Theses and dissertations produced by graduate students affiliated with Mississippi State University's College of Education.
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Theses/Dissertations from 2026
Enhancing professional development opportunities for Mississippi early childhood education technology students, Sheri H. Anders
They not for us: Reimagining social-emotional learning for Black youth, Jennifer Chinecherem Ani
Institutional predictors of overall retention and graduation rates for Black male students at public two-year colleges in the Southeastern United States, Jonathan Larry Armstrong
Modern sports training strategies in Saudi clubs: Examining implementation and challenges in light of vision 2030, Mutaz Emad Bakri
The South got somethin' to say!: Black Student Affairs Professionals sustaining equity work amid DEI dismantling, Jaborius D. Ball
Improving rural students’ access to advanced mathematics: A policy-based curriculum study, Alison Shae Blackledge
An evaluation of Mississippi’s policy for identifying and exiting Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) and Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) schools, Christopher A. Burrow
An equity-centered creative therapies implementation framework for K-12 school counseling practice, Brian Caleb Carlisle
School administrators’ lived experiences in educational settings supporting students with exposure to violence, Craig Karnell Chapman
A descriptive quantitative study of non-traditional parental student support structures in Texas community colleges, Caitlin Connolly
From barriers to opportunities: Adult learner decision factors and an implementation plan for the awarding of credit for prior learning, Kristi Leigh Dearing
Faculty perceptions of transfer students: How characteristics and experiences inform faculty predispositions toward transfer students in senior institutions, Tracey Ann DuBard
A policy analysis of state-mandated literacy reform in Tulsa Public Schools, Paul Eicher
Assessment of energy and hydration demands of farm workers in Mississippi, McKenzie Lynne Hargrove
Investigating teacher cognition of teaching spatial thinking among middle and high school STEM teachers: A knowledge, belief, and attitude perspective, Jonathan Grant Harris
A Research-Informed Wellness Guide for Creating a Culture of Educator Wellness and Retention in Schools, Anthony L. Herbert
An exploration of the experiences influencing the trajectory of Black women mid-level managers into senior-level administration at predominantly white institutions, Christine Hampton Jackson
Exclusionary disciplinary composition outcomes: Schools with high African American enrollments and schools with low African American enrollments, Darrell A. Jones
Why become a teacher? Perspectives from undergraduate students majoring in secondary mathematics education, Benjamin E. Jordan
Exploring rural AP STEM motivation, interests, and aspirations: A Self-Determination Theory lens, Erin Seger McGuire
Enhancing social emotional learning interventions for black adolescent girls through staff training, Shundrell McMullan
Creative media production curriculum design, development, and implementation for undergraduate programs, Christopher P. Misun
Comparison of degree attainment between traditional and nontraditional community college transfer students from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study, Diann Mills Nichols
The lived experiences of Mississippi school leaders addressing food insecurity in their schools, Krista Vowell Nicholson
Mandates versus capacity: Utilizing PACE to proactively approach teacher evaluation for high school administrators in Mississippi, Jessica Paige Posey Cumberland
The impact of interactive digital tools on students’ engagement and learning outcomes in Economics, Ashram Ramgarib
Texas community college mid-level academic leaders’ perceptions about professional development, Jeanette Robinson
Elementary preservice teachers’ use of representations to compare fractions in area, length, and set contexts, Sarah Salisbury
Exploring the viability of variable-design policy approach to addressing teacher retention in Kentucky, Donald R. Smallwood
Exploring teacher efficacy:Teaching practices and strategies to enhance student success, Terilyn Smith
Informing pre-k expansion in the Walthall County School District: Examining relationships among pre-k participation type, kindergarten readiness, and third-grade literacy outcomes, Florence Michelle Stinson
Students’ college choice: Factors influencing the decision to attend a particular college, Miss Thompson Gordon
Effects of concurrent ingestion of creatine and caffeine on performance and cognitive outcomes, Maxwell Torrey
The role of math anxiety – and associated support mechanisms and strategies – in the academic success of STEM college students, William Jacob Tschume
Exploring the effect of students' exclusionary discipline on their academic achievement in a rural high school., Danya Turner
Bridging the gap: Implementing a modified pacing guide for students 2-3 grade levels behind in an accelerated program, Crystal T. Tyson
A qualitative content analysis of research on principal internship and residency design, Stephen Vanderford
Closing the implementation gap: A research-based playbook for high-quality teacher mentoring programs, Angela White
Differences among teacher licensure types and students’ proficiency scores in mathematics in schools located in the Mississippi Delta, Kanequa Dismuke Willis
Reducing the equitable access to excellent educators gap, Kathi Wilson
Theses/Dissertations from 2025
In search of educational justice: Lived experiences of community college presidents and their authentic critical leadership, Juan Felipe Arzola
Streamlined technology systems: Optimizing technology systems for Meridian Public School District, LaToya Atterberry
The Teaching Experiences of Black Women Faculty in Educator Preparation Providers Licensure Programs at Predominantly White Institutions, Tiffiney M. Atterberry
An investigation of non-persistence of second and third year engineering students at a midsize research university in the South, Kimberly Elizabeth Ball
Validation and efficacy of a novel external ankle support device for the prevention of lateral ankle sprains, Sally Kennon Barfield
Post secondary teaching toolkit: A concise resource to highlight effective pedagogical strategies for post-secondary instructors, Matthew Thomas Blackwell
