Subject: Graduate Students Needed For Thesis Research

EIU Graduate Student,

You have been invited to participate in a focus group regarding the factors that influence the decision making process for graduate education. You have been selected due to your status as a graduate student at EIU. The focus group will be conducted by myself, Kiley Sturm. I am a current graduate student in the College Student Affairs program at EIU and am conducting this study in order to complete my master’s thesis. 

The purpose of the study is to examine the factors students consider during the decision making process for graduate education. Participation in the study would require that you take part in a focus group that will take approximately an hour to an hour and a half. Your participation is voluntary and you can withdraw at any time without penalty. Your involvement in this research will be kept confidential by the researcher with the exception of others in the focus group knowing you participated as well. Any personal information you provide will not be connected to you specifically due to results being analyzed from the group as a whole instead of by each individual participant. 

I would greatly appreciate your participation in my study. My hope is to gain an understanding of the factors students consider in the decision making process for graduate education to better serve students who pursue graduate education. If you have any questions about this research, you may contact my faculty sponsor, Dr. Jon Coleman at 217-581-7240, or at jkcoleman@eiu.edu. 

Please respond to my email (kjsturm@eiu.edu) if you are interested in participating in the study. Once I have enough participants for the focus group, I will be in contact in order to schedule a time for the focus group to take place with all participants. My hope is to conduct the focus group around the end of September/early October. I look forward to hearing back from you! Thank you for your time and consideration!

Kiley Sturm
Associate Resident Director of Lawson Hall
Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
Office: 217-581-7697