Committee Chair

Taylor, Jessica N.

Committee Member

Crawford, Elizabeth K.; Rausch, David W.

Department

Dept. of Applied Leadership and Learning

College

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

This summative outcomes evaluation examined Portland State University’s Freshmen Learners Acquiring Skills in Higher Education (FLASH) program, a first-year student employment program designed to support career readiness development, belonging, campus engagement, workplace confidence, and continued professional growth. The study determined the extent to which FLASH achieved its stated goals and student learning outcomes (SLOs). Six research questions addressed employment confidence, continued career readiness development, transferable workplace skills, post-program engagement, attribution of later professional development to FLASH, and overall program success. A mixed-methods design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from former FLASH participants. Thirty-eight participants completed the survey, and six completed one-on-one interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages. Qualitative survey responses and interview transcripts were analyzed thematically to identify patterns related to belonging, institutional connection, workplace confidence, transferable skill development, developmental support, experiential employment, continued leadership and professional growth, and variation in participant experience. Participants generally perceived FLASH as positively influencing workplace confidence, transferable workplace skill development, belonging, campus engagement, continued employment, leadership attainment, and confidence in pursuing additional career readiness opportunities. The strongest transferable skill findings involved teamwork, diversity and inclusion, communication, and professionalism. Qualitative findings showed that participants connected their development to different combinations of experiential employment, developmental support, peer connection, professional development sessions, and exposure to campus resources. Participants also described FLASH as an early entry point into continued employment, leadership, campus involvement, and professional growth. However, the type and extent of perceived influence varied among participants and program components. Overall, the findings suggest that FLASH was generally successful in meeting several stated goals and SLOs. Recommendations for improvement include maintaining the program’s multi-component design, strengthening consistency across employment placements, formalizing developmental support and mentorship, reinforcing structured reflection and comparatively lower-rated outcomes, developing continued career readiness pathways, and expanding assessment. Although the study was limited by self-reported data, retrospective recall, multiple cohort experiences, and one institutional context, the results suggest that intentionally designed first-year student employment programs may support belonging, career readiness development, and continued professional growth.

Acknowledgments

I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Jessica Taylor, my dissertation chair, for her patience, guidance, and constant support throughout this process. Her mentorship has been invaluable, and her encouragement has helped me navigate both the challenges and triumphs of this journey. I am deeply grateful to Dr. David Rausch for consistently challenging me to think critically and inspiring me to pursue intellectual curiosity. His insightful feedback and high expectations pushed me to grow academically and professionally in ways I could not have anticipated. I also extend my gratitude to Dr. Beth Crawford, whose combination of academic rigor and genuine kindness has been a guiding light throughout this process. Her thoughtful challenges encouraged me to succeed, and her warm smile and encouragement during difficult moments reminded me that I was capable of more than I realized. I would like to acknowledge Portland State University’s Campus Recreation program for allowing me to conduct my research on the FLASH program. I am especially thankful to Mrs. Jenny Welnick and Ms. Leslee Peterson for their guidance, support, and assistance throughout the research process. I would also like to recognize Joelle Kenney, Ashley Campbell, Alex Accetta, Chiki Kwong, and Marcos Ordaz, who have all contributed to the FLASH program over the years and whose efforts were invaluable to my work and the lives of many college students.

Degree

Ed. D.; A research project of practice submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Education.

Date

5-2027

Subject

Career education; Experiential learning; School-to-work transition; Undergraduates--Vocational education

Keyword

Career readiness; First-year student employment programs, Experiential learning, Transferable workplace skills, Sense of belonging, College student employment

Document Type

Doctoral dissertations

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

xvi, 212 leaves

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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