Leadership and Learning in Organizations Capstone Projects

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https://ir.vanderbilt.edu/handle/1803/15619

Capstone projects of the Peabody College Online Doctor of Education in Leadership and Learning in Organizations at Vanderbilt University. Authors retain copyright to their work.

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Cultivating the Capacity to Lead Culture and Character in Charter School Networks
(2024-12) Gadsden, Marsha
The Charter School Growth Fund (CSGF) aims to foster character and culture development in its portfolio of charter schools. The Thick Practice Cohort was established to support schools in implementing a comprehensive approach to character development. This study investigates the implementation of thick cultural practices within the cohort and assesses its impact on human flourishing and character development. Through interviews with network leaders and surveys of teachers and school-based leaders, this study identifies challenges and opportunities for improvement. Key findings include the positive impact of the cohort on leadership development and peer learning, as well as challenges related to organizational growth and the alignment of values and practices. Recommendations include developing measurement tools, creating a logic model, requiring strategic planning, providing tailored support, and leveraging the cohort structure to enhance accountability and community building. By addressing these recommendations, CSGF can further strengthen the impact of the Thick Practice Cohort and promote the development of thriving school cultures.
Retention and Capacity Planning at WW
(2024-12) Gardner, Michael; Corbelli, Mary; Murphy, Maria
This study investigates the factors influencing employee engagement and satisfaction at WW, a start-up healthcare organization specializing in virtual OB/GYN care. It explores how internal elements like job design, culture, compensation, professional development, and leadership, along with external factors such as market competitiveness and economic conditions, shape retention and capacity planning. A mixed methods approach—quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews—was used to identify the most critical variables for WW's workforce. Key findings emphasize the role of job design, work flexibility, and cultural fit in improving satisfaction and reducing turnover. While compensation and rewards were crucial, professional development and leadership support, though positively perceived, were less influential in retention. External opportunities and job stability also emerged as important considerations. The results suggest strategic steps like formalizing flexible work policies, establishing clear communication protocols, and creating structured compensation plans. These actions aim to strengthen retention and support WW’s long-term success. We also recommend forming a Talent and Culture Catalyst Group to lead these initiatives. As WW grows, ongoing assessment of these factors will help the organization adapt to market changes and remain resilient
The Role of Core Values, Parent Engagement, and Community-Based Relational Trust in a Waldorf-Inspired School: Village Forest School
(2024-12) Mullen-Martin, Kelly; Buttke, Calla; Hipps, Rebecca
The Village Forest School (VFS) is a Waldorf-inspired, nature-based school in rural Italy founded by families seeking refuge from the pandemic in 2020. Exponential growth (from 2 to 60 families in three years) has led to challenges with funding, governance, enrollment, and community relations. Discrepancies and a lack of clarity about school identity, mission and vision, and core values have been recurring issues for parents and staff. VFS leadership seek to develop more effective school-parent engagement strategies that the organization's core values, set clear and appropriate expectations for prospective families, engage parents as meaningful partners, and better unite the school community. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to develop a conceptual framework based on relevant theories to examine how the VFS administration and faculty can build and leverage community-based relational trust to increase social capital and more effectively engage parents (Warren et al., 2009). Positive outcomes including developing parents/guardians as civic actors, increased trust in the school community, and improved educational outcomes can be attributed to strong partnerships between schools and families (Walker et al., 2010). A mixed method approach was used which included semi-structured interviews and surveys. Qualitative surveys comprised of open-ended, Likert scale, and multiple choice questions were distributed with members of the VFS staff, administrators and parents (20 responses). Qualitative data, including open-ended survey responses and other data provided by the organization (prior survey conducted in 2023 and panel discussion transcript from 2024) were thematically coded and analyzed. The project focused on 4 questions (1) How clearly does the VFS administration currently define core values for the organization? (2) How are these core values communicated to incoming and/or prospective families? (3) How can VFS engage parents effectively as meaningful partners? (4) What strategies should VFS prioritize in building community-based relational trust? Key findings of the project include: Respondents indicated that core values is a key driver in what draws them to the school, yet these components of the organization are not reported to be clearly defined. Core values were also reported to be "somewhat clear" when communicated to incoming/prospective families, leaving room for improvement for both defining and communicating. Themes emerged around a desire for more transparency from administration and increased involvement from parents. Relationships between school and families were rated highly, indicating a strong foundation for community-based relational trust.
