Digital Commons Network^™

Associations Between College Students' Social Media Use And Psychological Adjustment During Covid-19, Bridget Mcguinness, Isabelle Warren

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

The purpose of this study is to examine whether higher levels of social media use are associated with higher levels of psychological distress, including symptoms of depression and anxiety, and perceived stress. We hypothesize that social media use will be positively correlated with psychological difficulties. The sample includes 522 undergraduates from two liberal arts institutions from the Southeast US. Participants were administered an online survey in the fall of 2020. A second wave of data will be collected during the last week of February 2021. Measures include the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Perceived Stress Scale, Adapted Social Media Use Integration Scale, …

Racial Disparities In College Students’ Scholastic Adjustment Amidst Covid-19: The Protective Function Of Campus Resources And Supports, T J. Anderson, Sam Pugliese

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Scientific investigations are needed to understand the extent to which COVID-19 has affected, and exacerbated racial disparities in, college students’ scholastic adjustment. We propose a study based on two waves of data collected as part of a large-scale, longitudinal study on college students’ well-being amidst COVID-19. More specifically, we will evaluate a model of risk and protective factors for college students’ scholastic adjustment across three time points within the 2020-21 academic year.

The first aim is to evaluate contextual risk factors for college students’ scholastic difficulties during COVID-19 and whether contextual risk is more pronounced for minoritized students. The second …

Committed To The Cause Or Performative Posting?: Developing A Measure Of Internal And External Motivations For Online Activism, Kathrina Durante

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

This project assesses the allyship of White students and non-Black students of color at the University of Richmond, specifically through their use of and perceptions of social media as a form of activism during the recent racial justice protests. Though documenting one’s allyship on social media may function to educate and influence others, some have questioned whether such behaviors are merely optical or performative allyship, designed to benefit the ally’s reputation and social standing more than affect social change. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate whether students differ in the extent to which they report internal …

Analysis Of The Socio-Economic Impacts Of A Proposed Highway Between Nuevo Italia And Puerto Breu, Peru, M. R. Place *, E. Zizzamia, D. S. Salisbury, V. Galati, S. Spera

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Road building is increasingly promoted in the borderlands shared by Peru and Brazil despite an incomplete understanding of the socio-environmental impacts of transportation infrastructure in the region. Amazonian roads often expand informally, without official government process, previous consultation by Indigenous populations, and environmental impact statements.. Amazonian road expansion also often follows a progressive feedback cycle, with new, unplanned roads begetting illegal logging pathways and agricultural expansion which in turn expands and formalizes road systems. One expanding road system is developing between the Ucayali River and the remote headwaters of the Yurua/Jurua River. The Carretera Yurua (officially trail UC-105), extended approximately300 …

The Role Of Hope On Transplant Patients' Quality Of Life, Elena Bagnoli, Kendall Schuchman, Sydney Shah, Courtney Vu, Moriah Williams

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Chronic diseases not only account for rapidly deteriorating health of patients, but are also accompanied by massive emotional, cognitive, and lifestyle changes (Schulz & Kroencke, 2015). When such conditions worsen, leading to end-stage organ disease, organ transplant is often seen as the most viable treatment. Organ transplant recipients often witness positive changes in their health and lifestyle post-transplant. However, these positive changes do not always translate to psychological well being (Rainer & Thompson, 2010). Research suggests that a significant portion of organ recipients suffer from depression, anxiety, and stress due to a variety of stressors like medical risks, lower quality …

Long Coalitions In The Old Dominion, Gabriele Josephs

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Federalist Paper No. 10 was James Madison's jeremiad against what he called “faction," and what we might call political parties. Nevertheless, just over two decades from Federalist 10’s publication in 1787, Madison ran for president of the United States at the head of the 1808 Democratic-Republican ticket, and thus became the leader of one of the largest factions hitherto known in American politics. Given the allure of party politics, this paper reviews the literature on the attraction and incentive structure of political parties and extends that literature into voting patterns in Virginia's General Assembly. In the aperture of Thomas Shwartz's …

More Than Just A Label: The Afterlife Of The Hiv/Aids Pandemic In Richmond, Va, Josh Higdon

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

This project investigated the current state of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Richmond, Virginia. Specifically, this project took into account the connections between HIV/AIDS and certain identity factors (race and sexuality), as well as the connections between HIV/AIDS and social isolation. Through using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methodology, this study provides information regarding new rates of HIV/AIDS contraction and the racial demographics of these new contractions, while also providing information of the lived experiences of people living with HIV/AIDS. Ultimately, this study sought to gain more information about HIV/AIDS to encourage continued research on this topic while also attempting …

Associations Between College Students' Social Media Use And Psychological Well-Being During Covid-19: Is Gender A Moderator?, Allyson Marrinan

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

This study's purpose was to examine to what extent social media use is associated with psychological well-being among undergraduates amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether gender moderates this relationship.

