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This dissertation examines the early history of St. Patrick's High School, an all-boys Catholic secondary boarding school located in the west-Kenyan town of Iten. While an institutional history, this work is primarily concerned with people - the students, teachers, coaches, administrators, and staff who populated St. Patrick's during the 1960s and 1970s. This study traces the founding, construction, development, and ultimate flourishing of St. Patrick's from 1961 to 1976, a period which parallels the transition from colony to independent nation in Kenya and during which school members helped make St. Patrick's one of Kenya's most well-known educational institutions, especially in sports. I argue that by taking part in a range of activities -- in classrooms, student organizations, sports competitions, and others -- St. Patrick's community members made their school into a negotiated place of social meaning as they sought to respond to the challenges, contradictions, and possibilities of the late colonial and early independence eras in Kenya. Through their efforts, they forged an institutional identity defined by notions of discipline, unity, development, achievement, and prestige. At the same time, this process was not seamless. Conflict and struggle were defining characteristics of the period, at times leading to the marginalization of those who did not fit within the school's official identity. Yet, through their efforts of pray, work, and play, St. Patrick's became a place where members imagined and negotiated a place for themselves in the world. In addition to engaging with a broad range of literature on Kenyan schools, the central sources are oral histories, student writings, and national newspapers. As a bottom-up history of a school in western Kenya, this study joins scholarship seeking to understand schools as negotiated places of meaning. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Success in STEM-based fields provides a path to highly regarded and powerful positions in society. Hegemonic structures of society have excluded women and other non-hegemonic groups from these fields and from recognition in these fields. Between 1903 and 2018 the Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded 113 times to 212 individuals. Marie Curie was awarded the prize in 1903; Marie Goeppert-Mayer in 1963; and Donna Strickland in 2018. Three women out of 212 award winners reflects continued exclusion of women from STEM-related fields. This study focuses on the language used in the newspaper announcements for these three Nobel Prize winners. Newspapers use specific language and linguistic strategies to maintain society's hegemonic values and goals. By winning the Nobel Prize for physics these three women challenged the hegemonic values of society that commonly exclude women from STEM-based fields. The newspaper announcements for these three Nobel Prize winners used language and strategies to resolve this challenge while describing these women and their achievements. This analysis provides an examination of the announcements to identify how language is used to portray these women to the general public. The announcements were analyzed to understand the use of linguistic strategies such as Topic Control, Hidden Power, and Interpretive Control, and the intended outcomes. The analysis revealed specific strategies used to portray each of these three women. The linguistic strategies shifted over time and each of these women were portrayed differently from their male counterparts and from each other. The announcements were consistent in portraying the male counterparts with admiration and respect for their accomplishments in physics. The 1903 newspaper announcements for Marie Curie's Nobel Prize for physics erased or minimized Marie Curie's achievements through linguistic silencing strategies. Subsequently, in 1911, when she was awarded the Nobel Prize for chemistry, the announcements were more respectful in acknowledging Curie's accomplishments. However, she was presented through traditional social constructs that applied to women. This included the use of compliments, euphemisms and evaluative comments that focused on her appearance and her social roles of wife, widow, mother, and her household duties rather than accomplishments. The 1963 newspaper announcements celebrated Maria Goeppert-Mayer's achievement of being awarded the Nobel Prize for physics. However, the announcements foregrounded Dr. Goeppert-Mayer's social roles of wife, mother, and employee. Dr. Goeppert-Mayer was often referred to as Mrs. Goeppert-Mayer rather than using her professional title. In contrast, the 2018 announcements for Donna Strickland presented her in a similar fashion as her male colleagues. She was applauded for her achievement and acknowledged as a leading contributor to the research for which the Nobel Prize was awarded. Strickland was not held to any social roles, identified by her marital or family status, or any other traditional social constructs. The announcements focused on her scientific achievements and her career. Each of the announcements for Dr. Strickland foregrounded, or at least acknowledged, the lack of women in the field of physics, but recognized and denounced the bias against women. Across all the Nobel Prize announcements the use of language was intentional and effective in portraying each of these prize winners. The linguistic strategies shifted over the timeframe of 115 years to finally achieve a more well-balanced presentation of a woman being awarded a Nobel Prize for physics. