Tiffany R. Wang

“I’m the Only Person From Where I’m From to Go to College”: Understanding the Memorable Messages First-Generation College Students Receive From Parents

The current study examined the memorable messages first-generation college students received from their parents about family. Accordingly, first-generation college students shared parental memorable messages during in-depth, semistructured, responsive interviews that encouraged participants to share their distinct set of experiences. Four hundred and sixty-seven pages of transcripts were analyzed for emergent themes. First-generation college students’ voices revealed five memorable messages themes including (a) remembering family, (b) focusing on family, (c) counting on family, (d) not worrying about family, and (e) setting a good example.

A Model for University–Community Engagement: Continuing Education's Role as Convener

Abstract Administrators are continually seeking university-community engagement. Continuing education departments are in a unique position to further these initiatives by connecting academic faculty, staff, and students with emerging community needs. This article provides a model to demonstrate the significant role continuing educators can play in convening groups of people to unite efforts around a common mission. These community collaborations can further academic research initiatives while addressing significant needs within our community. By linking academic needs and resources with community needs and resources, continuing education departments can foster relevant, mutually beneficial engagement initiatives that demonstrate a shared responsibility of social and civic engagement for our students, our university, and our community.

The Experience and Expression of Stepchildren's Emotions at Critical Events in Stepfamily Life

This study explored the experience and expression of emotions of adult stepchildren during four critical events in stepfamily life. During semistructured, in-depth interviews, 57 adult stepchildren shared stories about four critical events: the parental divorce, remarriage of one of the parents, an event in the stepfamily that generated feeling more like a family, and an event in the stepfamily that generated feeling less like a family. A total of 402 pages of single-spaced transcripts were coded for emotion, target, and expression of emotion resulting in positive and negative emotion categories and subcategories for all four critical events. Five research questions centered on the emotions commonly experienced during the four aforementioned critical events, the targets of disclosure, and the patterns that indicate a tendency to manage emotion expression.

“She Was Stomping on Everything That We Used to Think of as a Family”: Communication and Turning Points in Cohabiting (Step)Families

Over half of children living in cohabiting partner households reside with 1 biological parent and their parents partner (Manning, 2006) Scholars suggest that the definition of “stepfamilies” should be expanded to account for these cohabiting partner households. In this study, we interviewed 28 (step)children whose parents had cohabited before remarrying. These stepchildren identified relational turning points (RTPs) and discussed how these RTPs affected their sense of feeling like a family. We organized these RTPs into 6 categories: (a) quality time, (b) remarriage, (c) changes in household and family composition, (d) relocation or geographical move, (e) conflict or disagreement, and (f) prosocial actions.

“He Wanted Me to Achieve that for Our Family and I Did, Too”: Exploring First-Generation Students’ Experiences of Turning Points During the Transition to College

ABSTRACT This study explored the ways in which family communication facilitated support and persistence for first-generation students during the transition from high school through the first year of college with a specific focus on the first-year experience, a pivotal time when first-generation students often decide whether they will leave or stay in college. Through semistructured interviews, we identified the communication events that first-generation students perceived to be turning points in their interpersonal interactions with their family members. Seventeen participants identified a total of 121 turning points that they experienced from family members spanning from the time they had their first conversation about going to college through the first year of college. Interviews revealed three suprathemes of turning points: (a) coauthoring the dream, (b) experiencing obstacles to the dream, and (c) actualizing the dream.

“Were They Ever Really Happy the Way That I Remember?”: Exploring Sources of Uncertainty for Adult Children of Divorce

ABSTRACT This study relies on interviews of adult children of divorce (ACOD) and the lens of uncertainty management theory to understand how ACOD construct and negotiate the uncertainty they face. Through our inductive analysis, we identified 4 major sources of uncertainty faced by ACOD: length of parental unhappiness, taking on new roles, navigating holidays and family events, and being caught in the middle. Exploring how this uncertainty is talked about and managed offers a theoretically and practically insightful glimpse into the meaning and sense-making processes as these individuals cope with one of the most prevalent and challenging events faced by families.

“He’s My Dad Because He Just Is!”: Cohabiting (Step)Children’s Responses to Discursive Challenges

ABSTRACT Cohabiting (step)families have become one of the fastest growing family forms in the United States. This study explored the types of discursive challenges experienced by cohabiting (step)children, as well as the ways in which cohabiting (step)children might respond to potential challenges of legitimacy. In this study, we interviewed 28 (step)children who resided with 1 biological parent and their parent’s nonmarital partner for at least 2 years. Results demonstrate that despite recent increases in prevalence and acceptance of unmarried partner households, cohabiting (step)children are often called on to explain their family’s legitimacy through accounting strategies when they experience discursive challenges to their (step)family’s form.

COMS Day as a communication senior capstone team project

Courses: Senior Seminar Objectives: (1) To provide graduating students a semester-long capstone experience where they can apply communication theories/skills in a professional context. (2) To create a capstone project that contributes to programmatic assessment.