Thesis and Dissertation Defense Announcements

PAST THESIS & DISSERTATION DEFENSES

Karen Sweeting: "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Cultural Competence: An Interpretive Analysis for Cultural Competence of Federal Departments’ Strategic Plans"
August 31, 2020 at 11:00 a.m.
Virtual meeting online
Co-Chairs: Patricia Patterson, Ph.D. and Alka Sapat, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Leslie Leip, Ph.D. and Clifford McCue, Ph.D.

Jose Luis Irizarry: "The Classical Dilemma and Probation Officer Training in Florida: An Ethnographic Content Analysis of Rules, Routines, Roles, Rituals, and Relationships"
August 28, 2020 at 11:00 a.m.
Virtual meeting online
Chair: Leslie Leip, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Alka Sapat, Ph.D., Clifford McCue, Ph.D., and Patricia Patterson, Ph.D.

Benton J. Fazzolari: "Tracing a Technological God: A Psychoanalytic Study of Google and the Global Ramifications of its Media Proliferation"
February 24, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.
Chair: Dr. Frederic Conrod
Committee Members: Dr. Steve Blakemore and Shane Eason, M.F.A.

Ida Everest: "Understanding the Cultural Changes of Family Creation, Size and Unity Through the Analysis of the Changing Behaviors and Meanings of Their Symbols"
November 10, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
Room AH 205, Arts and Humanities building
Committee Members: Dr. Marsha Shapiro Rose, Dr. Mary Cameron, and Dr. Susan love Brown

Nicholas Belotto: "Power and Legitimacy in the Medieval Muslim World: The Career of Imad al-Din Zengi (1085-1146)"
Chair: Eric Hanne
Wednesday, October 1, 2014, 10:00 a.m.
Arts & Humanities, 107
Committee Members: Benno Lowe and Boyd Breslow

Nazare F. Feliciano: "Bodily Knowledge In Dance Transferred To The Creation Of Sculpture"
Chair: Brian E. McConnell, Ph.D.
Friday, February 28, 2014, 1:00 p.m.
AH 205, Boca Raton campus
Committee Members: Marcella Munson, Ph.D. and Clarence Brooks, MFA

Jane M. Montonen: "Libertinage Et Feminisme Dans Les Lettres Du Colonel Talbert (1767) de Françoise-Albine Puzin de la Martiniére Benoist"
Chair: Marcella Munson, Ph.D.
Friday, February 21st, 2014, 1:00 p.m.
AH 209, Boca Raton campus
Committee Members: Marina Karides, Ph.D. and Frederic Conrod, Ph.D.

Kathryn Morris: "Documentary Theatre: Pedagogue And Healer With Their Voices Raised"
Chair: Richard Gamble, Ph.D.
Thursday, February 20, 2014, 11:00 a.m.
AH 209, Boca Raton campus
Committee Members: Thomas R Atkins, MFA., Patricia Kollander, Ph.D., and Patricia Liehr, Ph.D.

Jacqueline S. May: "Americans All! The Role of Advertising in Re-Imaging Ethnicity in America: The Case of the War Advertising Council, 1939-1945"
Chair: Fred Fejes, Ph.D.
Friday, February 14th, 2014, 12:00 p.m.,
AH 205, Boca Raton campus
Committee Members: Michael Harris, Ph.D., Clevis Headley, Ph.D., and Henry Abramson, Ph.D.

Sally C. Brown: "A Comparative Study of Current Practices of Selected University-Based Children's Chorus Directors in Relation to Arts Integration"
Chair: Dr. Patricia P. Fleitas
Committee Members: Dr. Brian E. McConnell, Dr. Susannah L. Brown, Dr. Graciella Cruz-Taura
Friday, October 18, 2013, 1:30pm
AH 209, Boca Raton Campus

Sheryl C. Gifford: "(Re)Making Men, Representing the Nation: The Anglo-Caribbean Male Writer's Individuation in Works by Robert Antoni, Fred D'Aguiar, and Marlong James"
Chair: Dr. Elena Machado
Committee Members: Dr. Sika Dagbovie-Mullins, Dr. Mary Ann Gosser-Esquilin, and Dr. Raphael Dalleo
Monday, September 16, 2013, 12:00pm
AH 209, Boca Raton Campus

Comparative Studies Program in Literatures, Literacies, and Linguistics
Elizabeth M. Petersen: “Building A Character: A Somaesthetics Approach to Comedias and Women Of The Stage"
Chair: Dr. Yolanda Gamboa
Wednesday, March 27, 2013, 1:45 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Arts & Humanities building (AH-52), Room 205
Committee Members: Dr. Michael Horswell, Gvozden Kopani, Dr. Barbara Mujica, and Dr. Richard Shusterman

Note: The examination portion of this meeting is open to the public, and there will be a period for questions and comments from all those in attendance.

Comparative Studies Public Intellectual Program
Nancy Carol Stein: “Using The Visual To "See" Absence: The Case of Thessaloniki"
Chair: Dr. Michael Harris
Friday, March 29, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, SO-285
Committee Members: Dr. Alan Berger, Dr. Fred Fejes

John R.Batey: “Democratization and Exogenous Cultural Influence: Western Mass Media and Democratic Consolidation in Eastern Europe"
Chair: Dr. Jeffrey Morton
Wednesday, March 27, 2013, 4:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, Arts & Humanities building (AH-52), Room 205
Committee Members: Dr. Susan Love Brown, Dr. Kim Kukhong

Mark A. Kattoura: "Global Warming in the Microblog Era: A Rhetorical Analysis of Twitter Dialogue between Exxon Mobil and GreenPeace USA"
Chair: Dr. Becky M. Mulvaney
Wednesday, March 20, 2013, 12:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, CU 222
Committee Members: Dr. Noemi Marin and Dr. Barclay J. Barrios

Shane Gunderson: "Social Movement Momentum, Intellectual Work and the East Timor Independence Movement"
Chair: Dr. Fred Fejes
Wednesday, October 24, 2012, 1:30 p.m.
AH 217C (Arts & Humanities bldg, room 217C), Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. Becky Mulvaney, Dr. Farshad Araghi, Dr. Robert Benford

Daniel Copher: "Authenticity of Space: An Interdisciplinary Convergence of the Tradition of Sacred Music and Twenty-First Century Sacred Architecture"
Chair: Dr. Carol S. Gould
Tuesday, October 16, 2012, 9:00 a.m.
AH 205 (Arts & Humanities bldg, room 205), Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Heather Coltman, D.M.A., Gvozden (Den) Kopani, M.F.A.

Nadja Johnson: "Migrant Collectives as New Twenty First Century Transnational Movements: The Case of the Jamaican Diaspora."
Chair: Dr. Noemi Marin
Friday, September 21, 2012, 2:00 p.m.
CU 222 (Culture & Society bldg, room 222), Boca Raton Campus
Committee members: Dr. Josephine Beoku-Betts, Dr. Becky Mulvaney, and Dr. Mark Frezzo

Comparative Studies Public Intellectual Program
Merrie Elyn Meyers: “Reading, Writing and Privatization: The Narrative That Helped Change the Nation's Public Schools"
Chair: Dr. Mary Ann Branaman
Thursday, November 15, 2012, 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, Arts & Humanities building (AH-52), Room 205
Committee Members: Dr. Susan Love Brown, Dr. Rebecca Mulvaney, Dr. Phyllis Schiffer-Simon, and Dr. Jay Rayburn

Jeffrey A. Nall: “Interrogating Social Conceptualizations of Childbirth and Gender, an Ecofeminist Analysis"
Chair: Dr. Jane Caputi
Wednesday, October 17, 2011, 12:30 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, Arts & Humanities building (AH-52), Room 217C
Note: The examination portion of this meeting is open to the public, and there will be a period for questions and comments from all those in attendance.

Comparative Studies Program in Literatures, Literacies, and Linguistics
Regina Dilgen: “Studied Girlhoods: Consciousness, Context, and Negotiation of Identity in Memoirs of White, Southern, Working-Class Girlhoods/Late 1950s/Early 1960s – Dorothy Allison, Mary Karr, and Barbara Robinette Moss"
Chair: Dr. Wenying Xu
Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, Arts & Humanities building (AH-52), Room 217C
Note: The examination portion of this meeting is open to the public, and there will be a period for questions and comments from all those in attendance.

PAST THESIS & DISSERTATION DEFENSES

PAST THESIS & DISSERTATION DEFENSES

Arjola Balilaj: "Social Constructions and Narratives: An Analysis of The U.S. Refugee Policy From 1980-2018"
January 31, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Social Science Building (S0-44), Room 216
Chair: Alka Sapat, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Leslie Leip, Ph.D. and Clifford McCue, Ph.D.

James Capp: "Is It Working? Narrative Perspectives on Performance-Based Funding Policies in Public Higher Education"
August 20, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Social Science Building (SO-44), Room 216
Chair: Alka Sapat, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Leslie Leip, Ph.D. and Patricia M. Patterson, Ph.D.

David Moura: "Government as a Stigma Moderator: The Case of Palm Beach County’s Addiction Recovery Industry"
July 23, 2019 at 1:30 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Social Science Building (S0-44), Room 216
Chair: Hugh Miller, Ph.D.
Committee Memebers: Alka Sapat, Ph.D. and Arthur Sementelli, Ph.D.

Tulasi Acharya: "Critical Sexual Theory and Postcolonial Studies: Assessing Disability Policies and Narratives of Women with Disabilities in Nepal"
March 11, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Social Science Building (SO-44), Room 216
Chair: Dr. Arthur Sementelli
Committee Members: Dr. Mary Cameron and Dr. Fred Fejes

Wilson McLean: "Investigating Healthy Organizations: Development and Testing of a Public Organization Wellness Quotient (WQ)"
February 4, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Social Science Building (SO-44), Room 216
Chair: Dr. Arthur Sementelli
Committee Members: Dr. Alka Sapat and Dr. Gao Liu

Anne Fennimore: "Rethinking Public Service Motivation: The Role of Communal Narcissism"
May 16, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
Boca Campus, URP Conference Room, SO 285
Chair: Dr. Arthur Sementelli
Committee members: Drs. Palina Prysmakova,Michael Maniaci, and Paul Peluso

Gilvert Angervil: "Administrative Discretion in Public Policy Implementation: The Case of No Child Left Behind (NCLB)"
March 28, 2017 at 3:30 p.m.
Social Science Building, Room 216
Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Khi V. Thai
Committee members: Dr. Floydette Cory-Scruggs and Dr. Meredith Mountford

Stacey Lisbeth Beals: "Moving Towards Fairness and Diversity?  An Analysis of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Employees’ Perceptions"
November 16, 2016 at 12:45 p.m.
Room 202E, Social Science Building
Committee Members: Dr. Alka Sapat, Dr. Floydette Cory-Scruggs, and Dr. Leslie Leip

Joseph Christian Heilman: "Professional Public Administration: A Synthesis of an Inchoate Concept"
November 4, 2016 at 12:00 p.m.
Room 202E, Social Science Building
Committee Members: Dr. Arthur Sementelli, Dr. Gao Liu, and Dr. Clifford McCue

Jean M. Pierre: "Determinants of Aid Effectiveness in Agriculture: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOS) in Haiti"
August 29, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
Social Science Building, Room 216
Committee Members: Alka Sapat, Ph.D., Dissertation Advisor; Floyette Cory-Scruggs, Ph.D.; Ann-Margaret Esnard, Ph.D.

Joshua Steinfeld: "Task Specialization in the Public Administration Profession: A Job Analysis of Public Procurement Practitioners"
August 23, 2016 at 3:30 p.m.
Social Science Building (SO 44), Room 216, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Clifford McCue, Ph.D., Dissertation Advisor; Alka Sapat, Ph.D.; Gao Liu, Ph.D.; Eric Prier, Ph.D.

