University Alumni Research Articles

What is needed to know about Russian Compatriots?

In 2022, the Saint-Petersburg University Press published the book “Russian Compatriots / Foreign Compatriots: Graduates of St. Petersburg State University ― Representatives of the Historical Thought of the Russian Diaspora: A Biographical Handbook” (St. Petersburg, 2022. 296 pp. ISBN 978-5-288-06216-2). This guide systematized the data on the professional activities of Saint Petersburg University alumni in exile and their participation in the development of Slavic studies at European and American Universities. Drawing on archival sources, it traces the formation of the Russian Abroad historical thought.

Who cares more about the environment?: An empirical study in Vietnam

Environmental problems have become one of the top concerns in Vietnam since 2016. This study aimed to investigate what groups of people were most concerned about the environment and to what extent their concerns differed from each other. Logistic regression models were used to perform the analyses. The analysis on the gender - environmental concern relationship indicated that males were more likely to be concerned about the environment than females. The age - environmental concern relationship suggested higher concern levels of younger people as compared to older people. In the examination of the social class - environmental concern relationship, people who were wealthier, well-educated, and had greater occupational prestige tended to have more concerns. People with higher education levels also expressed higher levels of concern toward the environment. People with postgraduate degrees reported the highest level of concern, while people with no formal education showed the least concern. From the perspective of the political involvement - environmental concern relationship, it was shown that while people who were not a member of any organization were the least environmentally concerned, the members of university alumni associations were the most concerned. Finally, the exploration of the residence - environmental concern relationship pointed out that Kinh people were more environmentally concerned than Vietnamese ethnic minority groups, and people in the North Central Coast paid the highest attention to the environment in Vietnam.

Identifying and Partnering Ecoallies through Perceived Natural Environment Futures in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa

Through an experiential, field-based investigative opportunity in the anthropology of climate change, this project introduced college and university students from the United States and Guinea-Bissau through active research encounters. This article examines one part of the larger project, perceptions of natural environment futures via 287 drawings collected by three United States-based undergraduate students from 145 college and university students and alumni (ages 18–53) in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. Guinea-Bissau is a climate change hotspot. This study’s specific focus was on how participants represent natural environmental change over time. Participants were asked to produce two drawings, one depicting their natural environment hundreds of years in the past (pre-European contact) and one representing their natural environment twenty years in the future. Using content analysis, descriptive statistics, Chi-squared test, and McNemar’s test, the study finds that (1a) participants’ depictions of the future contain statistically significantly more pollution, scarcity, deforestation, desertification, and less biodiversity than those in the past, and (1b) these depictions of environmental change hazards highly correlate; (2) participants draw the natural environment statistically significantly more in the past than in the future; (3a) women are statistically significantly more likely than men to draw environmental management in the past and future, and (3b) men are statistically significantly more likely than women to draw commercialization in the past and future; and (4) environmental sciences and teaching professionals are statistically significantly more likely than business professionals to draw environmental management in the past and future. The study found no differences in perceptions of the natural environment based on age, place of birth, or religion. Results indicate that people perceive real differences between their past and future natural environments, especially related to future environmental change hazards. Furthermore, gender and professional differences in participant drawings of environmental management suggest that women and non-business professionals are likely ecoallies. This concept is important from an applied perspective because through this research project, United States- and Guinea-Bissau-based undergraduate students and alumni are able to recognize in each other their shared advocacy capacities, acknowledge the systematic nature of the climate change problem, and establish a common cause around sustainable environmental management.

Nikolay Antsiferov. ‘That’s our life in letters’: Letters to family and friends (1900s — 1950s)

The collection prepared by IMLI RAN contains letters of the eminent specialist in local history N. Antsiferov and focuses on the biography of this St. Petersburg Imperial University alumnus, who, despite many arrests by the Soviet regime on trumped-up charges, incarceration in prisons and guarded camps and exile, preserved his inner freedom and, therefore, his scholarly potential. The book details the political context that brought about the outrageous persecution of this highly skilled and staunchly apolitical scholar aswell as the abrupt clearance of charges. Also included is a summary of his scholarly output in literary history, local history and cultural studies. The book lists the scholar’s acquaintances and correspondents, e. g., M. Bakhtin, V. Vernadsky, M. Lozinsky, A. Meyer, K. Chukovsky, B. Eichenbaum, and many other members of the intellectual elite. The book is celebrated as a landmark scholarly publication; highly praised are the text preparation efforts and explanatory notes.

