African American Male College Graduates Speak About Parental Involvement and Parenting Style , Lynn Cheryl Lanier Odom

First Steps to College and Career Success: Predictors of Recent High School Graduate Readiness for Online Learning , Laura Mae Pannell

The Relationship Between Socio-Economic Status and the Frequency of School Web Page Access to Both Mobile and Non-Mobile Sites , Richmond Hughes Parker

The Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Making Middle Grades Work , Darryl Rene Porter

Teacher Attitudes of Inclusion and Academic Performance of Students with Disabilities , Jonathan Earl Sutton

The Challenges of Inclusion: Perceptions of Superintendents, Principals, and Teachers in Mississippi Alternative Schools , Gary Lynn Tune

Attitudinal Factors of Teachers Regarding Arts Integration , Sara Elston Williams

The Relationship Between Shared Leadership, Teacher Self-Efficacy, and Student Achievement , Anjanette Fuller Zinke

Dissertations from 2012 2012

An Examination of Mature Interpersonal Relationships Among International and American College Students , Bona Aidoo

What Influences Principal Perceptions of Bullying? , Matthew Benjamin Alred

The Relationship Between School Leadership and Graduation Coach Interventions in Rural and Urban Settings , Christopher Nicholas Amos

School Counselor and Principal Perceptions Regarding the Roles of School Counselors , Tyra Terrell Bailey

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence of School Principals and Their Ability to Identify the Strengths or Talents of a Member of Their Leadership Team , Angela Luther Bare

Pre-Kindergarten Education: Is There a Relationship Between Pre-Kindergarten Participation and Student Achievement? , Carol Goldate Barlow

The Relationship Between the Pedagogical Use of Differentiated Instructional Strategies and 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Language Arts Achievement , Kenitra LaSha Barnes

A Study of Factors Related to Teacher Attrition , Leslie Ann Beaugez

The Relationship Between Teacher Classroom Practices and 21st Century Students' Academic Dishonesty at the Secondary Level , Marguerite Beth Bellipanni

Analysis of the Impact of Implementing Interdisciplinary Pods on Student Achievement in Georgia Middle Schools , Andrew Lynn Bristow

The Influence of Classroom Instruction and Test Preparation on School Accountability Levels , Karen Adair Carter Bryant

Administrators’ Perceptions of Alternative School Characteristics and Their Relationship with Recidivism , Lori Elaine Burkett

Freshman Academy: Transitioning Ninth Grade Students Through the Academic and Social Rigors of the High School Experience and the Students’, Parents’ and Teachers’ Perceptions , Yulanda West Clinton

First Choice for a Second Chance: Factors Supporting Temporary Dropouts Who Re-Enroll in High School , Ralph Costen

The Relationship Between Perceptions of School Climate and Student Achievement in Schools That Use Jostens' Renaissance Programs , Amy Yarborough Coyne

The Impact of Extracurricular Activities on Student Achievement at the High School Level , Steven Wesley Craft

Preschool Curriculum: Choices that Promote Learning , Renee Curet Criddle

Educational Technology Integration and High-Stakes Testing , Tracy Demetrie Daniel

A Comparison of Principals’ and Parents’ Perceptions of Family Engagement in Schools , Karen Ash Frost

Influence of Teacher Qualifications, Experience, Instructional Methods, and Professional Development on Student Achievement on the Mississippi Writing Assessment in Grades Four and Seven , Stacy Kihneman Garcia

An Analysis of the Success of a High School Athletic Program on Student Achievement , Peter Randall Giles

Is There a Correlation Between Teacher Efficacy and Effectiveness to Re-Engage At-Risk Students and Graduate On Time? , John Daniel Guillory

The Relationship Between Student Achievement of At-Risk Students and the Georgia Performance Standards in Mathematics , Loralee Ann Hill

Literacy: Parent Training in the Elementary Educational System , Mattie Darlene Mathis Hill

Practitioners or Researchers: Ed.D. or Ph.D.? An Analysis of Educational Leadership Doctoral Programs , Michael Dwyane Kennedy Jr.

Roadblocks to Integrating Technology Into Classroom Instruction , Courteney Lester Knight

An Analysis of the Impact of Continuous Progress Curriculum on Student Achievement , Jessica LaRae Ladner Taylor

Interactive Whiteboard Use: The Catalyst of Student Achievement , Tenneille Terrell Lamberth

Teacher Perception of Their Initial Traditional or Alternitive Teacher Training Program , Daphne Yolanda Lowe

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Counseling and wellness expands staff

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The Ohio State University at Marion recently added Cassady McAvoy as a case manager to the staff of the Counseling and Wellness Center.

McAvoy will be serving both students attending The Ohio State University at Marion and Marion Technical College with the goal of connecting students from both schools to mental health and wellness services and resources on and off campus.