Lori Allen Ford: "Florida University Faculty Compensation – Market Competition or Not"
August 2, 2016 at 12:00 p.m.
Social Science Building (SO 44), Room 216, Boca Raton Campus

Salvatore A. D’Angelo III: "An Inquiry Into Fire Service Consolidation and the Economies of Scale Debate: The Centralization Versus Decentralization Argument"
Chair: Dr. Khi Thai
June 23, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
Social Science Building Room 216
Committee Members: Dr. Rupert Rhodd and Dr. Floydette Cory-Scruggs

Tam Mai: "Human Trafficking as a Brand Within the Framework of Human Rights: Case Studies in the U.S."
Major Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Villares
June 9, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
Social Science Building Room 216

Michelle Evans: "Does Public Service Ethics Education Include Gender Equity? An Exploration of Gender Inclusion in MPA Ethics Syllabi"
November 5, 2015, 12:30 p.m.
Social Science Building, Room 216

Steven Tinsley: "Jobs Created? Economic Development as Language Games"
October 30, 2015 at 11:30 a.m.
Social Science Building, Room 216

Derek Slagle: "The Significance for, and Impact upon, Public Administration of the Correspondence Theory of Truth or Veridicality"
October 2, 2015, at 1:30 p.m.
SO 216

Darrin Hugh Eugene Wilson: "Local Government Decisions in a Time of Economic Decline: A Study of County Government Budget Policy During the Great Recession"
Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at 11:00 a.m.
Social Science Building Room 315

David B. Black: "School Choice and Florida’s McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities: An Analysis of Parental Satisfaction"
Thursday, July 9, 2015, at 12:00 p.m.
Social Science Building, Dean’s Office Conference Room 108

Schnequa Nicole Diggs: "An Empirical Analysis of Factors Influencing Organizational Cultural Competence within Emergency Medical Services Systems"
June 23, 2015, at 9:00 a.m.
Social Science Building, Dean’s Office Conference Room 108

Mariana G. O’Brien: "Epistemology and Networked Governance: An Actor-Network Account"
June 18, 2015, at 1:30 p.m.
Social Science Building, Dean’s Office Conference Room 108

Denise R. Vienne: "Reframing 0ur Understanding of Nonprofit Self-Regulation Through the Use of the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework"
Monday, June 30, 2014, 9:00 a.m.
Social Science Building, Dean’s Office Conference Room 108

Adam Williams: "Public-Private Partnerships and Questions in Public Procurement"
Chair: Dr. Hugh Miller
Monday, June 16, 2014, 11:00 a.m.
Social Science Building, Dean’s Office Conference Room 108

Vincent Byaruhanga: "The Impact and Effectiveness of Capital Investments in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: An Assessment Using Keynes Economic Theory"
Chair: Dr. Khi Thai
Tuesday, April 29, 2014, 9:00 a.m.
Social Science Building Dean’s Office Conference Room 108

Amanda Gillespie: "Testing The Theory of Dominant Institutionalized Policy Narratives Using Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” Discourse"
Chair: Hugh T. Miller, Ph.D.
Friday, March 21, 2014, 10:30 a.m.
Social Science Building Dean’s Office Conference Room 108
Committee Members: Floydette Cory-Scruggs, Ph.D. and Leslie Leip, Ph.D.

Marcus Bright: "An Inquiry into Scott’s Institutional Theory: The Relationship between Sports and Academics in Urban Public High Schools
Friday, January 10, 2014, 11:00 AM
Social Science Building, Dean’s Office Conference Room 108

Alexandru V. Roman : "An Empirical Analysis of the Roles Assumed by Public Administrators: The Case of Public Procurement Specialists"
Chair: Dr. Clifford McCue
Monday, June 3, 2013, 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Social Science Building, Room 216
Committee Members: Dr. Leslie Leip, Dr. Ronald Nyhan

Mohammed Alzahrani : "A Comparative Study of the Relationships between Conflict Management Styles and Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Propensity to Leave the Job Among Saudi and American Universities' Faculty Members "
Chair: Dr. Hugh Miller
Thursday, April 25, 2013, 1:30 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Social Science Building, Room 216
Committee Members: Dr. Khi Thai, Dr. Rosaiyn Carter, Dr. M. Afzalur Rahim

Daniel Hummel: "Right-Sizing Cities: Strategies and Fiscal Health"
Tuesday, February 26, 2013, 1:30 p.m.
Social Science Building, Room 216

Jeff Stevens: "The Frames and Ideographs of Water Reuse Policy Discourses: An Application of Narrative Analysis and Text Analytics"
Friday, November 9, 2012, 1:00 p.m.
Social Science Building, Room 315, Boca Raton Campus

PAST THESIS & DISSERTATION DEFENSES

Myron J. Davis: "Living in a Borrowed Space”: Racial Experiences of Black Male Alumni and Their Navigations of Environmental Dualities at Predominately White Institutions in Higher Education"
December 7, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261*
*Virtual Meeting via Zoom also available, please contact Chair for details.
Chair: Cristobal Salinas Jr., Ph.D.
Committee Members: Ira Bogotch, Ed.D., Bianca Nightengale-Lee, Ph.D., Dianne Wright, Ph.D.

Badara Alioune F. Taal: "The Perspectives of Higher Education Leaders and Business Executives on the Funding Gap between Liberal Arts and STEM Education: A Case Study"
December 4, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Chairs: Jarrett B. Warshaw, Ph.D. and Meredith Mountford, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Robert Shockley, Ph.D. and Maria D. Vasquez-Colina, Ph.D.

Sharon Faithlyn Dianne McKnight: "Emotional Intelligence and Its Impact on Community Association Managers as Transformational Leaders"
November 30, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261*
*Virtual Meeting via Zoom also available, please contact Chair for details.
Chair: Valerie Bryan, Ed.D.
Committee Members: John D. Morris, Ph.D., Mary Lieberman, Ed.D., Alan Seidman, Ph.D., and Nadine Wedderburn, Ph.D.

Malissa Sanon: "If you can’t Make a Sound, Make a Peep: A Narrative Inquiry of the Lived Collegiate Experiences of Black Male Students who dealt with Suicide Ideation"
November 5, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Chair: Jennifer L. Bloom, Ed.D.
Committee Members: Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Ed.D. and Jarrett B. Warshaw, Ph.D.

Lydia Bartram: "Leadership Characteristics of Guatemalan Public Pre-Primary School Leaders: A Case Study in an Area North of Guatemala City"
October 8, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Chair: Meredith Mountford, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Michele Hawkins, Ph.D., Robert Shockley, Ph.D., and Nancy Brown, Ed.D.

Kim-Le Downes: "An Examination of Self-Directed Learning Readiness and Academic Achievement Among Community College Students Enrolled in Student Success Courses"
October 8, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Chair: Valerie Bryan, Ed.D.
Committee Members: John D. Morris, Ph.D., Lucy M. Guglielmino, Ed.D., and Susan K. Dennett, Ph.D.

Corinth M. Evans: "The Intersection of Queerly Leading: Lived Experiences of K-12 Queer School Leaders"
October 7, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Chair: Meredith Mountford, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Traci P. Baxley, Ed.D. and Lauren Guilmette, Ph.D.

Leslie Judd: "What’s School Got to Do with It? Perceptions of the Educational Experiences of Youth Who Have Experienced Interruptions to Their Public School Education"
October 6, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Meredith Mountford, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Maysaa Barakat, Ed.D., Michael Baglivio, Ph.D., John Hardman, Ph.D., Eliah Watlington, Ed.D.

Christina Cavallaro: "Using Culturally Sustaining Systemic Functional Linguistics to Support Emergent Bilingual Students’ Academic Languaging"
October 5, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Meeting ID: 811 5793 3557
Password: Christina1
Chair: Sabrina Sembiante, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Traci Baxley, Ed.D., Andres Ramirez, Ed.D., Ruth Harman, Ph.D.

Janell Carroll: "The Root/Hue of Science: Black Female STEM Professionals in Palm Beach County"
October 2, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Chair: Valerie Bryan, Ed.D.
Committee Members: Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Ed.D. and John Morris, Ph.D.

Tiffany Cox: "The Impact of Gender on the Instrumental Music Experiences of Female High School Band Directors"
September 30, 2020 at 2:30 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Meeting ID: 870 8539 6392
Password: m0twMv
Chair: Susannah Brown, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Traci Baxley, Ed.D., John Morris, Ph.D., and Judy Somers, Ed.D.

Jessica Lopez-Acevedo: "Post Degree Academic Pathway for Community College Baccalaureate Graduates"
September 2, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Co-Chairs: Deborah L. Floyd, Ed.D. and Patricia Maslin-Ostrowsk, Ed.D.
Committee Member: Cristobal Salinas Jr., Ph.D.

Kim-Le Downes: "An Examination of the Relationship Between Community College Students’ Self-Directed Learning Readiness and Academic Achievement in Student Success Courses"
August 10, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via WebEx: https://fau.webex.com/fau/j.php?MTID=m1e940eaaf66c97bb1bfa5c6f8ab380bf
Meeting number (access code): 120 014 3057
Meeting password: qkEUPixn345
Chair: Valerie Bryan, Ed.D.
Committee Members: John D. Morris, Ph.D., Lucy M. Guglielmino, Ed.D., and Susan K. Dennett, Ph.D.

David D. Edris: "Identifying Strategies for Preparing and Supporting Florida College Students in eLearning: Case Study of a Florida Public State College’s Student Success in eLearning"
August 4, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via WebEx
Chair: Valerie Bryan, Ed.D.
Committee Members: John D. Morris, Ph.D. and Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Ed.D.

Shernette D. Dunn: "Factors Predicting the Estimated Success of Culturally Diverse Learners in Online course in Post- Secondary Education"
June 4, 2020 at 12:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Chair: Valerie Bryan, Ed.D.
Committee Members: Susan Dennett, Ph.D., John Morris, Ph.D., and Jillian Powers, Ph.D.

Jennifer Michelle Coisson: "Resetting the Course for Probationary Students: A Case Study of the ACCESS Program at Florida Atlantic University"
May 28, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Dissertation Chair: Jennifer Bloom, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Ph.D. and Jarrett Warshaw, Ph.D.

Joseph E. Holcombe: "Breaking the Mold: Implementing Radical Innovation at the District and School Levels"
May 21, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Chair: Robert Shockley, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Meredith Mountford, Ph.D. and Daniel Reyes-Guerra, Ph.D.

Maria Calzadilla Tracy: "A Principal's Perspective: Instructional Leadership in the 21st Century"
May 19, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Chair: Robert Shockley, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Michael DeDonno, Ph.D. and Daniel Reyes-Guerra, Ph.D.

Denise Breikreuz: "Impact of Flippled Classroom Model on Student Learning Outcomes for University Fitness/Wellness Learners"
Monday, February 24, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 338
Chair: Mary Lieberman, Ed.D.
Committee Members: Susanne Lapp, Ed.D., Mathew Mitchell, Ph.D., Sabrina Sembiante, Ph.D., and Hanizah Zainuddin, Ph.D.

Roy Kaplan: "How Does Attending the Appreciative Advising Institute Influence Academic Advisor Wellbeing"
January 15, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Jennifer L. Bloom, Ed.D.
Committee Members: Michael DeDonno, Ph.D. and Jarrett Warshaw, Ph.D.

Mary E. Albritton: "Millennial Alumni Giving: Motivations for Donating to Their Alma Mater"
October 30, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Co-Chairs: Ira Bogotch, Ed.D. and Deborah L. Floyd, Ed.D.
Committee Members: John D. Morris, Ph.D. and Robert Shockley, Ph.D.

Tiffany E. Vastardis: "Developing the Covert Traumatic Experience Scale (CoTES): A Retrospective Early Psychological Trauma Assessment Tool"
September 25, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 280
Chair: Carman S. Gill, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Elizabeth Villares, Ph.D. and Kelly Emelianchik-Key, Ph.D.

Alison B. Bourdeau: "Quantitative Analysis of Adult Social Group Participation on Autism Symptomology, Loneliness, and Social Skills"
September 24, 2019 at 12:00 p.m.
John D. McArthur Jupiter Campus, Education & Classroom Building (EC), Room 202c
Chair: Elizabeth Villares, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Kelly Emelianchik-Key, Ph.D. and Hannah Bowers, Ph.D.

Amy Varo-Haub: "Successive Socialization in School: The Correlative Relationship Between Organizational Culture and a Transitioning Principal"
September 19, 2019 at 12:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Chair, Ed.D.
Committee Members: Ira Bogotch, Ed.D. and Daniel Reyes-Guerra, Ph.D.

Kelly M. Roy: "How Full-Time Working Professionals Navigate and Complete a Doctoral Program in a Timely Manner"
September 18, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Jennifer L. Bloom, Ed.D.
Committee Members: Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Ed.D. and Jarrett B. Warshaw, Ph.D.

David G. Tomanio: "Community Colleges’ Transition to Offering Baccalaureate Degrees: A Case Study of the Impact on Human Resources"
September 11, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Co-Chairs: Deborah L. Floyd, Ed.D. and Cristobal Salinas Jr., Ph.D.
Committee Member: John D. Morris, Ph.D.

Jillian Berson: "The Impact of Female English Language Arts Teachers’ Intersectionality on Pedagogy"
September 10, 2019 at 4:30 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 338
Chair: Traci P. Baxley, Ed.D.
Committee Members: John D. Morris, Ph.D. and Sabrina Sembiante, Ph.D.

Ethan C. Swingle: "Up, Down, and All-Around: The Swirling-Transfer Student Athlete Experience at Athletic State University"
September 4, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Cristobal Salinas Jr., Ph.D.
Committee Members: Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Ed.D. and Jennifer L. Bloom, Ed.D.

Bridget Smith: "A Mindfulness Meditation Intervention to Decrease Stress, Anxiety, and Depression among Medical and Premedical Students"
September 4, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Co-Chairs: Jennifer Bloom, Ph.D. and Michael DeDonno, Ph.D.
Committee Member: Cristobal Salinas Jr., Ph.D.

Rebecca Lewis: "Perceptions, Practices, and Policies: Middle and High School Teachers and Transgender Students"
August 28, 2019 at 12:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 338
Chair: Traci P. Baxley, Ed.D.
Committee Members: Dominic Grasso, Ph.D., Sabrina Sembiante, Ph.D., Maria Vasquez-Colina, Ph.D., and Michelle Vaughan, Ed.D.