PELATIHAN STRATEGI MENCARI DAN MELAMAR PEKERJAAN DI ERA PANDEMI COVID-19 KEPADA ALUMNI PERGURUAN TINGGI

The high unemployment rate is a fundamental problem in employment in our country, where the new workforce that is added is far greater than the increase in employment. Unemployment is a problem for countries with high population growth rates, and unemployment can also affect the level of the economy. At the beginning of 2020, world economic growth experienced a decline due to the coronavirus disease outbreak, this coronavirus (covid-19) had an impact on economic growth in the form of a decline in the level of the world economy, including Indonesia. Seeing conditions like this, special attention is needed for alumni to prepare students for the world of work. This community service is carried out in the form of training on strategies for finding and applying for jobs, the problem solving framework provided is by providing training so that it can increase knowledge and insight to job seekers college alumni about srategies for finding and applying for jobs.The purpose of this community service activity is to provide training to college alumni so that they have the readiness to find and apply for jobs. This community service activity is carried out virtually online online in the form of training and guidance. The target is college alumni who will definitely be involved in the activity of finding and applying for jobs, at the initial stage the presenter will deliver a theoretical presentation accompanied by realistic examples. The results of the implementation of community service by providing the training are expected that college alumni as prospective job seekers already have the knowledge, insight and readiness in finding and applying for jobs, then to provide knowledge and insight about strategies for finding and applying for these jobs, as well as the factors that must be considered.The high unemployment rate is a fundamental problem in employment in our country, where the new workforce that is added is far greater than the increase in employment. Unemployment is a problem for countries with high population growth rates, and unemployment can also affect the level of the economy. At the beginning of 2020, world economic growth experienced a decline due to the coronavirus disease outbreak, this coronavirus (covid-19) had an impact on economic growth in the form of a decline in the level of the world economy, including Indonesia. Seeing conditions like this, special attention is needed for alumni to prepare students for the world of work. This community service is carried out in the form of training on strategies for finding and applying for jobs, the problem solving framework provided is by providing training so that it can increase knowledge and insight to job seekers college alumni about srategies for finding and applying for jobs.The purpose of this community service activity is to provide training to college alumni so that they have the readiness to find and apply for jobs.This community service activity is carried out virtually online online in the form of training and guidance. The target is college alumni who will definitely be involved in the activity of finding and applying for jobs, at the initial stage the presenter will deliver a theoretical presentation accompanied by realistic examples. The results of the implementation of community service by providing the training are expected that college alumni as prospective job seekers already have the knowledge, insight and readiness in finding and applying for jobs, then to provide knowledge and insight about strategies for finding and applying for these jobs, as well as the factors that must be considered.

The Construction of the Back-feeding Mechanism of the Alumni Association of Local Colleges and Universities

The development of higher education and the extensive development of foreign exchanges have increasingly revealed the important role of alumni resources in the development of colleges and universities, and the establishment of alumni associations has received more and more attention from colleges and alumni associations. This article focuses on the research on the back-feeding mechanism of the local college alumni associations. Based on the literature, it has a general understanding of the relevant theories of the local college alumni associations. Then, in order to further understand the current situation of the back-feeding Methods Investigate it. The results of the investigation show that in the current stage of the problems in the back-feeding mechanism of college alumni associations, the lack of alumni contact accounts for about 46%, followed by the insufficient development of alumni resources.

Working with the Waverley integrative framework (WIF). Exploring the experience of counsellors, trained in the WIF, in incorporating the framework into their therapeutic practice

Charlotte Wears  https://doi.org/10.52456/WACJO124 Download PDF of article Abstract  Aim/research question: This paper examines the experiences of five participants from within Waverley Abbey College alumni with between ten- and sixteen-years’ experience in clinical

Development of a tool to measure holistic reflection in midwifery students and midwives

BackgroundHolistic reflection encompasses reflection as a continuum, incorporating critical reflection, reflexivity, critical thinking and a whole-of-person approach. The development of holistic reflection in midwifery students and midwives is rarely measured in a standardised way. AimTo develop and test a tool to measure holistic reflection in midwifery students and midwives, for use in pre-registration and post-graduate education, and research. DesignThe eight-step approach to tool development by DeVellis was followed with psychometric testing of data from a cross-sectional survey. ParticipantsMidwifery students (pre-registration and postgraduate), and midwifery alumni of an Australian university. MethodsDraft items (n = 84) were generated from review of the literature, qualitative research, and a theoretical model. An expert panel (n = 19) reviewed draft items resulting in 39 items. The survey included demographic details, the draft Holistic Reflection Assessment Tool, emotional intelligence subscale, and a social desirability scale. Participants repeated the online survey at two weeks to confirm test-retest reliability. ResultsThe 187 responses were received. Exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation revealed three factors accounting for 49% of variance. Internal consistency of the tool was high (α = .91) and test-retest reliability at two weeks (α = .93) demonstrated stability. There were low correlations between social desirability (r = .22, p < .001) and emotional intelligence (r = .21, p < .001) with the new holistic reflection scale. ConclusionsThe Holistic Reflection Assessment Tool is the first for midwifery. The tool was reliable, stable, and valid. Further research is warranted for criterion validity.

