Date of Award

Spring 5-2011

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Economic and Workforce Development

Committee Chair

Cyndi Gaudet

Committee Chair Department

Economic and Workforce Development

Committee Member 2

Mary Nell McNeese

Committee Member 2 Department

Educational Studies and Research

Committee Member 3

Heather Annulis

Committee Member 3 Department

Economic and Workforce Development

Committee Member 4

Brian Richard

Committee Member 4 Department

Economic and Workforce Development

Abstract

Often, individuals are set up to fail. However, effective mentoring can set individuals up to succeed. This nonexperimental cross-sectional, predictive study examines the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program's mentoring component. Specific focus is placed on faculty mentor competency and its impact on McNair student intent to attain a doctoral degree and awareness of graduate school.

Cohen's (1993, 1995) Principles of Adult Mentoring Scale-Postsecondary Education Scale is utilized to assess McNair student perceived faculty mentor competency. Carrera's (2002) measures of effectiveness for the McNair Program's mentoring component are also used in this study.

Sequential multiple regression is the employed method of analysis. Study results indicate faculty mentor relationship emphasis, information emphasis, and student vision competency scores are statistically significant in predicting McNair student “intent to attain a doctoral degree” (R2 = .106, F [10, 59] = 2.732, p = .008) and “awareness of graduate school” (R2 = .282, F [10, 58] = 4.359, p = .001), when controlling for GPA and parental education levels.

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