The Institute for Research on Youth Thriving and Evaluation (RYTE Institute) at Montclair State University explores issues related to youth thriving, developmental science, and program evaluation and planning. <\/p>\n
In May, Lisa Chauveron and Marisa MacDonnell became the University\u2019s first RYTE Institute affiliated students to graduate with PhD\u2019s in Family Science and Human Development. <\/p>\n
Co-directed by Family Science and Human Development professors Jennifer Brown Urban and Miriam Linver, the RYTE Institute offers students research opportunities in interdisciplinary projects as well as collaborations with other institutions such as Character Scotland; American Institutes for Research; and Boy Scouts of America (BSA).<\/p>\n
\u201cOur doctoral students are able to actively engage in large-scale research projects where they get experience participating in all phases of research \u2013 from grant proposal writing to data collection and analysis and disseminating results. They also get experience with both quantitative and qualitative data,\u201d says Urban.<\/p>\n
According to Urban, most of her and Linver\u2019s 11 doctoral students work on RYTE Institute projects. \u201cWe strongly encourage all of our students to present at conferences \u2013 where we help them network and meet leaders in the field \u2013 and we cover their travel expenses through our grants. There are also opportunities to lead-author or co-author publications and for peer mentoring,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
According to MacDonnell, while the PhD program encourages students to develop career goals from the start, courses in the program also balance the needs and career aspirations of students. <\/p>\n
For MacDonnell, who has conditionally accepted a post-doctoral research position at Rutgers University in Social Emotional and Character Development, the work being done at the RYTE Institute influenced her decision to pursue a PhD at Montclair State. \u201cThe RYTE Institute has absolutely provided me with opportunities that have enhanced my degree,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n
As a PhD candidate, MacDonnell has been involved in a number of RYTE Institute projects. Most recently, she has recruited for the Institute\u2019s BSA BEST Study \u2013 which explores how scoutmasters and other adult volunteers build character in scouts \u2013 and has conducted interviews with both youth participants and adult leaders across the country. <\/p>\n
\u201cI have also served as a project manager and recruited and facilitated focus groups with youth and adult leaders on a National Science Foundation-funded project that evaluates STEM scouts,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n
MacDonnell adds, \u201cThrough my work at the RYTE Institute, I\u2019ve gained tremendous research experience, traveled to and presented at research conferences, improved as a writer and built enduring professional and personal relationships.\u201d <\/p>\n
As a doctoral student, Chauveron continued to work with Impact Development and Assessment, her own consulting company that provides grant writing and program evaluation services for youth \u2013 and family-focused organizations. <\/p>\n
\u201cI chose Montclair State\u2019s program because its evening classes gave me the option to keep serving my clients while advancing my education,\u201d she recalls. \u201cI was also drawn to working with Jen Urban and the RYTE Institute specifically. RYTE\u2019s work matched my previous experience working on programs and interventions in positive youth development and character education.\u201d<\/p>\n
RYTE\u2019s Partnerships for Advancing Character Program Evaluation (PACE) Project, which takes an innovative approach to building evaluation capacity in youth character development programs, is among the projects Chauveron has worked on. \u201cWorking on PACE changed my work as a program evaluator, and showed me how the content we delivered and the analytical approaches we used could strengthen programming offered to youth across the country \u2013 and the globe,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n
After graduating, she is confident that she will be able to apply knowledge and experience gained while earning her degree to help more organizations through her consulting firm. \u201cThe program expanded my horizons, strengthened my skills and fueled my intellectual spark,\u201d Chauveron says. <\/p>\n
Learn more about the Institute for Research on Youth Thriving and Evaluation<\/a>.<\/p>\n