A Study on Vanishing ‘Chosen’ into ‘Konpeki in the Distance(紺碧遥かに)’ for Japanese Returnee : Focused on Commemorative Magazines by Keijo Imperial University Alumni

A Study on Vanishing ‘Chosen’ into ‘Konpeki in the Distance(紺碧遥かに)’ for Japanese Returnee : Focused on Commemorative Magazines by Keijo Imperial University Alumni

Regional migration, entrepreneurship and university alumni

ABSTRACT How does the migration of university graduates from rural to urban areas impact entrepreneurial performance? We propose that rural-to-urban migrants found larger firms than urban entrepreneurs because migrants are less risk averse, and the migration process further reduces risk aversion. Also, we propose that rural-to-urban migrants found larger firms than rural entrepreneurs because urban areas provide better entrepreneurial opportunities and resources to create larger firms. To test our hypotheses empirically, we conducted an alumni survey and analysed 283 entrepreneurs who were admitted from various locations in China to Tsinghua University in Beijing, and then went to rural areas or urban areas upon graduation. We find that alumni entrepreneurs who migrated from rural to urban areas are more likely to found firms in the top quantile of firm size. This study provides implications for designing regional policies that facilitate labour mobility from rural to urban areas.

Perceived Life-Readiness from Real-World Curriculum Experiences of Alumni

Students pursue college degrees expecting to learn skills necessary to navigate adult life. While this is the expectation of most students, there is a lack of research examining the perceived effectiveness of real-world applicability in undergraduate degrees.Objective. The purpose of this phenomenological and constructivist study was to explore how college alumni perceive their educational experiences in terms of real-world preparedness.Methods. Eight participants in their mid-twenties (5 females, 3 males) were selected using purposeful sampling. Participants participated in informal, semi-structured, one-on-one Zoom interviews and demographic questionnaire responses.Results. Emerging themes indicated that alumni felt the relationships formed had a greater contribution to their life-readiness compared to their real-world curriculum. Other emerging themes revealed alumni believed they developed valuable skills through hands-on experience and group work. Recommendations were made by alumni for curriculum changes, including smaller class sizes and inclusion of more practical courses.Conclusions. Based on these findings, future research should aim to replicate this study using a broader range of alumni to further investigate this phenomenon, as well as studies that investigate various college types and student experiences.

Best Practices Adopted by Universities in The Development of Mediation in The Czech Republic

This article provides a comprehensive overview of key practices that may be adopted by the universities in order to advance mediation as a dispute resolution method among young professionals and key stakeholders of dispute resolution. The findings are based on the case study of the Charles University, Faculty of Law, which has been chosen due to its sharp rise in the number and variety of theoretical and practical university offerings related to mediation. It, therefore, represents a sustainable model of a progressive university program. The authors describe and analyse a full range of its university classes, summer schools, workshops, student societies, competitions, and conferences, many of which are self-organized by the students and university alumni themselves. They report how the various mediation activities developed over time, what contributed to their success, or posed a challenge, and offer an insight into the specific curriculums and practical methodologies. While they may be context and location-specific, the authors believe they are transferable and have the potential to serve as valuable inspiration for other developing ADR programs. To put those educational efforts into a broader context, the authors consider the state of the legal development of mediation in the Czech Republic. e Mediation has been introduced into its respective legal system only after the establishment of the democratic government in 1989, due to it being a communist country. Yet it took more than twenty years to adopt a legal framework that would regulate the basic principles of mediation and its exercise. Furthermore, the authors briefly draw attention to some of the challenges mediation is facing in the Czech Republic after the adoption of the Mediation Act in 2012. They consider in more detail how the specific obstacles may be mitigated by the proactive approach of the universities, especially law faculties, which have a direct relationship with the future driving forces of dispute resolution, such as future legislators, judges, and other professionals. The authors express a notion that the university activities are likely to have a positive impact on the (herein referred to as “ADR”) culture in the Czech Republic, especially in the following years, which is supported by the latest programs developed by government institutions and private parties which are emerging continuously, some of which have direct or indirect relationships, and contact with the university environment. Finally, they provide concrete recommendations as a list of best practices, which were gathered from the analysis of the case study of Charles University.