McAvoy graduated from Ohio State Marion in the spring of 2022 with her Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work. Since then, she has become a licensed social worker, and has been a practicing therapist over the previous two years.

McAvoy has lived in Marion County for most of her life and graduated from River Valley High School. During the 2021-2022 school year, she had the opportunity to be in the Counseling and Wellness Center for her field placement.

Since graduation, McAvoy got married and has prioritized building her knowledge and social work skills. She shared that she is excited to be back on campus and looks forward to supporting students at both institutions of higher learning.  

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A world-class city filled with art and culture and an incredible campus that offers cutting edge resources–that’s what students receive at Penn Nursing. And that’s just the start. Penn Nursing and the wider university offer something for everyone, as well as a lifelong community.

Penn Nursing is globally known for educating dynamic nurses—because our School values evidence-based science and health equity. That’s where our expertise lies, whether in research, practice, community health, or beyond. Everything we do upholds a through-line of innovation, encouraging our exceptional students, alumni, and faculty share their knowledge and skills to reshape health care.

Penn Nursing students are bold and unafraid, ready to embrace any challenge that comes their way. Whether you are exploring a career in nursing or interested in advancing your nursing career, a Penn Nursing education will help you meet your goals and become an innovative leader, prepared to change the face of health and wellness.

Penn Nursing is the #1-ranked nursing school in the world. Its highly-ranked programs help develop highly-skilled leaders in health care who are prepared to work alongside communities to tackle issues of health equity and social justice to improve health and wellness for everyone.

Penn Nursing’s rigorous academic curricula are taught by world renowned experts, ensuring that students at every level receive an exceptional Ivy League education . From augmented reality classrooms and clinical simulations to coursework that includes experiential global travel to clinical placements in top notch facilities, a Penn Nursing education prepares our graduates to lead.

Hooray for the 2024 Graduating Class!

It’s a wrap for the graduates of Penn Nursing’s class of 2024 and it all culminated in a beautiful commencement ceremony at the Kimmel Center on May 20. It is an honor to welcome them among the ranks of the Penn Nursing Alumni .

In her inspirational welcoming remarks, Penn Nursing Dean Antonia Villarrue l told the graduating class about how much the world needs nurses right now and how they—because of their trusted position within the community—can bring people together. “Hope is real. It is strength. It is resilience. It’s grit and determination. I see it in every one of you. That hope that you can take on the challenges in today’s health care landscape and innovate new futures, “said Villarruel. “That you can support individuals and families on their health journey. That you can bring people together, ask the right questions and listen (even when you don’t agree) in order to solve the biggest problems we face.”

COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS

Dean Villarruel introduced this year’s commencement speaker, Dr. Stephanie Ferguson, the Director of the Harvard Global Nursing Leadership Program and Professor of the Practice of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Ferguson is a global health care leader who has worked in 100+ nations as a technical advisor, consultant, and facilitator for organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the International Council of Nurses, and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).

“Now you must go forth and do, not only with short-term solutions to today’s challenges, but also for the long-term outlook. What will the world in nursing look like in 2050 and how will you, the class of 2024, influence it,” said Ferguson. “As nurses we are critics of unjust power, and we are advocates for the oppressed. And so now, class of 2024, it is time for you to embrace the walk and enjoy the journey and be ready to embark on great ventures and great adventures. This is just the beginning for you. The world needs Penn Nurses and we know that you will be amazing at all that you will do in your careers.”

BY THE NUMBERS

The event honored our 479 graduates. That number includes all the students who will have received degrees this academic year, including December 2023, May, and August 2024 graduates. It includes the first three graduates of our new MS in Nutrition Science too . The breakdown of the 2024 graduating class is as follows:

• 213 Graduate Students
• 197 Undergraduate Students

These numbers also include our School’s 13 graduates of the Leonard A. Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Program and nine graduates from the Amy Gutmann Leadership Scholars Program .

STUDENT AWARDS

Several students in the Class of 2024 received awards for their leadership ability, creativity, academic, and research excellence. A full list is below:

Helena Addison

The Ann Wolbert Burgess Endowed Student Award is given to a graduating PhD student for demonstrating excellence and leadership in nursing as evidenced by a completed doctoral dissertation that holds significant promise as a contribution to nursing knowledge.

Dana Shulman

The Claire M. Fagin Award is awarded to a graduating doctoral, master’s, or un­dergraduate student who has demonstrated a high level of leadership and creativity at the School of Nursing or within the larger Penn community.

Nina Juntereal

The Marion R. Gregory Award is awarded to the PhD student whose complet­ed dissertation promises significant contribution to nursing knowledge.