Can the US Navy Get its Mojo Back?
(2024-12) Lewis, David H.
This project assessed the US Navy’s innovative technology adoption practices across two centuries and all four industrial revolutions, encompassing 30 technologies and 131 cases. It merges those organizational learning and innovation adoption principles with leading modern organizational theorists and practical innovators into a single novel conceptual, innovative technology adoption framework called Maritime Progressive Realism that uniquely applies to the United States Navy.
Empowering Minds: Cultivating Critical Thinking in the Age of AI
(2024-12) Cookke, Jen; Keck, Christine; Mulhollem, Christine; Nowakowski, Craig
Partnering with the Tommy & Victoria Baker School of Business (BSB) within the Citadel College, this study aimed to examine and evaluate how the curriculum, cadets, and faculty of the BSB develop and assess critical thinking skills through evaluation of class content, syllabi, and assessments within the business school while considering the transformative potential of emerging AI tools. The guiding questions used to explore this inquiry included: In what ways are critical thinking skills integrated and emphasized within The Citadel’s Tommy & Victoria Baker School of Business? Particularly in relation to evolving learning methodologies and the emerging potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? To what extent can BSB measure the success of critical thinking assessments within the curriculum? In what ways are AI tools being utilized by students throughout their coursework? The study employed a mixed methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative research methods including career center interviews, surveys of current cadets and faculty, along with analysis of course syllabi and teaching materials to identify how critical thinking is integrated into the BSB experience. Findings included the existence of a potential for more profound critical thinking integration into coursework and assessments. AI is viewed with great apprehension by faculty who report limited knowledge of how it can support critical thinking skill development or training of how to utilize it effectively, whereas cadet results were in contrast to this, exposing a divergence in views between faculty and cadets.
School as a Safe Space: The Impact of Exposure to Gun Violence on the Social-Emotional Learning and Well-Being of Black Boys in Grades 7-12 at U Prep
(2024-12) Meadows, Jermaine; Deal-Bartell, Candice; Tucker, Jordan
This quality improvement project sought to understand the impact that exposure to gun violence had on the social-emotional learning and well-being of Black boys in grades 7-12 at the University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men (U Prep). U Prep is a charter school located in Rochester, NY, founded to provide safe and stimulating educational experiences for Black youth in the Rochester area and to change the narrative for Black males in urban neighborhoods. While the City of Rochester continues to see increased gun violence, students at U Prep are continuously exposed to gun violence in various forms, including community gun violence. U Prep aims to better understand how exposure to gun violence impacts its student body while also providing more resources to support students exposed to gun violence as well as the teachers working at U Prep. This project explored the impacts of gun violence on youth as it relates to students’ social-emotional well-being at U Prep. We examined the intersection between community, school, and well-being using social-ecological and trauma theories to establish recommendations for U Prep to support students exposed to gun violence.
Empowering Gifted Minds Through Enrichment Programs and Ensuring Program Sustainability
(2024-12) Benya, Charles; Dole, Stephen; Ronayne, Melinda
This two-pronged study aims to explore the potential growth of the Garwin Family Foundation (GFF) Student Sponsorship Program (SSP) for Talented Students in Arts, Sciences, and Math by assessing its impact on leadership, academic performance, and professional success. The program, managed by a small team, is crucial to Southern Illinois youth, a region facing economic challenges. The GFF has two interconnected problems that impact its longevity and trajectory: How does the SSP increase participant student success, and conversely, how will it transition from its family-run structure to a traditional nonprofit? Talented child education is central to the SSP and the board’s mission. Student learning comes from interacting with their environment, equipping gifted students with essential academic and socio-emotional skills. Conceptually, boards learn similarly. The team used a mixed-methods approach, collecting data from current and former scholarship recipients and board members through pre- and post-digital surveys and interviews. Key findings among SSP recipients included increased academic and social skills/self-efficacy. The GFF leadership recognized the need to expand its governance and leadership, secure additional resource development, optimize finances, and, most importantly, maintain a warm and inclusive family culture. Our recommendations include investing in alumni engagement, formalizing succession planning, and enhancing resource development.
