UMD Theses and Dissertations
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Item Unraveling the myths of Chinese American giving: Exploring donor motivations and effective fundraising strategies for U.S. higher education(2011) Tsunoda, Kozue; Lin, Jing; Drezner, Noah D; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Chinese Americans form a growing population of individual philanthropists in U.S. universities and colleges. Despite their continuing contributions to the development of U.S. higher education, the voices of Chinese American donors have not garnered enough scholarly attention. In fact, there still remain hidden "myths" about Chinese American giving: 1) Chinese American donors are "non-traditional"; 2) Chinese American giving is "small, private, and personal"; 3) Chinese American giving differs generationally; and 4) increasing international Chinese student populations in the U.S. will generate positive effects on overall trends in Chinese American giving. Using interview data from fourteen Chinese American donors who have supported U.S. higher education, this dissertation explores these four "myths" regarding Chinese American giving to U.S. higher institutions. The findings highlight that the impact of "traditional" and "non-traditional" perspectives regarding donor motivation combines to form a more holistic dynamic of Chinese American donor behaviors. While cultural factors influenced donors in different ways, "traditional" donor motivations did encourage Chinese American giving to U.S. higher education. These included familial obligations, community and institutional reciprocity, and an appreciation for the impact and value of education. In contrast, though, while donors' motivations could be characterized as "traditional," the way in which Chinese Americans donated to higher education was decidedly "non-traditional." Donations described in the study were large, institutionalized, and public, all of which characterize Western patterns of philanthropy, not Chinese. However, participants in the study were not Chinese; they were Chinese American, and nearly all of them cited the impact of Western culture on their giving practices or their concept of philanthropy. Many elaborated further, referencing their use of skills acquired in capitalist ventures as influencing how they donate funds. In other words, donors acquired and implemented American models of professional philanthropy. Chinese American donors interviewed for this study gave directly to universities and established nonprofit foundations to operate their charitable funds. Others served on university boards, providing strategic advice and assisting with institutional fundraising efforts. While still influenced by traditional concepts of Chinese philanthropy, Chinese American donors have transformed their practices into a new and unique culture of ethnic philanthropic giving.Item Social Cognitive and Acculturation Predictors of the College Adjustment of Asian Americans(2011) Hui, Kayi; Lent, Robert W; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of the present study was to extend understanding of factors related to the college adjustment of Asian and Asian Americans. The study was based on the SCCT model of well-being and included an exploratory focus on culture-specific variables. Data were collected from 122 undergraduate college students who self-identified as Asian, Asian Americans, or Pacific Islander. The present findings are generally consistent with previous studies of the SCCT model of satisfaction, providing empirical support for the cross-cultural validity of the SCCT model with Asian American students. The predictive model accounted for a substantial percentage (41-44%) of variance in the college adjustment indicators, academic and social domain satisfaction. The present study extends the findings of previous studies by showing the differential utility of self-efficacy and social support in predicting domain satisfaction. Results from both quantitative and qualitative data highlighted the importance of social support in the college adjustment of Asian Americans. The present findings also suggest that cultural variables (acculturation and enculturation) relate to Asian Americans' college adjustment indirectly via self-efficacy, social support, and goal progress. Limitations of the study and implications for practice and future research are discussed.Item Asian Parents' Perceptions of Child Disability and School Contact for Services(2010) Kim, Nayoung; Gottfredson, Gary D.; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study examined Asian parents' perceptions of children's disability and factors influencing their utilization of school services. Using the parent questionnaires from a large national sample of high school sophomores (the ELS:2002 data), survey results from Asian American (n=810) and European American parents (n=7710) were analyzed to examine cultural differences between the two ethnic groups as well as between immigrant vs. non-immigrant Asians. This study also assessed the extent to which parental characteristics (Belief About Learning, Recency of Immigration, English Proficiency, Socio-Economic Status, and whether they indicate their child is disabled) predict contacting the school for services. Results indicated that Asians were less likely than Europeans to believe that their child has a disability and also were less likely to contact the school for help. Nevertheless, immigrant parents sought help when they perceived that their child had a disability. Neither immigrant parent's length of stay in the U.S. nor English proficiency predicted the school contact behaviors. Implications for introducing school-based services and outreach for Asian American parents are suggested, particularly for recent immigrants.Item SARS Discourse Analysis: Technoscientific Race-Nation-Gender Formations in Public Health Discourse(2008-10-28) Jen, Clare Ching; Zambrana, Ruth; Women's Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study's main objective is to analyze public health urgencies as socio-cultural phenomena produced in public health discourses with a focus on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Five questions guide this study: What claims do different social worlds make to constitute public health discourses that produce biopolitical subjects in raced-nationed-gendered formations? What are the central concepts in each social world's SARS discourse? In what ways is the socio-cultural construction of risk central to the discursive construction of SARS? In what ways does each of the social worlds produce biopolitical subjects in raced-nationed-gendered formations? What are the underlying public health ethics in SARS discourse? This study analyzes data sources across three arenas--science, media, and public policy--and specifically four social worlds--government-science, non-government-science, mainstream news media, and government-public policy. Data sampling units consist of written text and visual images published in public health reports, scholarly papers, newspaper and magazine articles, Congressional Hearing transcripts and prepared witness testimonies. The conceptual and methodological framework draws from numerous areas of inquiry: critical race studies; feminist studies of science; public health ethics and social inequalities in public health; media framing; grounded theory; and discourse analysis. Several discursive frames and configurations prominently emerge: (1) the War on SARS; (2) Oppositional Metaphors and Analogies; (3) Ir/Responsible Global Biopolitical Citizens; (4) SARS Risk Discourse; (5) Biopolitical Subjectivity in the "New Normal"; and (6) Face Masks and Metaphors of Un/Masking. In confluence, these frames yield a Trio of Human-Technology Figures. I consider this Trio an analytic construct in an APACrit-informed, feminist technoscience approach to public health discourse analysis. The overall SARS discourse, contoured by already existing narratives of race, nation and gender, rearticulates these narratives as a technoscientific race-nation-gender project. As an expression of public health ethics, SARS discourse manifests ethical tensions in relation to theorizations of justice. This study contributes to knowledge in women's studies, critical race studies, feminist studies of science, and public health ethics, by demonstrating the richness of public health discourse as an object of inquiry and the necessity of a critical race, feminist technoscience analysis of ideological formations that have social justice implications.Item Testing Baldridge's Political Model: A Case Study of the Asian American Studies Program at the University of Maryland, College Park(2005-12-05) mccarthy, sally Anne; Malen, Betty; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)ABSTRACT Title of dissertation: TESTING BALDRIDGE'S POLITICAL MODEL: A CASE STUDY OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK Sally Anne McCarthy, Doctor of Philosophy, 2005 Dissertation directed by: Professor Betty Malen Department of Education Policy and Leadership The purpose of this research was to investigate the dynamics surrounding campus policy making related to diversity issues and new academic programs. This study was anchored in conceptual ideas that liken university policy making to political processes. The study sought to answer the over arching research question: How does Baldridge's (1971) political model of university policy making apply to one campus policy process addressing diversity issues? The research employed a qualitative case method as a means to answer the research question. Specifically, the study examined the creation and enactment of the Asian American Studies Program (AASP) at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP). Data collection drew from an informant interview process and was supported by document review. Data were systematically analyzed against the conceptual framework, presented in a case narrative, discussed in light of related literature, and assessed in terms of their relevance to theory. The study generated analytic conclusions about the political nature of one campus's policy and programmatic decisions to support Asian American Studies. This research also generated new data regarding decision making around diversity issues and the role of students of color on campus, which are salient issues on college campuses today.