Amgad Hirmina: "The Engagement Practices of Teachers in a Select Elementary School of Palm Beach County: Qualitative Study"
August 13, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Valerie Bryan, Ed.D.
Committee Members: Maysaa Barakat, Ph.D. and Jarret Warshaw, Ph.D.

Deborah McEwan: "The Perspectives of Black Church Leaders on their Roles in the Empowerment of Black Male Students"
June 21, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 338
Chair: Dilys Schoorman, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Traci P. Baxley, Ed.D. and Sabrina Sembiante, Ph.D.

Kayla C. Elliott: "The Influence of State Performance-Based Funding on Public Historically Black Colleges and Universities: A Case Study of Race and Power"
June 11, 2019 at 1:30 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Jarret B. Warshaw, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Ed.D. and Cristóbal Salinas, Jr., Ph.D.

Olivia Aledia Shand: "The Impact of Florida Senate Bill 1720 on Student Performance in Mathematics"
June 10, 2019 at 10 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Robert Shockley, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Michael DeDonno, Ph.D. and Phillip Buckley, Ph.D.

Noelle K. Balsamo: "An Evaluation of a Parent Delivered Dialogic Reading Intervention in the Home with Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder"
June 3, 2019 at 11 a.m.
John D. McArthur Campus at Jupiter, Education and Classroom Building (EC), Room 202
Co-Chairs: Mary-Louise Duffy, Ph.D. and Charles Dukes, Ed.D.
Committee Members: Peggy Goldstein, Ed.D. and Deborah L. Harris, Ph.D.

Maureen M. Carson: "Personal and School Related Factors Predicting Resilience in Students with Learning Disabilities"
May 15, 2019 at 3:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 411
Chair: Charles Dukes, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Cynthia Wilson, Ph.D., Lisa Finnegan, Ph.D., and John Morris, Ph.D.

Debra S. Vance Noelk: "The Power of People: How Grassroots Movements Inspire Change in School Communities"
March 11, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Dr. Meredith Mountford
Committee Members: Dr. Pat Maslin-Ostrowski and Dr. Maysaa Barakat

Olga M. Rocha: "AAssessing the Relationship Between Rehabilitation Counselors’ Educational Level, Client Outcomes, and Counselors’ Perceived Importance of Rehabilitation Knowledge in Florida"
February 28, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.
Jupiter Campus, Education Classroom Building (MC12 - EC)
Chair: Dr. Elizabeth Villares
Committee Members: Dr. Hannah Bowers and Dr. Melissa A. Mariani

Brett Scaglione: "Transitions into Instructorship as Seen Through the Eyes of Experienced Accelerated Freefall Training Skydiving Instructors"
Feburary 15, 2019 at 5:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 338
Chairs: Dr. Michelle Vaughan and Dr. Traci P. Baxley
Committee Members: Dr. Sabrina F. Sembiante and Dr. Michael P. Brady

Nadine L. Leblanc: "Caribbean Immigrant Women in Educational Leadership: Over Hills and Valleys Too"
February 12, 2019 at 11 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 241
Chair: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Committee Members: Dr. John D. Morris, Dr. Traci Baxley, and Dr. John Hardman

Scott L. Lipp: "The Effects of Case Conceptualization Training and Deliberate Practice Coaching on Counselor Competence"
February 11, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Dr. Len T. Sperry
Committee Members: Dr. Paul R. Peluso and Dr. Brian S. Canfield

Vassilia Binensztok: "The Influence of Reflective Practice on the Case Conceptualization Competence of Counselor Trainees"
February 11, 2019 at 12:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Dr. Len T. Sperry
Committee Members: Dr. Paul R. Peluso and Dr. Carman Gill

Linda Gordon: "Developing Empathetic Responses in Third Grade Students Through Multicultural Literature"
February 6, 2019 at 11:30 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 356
Chair: Dr. Dilys Schoorman
Committee Members: Dr. Traci Baxley, Dr. Michelle Vaughan, and Dr. Patricia Willems

Jorge Segovia: "Why Parents Choose Non-Denominational Private Schools For Their Children: Preferences in International Settings"
January 14, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED-47), Room 261
Chair: Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra
Committee Members: Dr. Robert Shockley and Dr. Maria Vasquez

Jennifer Pollack Percival: "A Phenomenological Exploration of Familial Entrepreneurship as an Employment Option for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities"
January 15, 2019 at 10 a.m.
Jupiter Campus, Education Classroom Building (MC12 - EC), Room 202
Chair: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Committee Members: Dr. Eliah Watlington & Dr. Mary Louise Duffy

Patricia Berchiolli: "A Quantitative Longitudinal Study Using Astin’s I-E-O Model to Predict College STEM versus Non-STEM Major Choice Among Women"
December 13, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 261
Chair: Dr. Dianne A. Wright
Committee Members: Dr. Jennifer Bloom & Dr. John Morris

Shireen Lalla: "West Indian Immigrant Women: The Higher Education Lived Experiences of Undergraduate and Graduate Students at Florida Atlantic University"
November 27, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 261
Chairs: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd & Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski
Committee Member: Dr. Josephine Beoku-Betts

Stephanie Taylor: "A Qualitative Exploratory Single Case Study of Faculty of a Branch Campus’ College of Business: Attitudes, Perceptions, and Concerns Related To Distance Learning"
November 19, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 261
Chair: Dr. Dianne Wright
Committee Members: Dr. Valerie Bryan and Dr. Eliah Watlington

Cindy Khan Jordan: "The Effects of Motivational Interviewing on Minority Clients in Vocational Rehabilitation"
October 22, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 280
Chair: Dr. Michael Frain
Committee Members: Dr. Greg Brigman, Dr. Charles Dukes, and Dr. Alexandra Cunningham

Anna Katherine Owens: "A Meta-Analysis of School Counselor-Led Interventions on Social-Emotional Skills and Competence for Middle and High School Students"
October 18, 2018 at 11:00a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 280
Chair: Dr. Elizabeth Villares
Committee Members: Dr. Greg Brigman and Dr. Brian Canfield

Jacob R. Hidrowoh: "Shaping the Leaders of Tomorrow: An Assessment of Intergenerational Perceptions of Leadership Traits"
October 5, 2018 at 1:00p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 261
Chair: Dr. Robert Shockley
Committee Members: Dr. Jennifer Bloom and Dr. John D. Morris

Nancy Rich: "The University Journey of STEM Transfer Students"
October 4, 2018 at 1:00p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 261
Chair: Dr. Meredith Mountford
Committee Members: Dr. Maysaa Barakat and Dr. Jarrett Warshaw

Angela R. Fulton: "Examining the Effectiveness of Turnaround Models in Florida Public Schools"
October 4, 2018 at 10:00a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Melby Center (Room 241)
Chair: Dr. Robert Shockley
Committee Members: Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra, Dr. John Morris, and Dr. Leo Nesmith

Brianna M. Joseph: "The Effects of an 8-Week Zumba® Program for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities"
October 3, 2018 at 10:00a.m.
Davie Campus, LA-150
Co-Chairs: Dr. Cynthia L. Wilson and Dr. Mary Lou Duffy
Committee Members: Dr. Lisa Finnegan and Dr. Michael Hall

Irene LeBlanc Canfield: "The Impact of Social Support and Stigmatization Upon the Wellness of Females Diagnosed with Substance Use Disorders"
September 24, 2018 at 1:00p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 280
Chair: Dr. Carman Gill
Committee Members: Dr. Elizabeth Villares and Dr. Kelly Emelianchik-Key

Tania Renee Tucker: "Global-Mindedness in Study Abroad Professionals"
September 18, 2018 at 1:00p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 261
Chair: Dr. Ira Bogotch
Committee Members: Dr. John D. Morris, Dr. Josephine Beoku-Betts, and Dr. Eliah Watlington

Bashayer Aleisa: "An Investigation of Kindergarten Teachers' Attitudes, Knowledge, and Reported Practices Regarding Teacher Leadership in the State of Kuwait"
September 17, 2018 at 8:30a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Melby Center (Room 241)
Co-Chairs: Dr. Maysaa Barakat and Dr. Ira Bogotch
Committee Members: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski and Dr. Nancy Brown

Shernette D. Grant: "Examining the Impact of a Leadership Team's Cognitive and Behavioral Agility on Student Achievement in Broward County Middle Schools"
September 13, 2018 at 2:00p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 261
Chair: Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra
Committee Members: Dr. John Morris, Dr. Mary Lieberman, and Dr. Nadine Wedderburn

Karrol-Jo Foster: "Fostering Resilience for Adults with Substance Use Disorder: A Clinical Study of an Integrative Group Model"
September 12, 2018 at 2:00p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 280
Chair: Dr. Carman Gill
Committee Members: Dr. Kelly Emelianchik-Key, Dr. Elizabeth Villares, and Dr. Mary Lieberman

Jennifer A. Agganis: "Teaching Teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorders How to Respond to Social Media Lures"
May 24, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
Boca Campus, ED 411
Chair: Dr. Charles Dukes
Committee Members: Drs. Michael P. Brady, Cynthia L. Wilson, and Philomena Marinaccio

Kelly Kearney: "Using an Instructional Package to Teach College Students with Developmental Disabilities Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation with Automated External Defibrillator"
May 23, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
Jupiter Campus, Room TBA
Chair: Dr. Charles Dukes
Committee Members: Drs. Michael P. Brady, Mary Lou Duffy, and Jessica Bucholz

Kalynn Hall Pistorio: "An Examination of Literacy Based on Behavioral Interventions Delivered in Small Groups to Young Children"
May 22, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
Boca Campus, College of Education (ED 47), Room 411
Chair: Dr. Michael P. Brady
Committee Members: Drs. Sharon Darling, Lisa Finnegan, and Jessica Bucholz

Oren Hertz: "Student Perception on Professors’ Teaching Attributes in Post-Secondary Hospitality Management Degree Programs"
May 1, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Advisor: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Committee Members:  Dr. John Hardman, Dr. Robert Shockley, and Dr. John Morris

Washington B. Collado: "A Multi-Site Case Study of Supportive Programs Used with At-Risk Students in Middle and High School to Increase Engagement and Prevent Dropouts"
April 25, 2018 at 1:15 p.m.
Educational Leadership, Dissertation Room, ED 261
Advisor: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski
Committee Members:  Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra, and Dr. Maysaa Barakat

Ellen Chance: "The Effects of the Ready for Success Classroom Guidance Program on the Social-Emotional Skills and Competence, Reading Proficiency, and Promotion Rate of Third Grade Students"
March 2, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
EC Jupiter, room 202C
Major Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Villares 
Committee Members: Dr. Greg Brigman and Dr. Melissa Mariani

Lascelia Dacres: Middle Grades (6-8) Reading Teachers’ Beliefs Regarding the State’s Academic Reading Standards, Curriculum Materials, and Instructional Practices
February 21, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.
Thesis Advisor: Traci P. Baxley, Ed.D.
Boca Raton Campus, Room ED 338
Committee Members: Patricia Maslin Ostrowski, Ph.D. and Philomena Marinaccio, Ph.D.

Jennifer Malhoyt-Lee: "Precursors of Sexualization: Perspectives of Mothers and Female Teachers Regarding the Influence of the Media on 4-Year-Old Girls’ Gender Identity Development"
February 20, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Thesis Advisor: Roberta Weber, Ed.D.
Jupiter Campus Room: TBD
Committee Members: Nancy Brown, Ed.D., John Hardman, Ph.D., Nancy Jones, Ph.D., Diane Levin, Ph.D. and Sabrina Sembiante, Ph.D.

Leigh Scruggs: "Influence of Required Continuing Education in Florida SB 1108 on Teacher Self-Efficacy in Serving Students with Disabilities"
February 20, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
Thesis Advisor: Roberta Weber, Ed.D.
Jupiter Campus Room: TBD
Committee Members: Michael A. DeDonno, Ph.D., James Forgan, Ph.D. and Michelle Vaughan, Ed.D.

Carletha B. Shaw:  "The Relationship Among the Behavioral Agility of the School Leadership Team, Culture and Performance"
February 13, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
Advisors: Dr. Robert Shockley and Dr. John Morris
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee members: Dr. Maysaa Barakat and Dr. Valerie S. Wanza

Jacqueline Marie Rushing: "Young Children in Foster Care: A Phenomenological Study of Early Childhood Teachers’ Experiences"
February 13, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.
Thesis Advisor: Yash Bhagwanji, Ph.D.
Boca Raton Campus, Room ED 338
Committee Members: Nancy Brown, Ed.D., John Hardman, Ph.D., Philomena Marinaccio, Ph.D. and Sabrina Sembiante, Ph.D.

Eliana Carvalho Mukherjee: "Going Global in Costa Rica: A Mixed Method Study Examining Teachers of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and its Growth in a Developing Country"
February 09, 2018 at 4:30 p.m.
Thesis Advisor: Traci P. Baxley, Ed.D.
Boca Raton Campus, Room ED 338
Committee Members: John Hardman, Ph.D., John D. Morris, Ph.D. and Andres Ramirez, Ed.D.

