Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses
The Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Development (MAHE) program at Taylor University is built on the foundation of a unique, longstanding institutional commitment to whole-person higher education. To prepare students as leaders and educators, the program’s instructional methodology teaches, models, and applies exemplary higher education practices from a Christian perspective.
As a distinctive component of the MAHE program, the thesis is integrated into the curriculum from the very first semester and constitutes a significant learning experience for each student. The thesis process encourages deep engagement with the field and builds professional skills in developing students to think like and operate as scholar-practitioners.
Disclaimer: Taylor University’s institutional repository, Pillars, provides access to scholarly and creative content produced by University constituents. The opinions and sentiments expressed by the authors of content available in Pillars do not necessarily indicate the endorsement or reflect the views of Taylor University, its employees, or its students. The authors are solely responsible for the content of their work. Please address questions to Pillars.
Theses from 2022
Success and Retention of 21st Century Scholars: A Phenomenological Study, Stanley Duncan
Understanding Integration Post-Study Abroad: A Case Study of a Semester in France, Emma Hagan
An Internet-Connected Community: How College Students Experience Residential Living in the Age of New Media, Jared Hobson
Parent Involvement: A Quantitative Study on Parent Involvement within Residence Life, Kimberlie Kline
Administrative Leadership During Crisis in Higher Education: Absorbing Chaos, Giving Calm, and Providing Hope - A Phenomenological Case Study, Eryn Marburger
Understanding Forgiveness During College: A Phenomenological Study, Ethan McNeil
Engagement of Faith-Based Institutions in Diverse Communities: A Phenomenological Study, Michael Miller
Promoting Persistence: Female STEM Professors and Graduation Rates of Female STEM Students, Madison Miyakawa
A Burning Issue: A Quantitative Correlation Study on Students’ Overinvolvement in Cocurricular Activities Contributing to Burnout, Shelby Robbins
Perceptions of Classrooms Physical Environments and Nature on College Students, Benjamin Williams
Theses from 2021
Practicing Postures of Growth: A Quasi-Experiment Exploring Student Engagement and Ownership of Learning, Morgan Allison
To Lead or Not To Lead: Undergraduate Women’s Experiences in Leadership, Kait Bedel
Selfies, Stories, and Statuses: The Impact of Social Media Usage on the Self-Esteem of College Students, Nick Dennig
Promoting Persistence: Faculty of Color and the Graduation Rates of Students of Color at Predominantly White Institution, Serena Draper
Experiencing God Together: A Phenomenology of Campus Revival and Its Impact on Student Faith and Spirituality, Caleb Hoelscher
Let’s Talk About Sex: Healthy Sexuality Programming at Faith-Based Institutions, Kenedy M. Kieffer
The impact of the First-Year Experience on a College Student’s God Image: A Phenomenological Study, Josiah Peterson
Living Life Together: A Qualitative Exploration of Taylor University’s Lifestyle Covenant, Jana L. Roste
Tension, Division, and Chaos: A Phenomenological Study on the Impacts of the 2020 Election on Belonging in White Student and Students of Color, Bailey S. Sauls
Should Universities Encourage Students to Be Undecided?: A Consideration of Major Declaration Patterns and First-Destinations, Amber D. Stanley
Inclusive Environments: How Campus Mobility Effects A Sense of Belonging for the Student with a Mobility Impairment, Taylor Treece
Theses from 2020
Home Away from Home: The Experience of First-generation Students Living on Integrated Floors in Residence Halls, Carey Collins
Durable Discipleship: The Value of a Strengths-Based Approach to Discipleship, Jacob Gerding
Creating a Sense of Belonging for College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Study Analysis, Hannah Gumbert
Not-So-Silent Night: How a Small-Town Institution Has Developed and Sustained a Nationally Renowned Tradition, Ryan W. Kristofek
The Academic Challenges of First-Generation College Students Within a Four-Year Institution, Maribel Magallanes
A Qualitative Exploration of Undergraduate Students’ Experiences of Psychological Safety in the Classroom, Josh Meredith
Getting 1% Every Day: An Exploratory Case Study about Growth Mindset in a Collegiate Athletic Setting, Justen Paden
Theses from 2019
Partnering with College Students in Need of Change: A Case Study Analysis of Motivational Interviewing in a Residence Hall, Brett Borland
Remember When: Alumni Involvement and Meaning Making Impacted by Perceptions of Traditions Culture in Higher Education, Christina R. Brandsma
Seeking Balance: How the Practice of Spiritual Disciplines Impacts the Health of Residence Hall Directors, Caylan DeLucia
Involvement: Assessing Factors Contributing to 'Inactive Athletes' Persistence, Alec DeVries
Athletics and Faith: A Quantitative Analysis on the Relationship of Athletic Participation and Spiritual Development, Griffin O. Gardner
The Extra Mile: How Collegiate Coaches Can Better Prepare Student-Athletes for Retirement, Kayla Hunter
On-Campus Living: A Quantitative Exploration of Engagement in Coeducational and Single-Sex Residence Halls, Jason Katsma
Student Study Abroad Goals and Change in Intercultural Competence, Tammera R. Maloney
The Relationship Between the Christian College Experience and Women's Feminist Identity Development, Cynthia L. Moberly
"All I Remember Is Everybody Started Singing": A Qualitative Exploration of the Intended Learning Outcomes of General Music Courses, Geoffrey Nelson
Thinking Deeply in College: An Inquiry into Contemplation Amongst Undergraduate Students, Dan R. Read
