Preferred Name
Kayce Croy
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Date of Graduation
Spring 2018
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Education (MSEd)
Department
Department of Learning, Technology and Leadership Education
Advisor(s)
Noorjehan Brantmeier
Abstract
Diversity plays a crucial role in everyday life, especially in academic and workplace settings. Despite increased attention to the value of diversity across settings, institutions of higher education, businesses, and organizations often do not provide adequate diversity initiatives to prepare students and employees for life and work in diverse environments. Therefore, to understand diversity education practices from formal college education and workforce experience, alumni who have graduated within the last five years from the Adult Education/Human Resource Development (AHRD) graduate program at James Madison University (JMU) were surveyed.The current study utilized a mixed methods survey approach that provided data on alumni’s perspectives of diversity generally, what diversity looks like in their current workplaces, diversity training as required in their organizations, as well as the perspectives on ways to strengthen diversity education in AHRD graduate program. The results from this study suggest that most AHRD alumni were not required to take diversity courses in their formal college education or participate in diversity training at their current organization but over half work with international organizations and individuals. Alumni surveyed also believe diversity courses should be required in graduate education and there are many benefits of providing diversity education to current students. Consequently, strengthening diversity education at the graduate level has the potential to positively influence future work environments and prepare students entering the workforce.
Recommended Citation
Croy, Kayce, "Exploring diversity workforce experiences of AHRD alumni" (2018). Masters Theses, 2010-2019. 561.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/master201019/561
Included in
Adult and Continuing Education Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Training and Development Commons