Bridging the Gap: Addressing Uncertainty and Fostering Adoption of Generative AI
(2024-12) Dumont, Caroline; Goochee, Gail
The Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) is a leading research organization dedicated to advancing workforce productivity through data-driven insights, innovative practices, and a collaborative network, with an interest in integrating generative AI to meet the evolving needs of its diverse member organizations and prepare them for the future of work. This capstone addresses the communication barriers that hinder generative AI adoption in organizations, focusing on strategies to align leadership messaging, employee confidence, and practical guidance to enable i4cp to support their member organizations in fostering a receptive environment for AI-driven productivity gains. We employed a sequential mixed-methods approach, beginning with a survey informed by the Integrated AI Acceptance-Avoidance Model (IAAAM) to identify patterns and drivers of generative AI-related fear and uncertainty, followed by qualitative interviews and document analysis to contextualize findings within i4cp’s operations. The research identified five key findings: the need for clear and consistent AI messaging, manager hesitancy undermining adoption, the influential role of peer behavior, concerns about AI output quality, and opportunities to enhance public-facing i4cp materials to attract new members.
Establishing a Training Philosophy at a Performance Consulting Firm
(2024-12) Jarl, Jacqueline; Koldin, Hillary
This capstone project sought to help Performance Consulting Firm (PCF) establish its training philosophy. PCF is a growing consulting firm whose main source of revenue comes from government contracting. The lack of a training philosophy leads to unclear guidelines around what types of training should be created for internal leadership development. This mixed-methods study used interviews, document reviews, and data from the organization’s annual employee engagement survey to investigate the following project questions: Q1. How do organizational leaders at PCF characterize the nature and quality of internal employee training? Q2. How do organizational leaders view their role in leadership development of employees? Q3. How do organizational leaders align and support organizational growth with professional development? Through our literature review and data analysis, six findings emerged. These included PCF’s leaders not being aligned on the purpose of training, a lack of leadership and manager training in PCF’s learning management system, the leaders’ alignment on needing formal but flexible manager training including more dedicated time, leaders not being fully developed for career advancement, and PCF leaders not thinking beyond the current tuition assistance policy to help develop their employees. Based on our study’s findings and an understanding of the organization, we have developed recommendations to help PCF establish a training philosophy and a training and development program, repurpose the tuition assistance budget to be used for more impactful training, and develop leaders to be more involved in training and development as well as for career advancement.
Improving the Mentoring & Field Certification Processes for Siemens Healthineers
(2024-12) Trousdale, Philissa; Chepenik, Britt
Mentoring is a vital component of organizational development, yet its potential is often not recognized or underutilized. Despite the potential benefits of mentoring, its study has been largely confined to disciplinary silos (youth coaching, academic, nursing), focusing on specific types of mentoring relationships and outcomes. A review of mentoring research in academic and organizational settings revealed a positive association with various behavioral, relational, and career outcomes. Because mentoring can lead to organizational improvements, Siemens Healthineers, a global medical device company, deems it an essential component in developing and maintaining the technical expertise of their customer-facing employees. Their leadership focus on constant improvement fueled their request for assistance with finding ways to improve their mentoring program. This project used a mixed-method approach to identify the major competencies that a mentor should possess to be effective in their role as a mentor. Our project also investigated the criteria that should be used to pair a mentor with a mentee to optimize successful outcomes. We discovered that establishing more structured mentoring programs, providing professional development opportunities for mentors, reviewing competencies and fit characteristics, and implementing formal feedback mechanisms through organizational change and leadership support can positively impact the mentoring.
Copia: Boosting Efficacy and Capacity for Revenue Delivery
(2024-12) Quayle, Marcus
Founded in 2020, Copia Automation develops and deploys software that streamline operations, minimize downtime, and optimize day-to-day workflows for automation professionals. The project aims to evaluate Copia’s current human capital strategies, understand how these strategies facilitate revenue growth, and identify best-in-class onboarding and training processes to enhance performance. The objective is to provide recommendations that will improve the skills and capabilities of Copia’s Go-To-Market team, with a specific focus on increasing Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) through improved onboarding and training practices. This mixed-method study, based on human capital theory, incorporates document analysis, anonymous interviews with four Sales Development Representatives, a non-confidential focus group with senior leadership, and an enterprise-wide survey. The analysis revealed key findings, leading to actionable recommendations aimed at enhancing the skills of the Go-To-Market team through targeted training, coaching, and firsthand experience. These recommendations align with Mignenan’s (2021) human capital framework and are designed to boost SDR effectiveness, thus supporting Copia’s strategic goal of increasing ARR.