Not-So-Neutral: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Smartphones and Student Quality of Life, Talis Rudzitis
Thriving in Students of Color at a Predominantly White Institution, Travis J. Trotman
Theses from 2018
An Exploration of the Educational Experiences of Bahamian Students at Taylor University, Dominic Justin Cartwright
Ways of Knowing: An Exploration of the Epistemological Development of Undergraduates, Eli Casteel
Experience, Perception, and Purpose for the Chapel Program at Taylor University, Wynn Coggin
The Relationship of Tuition Discounting and Student Loan Debt at Faith-based Institutions, Alana Marie Dean
Understanding the Relationship Between Study Abroad and Integrity Development, Lauren Drogo
Habits of Mind and the Impactful Uses of Time of College Seniors, David Scott Gebby
Paradigm or Paradox? Student Consumerism and Learning at a Liberal Arts Institution, Jessica L. Martin
Supporting Student-Parents: A Qualitative Exploration of the Online Presence of Support at Postsecondary Institutions, Paige L. McCourt
Taste and See that the Lord is Good: A Christian Liberal Arts Education and the Development of Students' Theology of Nutrition, Lauren Nicole Miles
Designing Community: Residence Halls, Shower Facilities, and Experiences of Community amongst Male Students, Eric Christopher Moore
Impact of a Student Leadership Experience on the Development of Creativity in Undergraduate Students, Austin Taylor Smith
We Are All Humans: The Impact of the Integration of Old Miss in 1962 on the White Racial Identity Development of the Campus Newspaper Staff, Kelsey Ann Snyder
A College Favorite: Students' Perceptions of Traditions and Culture in Higher Education, Danielle M. Spoutz
Kizuna Model of Learning: Inviting Space for Authenticity, Empathy, and Learning with Humility Across and Through Differences, Manabu Taketani
What Type of Village Does It Take? The Impact of Campus Housing on the Freshmen Experience, Britney Ann Wallbaum
Same-Sex Attracted Students Experiences with Sexual-Orientation-Based Hiring Policies at Goshen College, Steven Zantingh
Theses from 2017
From Mentoring to Mattering: How Peer Mentoring Can Help Students Belong, David M. Adams
Hopeful Voices: Reflective Perspectives on Ways to Advancing Higher Education Development in Post-Civil War Liberia, Lauren E. Bournique
Take the Lead: A Phenomenological Exploration of Male College Student Leadership and Masculinity, Peter H. Carlson
Through a Broader Lens: An Exploration of International Service Learning and Life Calling, Lauren Carter
The Quiet Call: A Grounded Theory Exploration of Vocational Development and Introversion in College Students, Alex T. Crist
Benefits and Level of Satisfaction a First-Year Orientation Program Delivers for Freshmen in College, Katie Evensen
Coming to College Twice: The Impact of First Semester Freshman Study Abroad Programs on Student Transition to a Residential Campus, Ryan G. Hawkins
A Case Study for Evaluating a Discipleship Program for Student-Athletes, Abigail Hews
Inseparable Faith: Exploring Manifestations and Experiences of Faith-Work Integration in Young Alumni from a Christian University, Emilie Hoffman
The Impact of Silence on College Student Self-Awareness, Chad Ibach
Lived Experiences of Black Bahamian Students at a Faith Based Institution, Rachel McGregor
The Impact of Leadership Involvement on College Students' Experience and Wellbeing, Tricia Saunders
Purpose and Resilience: The Experience of Burmese Refugees in U.S. Higher Education, Rebecca Tervo
An Exploration of the Intersections Between Study Abroad and Attachment Theory, Madeline N. Trudeau
Impact of Monastic Practices and Spiritual Disciplines on Student Leader Development, Haley B. Williamson
Your God is Too Small: The Impact of the College Experience on God Image, Jessica Woodring
Theses from 2016
Exploring the Shared Cores of Gender Issues: The Significance of Same-Sex Interactions as Pathways to Equality and Reconciliation, Charles Warren Allen
Short-Term Relationships with Eternal Impact: Mentoring Male Students at Faith-Based Institutions, Joshua R. Craton
Reflecting Back: Do Senior Students Believe They Experienced a Sophomore Slump?, Taylor M. Eddy
The Impact of Minority Faculty and Staff Involvement on Minority Student Experiences, Elijah Genheimer
The Experience of Introverted Students on a Residential College Campus, Erica Gleason
Milo A. Rediger: A Narrative Study on Leadership and Collaboration as Academic Dean, Britney N. Graber
Cohesive Purpose: Learning in General Education and Residence Life, Elizabeth Ann Hicks
Student-Athlete Perceptions of Institutional Advisement, Bailey Judd
Better Together: An Analysis of Collaboration and Reciprocity in Service-Learning Partnerships, Elise Krueger
A Life Lived at the Intersection: A Case Study of the Leadership and Humility of Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., Mackenzie Elizabeth Lechlitner
Tradition with a Capital "T": The Value of Campus Traditions, Morgan K. Morris
Exploring the Impact of a Faculty-in-Residence Program on the Student Experience, Lauren Oliver
The Experience of Christian College Male Undergraduates with Pornography, Benuel Post
When a Parent Comes Out: The Experience of Christian College Students Who Have a Parent Come Out as Homosexual, Celeste H. Ryan
Can We Be Friends? An Examination of the Role of Cross-Sex Friendship on Emerging Adults' Spiritual Development, Brittane Y. Turner
Quantitative Reasoning in the Numbers: A Qualitative Study of Trends in Higher Education Mathematics Curriculum, Julia C. VanderMolen
Theses from 2015
A Culture that Aspires, A Culture that Inspires: A Case Study Analysis of the Calvin College Philosophy Department, Hannah M. Adderley
Man Up or Man Down?: Male Perceptions of Gender Identity, Matthew N. Barr
A Phenomenological Study of Bicultural Competence Among International Students, Kiplangat Cheruiyot Bii