University Experiences of Marine Science Research and Outreach Beyond the Classroom.

SynopsisClimate and ocean literacy are two of the most important challenges facing society today. However, many students lack exposure to these topics upon entering college. As a result, these students must rely on learning climate literacy and ocean conservation through experiences outside of those provided in the traditional undergraduate classroom. To fill this gap, we initiated a marine science professional development program to expose undergraduate students to ocean literacy principles and climate change concepts through marine ecology research and educational outreach. This study evaluates the effects of our undergraduate experiential learning for individuals involved in our research team, our educational outreach team, or both. Clemson University alumni that participated in our program were surveyed to determine educational and professional gains in three areas related to: (1) knowledge; (2) careers; and (3) attitudes. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were used to understand the relationships between gains and program type, mentor experience, and duration of program enrollment. In addition, we evaluated demographic covariates including age, ideology, and gender. Our study found that perceived knowledge of marine science and science communication skills increased with positive mentor experience. Alumni that rated their experience with their mentors highly also indicated that the program was important to their careers after graduation. Students who participated in any program for a prolonged period were more likely to indicate that marine science was important to their careers. These students were also more likely to continue their education. Additionally, we saw that a sense of belonging and identity in science, as well as the understanding of climate change threat on the marine environment, all increased with longer program involvement, more than the type of experience (research versus outreach). Overall, we found that both the research and outreach programs offered opportunities for advancements in knowledge, careers, and attitudes. These results provide evidence that experiential learning has the potential to increase student engagement and understanding of climate change and ocean literacy communication as well as a sense of belonging in science-oriented fields.

Bison Hacks the Yard: Assisting Underrepresented Students Overcome Impostor Syndrome with Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence

The prevalence of impostor syndrome in computer science students from underrepresented backgrounds contributes to low retention rates. Bison Hacks the Yard is an augmented reality game that aims to reduce impostor syndrome in underrepresented students by presenting a novel way to strengthen their knowledge of fundamental data structures and providing specialized videos of Historically Black College or University alumni, sharing their struggles with impostor syndrome.

678 Predictors of Sleep Health among Older Adults During the Initial Months of the Covid-19 Pandemic

IntroductionSince the first COVID-19 case was reported in January 2020 in the United States, there have been more than 18.8 million cases and 330,000 deaths. In order to minimize the risk of potential COVID-19 transmission, many states instituted stay at home orders and closed churches, gyms, and other places that older adults often participate in social gatherings. Little is known about sleep health among older adults during this time. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between older adult’s personal factors, health behaviors, and sleep health during the initial months of the Covid-19 pandemic.MethodsAdults age 60 and older participated in an online anonymous survey recruited through email lists of community senior organizations and university alumni using a snowball approach. Personal factors included age (years), gender (female=0, male=1), living situation (living alone=0, living with others=1), education (≤12 years = 0, >12 years = 1), and income (75000=1), and depressive symptoms (CESD-10). Health Behaviors included moderate physical activity (0=none, 1=yes), smoking (0=no, 1=yes), drinking (number of drinks). Sleep Health was assessed using the multidimensional SATED scale (Satisfaction, Alertness, Timing, Efficiency, and Duration). Backward stepwise regression analysis was used to test if personal factors and health behaviors significantly predicted participants’ sleep health.ResultsParticipants included 509 adults (392 Females; mean age=75.6 years; SD=5.0; range 63–93 years). The majority were white (n=466; 92%) and 93% (n=471) had a college education. Seventy-four percent (n=71) participated in moderate exercise, 94% (n=478) did not smoke, and 58% (n=286) did not report drinking alcohol. Sleep Health was variable with 179 (36%) reporting poor sleep health (mean=7.4; SD=2.1). Regression results indicated that gender, years of education, living situation, income, depressive symptoms and moderate exercise explained 17% of the variance in sleep health (R2=0.169, F,6=14.4, p=0.000).ConclusionThese findings suggest that many older adults experienced poor sleep health associated with depressive symptoms and exercise participation during the initial months of the pandemic. Future studies should examine the long-term effects of the pandemic on the sleep health of older adults.Support (if any)Saint Louis University COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund (OpenWater 1804).

