Education, Hurricanes, and Bananas: Studying Abroad in Honduras

The College of Education Honduras Study Abroad program has been sending students to Honduras for a 17-day investigation of Honduran history, educational systems, and social justice in education since 2003. Honduras is a Central American country with a long history of exploitation, political conflict, and environmental disasters. The country began with a swift and brutal colonization by the Spanish, which left the indigenous people persecuted and massacred. In 1998, Honduras experienced a devastating hurricane that decimated many buildings and infrastructure. Large-scale farming operations run by foreign investors has resulted in political turmoil and a struggling working class. However, Honduras has a dynamic and vocal activist community that has been developed through decades of political challenges. The education system of Honduras reflects its history. Those who have been exploited and left behind through corrupt politics and censorship are those whose children are relegated to the underfunded, barely regulated rural schools. While in Honduras, students observe and teach in three different types of schools that showcase different levels of opportunity throughout the Honduras education system; interact with community members; and visit cultural sites such as Mayan ruins in order to receive a holistic view of Honduras and its past, present, and future

A Note From the Editor

This piece is a letter from Daphne Fauber, the editor of this issue of Ideas. In the letter, the editor introduces the work of Dr. Paschalis Gkoupidenis as well as the moment in time in which his Visiting Scholars talk occurs

Mentoring Relationships among Women Leaders

This qualitative research collective case study explored the mentoring relationships among veteran women leaders and novice women leaders in the nuclear vendor industry in Central Virginia. The general problem addressed in this study was the potential lack of mentoring relationships among women leaders despite the many advantages of mentoring. The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to add to the body of knowledge of the lack of mentoring relationships among women leaders in a technical industry by exploring the mentoring experiences, or lack thereof, and the perception of women on mentoring who are or have been in leadership positions. Research questions explored the mentoring experiences and the perception of women on mentoring who are or have been in leadership positions. Twelve interviews were conducted using convenience sampling. Seven common themes emerged from the data analysis. The themes developed from this study are relevant and applicable to business because the advantages of mentoring relationships between women leaders include enhanced business and organizational success, and improved leadership competence. Based on the emergent themes and review of the academic literature, five recommendations for action were developed to aid in the assurance that businesses and organizational veteran leaders ascertain the importance of mentoring relationships among women leaders

Mattering doesn\u27t matter: An analysis of adult undergraduate persistence patterns

A steady rise in the number of nontraditional students combined with high attrition has raised questions about whether postsecondary institutions have been effective in creating environments that facilitate adult student success. This concern led to the current study which investigates whether adult undergraduate perceptions of environmental support and responsiveness to student needs affects persistence patterns.;Tinto\u27s (1993) Academic and Social Integration Model and Schlossberg, Lynch, and Chickerings\u27 (1989) ecological perspective have guided this study. Students\u27 perceptions play a critical role in their willingness to become engaged or involved in the educational environment and therefore affect persistence. Schlossberg, Lasalle, and Golecs\u27 (1990) Mattering Scales were used to measure perceptions of the degree of mattering on five dimensions of postsecondary education; administration, advising, peers, multiple roles, and faculty. It was hypothesized that adult students who perceive the educational environment as a welcoming and supportive place will be more likely to persist toward obtaining their educational goals.;The population samples were drawn from a large urban doctoral granting university located in the southeast. An analysis of covariance was used to determine whether the differences among mean scores (for each of the five mattering subscales) were statistically different. In addition, the test mathematically corrected for the extraneous variables of gender, age, marital status, number of dependents and hours of employment.;Results of this study indicate persistence of adult students is not affected by their perceptions of the educational environmental support and responsiveness to student needs (i.e. mattering). The lack of empirical evidence may suggest that the construct of mattering does not adequately conceptualize the environmental issues important to adult undergraduates or the Mattering Scales\u27 instrument does not accurately operationalize the construct. However, gender differences and employment demands were covariates identified that influenced the degree of mattering perceived.;Creating a community that establishes a sense of mattering for adult students may not have the expected impact on persistence. Further research is indicated in the area of adult students\u27 interaction with the educational environment and its subsequent effect on persistence