Virginia Highlands Community College

Abstract BackgroundDetermining the root causes of persistent underrepresentation of different subpopulations in engineering remains a continued challenge. Because place‐based variation of resource distribution is not random and because school and community contexts influence high school outcomes, considering variation across those contexts should be paramount in broadening participation research.Purpose/HypothesisThis study takes a macroscopic systems view of engineering enrollments to understand variation across one state's public high school rates of engineering matriculation.Design/MethodThis study uses a dataset from the Virginia Longitudinal Data System that includes all students who completed high school from a Virginia public school from 2007 to 2014 (N = 685,429). We explore geographic variation in four‐year undergraduate engineering enrollment as a function of gender, race/ethnicity, and economically disadvantaged status. Additionally, we investigate the relationship between characteristics of the high school and community contexts and undergraduate engineering enrollment across Virginia's high schools using regression analysis.ResultsOur findings illuminate inequality in enrollment in engineering programs at four‐year institutions across high schools by gender, race, and socioeconomic status (and the intersections among those demographics). Different high schools have different engineering enrollment rates among students who attend four‐year postsecondary institutions. We show strong associations between high schools' engineering enrollment rates and four‐year institution enrollment rates as well as moderate associations for high schools' community socioeconomic status.ConclusionsStrong systemic forces need to be overcome to broaden participation in engineering. We demonstrate the insights that state longitudinal data systems can illuminate in engineering education research.

Given the serious health consequences of smoking, nurses need to be well-informed on how to help various client populations with smoking cessation. Much recent research is focused upon effectiveness of various programs to enhance self-efficacy and self-management skills necessary to succeed in permanent smoking cessation. This study used a model based on Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory to examine specific variables of importance in smoking cessation using descriptors relevant to understanding self-care actions. The model is used to examine the outcomes of a community-based smoking-cessation program. Results indicate that 15% of the final sample quit smoking and 42% reduced smoking while participating in the program. Additional findings are helpful in describing actions taken by subjects who were and were not successful in quitting. Remedies suggested by the American Lung Association booklet "Freedom from Smoking for You and Your Family" were reported by subjects to be helpful in dealing with the most common problems experienced during smoking cessation. Results are applied to public health nursing, emphasizing that smoking cessation is "a process" in which individuals learn strategies that work for them.

Abstract Multipurpose community colleges have a special opportunity for distinction through one of their missions—community development. One southern community college has assessed the similarities and differences of the perceptions of selected community leaders and of the college professional staff concerning the role of the college in community development. The opinions of both groups were very similar, but the community leaders showed more variation in perceptions. Both groups believed the college should be involved in community development activities, but that the college could meet the needs of individuals better than it could meet community-wide needs. The college professional staff was more opposed to granting academic credit for community development activities such as work experiences of students and continuing education courses than were the community leaders. As a philosophical approach to community development, both groups preferred the college's approaching community improvement through the o...