Uchechi Asika & Lucy Jimenez

The Jeanne Frances Hopkins Award is awarded to a nursing undergraduate or graduate student who has achieved academic excellence while embarking on a uniquely Penn curricular opportunity.

Courtney Williamson

The Norma M. Lang Award is awarded to an undergraduate or master’s stu­dent who has demonstrated excellence in academic and scholarly practice.

Andre Rosario

The Theresa I. Lynch Award recognizes a graduating doctoral, master’s, or un­dergraduate student for consistent contributions to the advancement of the School of Nursing.

Katherine Bender

The Dorothy Mereness Award is awarded to a graduating doctoral, master’s, or undergraduate student for excellence in scholarly writing.

Victoria Jawork

The JoAnn Nallinger Grant Award is awarded to a nursing undergraduate who is graduating with a minor in Nutrition or a second major in Nutrition Science, and who has demonstrated academic excellence and exemplary achievement in education, service, and/or research.

Samantha Cueto

The Mary D. Naylor Undergraduate Research Award is awarded to a nursing undergraduate student who demonstrates contributions to advancing nursing knowledge through research.

Miriam Rosetti

The Joyce E. Thompson Award in Women’s Health is awarded to the master’s student who demonstrates leadership and excellence in maternal and child health.

Ella Jang & Oulaya Louaddi

The Rosalyn J. Watts Diversity Scholar Leadership Award is awarded to the undergraduate student whose outstanding qualities of scholarship and leadership exemplify a commitment to the Penn SON Office of Diversity and Cultural Affairs by serving as a role model to promote meaningful interaction among diverse groups.

Anessa Foxwell

The Henry O. Thompson Prize in Ethics is awarded to a graduating master’s or doctoral student for distinction in ethical thinking and action.

Julia Badolato

The Sigma Theta Tau BSN Student Leadership Award recognizes a BSN student who is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, Xi Chapter, who demonstrates a high level of academic achievement, leadership, and service within the School of Nursing, University and/or the community.

Nina Juntereal & Davind Hyumin Yu

The Sigma Theta Tau DNP/PhD Student Leadership Award recognizes a DNP student who is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, Xi Chapter, who demonstrates a high level of academic achievement, leadership, and service within the School of Nursing, University, and/or the community.

The Teaching Assistant Award is awarded to a teaching assistant who demonstrates cognitive, professional, and interpersonal competencies.

The Alumni Spirit Award for Graduating Students is awarded for outstanding contributions to the achievement of Penn Nursing Alumni goals, including fostering loyalty to the School and the University and advancing social and professional bonds among classmates and alumni during their student experiences.

Megan Laubacher

The Dean’s Student Award is given to a graduating PhD, master’s, or undergraduate student who epitomizes the philosophy of the School of Nursing.

The entire commencement ceremony can be watched here .

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Honorary doctorate for penn nursing professor, revolutionizing nurse work environment research, new, national leadership role for penn nursing professor is a first, media contact, see yourself here.

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THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

Apply to become a tgs graduate intern.

The Graduate School (TGS) is seeking to hire one graduate intern for four quarters (10 hours/week), beginning Summer 2024. The appointment pays a stipend supplement of $920/month. The intern will work on projects within the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) and the Training Grant Support Office (TGSO). These projects include:

• maintaining current policies online and updating the OPA’s website.
• supporting recruitment program for historically minoritized postdocs.
• conducting searches on policies and procedures at peer institutions.
• assisting with organization of an online mentor training program.
• providing administrative and logistical support for professional development events.
• other projects and duties as assigned.  

Skills and Qualifications:

Applicants must be self-motivated, excellent communicators, and able to work independently. We especially welcome applications from candidates who have:

• an interest in academic administration and higher ed policy.
• web management skills; experience with Cascade is a plus.
• excellent administrative and organizational skills.
• experience with policy review and research.
• strong writing skills.

Eligibility:

This position is open to TGS PhD students from all disciplines enrolled full time at Northwestern University (other than TGS 512). Students must be in their third-through-fifth years during the period of the appointment and must already be fully funded. Students are permitted to work no more than 20 hours/week total from all roles including assistantships.

To be considered, applicants must have the approval of their program’s director of graduate studies (DGS) and their primary advisor. A Permission to Work Form must also be completed if offered the position.

Graduate assistants must meet the eligibility requirements set for all students receiving financial aid and must follow all TGS Regulations Governing Recipients of University Assistance .  

Application Instructions:

Please send the following materials to Beth Healey at [email protected] by Friday, June 14 :

• a cover letter explaining your interest in the position and qualifications,
• a statement from your DGS verifying that you are eligible for the position and have the support of your home department and that you will be working no more than 20h/week total from all roles including this role and any assistantships,
• a statement from your primary advisor confirming they are aware of, and support, your application for this position.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.  

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