Effects of psychological arousal and relaxation on muscle performance, activation, and heart rate variability during maximal muscle strength and precision tasks, Allison Ann Brown
The impact of need-based financial aid on degree completion for community college transfer students at a southern university, Bethany L. Buse
Creating a framework for offering alternative credentials at Mississippi State University, Marian Montgomery Chancellor
The role of institutional image in first-generation student choice to attend a rural Southern community college, Megan Caves Clark
The effects of bullying victimization and bullying perpetration on academic, social, and emotional self-efficacy among adolescents, Amber Crenshaw
Improving engagement through readers' theater: A systematic literature review and teacher process portfolio with program proposal, Karen K. Crum
The evaluation of traditional and latency based functional analyses on the identification of the function of inappropriate mealtime behavior, Mallie N. Donald
Social validity of functional analysis variations, Rita M. Druffner
High-leverage practices paired with evidence-based practices recommended for inclusion classrooms, Cynthia Dunnam-Shirley
Mentorship in music education: Crafting a supportive path for new teachers, Stephen P. Fields
Enhancing leadership development for faculty and staff at community colleges, Christopher L. Haralson
Bridging the gap: Enhancing novice teacher retention through logistical and administrative support, Denise Fleurette Harrel
How do tuition benefits affect university staff retention, social connection, and institutional commitment?, Lian A. Harris
High-achieving community college transfer student experience with orientation and their first-semester transition, Jake Hartfield
Over and under identification of Emotional Disturbance (EmD) in minority students: Implications for best practices in EmD assessment, Danielle Chanell Jackson
A systematic literature review of the implementation of high-quality instructional materials (HQIMs) in K-12 education, Melanie Jackson
Equity by design: A North Glenn High School equitable practices policy guide, Kelli Andrews Jarrett
Biomechanics of softball pitching and the relationship between functional field tests and pitching performance, Joshua Spencer Johnson
Designing an instructional coaching model for residency-based alternate route teacher candidates in Mississippi to improve instructional competencies and self-efficacy, LaMareshia Daoma Johnson
Examining relationships among teachers’ perceptions of school climate and culture and their sense of school belonging, Kimberly D. Lathan
Best practices in community college adult education: Literature review and synthesis, Jon H. Lightsey
Advancing equity in adolescent mental health: A literature review and telehealth program design for school-based access, Renatta Lindsey
Faculty adoption of the Canvas learning management system: An application of the UTAUT2 framework, Alyssa Hutcheson McKinley
Expanding access: A college access model for English learners, Amanda Blackwell McLeod
Investing in your own: How university leaders should aim to invest to retain quality staff in undergraduate recruitment offices, Grant Alexander Nerren
Perceptions of community college financial aid and admissions practitioners regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Felicia Marie Orr
Motivating factors leading to job satisfaction of teacher assistants and their perceptions of such, Jon Oswalt
Faculty perceptions and use of open educational resources in postsecondary STEM classrooms, Gabriel Posadas
The relationship between internal coherence and student learning in high achieving middle schools: A Mississippi study, Christina Coleman Reynolds
How the Advisor-Advisee Relationship Contributes to Black Student Success at PWIs, Renata Denise Roberts
The effectiveness of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) in title I secondary schools, Robyn Rush-Grace
Assessing the kinematics and kinetics about the knee with an isokinetic dynamometer and force plates during field-based and lab-based trials., Samantha Ann Searles
Measuring what matters: A policy analysis of statewide accountability systems through the lens of college and career readiness, Steven DeAndre Shadwick
Does an adapted swimming program improve self-efficacy in individuals with intellectual disability?, Georgia Grace Starr
Mastering skills together: effects of video modeling on parent-implemented academic intervention, Chelsea S. Thorpe
The need for policy pathways to phone-free schools: A desk-based analysis for a rural K-12 district, Kelsey Upton
Academics vs athletics: Prioritizing the students in student-athletes and the importance of their return to the classroom, Stephen Walker
Examining elementary teachers’ perceptions of differentiated mathematics instruction: A diffusion of innovation perspective, Joseph James Walsh
Barriers to higher education in Mississippi prisons: A systematic literature review and policy analysis, Ashley Elizabeth Weathers
A mixed-method study of African American parents’ involvement in their children’s Individualized Education Program process, Dischedia Tamarisi Williams
What makes a good leader? MS LiLI: Mississippi Library Leadership Institute, Anita L. Winger
Work-life balance and the impact of COVID-19 on faculty at Historically Black Community Colleges (HBCCs), Taneshia Turner Winston
Theses/Dissertations from 2024
Academic self-efficacy, achievement motivation, and academic success of international graduate students, Rawan Alzukari
Perceptions of university staff member organizational belonging in higher education: A quantitative analysis, Amanda McKnight Baine
Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and cardiovascular health of adults with and without Down syndrome, Brantley Kyle Ballenger
Examining barriers in building multicultural competency within school psychology faculty, Orlandria D. Beamon
Evaluating the effects of incremental rehearsal at increasing drivers permit exam material knowledge for individuals with ASD, Madison Billingsley
Understanding the correlation between socioeconomic status and student achievement amongst high school students in rural Mississippi, Aiesha L. Brooks-Hodges
An analysis of suspension days among students in special education and general education in a rural school district, LaKesia Falanda Bryant