Kristen D. Perez: "Influence of Subject Matter Taught (STEM), Title I, and Grade Level of Instruction for Components in an Effective Professional Development Design"
February 05, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.
Thesis Advisor: Dr. David Devraj Kumar
Davie Campus, Room LA 150 (Room ED 338 Video Conference)
Committee Members: Michael A. DeDonno, Ph.D., Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Ed.D. and Michelle Vaughan, Ed.D.

William Ballard:  "Student Perception of Online Instructors at a Florida Public University"
January 31, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Robert Shockley
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee members: Dr. Michael A. DeDonno and Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra

Bernice Bain:  "The Relationship Between Undergraduate Instructor Self-Concept and the Degree of Prosocial Behavior Exhibited by Instructors to First Year Students"
January 12, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Melby Center, ED 47 Room 241
Committee members: Dr. Dianne A. Wright, Dr. Mary Lieberman, and Dr. Linda Ellington

Melody Wright: "Self-Determination in College Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities"
October 23, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.
Room 202, Jupiter Campus
Advisor: Dr. Mary Louise Duffy
Committee members: Dr. Michael P. Brady, Dr. Charles Dukes, and Dr. Alyssa Gonzalez-DeHass

Cindy Khan-Jordan: "The Effects of Motivational Interviewing on Self-Determination of Minority Clients in Vocational Rehabilitation"
October 17, 2017 at 2:30 p.m.
Room 280
Advisor: Dr. Michael Frain
Committee members: Dr. Carmen Gill and Dr. Charles Dukes

Gianna Ramdin: "Understanding the parts of the whole: A quantitative analysis of green-building features incorporated in LEED-certified campus buildings"
October 2, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Advisor: Dr. Dianne A. Wright
Committee members: Dr. John D. Morris, Dr. Allen Bottorff, and Dr. Maria D. Vasquez-Colina

Patricia Diaz: "Mastery in the Therapeutic Relationship: Comparing the Emotional Behavior of a Master Therapist with Professional Therapists and its Impact on their Clients"
October 2, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
Room 280
Advisor: Dr. Paul R. Peluso 
Committee members: Dr. Greg Brigman and Dr. John Morris

Althia Ellis: "The Influence of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) on Faculty Leadership"
September 25, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Advisor: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Committee members: Dr. Dianne Wright and Dr. Michael DeDonno

Andrew Baker: "Examining Affectual Interaction within the Therapeutic Relationship across Three Psychotherapeutic Theoretical Approaches "
September 25, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Advisor: Dr. Paul Peluso 
Committee members: Dr. Greg Brigman and Dr. Brian Canfield

Merris A. Smith: "Lives in Transition: The Impact of Career & Technical Education on Under-Served High School Students' Career Growth & Development"
September 22, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Advisor: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski
Committee members: Dr. Valerie C. Bryan, Dr. Eliah J. Watlington, and Dr. John D. Morris

Suzanne Duff: "A Comparative Look At Student And Faculty Perceptions Of Professors At A State College"
September 21, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
COE ELRM Melby Center
Advisor: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Committee members: Dr. John D. Morris, Dr. Mary Lieberman, and Dr. Meredith Mountford

Tracy N. Baker: "The Impact of Undergraduate Research Participation on Research Self-Efficacy"
September 18, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Advisor: Dr. Michael DeDonno
Committee members: Dr. Jarrett Warshaw and Dr. Donna Chamely-Wiik

Katie G. Burke: "Closing the Loop in College: Student Leader Perceptions of Their Leadership Development at a State University "
September 6, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Chairs: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd and Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski
Committee members: Dr. Cristobal Salinas, Jr.

Summer Kuba: "The Effect of Participation in the Reading to Learn Program on Kindergarten Students’ Pro-social behavior, Self-regulation, Reading Performance, and Teachers’ Perception of Classroom Climate"
August 24, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.
Jupiter, 202
Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Villares
Committee members: Dr. Greg Brigman and Dr. Melissa A. Mariani

Ayse Torres: "The Impact of Motivational Interviewing Training on Rehabilitation Counselors: Assessing Working Alliance and Client Engagement. A Randomized Controlled Trial"
August 23, 2017 at 3:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 280
Advisor: Dr. Michael Frain
Committee members: Dr. Greg Brigman and Dr. Charles Dukes

Jorene Jameson: "Charter School Closures in Florida, 2006-2016: A Population Ecology Perspective"
August 21, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
CDSI Conference Room, SO 108, Social Science Building
Committee members: Dr. Ronald Nyhan (chair), Dr. Valerie J. Bristor, Dr. Leslie A. Leip, and Dr. David Newman

Aarika C. Camp: "Senior Student Affairs Officers making wicked decisions related to the retention of specialized at-risk student populations in higher education"
August 4, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Advisors and co-chairs: Dr. Eliah Watlington and Dr. John Pisapia
Committee members: Dr. Dianne Wright  and Dr. Catherine Akens

Mike Sfiropoulos: "College Professors as Classroom Leaders: Strategic Thinking Capacity, Leader Influence Actions, and Classroom Performance"
August 02, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Chair: Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra
Committee members: Dr. John D. Morris and Dr. Meredith Mountford

Jazarae K. McCormick: "A Curriculum-Based Alternative Value-Added Model for Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs"
July 10, 2017 at 12:00 p.m.
Room 411

Waweise J. Schmidt: "African-American Leaders in the Field Of Science: A Template for Overcoming Obstacles"
June 16, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room 261, Boca Raton
Chair: Valerie Bryan
Committee members: Dr. Sandra Norman and Dr. Eliah Watlington

Elyse A. Steiner: "Science Comprehension vs. Cultural Cognition as Predictors of Climate Change Risk Perception"
June 2, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Advisor: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Committee members: Dr. Valerie Bryan, Dr. John Morris, and Dr. Dianne Wright

Christine Honsberger: "Increasing Language Use In Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder"
June 1, 2017 at 1:30 p.m.
College of Education Room 411
Chair: Dr. Rangasamy Ramasamy
Committee members: Dr. Michael P. Brady, Dr. Peggy Goldstein, and Dr. Michael Frain

Kathleen Randolph: "The Impact of iCoaching on Teacher Delivered Opportunities to Respond"
May 19, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.
Room 411, Boca Raton
Major advisor: Dr. Mary Louise Duffy
Committee members: Dr. Michael P. Brady, Dr. Cynthia L. Wilson, and Dr. Mary Catherine Scheeler

Cheryl L. Bottini: "The Effects of the Student Success Skills Classroom Program on Self-Regulation, School Attendance, and Test Anxiety on Hispanic Fifth­Grade Students"
May 15, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.
Building 47, Room 280
Major advisor: Dr. Greg Brigman
Committee members: Dr. Paul Peluso, Dr. Elizabeth Villares

Ginger Lea Featherstone: "Principal Leader Actions and their Influence on School"
May 8, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Chair: Dr. John R. Pisapia
Committee members: Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra, Dr. John D. Morris, and Dr. Mark C. Malham

Mary K. White: "The Effect of Teacher Cognitive and Behavioral Agility on Student Achievement"
May 8, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Chair: Dr. John Pisapia
Committee members: Dr. Robert Shockley, Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra, Dr. John Morris, and Dr. Tracey Miller

James C. Campbell: "A Model for Improving Teacher Engagement Through Administrative Support"
March 17, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Chair: Dr. Ira Bogotch
Committee members: Dr. Meredith Mountford and Dr. Maria Vasquez

Elizabeth Jekanowski: "District Leadership and Systemic Inclusion: A Case Study of One Inclusive and Effective School District"
February 15, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.
Chair: Dr. Pat Maslin-Ostrowski
Committee Members: Dr. Mary Louise Duffy, Dr. Guillermo Hardman, Dr. Eliah Watlington

Jaclyn Nicole Falcone: "For Pets and their Owner's Sake: Is there a Need for Dog Safety Community Education?"
February 13, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Chair: Dr. Bryan
Committee Members: Dr. Meredith Mountford and Dr. Mary Lieberman 

Ruth E. Pacheco: "The Fork in the Road: Determining Factors for Diverse Students Choosing a Non-profit, Open-Access Institution Versus a For-Profit, Open-Access Institution"
December 9, 2016 at 9:00 a.m.
Co-Chairs: Dr. Frankie Santos Laanan and Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski
Committee Members: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd and Dr. John D. Morris

Bryan L. Wilkins: "Teacher Perspectives on the Marzano Teacher Evaluation Model’s Impact on Teacher Growth and the Work Environment "
December 5, 2016 at 10:30 a.m.
Room ED 261
Chair: Dr. Meredith Mountford
Committee Members: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Dr. Robert Shockley

Cheryl A. Shields-Proctor: "The Relationship Between Mandatory 3rd Grade Retention and School Performance in Florida"
December 2, 2016 at 4:00 p.m.
Chair: Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra
Room ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Robert Shockley, Dr. John Morris, Dr. Valerie Wanza

Jeannette S. Sullivan: "The Relationship Between Assumptions about Mankind and Happiness Among Higher Educational Leaders"
October 27, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. 
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd and Dr. John D. Morris

Lisa Byard: "Was I Ready? The Perceptions of Preparedness of New Student Affairs Professionals Based on Their Graduate Assistantship Experience"
October 11, 2016 at 9:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd and Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski

Paul-Arthur Pierre-Louis: "Exploring the College Choice and Sense of Belonging of Haitian Students at a Highly Selective HBCU"
October 4, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Maysaa Barakat and Dr. Eliah Watlington

Mario Toussaint: "The Impact of 'Real World' Experiences through Academic Service Learning on Students’ Success"
October 03, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.
ED 338
Committee Members: Dr. Roberta Weber, Dr. Yash Bhagwanji, and Dr. Mary Lieberman

Christina Seamster: "Approaching Authentic Assessment: Using Virtual School Teachers' Expertise to Develop an Understanding of Full Time K-8 Virtual School Teacher Practices"
September 30, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.
EC 202C, Jupiter Campus
Committee Members: Dr. Michelle Vaughan and Dr. John Hardman

Christopher Mimbs: "Here, Let Me Show You: The Use of Senior Exhibitions in Conjunction with Traditional Assessments"
September 29, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
ED 338
Committee Members: Dr. Emery Hyslop-Margison and Dr. Philomena Marinaccio

Dominic Grasso: "Elementary School Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding the Inclusion of LGBTQ Themed Literature"
September 28, 2016 at 1:30 p.m.
ED 338
Committee Members: Dr. Judy Somers, Dr. Emery Hyslop-Margison, Dr. Maria Vasquez, and Dr. Fred Fejes

Robert Freund: "Assessing Processes of Connection and Development in Observations of the Therapeutic Relationship"
September 27, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Carman Gill, Dr. Kellv Emilianchik-Kev

George Stoupas: "The Effects of Case Conceptualization Training Over Time and Its Relationship to Practitioner Attitudes towards Evidence-Based Practice"
September 26, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
ED 280
Committee Members: Dr. Carman Gill and Dr. Paul Peluso

Nasim Alavi: "Adult Learners’ Preferred Methods of Learning Preventative Heart Disease Care"
September 23, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Robert Shockley, Dr. Mary Lieberman, Dr. Thomas Gollery

Michael Warkentien: "Teachers as Strategic Classroom Leaders: The Relationship of Their Cognitive and Behavioral Agility to Student Outcomes and Evaluations"
September 19, 2016 at 9:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. John Pisapia (Chair), Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra, Dr. Sharon Moffitt, and Dr. Maysaa Barakat 

David Mann: "Preparing Pre‐service Teachers to Educate Emerging Bilingual Students: A Textual Analysis of Teacher Education Curriculum in Elementary‐Level Language Arts Methods"
August 29, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.
ED 338
Committee Members: Dr. Traci Baxley and Dr. Hanizah Zainuddin

Sheresa Fairclough: "The Effects of the Student Success Skills Program on the Behavioral and Cognitive Engagement of Grade 5 Exceptional Student Education Students"
Major Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Villares
June 3, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
ED 47, Room 280
Committee Members: Dr. Paul Peluso and Dr. Melissa Mariani

Clifford Henry Mack, Jr.: "The Impact of a School Counselor Led Intervention on Grade 5 African American Student Self-Regulation, Test Anxiety and School Attendance"
Chair: Dr. Greg Brigman
June 3, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.
ED 47, Room 280
Committee Members: Dr. Paul Peluso and Dr. Elizabeth Villares

Kristin Brittain: "Self-Directed Learning and the Lupus Patient: Using Adult Education Strategies to Actively Cope with Chronic Illness"
Chair: Dr. Valerie Bryan
May 26, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.
Jupiter, EC 202C Broadcast to Boca, Melby Center
Committee Members:  Dr. Victor Wang and Dr. Mary Lieberman

Matias Arellano: "Managed Discourse: Legitimizing Principal Identity and Agency"
Chair: Dr. Meredith Mountford
May 19, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.
Dissertation room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski and Dr. Ira Bogotch

Joaquín G. Martínez: "How Student Voices in a Teacher Education Program Can Inform One Institution’s Efforts to Increase Degree Completion Rates"
Chairs: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd and Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski
April 28, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Michael DeDonno and Dr. Robert Shockley

