Evaluation of the Purdue Women's Network: Assessing the performance of a networking-mentoring program to enhance social support for female graduate students at Purdue
by Hauber, Sara D., M.A., PURDUE UNIVERSITY, 2009, 123 pages; 1470051

Abstract:

In fall 2008, a campus-wide networking-mentoring program for Purdue’s female graduate students was launched. Called the Purdue Women’s Network, this theoretically grounded program was designed to help female graduate students find social support on campus. The evaluation of this program reported in this thesis is the first step toward determining whether the program’s goals are being met. Features of the program include monthly social and informational events with a strong networking component. Formative evaluation—used to improve the program during implementation—was accomplished via brief mixed-method questionnaires delivered to participants after each PWN activity they attended. Results revealed positive quality ratings for events, with means ranging from 2.50 to 3.71 on a 4-point scale. Qualitative data reinforced and explained participants’ positive reactions to PWN events. Summative evaluation was used to reveal the effects of participation in the PWN program on participants’ perceived social support, academic and general stress, emotion-focused and problem-focused coping, satisfaction with graduate study, and intention to persist in graduate study. Only emotion-focused coping showed significant improvement for PWN participants between August 2008 and April 2009. Deficient implementation of the PWN program design appeared to be a cause for the low number of PWN participants who completed both surveys ( N = 29), and was also a primary contributor to the lack of favorable results. Recommendations are given for improving implementation as the PWN begins its second year.

 
AdviserBrant R. Burleson
SchoolPURDUE UNIVERSITY
SourceMAI/ 48-02, p. , Dec 2009
Source TypeThesis
SubjectsWomen's studies; Social sciences education; Higher education
Publication Number1470051
Adobe PDF Access the complete dissertation:
 

» Find an electronic copy at your library.
  Use the link below to access a full citation record of this graduate work:
  http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl%3furl_ver=Z39.88-2004%26res_dat=xri:pqdiss%26rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation%26rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:1470051
  If your library subscribes to the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database, you may be entitled to a free electronic version of this graduate work. If not, you will have the option to purchase one, and access a 24 page preview for free (if available).

About ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
With over 2.3 million records, the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database is the most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses in the world. It is the database of record for graduate research.

The database includes citations of graduate works ranging from the first U.S. dissertation, accepted in 1861, to those accepted as recently as last semester. Of the 2.3 million graduate works included in the database, ProQuest offers more than 1.9 million in full text formats. Of those, over 860,000 are available in PDF format. More than 60,000 dissertations and theses are added to the database each year.

If you have questions, please feel free to visit the ProQuest Web site - http://www.proquest.com - or call ProQuest Hotline Customer Support at 1-800-521-3042.