Career Paths and Compensation for Accounting Graduates

SYNOPSISThis paper reports financial and career outcomes following a degree in accounting using a large cross-sectional and time-series survey of one university's alumni. We extend the work of prior researchers by examining outcomes throughout accounting graduates' careers, which include positions outside of public accounting. We find that starting salaries are positively associated with graduate degrees, working for a Big N firm, and starting in a non-audit/tax specialty. Though most graduates begin in public accounting, they typically work for three different employers and assume non-accounting/leadership roles early in their careers. Current salaries are positively related to Big N experience, years employed, starting in a non-audit/tax specialty, and having children, while they are negatively related to number of employers. Graduate degree coefficients are insignificant in current salary regressions. Whereas we do not see gender effects for starting salaries, we see significantly large negative effects for women in the current salary analysis.JEL Classifications: I26; J31; L84; M41; M42.

University in the rear-view mirror: psychological needs in pleasant and unpleasant memories of alumni

ABSTRACT The university years are an important life phase for academics that shapes their transition from adolescence to adulthood. Here, we aimed to contribute to a better understanding on how alumni construe both nostalgic memories and regrets about this period. In line with Self-Determination Theory, we assumed that we would find frequent references to the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness within pleasant memories (need satisfaction) and unpleasant memories (need frustration). We analyzed survey data sampled from 263 bachelor alumni of a German university, who answered two open questions on pleasant and unpleasant memories about their bachelor studies. Two raters applied a sequential coding procedure to evaluate the material. We found that 62.5% of the pleasant memories and 46.9% of the unpleasant memories included notions of basic psychological needs. Furthermore, quality of teaching and study content were frequently mentioned as part of the memories. This result pattern indicates that the basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are central for the retrospective construal of alumni’s time at university. It stands to debate whether need-supportive learning environments can, thus, provide optimal conditions for experiences that will linger pleasantly in the memories of university alumni.

Why Commit When the Future is Bright? The Interactive Effects of Future Time Perspecitve and Organizational Cynicism

Abstract An employee’s organizational commitment is essential to a firm’s success and performance. Past research reports mixed relationships between future time perspective and commitment. Recently, research has supported several moderating variables for this relationship. The current study tested organizational cynicism as a potential moderator. The sample consisted of 301 university alumni working in a variety of industries. The cross-sectional data supports an interaction between future time perspective and organizational cynicism on an individual’s affective and continuance commitment level. Data failed to support an interaction effect on the employee’s normative commitment.

Sistem Pakar pada Sistem Pembayaran Uang Kuliah Cicilan Menggunakan Metode Weighted Product (Studi Kasus Universitas Dharma Andalas)

Dharma Andalas University is a change in form from the Dharma Andalas Higher School of Economics (STIE). Dharma Andalas University is one of the private universities in the city of Padang which is under the auspices of the Andalas Dharma Education Foundation (YPDA) which is directly fostered by the Andalas University alumni association. Dharma Andalas University is a private university so operational costs come from student tuition fees. Payment of tuition fees is an obligation of every student, considering that tuition fees are quite expensive, Dharma Andalas University provides relief for students to make tuition payments in installments. The purpose of this study is to assist the leadership in making a decision to pay installments using the Weighted Product method. In this study, the data processed is the data of students who apply for installment tuition payments at Dharma Andalas University. The data processing is to determine the criteria for each alternative by multiplying for attribute match reting, then rank with the attribute weight value which results in the vector value V, then the vector value V is ranked from the highest value to the lowest value where the highest value will be prioritized. Furthermore compared to the manual calculation method with a system that has been made, the results are the same with an accuracy rate of 97%, so that it can be recommended to the leadership to help make decisions about the payment of tuition installments.

How University Entrepreneurship Support Affects College Students’ Entrepreneurial Intentions: An Empirical Analysis from China

Given the major role of new enterprises founded by university alumni in creating employment and promoting economic development, it is well known that Chinese universities have implemented plenty of impressive initiatives to support students’ entrepreneurship. However, little is yet known about how students evaluate university entrepreneurship support and how it affects students’ entrepreneurial intentions. This study utilizes 13,954 recent college graduates from Chinese higher education institutions as a sample and aims to examine students’ perceptions of the support they received from universities and its influence on students’ entrepreneurial intentions. The results illustrate that students are not very satisfied with various university entrepreneurship supports. Findings also indicate that university entrepreneurship support positively impacts students’ entrepreneurial intentions, although it is not a very strong relationship. Moreover, university entrepreneurship support positively affects entrepreneurial attitude, subjective norms, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, which in turn determine entrepreneurial intention. Entrepreneurial attitude, subjective norms, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy play a mediating role between university entrepreneurship support and entrepreneurial intention. The study contributes to the entrepreneurial literature theoretically and provides practical recommendations for policymakers and university administrators in China to reconsider and improve their entrepreneurship supports to encourage more students to become entrepreneurs.