Ducarmel S. Augustin: "An Examination of Academic Performance of Haitian-Creole and Spanish Speaking English Language Learners based on the Number of Years in the ELL Program"
Chair: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski
March 23, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, E 261
Committee Members: Dr. John Morris and Dr. Reyes-Guerra

Einav Danan Cabrera: "Innovation Saturation and the Quest for Student Achievement: Charter Schools’ Role"
Chair: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski
March 21, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Ira Bogotch and Dr. John Morris

Kerri Parmelee Morse: "Enhancing Independent Task Performance of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities Through the Use of an iPad Application"
Chari: Dr. Charles Dukes
March 3, 2016. at 9:00 a.m.
College of Education, room 411
Committee Members: Dr. Michael Brady, Dr. Mary Lou Duffy, and Dr. Michael Frain

Laura Cohen: "The Impact of Ready to Learn, a School Counselor Led Intervention, on the Pro-social Skills and Reading Skills of First Grade Students"
Chair: Dr. Greg Brigman
February 26, 2016, at 1:00 p.m.
Room 280
Committee Members: Dr. Elizabeth Villares and Dr. Melissa Mariani

Kerri Parmelee Morse: "Enhancing Independent Task Performance of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities Through the Use of an iPad Application"
Chair: Dr. Charles Dukes
February 22, 2016, at 11:00 a.m.
Room 411
Committee Members: Dr. Michael Brady, Dr. Mary Lou Duffy, and Dr. Michael Frain

Keith G. Feit: "Improving School Performance: Leader Autonomy and Entrepreneurial Orientation"
Chair: Dr. John Pisapia
February 12, 2016, at 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Ira Bogotch and Dr. John D. Morris

Jamonique K. Harrison: "Predicting Graduation Rates at Non-Residential Research Universities"
Chairs: Dr. Deborah Floyd and Dr. Frankie S. Laanan
January 19, 2016, 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. John D. Morris

Miguel A. Montañez-Martinez, III: "Multiple Measures as a Placement Instrument in Mathematics at Florida State Colleges"
Chairs: Dr. Deborah Floyd and Dr. John D. Morris
December 9, 2015, 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Robert Shockley

Anelle Shanna Jayd Alfred: "The Impact of Shifting Funding Levels On The Institutional Effectiveness of Historically Black Colleges and Universities"
Chair: Dr. Dianne A. Wright
December 2, 2015, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: John Pisapia, Ed.D. John D. Morris, Ph.D. Paul Metcalf, Ph.D.

Maria E. Osorio: "An Assessment of Leadership Practice in High Schools:  Improving Graduation Rates"
Chairs: Dr. Pat Maslin-Ostrowski and Dr. Ira Bogotch
November 30, 2015, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Robert Shockley

Adam Miller: "Florida School Choice Policies and Democracy: Origins and Destinations"
Chair: Dr. Meredith L. Mountford
September 28, 2015 at 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski and Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra

David Christopher Atwell: "Digital Edification: An Analysis of Technology Readiness and Concept of Ability in School District of Palm Beach County K-12 School Leaders"
Chair: Dr. Victor C. X. Wang
September 25th, 2015 at 10:30 a.m.
Committee Members: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski and Dr. John D. Morris

Anthony Foster: "An Investigate of the Program Curriculum Leading to Successful Sobriety in a Substance Abuse Residential Treatment Center in Florida"
Chair: Dr. Paul Peluso
September 24, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.College of Education, room 280
Committee Members: Dr. Paul Peluso, Dr. Michael Frain, and Dr. Jo Ann Bamdas

Stephen R. Johnson: "Concurrent Enrollment and Academic Performance of Community College English Language Learners"
Chairs: Dr. Deborah Floyd and Dr. Ira Bogotch
September 24, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. John Morris

Karen D. Pain: "The Impact of Voluntary Remediation on Gateway Course Success and Minority and Low-income Students in Florida Colleges"
September 18, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Frankie Laanan and Dr. Susan Moosai
Advisors: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd and Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski

Laura L. Antczak: "Community College Baccalaureate Transitions in Florida:  Student Affairs Perspectives"
Chairs: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd and Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski
September 15, 2015 at 3:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Robert Shockley

Mohammad Ilyas: "Globalization and Higher Education in Florida’s State University System"
Chair: Dr. Ira Bogotch
September 9, 2015 at 9:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Dr. Dilys Schoorman, and Dr. Dianne Wright

Lori Miller: "The Perceived Impact of Technology-Based Informal Learning on Membership Organizations"
Chair: Valerie Bryan, Ed.D.
September 2, 2015, from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Ph.D. and John Morris, Ph.D.

Teeranai Ovathanasin: "Perceived Job Satisfaction of Resident Assistants in Student Housing at Three Florida Public Universities"
Chairs: Dr. John D. Morris and Dr. Deborah L. Floyd
May 12, 2015, at 12:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Robert E. Shockley

Christina Ladd: "The Effect of Case Conceptualization Training on Counselor Competence and the Influence of Self-Efficacy"
Chair: Dr. Paul Peluso
April 27, 2015, at 1:00 p.m.
Education building, room 261
Committee Members: Dr. Elizabeth Villares and Dr. Paul Peluso

Karen Fay: "An Analysis of the Leadership Competencies of Specialized, Nonprofit Management Degree Programs"
Chairs: Valerie Bryan
April 23, 2015, 11:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Ron Nyhan and Dr. John Morris

Rivka Aliza Felsher: "Policy Entrepreneurship in Higher Education: A Descriptive Portrait"
Chair: Dr. John Pisapia
Thursday, February 26, 2015, 2:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee members: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd, Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Dr. John D. Morris, and Dr. John E. Cech

Edwiygh Franck: "The Analysis of Barriers and Motivators of Early Care And Education English as a Second Language Students Enrolled in a State College Customized ECE ESL Course"
Chair: Dr. Valerie C. Bryan, Ed.D.
Wednesday, February 25th, 2015, 1:30 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Patricia Maslin Ostrowski, Ed.D. and Dr. Victor C.X. Wang, Ed.D.

Toby Honsberger: "Teaching Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Safe Pedestrian Skills Using Video Modeling with In Situ Video Prompting"
Chair: Dr. Cynthia L. Wilson
Friday, February 20, 2015, 3:15 p.m.
4th Floor Conference Room, ED 411
Committee members: Dr. Jack Scott, Dr. Rangasamy Ramasamy, and Dr. Michael Frain

Jessica Cadette: "The Effectiveness of Direct Instruction in Teaching"
Chair: Dr. Cynthia L. Wilson
Friday, February 20, 2015, 10:00 a.m.
4th Floor Conference Room, ED 411
Committee members: Dr. Michael P. Brady, Dr. Charles Dukes, and Dr. Kyle D. Bennett

Faith E. Gordon: "Transformational Learning And Self-Efficacy: An Investigation Into Their Role in Prophylactic Mastectomy"
Chair: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Thursday February 19, 2015, noon
EC 202C Jupiter Campus with Video Stream to Boca Campus (Melby Center, ED 241)
Committee Members: John D. Morris, Dr. Elizabeth Villares, Dr. Victor Wang

Lauren Adamo: "The Cognitive and Behavioral Skills Of University Student Leaders and Their Relationship to Organizational Commitment"
Chair: Dr. John Pisapia
Thursday, February 19, 2015, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261  Boca Campus
Committee members: Dr. Dianne Wright, Dr. John Morris

Elisa M. Cruz-Torres: "Promoting Daily Living Skills For Adolescents with ASD Via Parent Delivery of Video Prompting on the Ipad®"
Monday, February 16 at 1:00-3:00 ED 411 Boca Campus

Kyla Williams: "'I Ain’t Know Nothing': A Critical Analysis of First Generation Black Male College Students’ Perceptions of Their Preparation for College Level Mathematics"
Wednesday, February 11, 2015, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
ED 356
Advisor: Dr. Dilys Schoorman

Carolyn Siniscalchi Bogaski: "A Private School Leadership Perspective On Highly Qualified Middle School Science Teachers"
Advisor: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski
February 11, 2015, 1:00 p.m.
Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Melby Center, ED 241, Boca Raton campus, and via Video Conferencing, LA 148, Davie campus
Committee members: Dr. Ira Bogotch and Dr. David Devraj Kumar

Terry C. Mena: "A Few of Us (Algunos De Nosotros): A Multiple Case Study Using Critical Race Theory to Examine Lived Experiences of Latino/A Senior Student Affairs Officers’ at Selected Public and Private Two- And Four-Year Colleges and Universities"
Chair: Dr. Dianne Wright
Friday, January 30, 2015, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Ira Bogotch and Dr. Dan Morris

Barbara June Rodriguez: "An Examination of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges’ Quality Enhancement Plans at two Institutions Through the Lens of Quality Improvement"
Chair: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd and Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Co-chairs
Friday, January 23, 2015, 9:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261, Boca Raton campus
Committee Members: Dr. Anne Mulder and Dr. Robert Shockley

Jenny L. Chien: "The Relationship of Perceived Stress, Religious Coping Styles, and Mental Health Symptoms in University Students"
Chair: Dr. Paul R. Peluso
Tuesday, December 2, 2014, at 1:00 pm
Boca Raton campus, Dissertation Room ED 260
Committee Members: Dr. Gail Burnaford and Dr. Steven R. Venssel

Bree J. Miron: "Leader Influence Actions, Climate, Culture and School Performance"
Chair: John Pisapia
Thursday, October 9, 2014, at 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dan Morris, Daniel Reyes-Guerra, and Desmond Blackburn

Melissa Renda: "The Effect of a Student Achievement Curriculum on Grade 9 Completion Rate and Student Engagement"
Chair: Dr. Paul Peluso
Thursday, October 2, 2014, at 12:00 p.m.
ED 280

Randi Schietz: "The Effect of Participation in the 'Girl Talk' Program on Easing the Transition to Middle School"
Chair: Dr. Paul Peluso
Thursday, October 2, 2014, at 10:00 a.m.
ED 280

Sheri L. Glick-Cuenot: "Predictors of Undergraduate Academic Success"
Chair: Dr. John Pisapia
Wednesday, October 1, 2014, at 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. John Morris, Dr. Dianne Wright, and Dr. Eleni Coukos-Elder

Deloris R. Benjamin: "Deans of Students as Crisis Managers: Perceptions of Roles and Leadership Competencies in 12 Public Higher Education Institutions in Florida"
Chair: Dr. Robert Shockley
Thursday, September 25, 2014, 10:00 a.m. – Noon
Dissertation Room, ED 261

Heidi R. Louisy: "An Exploratory Multiple Case Study Of Succession Planning For Higher Education Community Engagement Practitioners In Selected Higher Education Institutions"
Chair: Dianne Wright, Ph.D.
Thursday, August 28, 2014, at 10:30 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: John Morris, Ph.D.; Ira Bogotch, Ph. D.; and Valerie
Bryan, Ph. D.

Idell McLaughlin-Jones: "Transformational Experiences of African American Women: Their Critical Reflections as Former Migrants Who Evolved from a Harvest of Shame to Seeds of Hope"
Chair: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Monday, August 4, 2014, at 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, Dissertation Room, ED 202C
Committee Members: Dr. Eliah Watlington and Dr. Victor Wang

Havovi B. Shroff: "Family Resiliency, Sense of Coherence, Social Support and Psychosocial Interventions: Reducing Caregiver Burden and Determining the Quality of Life in Persons with Alzheimer's Disease"
Chair: Paul Peluso, Ph.D.
Monday, May 19, 2014, 1:00 p.m.
ED 280, Building 47, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. Elizabeth Villares and Dr. Greg Brigman

Nancy D. McDonald: "In-Country: Identification Of Transformational Learning And Leadership In Human Rights Observers"
Chair: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Tuesday, April 29, 2014, 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Jupiter Campus, EC 202C Conference Room
Committee Members: Dr. Ira Bogotch and Dr. Victor Wang

Jonathan M. Leff: "Leadership Matters: The Relationship of School Leadership to a Safe School Climate, Bullying and Fighting in Middle School"
Chair: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski
Tuesday, February 18, 2014, 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Dissertation Room, 241 COE, FAU Boca Campus
Committee Members: Dr. Ira Bogotch, Dr. John Morris, and Dr. Robert Shockley

Noemi Coltea: "Social Impact of Immigrant Entrepreneurs On Florida’s Gold Coast"
Chair: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Tuesday, February 4th, 2014, 12:30 p.m.
Jupiter Campus, EC 202C Conference Room
Committee Members: Dr. Eliah Watlington and Dr. Victor Wang

Jessica Miles: 'The Impact of Students’ Choice Of Time Of Day For Class Activity And Their Sleep Quality On Academic Performance In Multidisciplinary Distance Education Courses"
Chair: Valerie Bryan, Ed.D.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00
Jupiter Campus, EC 202C Conference Room
Committee Members: John D. Morris, Ph.D. and Victor C. X. Wang, Ed.D.

