Enriching Veterans' Lives: Through An Evidence Based Approach

This paper marks the launch of a new IVMF series focused on the critical topics of program evaluation, performance measurement, and evidence-based practice (EBP). The purpose of the series is to inform the broader community of veteran and military family serving organizations by highlighting examples of veteran and military serving organizations employing various methods of EBP, program evaluation, and assessment. By highlighting leading practices across the U.S., this series aims to promote learning and greater impact in service delivery across our nation's evolving and maturing community of veteran and military organizations.This case illustration highlights the evaluation efforts of the rising veteran and military serving organization Team, Red, White & Blue (Team RWB). Team RWB is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2010 with the mission of enriching the lives of America's veterans by connecting them to their communities through physical and social activity. Despite its relative youth, in 2014, the George W. Bush Institute's (GWBI) Military Service Initiative and the IVMF both identified Team RWB as a leading organization in building a robust measurement and evaluation program. The paper highlights how Team RWB integrates theory and research to drive its programming as an evidence-based wellness intervention and, in turn, produce data to inform its own organizational practice.Key HighlightsTeam RWB is an organization that values, at all levels, trust and transparency with its partners, funders, and community. This culture -- embodied by the 'Eagle Ethos' of positivity, passion, people, community, camaraderie, and commitment -- exists throughout the organization from the senior executive down to the community level.Research and evaluation of RWB's programs is and will remain vital to communicating its impact and improving how it targets resources to improve and grow its programs. The Team RWB "Eagle Research Center" is building an evidence base by quantitatively measuring its outcomes and using data to improve its program delivery.More than 1,800 veterans surveyed in 2014 and 2,500 surveyed in 2015 self-reported increases in creating authentic relationships with others, increasing their sense of purpose, and improving their health, by participating in Team RWB. Veterans also noted that participating in Team RWB had indirect benefits in their family relationships and work. Improvements on these dimensions contribute to an enriched life, with more program engagement leading to more enrichment.Team RWB achieves these results through local, consistent, and inclusive programs. The chapter and Community programs provide opportunities for physical, social, and service activities. The Leadership Development Program is comprised of national athletic and leadership camps, and a newly launched tiered leader development program

Projection volumes of hyperplane arrangements

We prove that for any finite real hyperplane arrangement the average projection volumes of the maximal cones is given by the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of the arrangement. This settles the conjecture of Drton and Klivans that this held for all finite real reflection arrangements. The methods used are geometric and combinatorial. As a consequence we determine that the angle sums of a zonotope are given by the characteristic polynomial of the order dual of the intersection lattice of the arrangement

Packing ellipsoids with overlap

The problem of packing ellipsoids of different sizes and shapes into an ellipsoidal container so as to minimize a measure of overlap between ellipsoids is considered. A bilevel optimization formulation is given, together with an algorithm for the general case and a simpler algorithm for the special case in which all ellipsoids are in fact spheres. Convergence results are proved and computational experience is described and illustrated. The motivating application - chromosome organization in the human cell nucleus - is discussed briefly, and some illustrative results are presented

Employer engagement within 14-19 diploma development

In 2005, the UK government announced the development of a suite of employer-designed diplomas for 14-19 year olds linked to different industrial and commercial sectors. This article will reflect on some of the achievements and challenges of this major employer engagement initiative by drawing on three pieces of research: a review of Diploma development and two employer consultation studies belonging to the latest phase of Diploma development - the Diplomas in Humanities and Social Sciences and Languages and International Communications. The article suggests that meeting the needs of employers in qualification design is problematic as employers are a heterogeneous group bringing a range of different views, ideas and contributions to the process. Furthermore, the article points to a possible mismatch between policymakers' expectations from employers at the macro level, and what in fact happens at the local, micro level owing to personal and economic circumstances, companies' demands and the economic climate

Adoption of Certified Organic Production: Evidence from Mexico

Adoption of organic production and subsequent entry into the organic market is examined using Mexican avocado producers as a case study. Probit analysis of a sample of 183 small-scale (<15ha) producers from Michoacán suggests that adoption is positively influenced by management and economic factors (e.g. production costs per hectare and making inputs), but also by social factors (e.g. membership of a producers’ association). Experience in agriculture has a significant but negative effect. Effective policy design must be therefore be aware of both the economic and social complexities surrounding adoption decisions

Pushing Back Against Deficit Narratives: Mentoring as Scholars of Color

In this article we share our lived experiences with mentoring. As tenured women professors of color, we push back against the assumption that institutions of higher education are neutral sites, that we have to change to belong, and that we do not belong. Each of us underscores the importance and value of our realities and the knowledge we generate to address inequality and to counteract negative stereotyping. We argue that rejecting deficit narratives and privileging the narratives of those we mentor and of those who have mentored us is vital to increasing faculty of color diversity, inclusion and belonging in higher education.Educatio