Optimizing Recruitment: Engaging Prospects and Incentivizing Recruiters at Teach for America
(2024-12) Hashmi, Zaina
Teach for America (TFA) aims to combat educational inequity by placing high caliber leaders in underserved classrooms, thereby closing the achievement gap present in K-12 schools. This important work is spearheaded by a skilled Recruitment Team that has generated leads and nurtured prospects through an expertly designed recruitment pipeline. Recently, leaders within the Recruitment Team sought to gain a deeper understanding of the low “engaged prospect-to-app start” rate at TFA. This capstone investigation utilized a mixed-methods approach, integrating data from multiple sources for comprehensive analysis. Results of this investigation revealed key issues contributing to low app start rates, including external campus factors and internal organizational systems. The “Optimized Recruitment Framework” was developed through this work and served as a guideline for developing strategic recommendations for the TFA Recruitment Team.
Examining Digital Communication and Engagement between FRIENDS of the National Asian Pacific American Museum and its Task Force
(2024-12) Barnett, Stacy
This quality improvement project examined the digital communication and engagement practices of FRIENDS of the National Asian Pacific American Museum (NAPAM), a small non-profit organization located in Washington, DC. Using a mixed methods quantitative approach, this project identified opportunities to improve the organizations' digital communication and engagement strategies which are critical to cultivating broad community support for the creation of NAPAM.
The First Year is the Steepest: An Exploration of Variables Affecting Teacher Retention in an Urban Teacher Preparation Program
(2024-12) Cadley, Wyatt; Richardson, Tony
We partnered with a teacher preparation program (TPP) whose program model begins with a one-year teacher residency. Unfortunately, since 2020, nearly 24% of TPP educators have failed to complete their residency year. We sought to identify the most salient factors within TPP’s program that contribute to resident retention, identify factors that are disproportionately relevant to Black educators, and develop suggestions related to how the TPP residency year can be reimagined to improve resident retention without compromising program rigor. We utilized Ryan and Deci’s Self Determination Theory as a conceptual framework to guide our work and collected data by: exploring TPP’s business intelligence dashboards, surveying current TPP educators, interviewing TPP staff, and interviewing TPP educators who recently completed their residency year. We found that TPP educators who have developed strong intrinsic motivation, whose basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and connection) are met, and who see themselves operating in alignment with TPP’s mission are more likely to persevere in the program. We further found that the recent and disproportionate trend, where Black TPP educators have lower retention, is driven primarily by a higher dismissal rate amongst Black educators. When only considering voluntary resignation, we found that the ability to bring your authentic self to the workplace is particularly important to Black TPP educators. We offered TPP ten recommendations pertaining to its organization structure, program administration, resident experience, and future evaluation initiatives.
Analyzing the Field Force Volunteer Program at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point
(2024-12) Abel, Kimberly R.; Affinito, Maria G.; Banegas, Franklin J.; Imoudu, GeAndra D.
In recent years, there has been a decline in the number of qualified applicants applying and accepting an offer of admission to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. This trend aligns with an 8-year decline in U.S. college enrollment, referred to as the enrollment cliff. This project explores how the Field Force, a volunteer group of West Point alumni and affiliates, can be optimally utilized in the admission process to increase the number of qualified applicants applying and accepting admission. With over 700 members, the Field Force program consists of highly committed and dedicated volunteers uniquely positioned to optimize admission efforts. However, the ongoing implementation of the Field Force program faces several challenges that may hinder the program’s effectiveness. Using interviews (N=12) and surveys adapted from the Volunteer Satisfaction Index and Mentoring Competency Assessment, Field Force volunteers were queried (N=381, 63% survey response rate) about their experience, abilities, and promising practices. Descriptive statistics and deductive and inductive coding were used to analyze the responses. Eight primary outcomes involving the volunteers' autonomy, values, competencies, and connections with prospective cadets reflect the findings of this project. Proposed recommendations include formalizing the program's purpose and goals, improving volunteer training, and implementing a volunteer appreciation program. As the number of qualified applicants declines, the commitment to fostering community and supporting prospective cadets will be essential in navigating the complexities of the current college enrollment landscape.
Seeing the Scientist in Me: A Mixed-Methods Investigative Case Study on Fostering Students’ Science Identities at STEM Skool
(2024-12) LeBlanc, Lana
This case study examines the role of STEM Skool, an informal science education organization, in fostering science identities among homeschooled students through its diverse programming. The study employs a mixed-methods approach to evaluate the effectiveness of STEM Skool’s mission to cultivate students’ science identities. Statistical and thematic analyses facilitate exploring the psychological processes of performance, recognition, competence, interest, and belonging, which are key to science identity development. The findings offer research-informed insights and actionable recommendations to enhance student learning experiences and guide the organization’s future programming and expansion efforts.