Alexandra Cunningham: "Effects of the Relationship Enhancement Program on Social Skills, Empathy, and Social Support for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders"
Major Advisor: Len Sperry, Ph.D.
Monday, February 3, 2014, 12:00 PM
College of Education
Committee Members: Paul R. Peluso, Ph.D. and Michael P. Brady, Ph.D.

Elizabeth Swann: "Adult Learning For Healthy Aging: An Investigation Of Health Literacy And
Technology Use In Older Adults"
Chair: Dr, Valerie Bryan
Monday, February 3, 2014, 11:00 a.m.
Jupiter, EC202C, Conference room and via video: Boca, ED 241; Davie, LA 148
Committee Members: Dr. Morris and Dr. Wang

Sherry Andre: "Reliability and Validation Study of the Online Instinctual Variant Questionnaire"
Chair: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Friday, January 31, 2014
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. John D. Morris and Dr. Victor C. X. Wang

Thomas T. Nguyen: "Perceptions of Lawyers on Career Transition, Transferable Skills and Preparation for Community College Leadership"
Chair: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd
Friday, January 10, 2014, 12:15 PM
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Pat Maslin-Ostrowski, Dr. John D. Morris, and Dr. Anne E. Mulder

Susan K. Dennett: "A Study To Compare The Critical Thinking Dispositions Between Chinese And American College Students"
Chair: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 10:00A.M.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: John D. Morris, Ph.D. and Chungxue Victor Wang, Ed.D.

Harry M. Daniel: "Effects of The Four Pillars On Statewide High School Graduation Rates"
Chair: Dr. John Pisapia
Tuesday, December 3, 2013, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Department of Educational Leadership & Research Methodology Dissertation Room, ED 261 Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. Robert Shockley and Dr. John D. Morris

Gesulla Cavanaugh: "An Examination of Biomedical Intellectual Reputation in Relationship to Graduates’ Productivity, Regional Innovation and Absorptive Capacity at Selected Universities Worldwide"
Chair: Dianne A. Wright, Ph.D.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: John D. Morris, Ph.D., Eliah Watlington, Ph.D., and Gitanjali Kaul, Ed.D.

Jodie Weinstein: "The Effect of the Student Success Skills Small Group Counseling Intervention on Factors Associated with Dropout Potential in High School"
Chair: Dr. Paul Peluso
Wednesday, October 16, 2013, 12:30 PM-2:00 PM
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Greg Brigman, Ph.D. and Paul Peluso, Ph.D.

Tameka L. King: "Resegregation: The Impact on Education"
Chair: Dr. Robert Shockley
Thursday, October 10th, 10:00am
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski and Dr. Ira Bogotch

Courtney Curatolo: "The Public Official Leadership Experience: A Case Study of Leadership Collier and its Impact on Motivating and Empowering Select Citizens"
Chair: Dr. Valerie Bryan
Friday, October 4, 2013, 10-12 PM
Dissertation Room, EC 202C, Jupiter Campus
Committee Members: Dr. Victor Wang, Dr. Eliah Watlington, Dr. Phyllis Bebko

Frank Gaines: "Creating Urban High Schools of Opportunity for Students"
Chair: Dr. Ira Bogotch, Ed.D
Wednesday, October 2, 2013, 12:30 PM-2:30 PM
Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. Diane Wright, Ph.D., Dr. John Morris, Ph.D., and Dr. Desmond Blackburn, Ph.D.

Mehran Basiratmand: "Transformation of Palm Beach Community College to Palm Beach State College: A Case Study."
Chair: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd
Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 2:00pm
Boca Raton campus, College of Education (ED 261)
Committee Members:Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Dr. Robert Shockley

Keara Sodano: "Early Environmental Adult Education: An Oral History of Citizen Researchers’ Learning in the Appalachian Land Ownership Study"
Chair: Dr. Valerie C. Bryan, Professor & Eminent Scholar, FAU COE EDLRM Graduate Faculty
Tuesday, September 24, 2013, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Committee Members: Dr. Sandra Norman, Dr. Ira Bogotch, and Dr. Terry Liddell

Mindy A. Parson: "Using the Symbolic Expression of Sand Tray to Kinesthetically Connect to the Inner Cognitions of lndividuals Diagnosed with a Dementing Illness"
Chair: Paul R. Peluso
Monday, September 23, 2013, 1:00 PM
Boca Raton campus, College of Education, (ED 280)
Committee Members: Dr. Len Sperry, Dr. Jon Sperry, and Dr. Elizabeth Villares

Barbara Becraft: "Exploring Pedagogical Relationships Within a Culture of Creativity in a Reggio Emilia-inspired School"
Monday, September 23, 2013, 10:00am
ED 356, Boca Raton Campus

Samantha Uribe: "Curriculum-Based Readers Theatre as an Approach to Teaching English Language Learners: Teachers' Perceptions After Professional Development and Classroom Implementation"
Wednesday, September 18, 2013, 10:30am
ED 356, Boca Raton Campus

Shoba Thachil: "The Factors that Relate to the Persistence of First-Generation Undergraduate Students in a Public University"
Wednesday, September 4, 2013, 1:00pm
ED 356, Boca Raton Campus

Department of Educational Leadership & Research Methodology
Leo Nesmith: "The Vestiges of Brown: An Analysis of the Placements of African American Principles in Florida Public Schools (2010-2011)"
Chair: Dr. Ira Bogotch
Thursday, May 30, 2013, 11:00 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, College of Education (ED 261)
Committee Members:Dr. John D. Morris, Dr. Daniel Reyes-Guerra, Dr. Valerie Smith Wanza

Paul Armand Metcalf: "An Exploratory Analysis of the Dimensionality of the Mechanisms that Drive Private Giving Among Alumni Association Member Donors and Non-Member Donors"
Chair: Dr. Dianne Wright
Wednesday, June 5, 2013, 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, College of Education (ED 261)
Committee Members:Dr. John D. Morris, Dr. Robert Shockley, Dr. David Weerts

Keietta Givens: "A New Look at Distributive Leadership in Title 1 and Non-Title 1 Schools: Does Distributive Leadership Impact Student Achievement and School Culture?"
Chair: Dr. Meredith Mountford
Monday, June 3, 2013, 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, College of Education (ED 261)
Committee Members:Dr. John D. Morris, Dr. Marianne Russo, Dr. Angela Rhone

Jeffrey P. Nasse: "Perceptions of Professionalism: A Case Study of Community College Baccalaureate Faculty"
Chair: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd
Tuesday, May 7, 2013, 10:30 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, Department of Educational Leadership & Research Methodology Dissertation Room (ED 261)
Committee Members: Dr. Ira Bogotch, Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski, Dr. Anne Mulder

Francis Serra: "Florida Career and Technology Education: A Comparative Analysis of CTE Program Participants as a Percentage of Total High School Population in the State of Florida"
Chair: Dr. Robert Schockley
Tuesday, May 21, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, College of Education (ED 261)
Committee Members: Dr. John Morris, Dr. John Pisapia

Christopher L. Simmons: "Dropout Prevention: A Study of Prevention Programs Used by High Schools to Increase Graduation Rates"
Chair: Dr. Meredith Mountford
Thursday, May 23, 2013, 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, College of Education (ED 261)
Committee Members:Dr. Pat Maslin-Ostrowski, Dr. John D. Morris

Department of Exceptional Student Education
Carla Rody: "Digital Assist: A Comparison of Two Note-Taking Methods (Traditional vs. Digital Pen) for Students with Emotional Behavioral Disorders"
Chair: Dr. Michael Brady
Friday, May 24, 2013, 10:30 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, College of Education, (ED 411)

Department of Counselor Education
Ashley Luedke: "Affect Coding within the Therapeutic Relationship"
Chair: Dr. Paul Peluso
Friday, May 24, 2013, 9:00 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, College of Education, (ED 280)
Committee Members: Dr. Greg Brigman, Dr. Larry Liebovitch

Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Christine Higgins: "Understanding Teacher Leadership and Professional Learning in Secondary Mathematics"
Chair: Dr. Roberta Weber
Monday, May 6, 2013, 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, College of Education (ED 356), Videoconference to Jupiter campus (EC-202C)
Committee Members: Dr. Joseph Furner, Dr. Pat Maslin-Ostrowski, Dr. Ira Bogotch

Karline S. Prophete: "How Race, Gender, and Pell Status Affect the Persistence and Degree Attainment Rates of Dual Enrollment Students"
Chair: Dr. Meredith Mountford
Monday, April 1, 2013, 1:00 p.m.
Boca Campus ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. John Morris, Dr. Marianne R. Russo and Dr. Dianne A. Wright

Monica Nicoll: "The Development of Emotional Intelligence of At-Risk Female Adolescents"
Chair: Dr. Robert Shockley
Thursday, February 21, 2013, 1:00 p.m.
Boca Campus ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. John Morris, Dr. Eliah Watlington, Dr. James Bitter

Cynthia Schaub: "Preservice Teacher's Developing Beliefs About Diversity As Revealed Through Reflection and Discourse"
Chair: Dr. Gail Burnaford
Monday, January 28, 2013, 12:30 p.m.
Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry, ED 356, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. Traci Baxley, Dr. John D. Morris, Dr. Marsha Rose, and Dr. Evelyn Torrey

Carole Pfeffer: "Assessing Goal Intent and Achievement of University Learning Community Students"
Chair: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd
Tuesday, November 27, 2012, 2:00 p.m.
Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Dissertation Room, ED 261, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. John D. Morris and Dr. Robert Shockley

Mary Webster: "The possibilities for school leadership discourse within the dominant discourse of public education: A critical autoethnography"
Chairs: Dr. Patricia Maslin Ostrowski and Dr. Ira Bogotch
Friday, October 5, 2012
Dissertation Room, ED 261, Boca Raton
Committee Members: Dr. Robert Shockley

Eudora Stephens: "Leading the Way: The Relationship Between Effective Teachers' Interactions with their Students and their Students' Interactions with Each Other in Two Multi-Grade Parochial Schools"
Chair: Dr. Gail Burnaford
Wednesday, October 03, 2012, 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
College of Education Room 356, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. Sandra Doran, Dr. Philomena Marinaccio-Eckel, and Dr. Pat Maslin-Ostrowski

Pamela Spina: "The Effects of the Proactive Personality on the levels of Job Satisfaction and Burnout among Licensed Mental Health Counselors"
Chair: Ilene Johnson, Ph.D
Monday, October 1, 2012, 4:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261, Building 47, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: John Morris, Ph.D. and Michael Frain, Ph. D

Krista Allison: "Experiences and Perceptions as Expressed by Adolescent Females at a Residential Treatment Center (RTC)"
Chair: Dr. Valerie Bryan, Ed.D.
Thursday, September 20, 2012, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
EC 202C Jupiter Campus
Committee Members: Dr. Eliah Watlington, Ph.D. and Dr. Victor Wang, Ph. D

Joyce Krzemienski: "The Impact of Stress on Elementary School Principals and Their Effective Coping Mechanisms"
Chair: Dr. Meredith Mountford
Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 1:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 261, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. Pat Maslin-Ostrowski and Dr. John Pisapia

Michael Robert Hrabak: "Policy and Practice: An Analysis of 2001 Florida Senate Bill 1162"
Chair: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd, Professor
Tuesday, August 28th, 2012, 10:30 a.m.
Department of Educational Leadership & Research Methodology
Dissertation Room, ED 261, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. John D. Morris and Dr. Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski

Department of Counselor Education
Raffaela Peter: "Attachment, Locus of Control, and Romantic Intimacy in Adult Children of Alcoholics: A correlational Investigation"
Chair: Dr. Irene Johnson
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, Bldg. 47—Room # ED 280
Committee Members: Dr. Michael Frain and Dr. Elizabeth Villares

Lindsay Jesteadt: "Principals’ Knowledge in Special Education Policies and Procedures: Does It Matter in Leadership?"
Chair: Dr. Meredith L. Mountford
Thursday, May 31, 2012, 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: John D. Morris, Ph.D., Marianne R. Russo, Ed.D., and Cynthia L. Wilson, Ph.D

Jacqueline Lee-Russell Wirth: "The Effect of a Classroom Intervention on Adolescent Wellness, Success Skills, and Academic Performance"
Chair: Dr. Elizabeth Villares
Friday, May 11, 2012, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, ED 280
Committee Members: Dr. Greg Brigman and Dr. Linda Webb

Robin Lynn Larson: “Gendered Images of Expertise, Leadership and Virtue: Applying Stivers’ Theoretical Framework to Police Practices as Represented in Publications from 1979 to 2009”
Chair: Dr. Leslie Leip
Thursday, May 3, 2012, 11:30 am
Boca Raton campus, Social Science Building (SO), Room 216

Colin Philip Roche: "Canadian Professional Chef's Perceived Value of Formal Culinary Education and its Relationship with Industry Success"
Chair: Dr. Deborah L. Floyd
Tuesday, May 1, 2012, 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, Dissertation Room, ED 261
Committee Members: Dr. John D. Morris and Dr. Robert Shockley

Steven R. Vensel: "Mobbing, Burnout and Religious Coping Styles Among Protestant Clergy: A Structural Equation Model and Its Implications for Counselors"
Chair: Paul Peluso, Ph.D
Monday, April 30, 2012, 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campu, ED 280
Committee Member: Len Sperry, Ph.D.