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study was an investigation of how national newspapers contributed to the reproduction of racism as they reported on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the need for more Black Americans in STEM programs. The existence of racism in newspaper discourse reaffirms the long-standing perception that HBCUs, and the Black Americans they serve, do not deserve full educational participation in society. The lack of diversity in STEM fields represents a key area where a critical exploration of how HBCUs are described is needed. Specifically, four national newspapers, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, printed during the period of March 7, 1979, to December 12, 1980 were explored. Critical race theory provided the theoretical foundation of the study to explain why racism is a continued aspect of society that limits the STEM access of HBCUs. The research question for the study sought to understand the constructed images of HBCUs and Black students present in national newspaper discourse with respect to STEM topics. Using a critical discourse analysis approach, the study included 15 articles relevant to the topic. A key marker of relevant discourse was the passing of the 1980 National Science Foundation Authorization and Science and Technology Equal Opportunities Act, which provided HBCU students with additional access to science and technology curriculums and degrees. The study found discourse that represented a battle for HBCU continued existence, images of Black students as academically incapable, and implicit uses of racism to uphold notions of White supremacy. Implications to the field include a need for a more critical lens to be taken when framing events about HBCUs and Black students as these contribute to the collective perception of these groups as inferior. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Sexual violence is one of the most serious issues on college and university campuses today. It is estimated that approximately one in five college women experiences sexual assault in their lifetime, and sexual assault has appeared on the AASCU's list of top ten issues in higher education almost every year for the last decade. However, administrators and policymakers have struggled to make headway in eliminating the perpetuation of sexual violence on our college and university campuses. Recent studies have argued that to eradicate sexual violence we need to approach education, prevention, and response differently. Opposed to relying on bystander intervention or stopping sexual violence one perpetrator at a time, we need to address the issues of power, privilege, and oppression that serve to normalize the perpetration of sexual violence. This study aims to help move us toward dismantling these systems of oppression by understanding how language is used to shape beliefs about perpetrators and victims of sexual violence and contribute to their social construction. Grounded in the theory of social construction and the power conscious framework, this study employed critical discourse analysis in the analysis of approximately 170 newspaper articles written about "People v. Turner" to understand how language was used to socially construct images of Chanel Miller and Brock Turner and contribute to social perceptions of perpetrators and victims as more or less valuable to society or deserving of social resources. By analyzing how language and rhetoric were used to contribute to perceptions of Miller, Turner, and the criminal justice system, this study helps illuminate how higher education administrators, scholars, and policymakers can take steps toward eliminating sexual violence on college and university campuses. It is critical to actively engage with narratives and provide complete and accurate information to constituents and promote the development of critical thinking and empathy skills in students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study examines 523 student newspapers from Athens State University from 1901 through 2000. The result is the discovery of unique student voices as expressed through perennial themes such as race and women's roles. These voices are periodized into four eras in which dominant values, beliefs, behaviors, and norms vary over time. These four eras are labelled the eras of conformity, collegiality, emancipation, and vocationalism to capture their central feature. This study adds to the history of higher education by focusing on the expressions of students as reflected in the topics they wrote about in the student newspapers. The use of student newspapers as the primary source demonstrates how this type of evidence can be used to create themes which help understand the past. It also shows the development and changes in the perennial issues of race and women's roles in small southern colleges. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study explored the relevancy of media literacy as college students obtained their news and information from social media sites. The past several decades have experienced a transformation from single-sourced, trusted news in newspapers and television to a multi-sourced, unchecked, and growing social media presence. News shapes social and political attitudes and awareness, making the ability to understand, process, and analyze the information critical for forming an individual's worldview. Data collection methods for this exploratory, sequential, mixed-methods study included: a quantitative online survey with a seven-point Likert-type scale (n = 58), five semi-structured, one-to-one interviews with students, and a focus group of five faculty within the communications department at the study site. The study's quantitative findings suggest that students consume news and information from various sources, including social media sites such as Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and online news publications (e.g., "The Wall Street Journal" and "The New York Times"). The study's qualitative findings suggest that students acquired their media literacy skills from their undergraduate communications courses, rather than their parents of K-12 education. The study identified three results: (a) students use multiple techniques and methods to confirm news and information on social media and online news, (b) faculty in the communications department embed media literacy training