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Building leadership skills among faculty in academic medicine is essential, yet professional development programs focused on leadership are not always attentive to the needs of faculty on diverse career pathways or at differing career stages—nor are they often rigorously assessed. Evaluations commonly focus on participant satisfaction and short-term learning but not behavior change and institutional impact, which are difficult to assess but arguably more meaningful. Given the substantial time and money invested in these programs, more rigorous evaluation is critical.

The authors evaluated an intensive, shared leadership-focused training program for early-career and mid-career faculty, offered by the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine over the course of a year. They administered a pre/post-program assessment of confidence in key skill areas, and conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 participants between 1–4 years after program completion.

Participants in both programs showed statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001) on every item measured in the pre/post-test. Analysis of the interviews revealed indications of substantial behavior change as well as institutional impact. The evaluation also suggested particular benefits for female professionals.

The authors conducted a long-term assessment of leadership training focused on career pathway and career stage and found that it (a) prompted both positive behavioral change and institutional impact and (b) suggested benefits for female faculty in particular, which could potentially help to eliminate gender-based disparities in leadership in academic medical centers.

Despite increases in female participation and efforts to increase gender equity, sport remains a masculine and male-dominated institution. Women playing professional and elite sports challenge this preserve of masculinity and are often met with vehement opposition or blatant disregard (Messner, 2002). Though the challenges female athletes face in general have not diminished, some women's teams and certain female athletes, often with a variety of intersecting identities, have been empowered to succeed at international levels. We argue that many concessions made to women's sports in the United States are due to American Nationalism. Particular examples include women's baseball in the 1940s, which was seen as an extension of the war effort (Cahn, 2015); and recent support for the US Women's Soccer Team due to international dominance. In these cases, female athletes have been given the recognition and respect previously withheld for men. And often, this recognition focuses on people of colour or LGBTQ athletes; e.g. Wilma Rudolph, Megan Rapinoe, Venus and Serena Willams. We argue the recognition given to female athletes in general, and the sporting stars in particular, is due to nationalism and patriotism. Previous research has shown the connection between sport fandom, Olympism, professional sport, pride and nationalism (Horak & Spitaler, 2003; Morgan, 2000; Van Hilvoorde, Elling, & Stokvis, 2010). Within the media, Wensing and Bruce (2003) have shown how coverage changes for female athletes when their sporting endeavours are seen through a nationalist viewpoint. Through this lens, we will demonstrate that the increased support for professional female athletes via nationalism ultimately leads to the unravelling of traditional power structures, more inclusive practice in sport, and broader social change.

This study aims to examine factors that impact participation of diverse university students in an academic sustainability certificate and Office of Sustainability internships at the University of Georgia, recognizing the need for diverse voices and perspectives in addressing sustainability challenges and the current lack of diverse representation in the field.

A convenience sample of 77 student organizations and 35 departments, schools and colleges associated with the university was identified. The questionnaire was created using the Qualtrics online survey platform and distributed via email to potential participants. A total of 234 completed responses were collected. Descriptive statistics were calculated to determine the demographic composition of the sample. One-way ANOVAs were performed to examine the relationship between respondent demographics and perceptions of sustainability and participation in campus sustainability programs. Post hoc tests were conducted using Fisher’s least significant difference procedure.

Significant relationships were observed between perceptions of sustainability and race and current gender. A significant relationship was observed between race and participation in campus sustainability programs. Overall, students from diverse backgrounds believe that sustainability efforts contribute to racial justice and equity. Additionally, students from diverse backgrounds do want to participate in campus sustainability programs; however, there may be barriers preventing their participation.

This study examines how students from diverse backgrounds perceive sustainability efforts, as well as their interest in participating in campus sustainability programs. The results of this study can be used to inform recruitment and program development strategies for sustainability programs at higher education institutions. At the time of publication, no study could be located that examines the current study outcomes.

Using in-depth interviews with 30 working class and poor, minority adolescents, students were asked to describe their daily interactions and perceptions of peers in a neighborhood high school in NYC over two years. Among the key findings, students consistently expressed their distrust of “bad kids” who they blamed for many of the school's problems. Three themes based on students lived experiences are described: (1) a neighborhood school with a stigmatized reputation for low academic achievement housed students who displayed anti-academic behavior; (2) students developed normative behavior and informal rules to avoid hostile interactions with peers; (3) perceptions of “bad kids” was racialized and stereotyped. The discussion develops the idea of collective dis-identification, a reverse process from collective identity, where students learned to disconnect from their peers by racially and ethnically segregating.

Farmer sentiment may be an important indicator for the agricultural sector, similar to the way that consumer sentiment is linked to the general economy. This study uses the Purdue University–CME Group Ag Economy Barometer to test the degree to which farmer sentiment is correlated with demand for United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) direct loan applications.

We estimate the dynamics between farmer sentiment and applications to FSA direct operating or farm ownership loans using monthly measures of farmer sentiment and loan applications from October 2015 to April 2023 and pairwise vector autoregression.

A negative relationship exists between farmer sentiment and FSA direct operating loan applications. In contrast, a positive relationship exists between farmer sentiment and FSA direct farm ownership loan applications. Together, the estimated nonzero relationships suggests that the Ag Economy Barometer may be a leading indicator for the Agricultural Economy and that FSA loan programs play a nuanced role in the agricultural credit market.

This study uses unique data sources to further the discussion on the link between farmer sentiment and real economic outcomes and the role of an important US Federal Government farmer lending program: FSA direct loans.

This paper explores a five-year case example of two educators engaged in practice-based professional development (PBPD) for the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model in a middle school. It examines the transformative effects and challenges of improving writing instruction, the activities involved and alternative PBPD delivery methods. Highlighting a collaborative effort between an institute of higher education (IHE), a middle school and ThinkSRSD, a PBPD for SRSD developer, the example underscores the long-term benefits and innovative insights into engaging with PBPD for SRSD over multiple years.

The case involves analyzing survey data collected over five years. These surveys, which included specific SRSD-related queries and open-ended questions, were instrumental in assessing the evolution of the educators’ perceptions regarding SRSD and their engagement with PBPD. Additionally, the paper details PBPD activities as documented in a research journal, providing a comprehensive account of the developmental process.

Through a cross-institutional partnership, two middle school general educators participated in PBPD for SRSD for 30 h across five years. Their engagement with PBPD progressed from initial introduction and implementation to facilitating PBPD for SRSD among peers and at the national level. Over time, the most consistently enacted SRSD action was “memorize it,” while actions such as “discuss it,” “support it” and “independent performance” showed greater variability. Both educators consistently praised SRSD and sought continued PBPD engagement over the five years.

Our case example is the first five-year analysis of PBPD for SRSD among general middle school educators, highlighting the benefits and challenges of adopting evidence-based writing instruction. Our example emphasizes the need for continuous and focused professional development in areas crucial for student success, including self-regulation, prewriting strategies and techniques for fostering independent performance. Moreover, the two middle school educators’ critical feedback is invaluable for refining PBPD for SRSD. This work also enriches professional development schools (PDS) literature by offering effective strategies to support middle school teachers in developing a vibrant writing community, a cornerstone for student advancement in writing.