Julianne Agonis "Family Resiliency, Family Needs and Community Re-Intergration in Persons with Brain Injury"
Committee Members: Elizabeth Villares, PhD; Charles Dukes, PhD and Irene Johnson, PhD
Wednesday, February 29, 2012, 1:00 p.m.
Building 47, ED 280

Department of Exercise Science & Health Promotion
Korey Kilsdonk: "Effects of Compression Stockings on Cycling Performance in Moderately Trained Females"
Chair: Dr. Michael Whitehurst
Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 3:50 p.m.
GY [Arena], Room 152
Committee Members: Dr. Tina Penhollow and Dr. Robert Zoeller

Maria S. Hersey: "The Development of Global-Mindedness: School Leadership Perspectives"
Chair: Dr. Ira Bogotch, Chair
Thursday, February 9, 2012, 10:00 a.m.
Dissertation Room, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. Dilys Schoorman and Dr. John Morris

Jacqueline Ackerina: "The Call of Public Service: Motivation and Professional Commitment in Education"
Co-Chairs: Dr. Patricia Maslin Ostrowski and Dr. Ira Bogotch
Thursday, February 2, 2012, 3:00 p.m.
Dissertation Room, ED 260
Committee Member: Dr. John Morris

Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Jennifer Bilot
Co-Chairs: Paul Peluso, PhD and Irene Johnson, PhD
Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 11:00 a.m.
Building 47, ED 280
Committee Member: Dr. John Morris

Maria Rodriguez: "English Language Learners in Florida: A legal and policy study of Florida's Multicultural Education Training and Advocacy (META) Consent Decree"
Chair: Dr. Ira Bogotch
Tuesday, September 20, 2011, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, Department of Educational Leadership & Research Methodology Dissertation Room (ED 261)

Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Barbara Perez: "Teacher Quality and Teaching Quality of 7th-Grade Algebra I Honors Teachers"
Chair: Dr. Roberta Weber
Monday, February 18, 2013, 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Jupiter Campus EC 202 C with a Video Conference to room 356, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. H. James McLaughlin, Dr. John Morris, and Dr. Heinz-Otto Peitgen

Seth Alper: "Advanced Placement Social Studies Teachers’ Utilization of Blogs as a Supplemental Resource for Student Learning"
Chair: Dr. Roberta Weber
Thursday February 14, 2013, 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Jupiter Campus EC 202 C with a Video Conference to room 356, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. H. James McLaughlin, Dr. John Morris, Dr. Ernest Andrew Brewer, and Dr. John Hardman

Rebecca Kerr: "Comparing Levels of School Performance to Science Teachers' Reports on Knowledge/Skills, Instructional Use and Student Use of Computers"
Chair: Dr. Gail Burnaford
Wednesday February 13, 2013, 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
College of Education, Room 356, Boca Raton Campus
Committee Members: Dr. David Kumar and Dr. John Morris

Josh Strate: “Predictors of Scientific Understanding of Middle School Students”
Chair: Dr. David Kumar
Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Davie campus, Liberal Arts building (LA 150), Room 150
Note: The dissertation defense will be video conferenced to Room ED 241, Boca Raton campus.

Jessica M. Peña-Lopez: "A Study of Persistence of Undergraduate Women Majoring in Math and Engineering"
Chair: Dr. Deborah L. Floydand Dr. Ira Bogotch
Tuesday, August 23, 2011, 1:30 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, Department of Educational Leadership & Research Methodology Dissertation Room

PAST THESIS & DISSERTATION DEFENSES

Stephen Castillo: "Object-Based Land Cover Classification of UAV True Color Imagery"
Monday, March 30, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.
WebEx Meeting: Join Here
Meeting number (access code): 476 799 334
Meeting password: 2020
Chair: Sudhagar Nagarajan, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Hongbo Su, Ph.D. and Madasamy Arockiasamy, P.E., Ph.D.

Amir Jalali: "Efficient Implementations of Post-Quantum Isogeny-Based Cryptography"
November 9, 2018 at 10:30 a.m.
Engineering East (EE 96), Room 405
Chair: Dr. Reza Azarderakhsh
Committee Members: Dr. Jason Hallstrom, Dr. Koray Karabina, and Dr. Mehrdad Nojoumian

Shiree Hughes: "Changing Consumers through Ambient Displays in Smart Cafeterias and Detecting Anomalous Reporting Behavior in Sensors"
June 23, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
Engineering East, EE 405
Chair: Dr. Jason O. Hallstrom
Committee members: Dr. Borko Furht, Dr. Hari Kalva, and Dr. Daniel Raviv

Diego Fernando Pava: "Transmitter‐Receiver System for Time Average Fourier Telescopy"
Chair: William T. Rhodes, Ph.D.
Monday, November 10, 2014, at 2:00 pm
Boca Raton campus, Engineering East, Room 405

Department of Computer & Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Zhaoquan Li: "Joint TCP Congestion Control and Wireless-Link Scheduling for Mobile Internet Applications"
Chair: Dr. Xin Wang
Monday, May 6, 2013 at 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, Bldg. EE 96, Room 303C
Committee Members: Dr. Valentine Aalo, Dr. Ionut Cardei, Dr. Nurgun Erdol

Raef Rashad Yassin: "Information‐Theortics Based Technoeconomic Growth Models: Simulation and Computation of Forecasting in Telecommunication Services"
Chair: Dr. Perambur S. Neelakanta
Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at 9:30 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, Bldg. EE 96—Room # 405
Committee Members: Dr. Mohammad Ilyas, Dr. Dolores De Groff, Dr. Xin Wang, Dr. Shihong Huang

Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering
Siyuan Ma: "Studies of Composite Multihull Ship Structures using Fluid Structure Interaction"
Chair: Dr. Hassan Mahfuz
Wednesday, June 27, 2012, at 9:00 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, EG 187, BLDG. 36
Committee Members: Dr. Manhar Dhanak, Dr. Palaniswamy Ananthakrishnan, Dr. Chi‐Tay Tsai, Dr. Francisco Presuel‐Moreno

Alana E. Smentek‐Duerr: "A Hydrokinetic Resource Assessment of the Florida Current"
Chair: Dr. Manhar Dhanak
Tuesday, June 26, 2012, 1:00 PM
Boca Raton campus, ST 259 with Videoconference to EG 187
Committee Members: Dr. Frederick Driscoll, Dr. P. Ananthakrishnan, Dr. Howard Hanson, Dr. Richard Granata,Dr. Eric Chassignet

Michel Fuchs: "Study of High Temperature PEM Fuel Cell (HTPEMFC) Waste Heat Recovery Through Ejector Based Refrigeration"
Chair: Dr. Homayoon (Amir) Abtahi
Monday, June 25, 2012 at 11:30 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, Dean’s Conference Room (EE 303C)
Committee Members: Dr. Leif Carlsson, Dr. Chaouki Ghenai, Dr. Ali Zilouchian

Department of Computer & Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Ph.D. Program
Ingrid Buckley: “Towards a Methodology for Building Reliable Systems”
Chair: Dr. Eduardo B. Fernandez
Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 12:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, EE 405
Committee Members: Dr. Martin Solomon, Dr. Mihaela Cardei, and Dr. Rainer Steinwandt

Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Ph.D. Program
Fnu Lakitosh: "Analysis of Ship Hull and Plate Vibrations Caused by Wave Forces"
Chair: Dr. Palaniswamy Ananthakrishnan
Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 3:30 p.m.
EG 187 (Bldg. 36) , Boca Raton
Videoconference: ST 259, SEATECH
Committee Members: Dr. Manhar Dhanak, Dr. Hassan Mahfuz, and Dr. Francisco Presuel‐Moreno

Ranjith Mohan: "Helicopter Stability During Aggressive Maneuvers"
Chair: Dr. Gopal H. Gaonkar
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, Akhurst Room (EG 101)
Committee Members: Dr. Guoqiang Cai, Dr. Chaouki Ghenai, and Dr. William D. Kalies

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Ph.D. Program
Xin Guan: "2D/3D Face Recognition"
Chair: Dr. Hanqi Zhuang
Monday, March 26, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, EE Building, Room 405
Committee Members: Dr. Nurgun Erdol, Dr. C. T. Tsai, and Dr. Hill Zhu

Rashad M. Jillani: “Low Complexity Scalable Video Encoding”
Chair: Dr. Hari Kalva
Monday, November 28, 2011, 2:00 p.m.
Engineering East Building
CEECS Conference Room, EE405

Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering
Felicia Powell: “A Study of the Effects of Nanoparticle Modification on the Thermal, Mechanical, and Hygrothermal Performance of Carbo/Vindyl Ester Composites”
Chair: Dr. Hassan Mahfuz
Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 3:00 p.m.
SEATECH
Building ST Room 250

Computer & Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Binu Pundir: “Surface Pressure Fluctuations Due to an Impinging Underexpanded Supersonic Jet”
Chair: Dr. Manhar R. Dhanak
Wednesday, November 2, 2011, 3:00 p.m.
SEATECH
Building ST Room 250

Arny Ambrose: “A Patient-centric Hurricane Evacuation Management System”
Chair: Dr. Mihaela Cardei
Friday, October 28, 2011, 4:30 p.m.
Engineering East Building
CEECS Conference Room, EE405

PAST THESIS & DISSERTATION DEFENSES

Alexander Kwakye: "Discovery of Genes and Molecular Processes Important for Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis"
July 9, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via WebEx: https://fau.webex.com/fau/j.php?MTID=m0d7541b15af58d8a75becacfd471ed1e
Chair: Zhongwei Li, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Lun-Ching Chang, Ph.D. and Hanqi Zhuang, Ph.D.

PAST THESIS & DISSERTATION DEFENSES

Natalie Bermudez: "Psychometric Evaluation of the Moral Comfort Questionnaire amongst Hospital-Based Direct-Care Registered Nurses"
December 4, 2019 at 8:30 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Nursing (NU-84), Room 201
Chair: Ruth Tappen, Ed.D.
Committee Members: Joy Longo, D.N.S., Ph.D. and Katherine Freeman-Costin, Ph.D.

Manika Petcharat: "The Effects of a Brief Culturally Tailored Thai Mindfulness Intervention on Stress, Anxiety, and Mindfulness in Thai Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities"
October 25, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Nursing (NU 84), Room 201
Chair: Dr. Patricia Liehr
Committee Members: Dr. Lenny Chiang-Hanisko, Dr. David Newman, and Dr. Sharon M. Theroux

Jane Wilson: "Testing an Integrated Health Promotion Model Using Social Media for Breastfeeding Women: Structural Equation Modeling"
May 7, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.
NU 201
Chair: Dr. Linda Weglicki
Committee Members:  Drs. Joy Longo, Dawn Hawthorne, Michael DeDonno, and Jane Grassley

Sandra Gall-Ojurongbe: "An Examination of the Demographic, Social and Environmental Predictors of Risk for Schizophrenia in Afro-Caribbean Immigrants Living in the United States"
March 15, 2018 at 9:00 a.m.
Room 108
Chair: Dr. Christine Williams   
Committee Members: Dr. Ruth Tappen and Dr. Mark Harvey

Diane Gullett: "The Lived Experience of Suffering through the 2010 Earthquake in Haiti"
October 26, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
Room 202
Chair:Dr. Charlotte Barry
Committee members: Dr. Shirley Gordon and Dr. Mary Cameron 

Christine Moffa: "Exploring the Moderating Effect of a Caring Work Environment on the Relationship between Workplace Mistreatment and Nurses' Ability to Provide Patient Care"
October 25, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
Room 201 
Chair: Dr. Pat Liehr
Committee members: Dr. Joy Longo and Dr. Steven Caudill  

Mary Ann Leavitt: "The effect of a Heart Failure Nurse Navigator on 30-Day Readmissions of Older Adults"
October 19, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
Room 108  
Chair:Dr. Debra Hain
Committee members: Dr. Kathryn Keller, Dr. Terry Eggenberger, and Dr. Bernardo Obeso  

Heather Saifman: "Millennial Nurse Manager Perspectives on Their Leadership Roles in the Hospital Setting: A Phenomenological Inquiry"
October 13, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
Room 202
Chair: Dr. Rose Sherman
Committee members: Dr. Kathryn Keller, Dr. Terry Eggenberger, and Dr. Alan Whiteman

Olga Abiri: "Differences in Nurses’ Perceptions of Safety Culture, Nurse-Physician Collaboration, and Level of Job Satisfaction Related to the Type of Obstetrical Physician Care Delivery Model Utilized"
October 3, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.
Room 202
Chair: Dr. Rose Sherman
Committee members: Dr. Joy Longo, Dr. Dee Ray, and Dr. Alan Whiteman

Mary Ann Leavitt: "The effect of a Heart Failure Nurse Navigator on 30-Day Readmissions of Older Adults"
September 7, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
Room 201
Chair: Dr. Debra Hain
Committee members: Dr. Kathryn Keller, Dr. Terry Eggenberger, and Dr. Bernardo Obeso