and education in their curricula, and (c) students and faculty view media literacy concepts and definitions similarly. The researcher recommended the following actions: (a) create a faculty group to conduct short- and long-range planning, (b) reach out to local and regional employers to better understand if Sunshine University graduates have the skills they need to perform well within these organizations, and (c) research university communications programs to identify what other higher educational institutions have implemented for media literacy education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This quantitative study examined parents' perceptions regarding the use of multiple methods of communication from the school administrator's office. The study took place in one school district in the Midwest with approximately 1900 students. The study used ex post facto data from a district's online parent survey. Responses were analyzed to determine the perceived effectiveness of a school administrator's communication effectiveness for providing information and showing what life is like for students. The study evaluated survey responses to determine if a parents' digital native status predicted what they perceived as effective methods of school communication. The study also looked at the extent parents' perceived effectiveness of a method of communication indicates parents' feelings of engagement in their children's education. A quantitative, inferential statistics approach guided the process of data analysis. The study sought to identify the differences in parent perceptions of effectiveness between communication methods for informational purposes. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to determine whether there were statistically significant differences between the four methods of communication for informational purposes. Of the 452 survey respondents, 110 answered that they were using all four methods of communication to receive information; newspaper, mass communication, social media, and the school website. The analysis indicated social media was the only method of communication found to be statistically significant based on a parent's digital native status. In addition, the data indicated the use of the electronic mass communication to communicate with parents was statistically significant in impacting a parents' perception of engagement. Results from this study suggest that school personnel should keep accurate, up-to-date contact information, utilize social media in the school communication plans, and provide regular features on the page for parents and community members to check daily. School administrator should specifically designate which types of information will be shared on each of the methods of communication as some parents still use the newspaper to find school information. Finally, school communication plans should be reviewed by all school stakeholders and updated frequently to reflect the national trends as digital natives and future generations of technology users become parents. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Higher education enrollment and degree attainment rates have increased in the U.S. Yet higher education has remained inaccessible to many. Low- and middle-income students and students from particular racial and ethnic backgrounds enroll and attain degrees at lower rates than their peers. To gain insight into the topic of access to higher education, I used social constructionist, critical, and socio-cognitive perspectives to conduct a descriptive, content, and discourse analysis of 1,242 articles about access to higher education published from 1994-2019 in eight influential U.S. newspapers. I also explored the historical and social context in which this coverage was situated. I found that access to higher education was considered an important topic in the articles I analyzed. I also found that while definitions of access to higher education were varied and often intersected, content related to costs and funding of higher education dominated the coverage. In addition, a tension between public and private benefits of access to higher education emerged in the articles I analyzed, as did a tension between public and private costs of access to higher education. These costs and benefits were often misaglined in coverage. The most salient benefit of access to higher education in the majority of articles was a public benefit, which primarily benefits society. However, a private entity or higher education institution was deemed responsible for covering the costs of access to higher education in the majority of articles. This research could be used to promote more nuanced coverage on access to higher education as well as policies, practices, and additional research that addresses the multiplicity of ways in which disparities in access to higher education are created, sustained, and reproduced. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The study investigated the newspaper reading among college students in development of their analytical ability. Newspapers are one of the few sources of information that are comprehensive, interconnected and offered in one format. The main objective of the study was to find out the development of the analytical ability among college students by newspaper reading. The data was collected with the help of "Analytical Ability Test" (AAT) which have Comprehension, Reasoning, Problem Solving, Critical Analysis and Assumption dimensions. The test was administered on 400 government and non government college students in Bathinda District of Punjab (India). The study concluded that there is insignificant difference between reader and non reader college students in the development of their analytical ability by newspaper reading. This can be because of variety of media available in the society Students are attracted towards these media. So students prefer them as compare to newspaper. (A bibliography is included. Contains 7 figures and 8 tables.)