Factors of Resilience That Support University Art and Design Students.

Factors of Resilience That Support University Art and Design Students by Ruth C. Morgan MA, California State University-Northridge, 1992 BS, Michigan State University, 1974 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Education Walden University February 2016 Abstract Graduation rates in bachelor’s degrees in the United States continue to be lower than stakeholders expect, despite the many advantages of college completion. This phenomenological study investigated the interplay between resilience, coping strategies, and college completion for undergraduate art and design students in an effort to improve graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to address gaps in the literature regardingGraduation rates in bachelor’s degrees in the United States continue to be lower than stakeholders expect, despite the many advantages of college completion. This phenomenological study investigated the interplay between resilience, coping strategies, and college completion for undergraduate art and design students in an effort to improve graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to address gaps in the literature regarding art and design student’s resilience and academic success. Findings were interpreted using 3 conceptual frameworks: resilience theory, Bronfenbrenner’s ecology of human development, and Dweck’s theory of mindsets and self-beliefs. Research questions guiding this study addressed the external and internal factors that support resilience, the most stressful situations students faced while attending the university, and the coping strategies graduating seniors used to manage stress, regain resilience, and graduate. Data collection included individual semi-structured interviews with 11 graduating seniors and an alum from a single public university in the eastern United States. Data were supplemented by interviews with 1 faculty member and 2 counselors from the same university who had extensive interactions with art and design students. Key results from the data analysis found that supportive relationships with peers, access to financial aid, stress-free living environments, motivation, tenacity, and self-efficacy were important factors for academic success. The most stressful situations students reported were studio critiques, a lack of compatibility with roommates, and health issues. This study promotes positive social change by providing information for stakeholders’ use in bolstering students’ resilience in order to manage stress and improve college completion rates. Factors of Resilience That Support University Art and Design Students by Ruth C. Morgan MA, California State University-Northridge, 1992 BS, Michigan State University, 1974 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Education Walden University February 2016 Dedication To my daughter Allison, whose listening ear and words of encouragement helped me stay focused on this Ph.D., and to my late husband Steve, who is always on my mind. I feel your love and support. To the strong, resilient women in my life, my mother Rosemary, and my grandmother Margaret: You are all amazing individuals and I feel truly blessed to have known you. Acknowledgments Thank you, Dr. Catherine Marienau and Dr. Sandra Johnson, for your wisdom, insightful remarks, and advice during the research process and writing of this document. I truly appreciate your guidance, knowledge, and endless patience. Thank you, also my dear and steadfast sage friends, Dr. Esther Tornai Thyssen, Willie Marlowe, M.F. A. , and Dr. Dorothy Matthews, for your endless encouragement. Thank you to the department chair and all the students, faculty, and counselors who have shared their reflections and lived experiences with me in your interviews.