"Nimble is Exhausting": An Examination of Organizational Readiness for Change in a Small Nonprofit
(2024-12) Rucker, Ryan Andrece; McCants-Pearsall, Kenneth R.
The study focuses on a national education nonprofit that has undergone three significant strategic shifts in recent years. This mixed-methods study examines the impact of organizational change on employee perceptions and organizational readiness within a small nonprofit organization. Using Weiner's (2009) theory of organizational readiness for change as a framework, the research analyzes survey data, interviews, focus groups, and documents to understand how organizational climate and leadership actions influence employee sensemaking and change readiness. Findings reveal a disconnect between espoused organizational values and leadership actions during periods of change, highlighting the adverse impact of continuous change on employee perceptions. The study recommends utilizing a structured change model, increasing the frequency of employee feedback mechanisms, and leveraging existing staff committees to promote bi-directional sensemaking and improve organizational readiness for future change initiatives.
Assessing the Impact on Engagement for a Director Development Program
(2024-12) Balée, Charity; Purdy, Lynn; Levy, Lee
Tractor Supply Company (TSC) launched the Leadership Acceleration Forum (LAF) pilot program to expand leadership skills and enhance middle management engagement and which has declined recently. As of 2024, TSC is the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the U.S., headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. The organization has $15 billion in revenue from over 2,250 stores and online operations with 50,000 employees. The company's growth plans include opening 1,000 new stores in the next five years, necessitating the development of its middle management for executive roles. Middle management engagement scores have declined by 11% from 2022 to 2023. The LAF program, initiated in 2023, aims to address this decline through a hybrid learning model combining asynchronous and synchronous instruction. The study analyzed Hogan Personality Assessments, TSC’s promotion data, and a Vanderbilt University Survey to understand the LAF program's impact on engagement. Insights were used to identify areas for improvement and provide actionable recommendations. Key engagement factors include recognition, company fit, and autonomy. Recommendations for the LAF program include enhancing strategic thinking, interpersonal skills, recognition of accomplishments, and clearer career advancement pathways.
Exploring Employee Resource Group (ERG) Efficacy Through ERG Charters at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
(2024-12) Phanord, Aly; Kennedy, Sierra
Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), part of Vanderbilt Health, is a teaching and patient healthcare system with seven hospitals and more than 180 clinics throughout Tennessee. With over 32,000 faculty and staff members, VUMC has implemented six employee resource groups (ERGs) to provide their employees opportunities for engagement, belonging, cultural connections, mentorships, and more. To aid the ERG leaders, who are volunteers, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion introduced an ERG project charter as a tool that outlines the leaders’ roles and responsibilities and identify their ERG goals. This study aimed to explore in what ways the ERG charter impacts the efficacy of the six ERGs at VUMC. We used a mixed methods approach incorporating interviews with ERG leaders, executive sponsors and Office of Diversity leaders and an analysis of documentation including ERG project charters and monthly ERG meetings agendas. Based on the participant interviews and document analysis we had three key findings: the ERG project charter positively impacted the efficacy of the ERGs but only during the goal setting process, the ERG leaders were familiar with the project charter but not actively using the tool, and the ERG leaders are instead using the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to support their efficacy. Recommendations include the Office of Diversity and Inclusion scheduling one-on-one meetings with each ERG leader, allocating budget for each ERG, creating training for the ERG leaders, creating an ERG leader toolkit, and implementing a performance measuring process.
Optimizing Talent Acquisition Strategies for Effective STEM Onboarding
(2024-12) Dillingham, Aaron; Imes, Mindi; Mewbourne, Dee
REGENT, a startup revolutionizing coastal travel with seaglider technology, faces challenges recruiting critical STEM talent to meet production goals. This study aimed to optimize its Talent Acquisition Program (TAP) using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and statistical analyses. The investigation revealed that unmet basic needs, such as competitive compensation and geographic concerns, could hinder REGENT's ability to recruit STEM talent. Recommendations include focusing on employee motivation, strengthening culture branding, addressing relocation barriers, and refining the hiring process to attract top STEM talent effectively.

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