Theses and Dissertations

Advisor

Burson, Debra

Committee Member

Smith, Kaleb

Committee Member

McCullum, Chase

Committee Member

Smith, Ed

Date of Degree

8-12-2026

Original embargo terms

Immediate Worldwide Access

Document Type

Doctoral Capstone - Open Access

Major

Education (Educational Policy & Organizational Design)

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College

College of Education

Department

Division of Education

Abstract

This capstone project addresses the need for structured trauma-informed professional preparation within higher education as institutions continue responding to increasing student adversity, trauma exposure, mental health concerns, and barriers to academic engagement and persistence. The purpose of the project is to develop Tips for Higher Education: A Research Informed Framework for Designing Trauma-Informed Professional Support Practices in Higher Education. The project examines the research-supported elements that should be included in a trauma-informed professional preparation framework, the competencies and learning domains needed by faculty, advisors, and student-support professionals, and the ways professional learning should be structured and sequenced to support sustainable implementation and institutional alignment. The project is grounded in resilience theory, adult learning theory, trauma-informed educational practice, and professional learning design. A desk-based conceptual research design employs systematic literature review procedures, thematic synthesis, analytic coding, and conceptual integration of peer-reviewed literature related to trauma-informed educational practice, resilience-oriented learning environments, professional learning systems, and higher education professional preparation. Findings from the literature inform the development of Tips for Higher Education, a research-informed framework for designing trauma-informed professional support practices. The framework includes trauma-informed support principles, professional competencies, sequenced learning domains, institutional alignment structures, and readiness indicators intended to guide implementation within higher education settings. The project contributes to the field by providing a research-informed and institutionally adaptable framework that supports coordinated professional preparation, resilience-oriented educational environments, and trauma-informed support practices across postsecondary contexts. Keywords: trauma-informed practice, higher education, professional learning, resilience theory, adult learning theory

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