Jacinto “J” Garrido: "Ethnicity, Gender and Pain Interference's Influence on Depression among Older Adults with Osteoarthritis"
August 15, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Room 201
Chair: Dr. Lynne Dunphy
Committee members: Dr. David Newman, Dr. Ruth McCaffrey, and Dr. JuYoung Park

Beth Pratt: "The Lived Experience of Breastfeeding for Women with Perinatal Depression"
June 21, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
Room 201
Chair: Dr. Joy Longo
Committee members: Dr. Shirley Gordon and Dr. Nancy Jones

Gail Sullivan: "Effects of Story-Sharing Intervention on Depression and Well-Being in Older Adults Transitioning to Long-Term Care"
March 21, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.
Room 108
Chair: Dr. Deb Hain
Committee members: Dr. Linda Weglicki and Dr. Denise Compton

Jacqueline Staal: "The Relationships among Sleep Quality, Frailty and Falls in Older Adults Residing in the Community"
March 14, 2017 at 9:30 a.m.
Room 108
Chair: Dr. Marlaine Smith
Committee members: Dr. Christine Williams, Dr. Ruth Tappen, Dr. David Newman, and Dr. Diane Sherman

Zahra Rahemi: "Iranian American Older Adults’ Attitudes and Proactive Actions toward Planning Ahead for End-of-Life Care"
March 13, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
NU 108
Chair: Dr. Lynne Dunphy
Committee Members: Dr. Pat Liehr and Dr. Pierre Alexandre

Susan Driscoll: "A Systematic Review and Quantitative Meta-Analysis of the Accuracy of Visual Inspection for Cervical Cancer Screening: Does Provider Type or Training Matter?"
November 2, 2016 at 10:30 a.m.
Room 201
Committee Members: Dr. Rhonda Goodman, Dr. David Newman, and Dr. Joanna Drowos

Valarie Grumme: "Use of Social Media Support Groups by Persons in the Transplant Journey"
October 27, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.
Room 108
Committee members: Dr. Charlotte Barry, Dr. Nancey France, and Dr. Patricia Patterson

Rose Wimbish-Cirilo: "Culturally Tailoring a Substance Use Intervention among Southeastern Urban American Indian and Alaska Native Youth"
Chair: Dr. John Lowe
June 17, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
Room 201
Committee Members: Dr. Pat Liehr, Dr. Eugenia Millender, and Dr. Huigang Liang 

Melessa Kelley: "Native American Early Adolescents Response to a Cultural-Based Prevention for Obesity "
Chair: Dr. John Lowe 
June 9, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.
Room 201
Committee Members: Dr. Kay Edwards, Dr. Cynthia Archibald, and Dr. Huigang Liang

Janet Sopcheck: "Health Challenges of Family Members in End of Life Situations"
Chair: Dr. Pat Liehr
March 30, 2016 at 9:00 a.m.
Room 201
Committee Members: Dr. Marlaine Smith, Dr. Susan Dyess, and Dr. Allan Barsky

Laurie Curnan: "Avatar Guided Stories of Ease from Adolescents with Cancer"
Chair: Dr. Pat Liehr
February 25, 2016, at 9:00 a.m.
Room 201
Committee Members: Dr. David Newman and Dr. Susan Dyess

Linda Payne: "The Experience of Nurses Caring for Women with Drug or Alcohol Problems in the General Hospital"
Chair: Dr. Charlotte Barry
October 29, 2015
Room 201

Laurie Abbott: "The Effect of a Culturally Relevant Cardiovascular Health Promotion Program on Rural African Americans"
Chair: Dr. Christine Williams
October 22, 2015 at 3:00 p.m.
Room 201

Robin Powers-Jarvis: "Recognizing Functional Decline in Persons with MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment)"
Chair: Dr. Ruth Tappen
October 21, 2015
Room 201

Christie Bailey: "The Influence of Gardens on Resilience in Older Adults Living in a Continuing Care Community"
Chair: Dr. Charlotte Barry
October 14, 2015 at 1:00 p.m.
Room 202

Mary Jorda: "The Meaning of School Body Mass Index Screening and Referral to the Parents/Guardians of First, Third and Sixth Grade Students"
Chair: Dr. Charlotte Barry
October 13, 2015, at 1:00 p.m.
Room 201

Jacqueline Marshall: "Effect of a Spiritually-Guided Intervention on Breast Self-Care Attitudes in Afro-Caribbean Women"
Chair: Dr. Shirley Gordon
Thursday, March 19, 2015, 2:00 p.m.
Room 202

Karen Grimley: "Identifying Descriptions of Quality Nursing Care Shared by Nurse and Patient in the Acute Care Hospital Setting"
Chair: Dr. Ruth Tappen
Friday, March 13, 2015, 1:00 p.m.
Room 201, Boca Raton campus

Susan Charlotte Ladd: "A Grounded Theory Study of End-of-Life Decision Making for Haitian American Families in South Florida"
Chair: Dr. Marlaine Smith
Thursday, February 5, 2015, 1:00 p.m.
Room 202, Boca Raton campus

Mary Ellen Wright: "Sources of Informational Social Support for Mothers of Infants Residing in the Western North Carolina Appalachian Region"
Chair: Dr. Patricia Liehr
Thursday, December 18, 2014, 2:00 p.m.
Room 215

Duangporn Piyakong: "The Effect of Engagement Interventions on Uncertainty and Coping of Thai Family Members of Patients in Coma"
Chair: Dr. Patricia Liehr
Tuesday, October 21, 2014, at 9:00 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, College of Nursing, Room 209

Elizabeth Kinchen: "Development and Testing of an Instrument to Measure Holistic Attributes of Nurse Practitioner Care"
Chair: Dr. Bernadette Lange
Wednesday, October 1, 2014, at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton campus, College of Nursing, Room 209

Angela Prestia: "Chief Nursing Officer Sustainment in the Continued Practice of Nursing Leadership"
Chair: Dr. Rose Sherman
Monday, September 22, 2014, at 10:30 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, College of Nursing, Room 209

Kelly White: "Transition Experiences of the Chronically Ill Adolescent"
Chair: Dr. Kathryn Keller
Tuesday, July 1, 2014, 4:30 p.m.
College of Nursing, Room 209

Rebecca Koszalinski: "Evaluation of Speak for Myself © With Patients Who are Voiceless"
Chair: Dr. Ruth Tappen
Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 10:00 a.m.
College of Nursing, Room 209, Boca Raton Campus

Shelley Greif: "Challenges Faced by Parents Caring for Their Child After Traumatic Brain Injury"
Chair: Dr. Pat Liehr
Wednesday, June 11, 2014, 1:00 p.m.
College of Nursing, Room 209, Boca Raton Campus

Francesca Onyejuruwa: "Impact of an Educational Intervention on Nurses’ Knowledge and Caring Behavior for Late Preterm Infants"
Chair: Dr. Sharon Dormire
Monday, November 25, 2013, 3:30 PM
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Room 209

Lisa Kirk Wiese: "Development and Testing of a Measure of Alzheimer’s Disease in a Rural Appalachian Community"
Chair: Dr. Christine Williams
Monday, November 4, 2013, 1:45 PM
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Room 209

Mary Brigid Martin: "Perceived Discrimination of Muslims in Health Care in the United States"
Chair: Dr. Christine Williams
Tuesday, September 24, 2013, 2:00 PM
Boca Raton Campus, College of Nursing, Room 209

Eugenia Millender: "Cumulative Trauma among Adult Mayas Living in Southeast Florida"
Chair: Dr. John Lowe
Monday, July 1, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Nursing, Room 209

Nohemi Sadule-Rios: "Older Hispanics' Explanatory Model of Depression"
Chair: Dr. Ruth Tappen
Thursday, June 27, 2013, 12:30 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Nursing, Room 209

Jeanne Gottlieb: "Suffering in the Midst of Technology: The Lived Experience of an Abnormal Prenatal Ultrasound"
Chair: Dr. Shirley Gordon
Tuesday, April 23, 2013, 11:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Building, Room 209

Kathryn Arnold: "The Clinical Scholar Model: A Strategy to Bridge the Theory-Practice Gap"
Chair: Dr. Sharon Dormire
Wednesday, March 20, 2013, 10:30 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Building, Room 209

Lawren Mundy: "Health Care Experiences of Individuals Who Self-Identify as Sex Addicts"
Chair: Dr. Shirley Gordon
Friday, March 15, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Building, Room 209

Bridgette Johnson: "Impact of Satisfaction with Care and Empowerment on Glycemic Control among Older African American Adults with Diabetes"
Chair: Susan Folden
Wednesday, November 30, 2011, 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton campus, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing building, Room 209

PAST THESIS & DISSERTATION DEFENSES

Alexandra Epstein: "Annihilators and A + B Rings"
November 6, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.
Virtual meeting via Zoom: https://fau-edu.zoom.us/j/83226205123?pwd=bWkyWDloTE1tY0kyNk42NkNod2RBUT09
Meeting ID: 832 2620 5123
Password: TMzqZ9
Chair: Lee Klingler, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Spyros Magliveras, Ph.D., Warren McGovern, Ph.D., and Marcus Schmidmeier, Ph.D.

Sunil Giri: "Infection Age Structured Vector Borne Disease Model with Direct Transmission"
July 20, 2020 at 4:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via WebEx: https://fau.webex.com/fau/j.php?MTID=m5c244037c6465aa0f9789775ac9c4d88
Meeting number (access code): 120 081 8367
Meeting password: yHreM67pMn3
Chair: Necibe Tuncer, Ph.D.
Committee Members: William Kalies, Ph.D., Erik Lundberg, Ph.D., Jason Mireles-James, Ph.D., and Taghi Khoshgoftaar, Ph.D.

Shaun Miller: "Algorithms In Lattice-Based Cryptanalysis"
July 15, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via WebEx: https://fau.webex.com/fau/j.php?MTID=m79e714c27cf627d057abd8d8c21271e7
Meeting number (access code): 120 790 1846
Meeting password:BKZBlockSize
Co-Chairs: Shi Bai, Ph.D. and Rainer Steinwandt, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Koray Karabina, Ph.D., Spyros Magliveras, Ph.D., and Edoardo Persichetti, Ph.D.

Jorge Gonzalez "Accurate High Order Computation of Invariant Manifolds for Long periodic Orbits of Maps and Equilibrium State of PDE"
April 17, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.
WebEx Meeting: Join Here
Meeting number (access code): 478 231 370
Meeting password: 20200417
Co-Chairs: Jason Mireles-James, Ph.D. and Necibe Tuncer, Ph.D.
Committee Members: William Kalies, Ph.D., Vincent Naudot, Ph.D., and Erik Lundberg, Ph.D.

Cory Ball "The Change Point Problem for Two Classes of Stochastic Processes"
April 2, 2020, at 4:00pm
WebEx Meeting number: 472 019 057
Meeting password: neVfFehj436
Chair: Hongwei Long, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Lun-Ching Chang, Ph.D., Erik Lundberg, Ph.D., and Jason Mireles-James, Ph.D.

Omar Babun Codorniu: "Characterization of Linear Isometries on Complex Sequence Spaces"
November 15, 2019 at 11:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Science (SE-43), Room 215
Chair: Xiao-Dong Zhang, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Lee Klingler, Ph.D., Tomas Schonbek, Ph.D., and Yuan Wang, Ph.D.

Boris Tezak: "Understanding the Phenotype: A Study on How the Incubation Environment Influences Embryo Growth, Sex, and Sex Ratios in Turtles with Temperature Dependent Sex Determination"
September 9, 2019 at 3:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Sanson Life Sciences Building (SC-1), Room 141
Remote: Davie LA 150, Harbor Branch LE 103, VMRO2 (Meeting ID: 6122)
Chair: Jeannette Wyneken
Committee Members: Sarah Milton, Ph.D., Itzel Sifuentes-Romero, Ph.D., Kathleen Guthrie, Ph.D., and Erik Noonburg, Ph.D.

Sher Chhetri: "Parameter Estimation for Geometric Lѐvy Processes with Stochastic Volatility"
July 5, 2019 at 2:30 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Science (SE-43), Room 215
Chair: Hongwei Long, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Lianfen Qian, Ph.D., Tomas Schonbeck, Ph.D., and Lee Klingler, Ph.D.

Hai Pham: "Contributions to Quantum-Safe Cryptography: Hybrid Encryption and Reducing the T Gate Cost of AES"
July 5, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, College of Science (SE-43), Room 319B
Chair: Rainer Steinwandt, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Koray Karabina, Ph.D., Spyros Magliveras, Ph.D., and Aaron Meyerowitz, Ph.D.

Akeel Omairi: "H-Local Rings"
May 14, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Science Building (SE-43), Room 215
Chair: Lee Klinger, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Koray Karabina, Ph.D., Rainer Steinwandt, Ph.D., and Warren McGovern, Ph.D.

Michael Epstein, "The Covering Numbers of Some Finite Simple Groups"
March 28, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Boca Raton Campus, Science Building (SE-43), Room 215
Chair: Dr. Spyros Magliveras
Committee Members: Dr. Fred Richman, Dr. Lee Klingler, and Dr. Hari Kalva