This research examines students' interpretations of their experiences with mentoring in federal TRIO programs. Drawing on interviews with 20 student participants in Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Center, and Veterans Upward Bound programs, analysis of the data suggests that formal mentoring relationships have the potential to impact students' decisions to attend, satisfaction with, and motivation to persist in postsecondary education. A critical analysis considers the roles mentoring can play in helping underrepresented students negotiate higher education environments.
Many online advertisers are exploring the use of Internet social networking to build brand awareness and loyalty. Social networking is particularly popular among the younger, 15-24 year- old generation, who is more computer savvy and spends more time on the Internet than adults. While this generation has substantial potential, they also represent a challenge to advertisers. This group is notoriously skeptical of being “advertised at.” They expect a more personal, interactive experience. The purpose of this research is to determine which types of social networks are used most by college students and what types of online marketing impact their purchasing choices. In carrying out this research, the following research questions were addressed: which social networks are used most by college students; do factors such as student and/or parent income, student age, classification, gender, marital status, or employment status influence use of social networks; do ads on social networks impact purchasing decisions; does advice from other users of social networks impact purchasing decisions; and do online games, scavenger hunts, and contests influence purchasing decisions? The research provides a better understanding of social network use and provides insight into effective online advertising to college students.
This article presents a comprehensive materials characterization of a pair of Ruby Slippers used in the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz, which has been one of the most popular objects on exhibition at Smithsonian's National Museum of American History (NMAH) since it entered the collection in 1979. The shoes have been on almost constant display with few instances for study during its time at NMAH, and they remain one of the most visited objects within the museum. Plans for an upcoming permanent exhibit, and visible deterioration of the decades-old shoes, led to the present study, which was the first phase of a major effort to preserve this iconic item of cultural heritage for future generations to enjoy. Materials characterization was used to determine the composition of construction materials and condition of the Ruby Slippers to help plan for the optimal environmental conditions for continued display. The current study is also viewed as a valuable opportunity to learn about the original construction and subsequent history of the Ruby Slippers to inform and enrich NMAH's curatorial research, public programs, and media initiatives. Analytical methods used to characterize the shoes' components include micro-X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (µ-XRF), micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (µ-FTIR), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS).
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