Analysis Of The Socio-Environmental Impacts Of The Proposed Transboundary Highway Between Pucallpa, Peru And Cruzeiro Do Sul, Brazil, A. Frisbie *, E. Collard *, E. Zizzamia, D. S. Salisbury, V. Galati, S. Spera

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

As road building across the Amazon continues to be proposed by both Brazilian and Peruvian governments, it becomes increasingly important to consider the effects this infrastructure could have on diverse Amazonian cultures and ecosystems. One proposal being discussed is a 200 km road that would connect the cities of Pucallpa, Peru and Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil. While promoted as economically beneficial, the road could infringe upon protected conservation areas and indigenous lands, bringing illegal activity with it as well. This research aims to evaluate the potential impacts the Pucallapa-Cruzeiro do Sul road project presents to the ecosystems, societies, and economies …

Sustainable And Ethical Development In Africa: A Perspective From Ghana, Frank Hanson

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

This research period sought to try to understand the role of China, a growing superpower in the world, in global interactions. I investigated their increasing role in the world by tracking different investments they have made in Africa, and seeing if they correlated with changing voting patterns and narratives across the African continent.

The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Black Lives Matter Movement, Anna Marston, Eileen Scheir, Shawna Pilout

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

When people have more free time, activism and engagement in social justice activities often increase. We studied whether this political theory is true in the midst of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement, while many Americans have increased levels of free time during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We surveyed 203 participants between the ages of 18 and 71 to analyze the extent to which free time impacted engagement in the contemporary Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice. In this survey, we controlled for the variables of self-efficacy and personal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by including measures for these constructs to the …

A Better Breath, So Myung Kim, Kavon Valesquez Thompson

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Pollution and poor air quality can damage the health of people and their surrounding environments and are often tied to societal factors. This study collected spatial and temporal variability in air quality in the Greater Richmond Area to examine the connections between spatial patterns of pollution and demographic and economic variables. Air quality sensors were used to analyze the particulate matter as we examined the patterns in varying areas around the city and identified communities who were most vulnerable to these health concerns.

Storytelling For Fundraising: Assessing The Impact Of Personal Stories On Donation Behavior, Kate Mccarthy

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

In fundraising, some nonprofits have sought to channel the power of personal stories by including them in appeal letters. Are stories an effective tool in soliciting donations? In this study, participants read one of three appeals from an unnamed abortion fund. Two conditions contained a personal story, either an “unapologetic” or a “safe, legal, rare” narrative, about a woman who underwent an abortion; one condition did not include a story. Participants were then asked questions regarding the appeal and the organization before being given a “bonus” dollar, and offered the option of donating a portion of that to an abortion …

Liking And Listening: Impression Formation And Information Processing In Presidential Debates, Lauren H. O'Brien

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

Participants were asked to watch, listen to, or read a transcript of the opening statements from the first presidential debate of 1960 between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Afterwards, participants were asked to recall three moments in the debate, both list and identify quotes from each candidate, and indicate impressions of each candidate’s personality. My research aimed to see if there is any connection between debate format, how participants process information, and how participants form impressions of a leader’s personality. I hypothesized that participants who listened to the debate would best process information. While there were few situations where …

Learning To Check Yourself: Improving Civic Engagement Through Duties, Better Voting Practices, And Combatting Group Loyalty, Katherine Brumond

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

This project examines civic engagement. It is divided into three chapters: apathy, voting, and group loyalties. In the first section, I derive two duties, a duty to care and a duty to reason well, that serve as a framework for community engagement aimed at facilitating moral progress. In the second section the main topic is voting. Voting as it currently stands poses several difficulties when conforming to the duties of caring and reasoning well. Instead of arguing for abstaining from voting, I argue for strategies that we can vote well by being more rational. The third section of this project …

A License To Kill: The Institutional Failure Of The Legal System To Hold Police Accountable, Eliana Fleischer

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

In recent years, police shootings of unarmed African American men have become nationally visible. With few exceptions, the police officers involved in those shootings have escaped any criminal penalties. This paper addresses the question: Why is it that so few police officers are convicted after shooting unarmed African Americans? This paper takes an interdisciplinary approach in answering this question. First, prosecutorial power and lack of accountability allow prosecutors to advocate for accused police officers to further their own career prospects. Second, the Supreme Court has adapted the qualified immunity and excessive force doctrines to become nearly all-encompassing legal shields for …

Afghan Diaspora In Pakistan: Health And Education Policy Recommendations For Rural And Urban Areas, Mehreen Usman

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

This purpose of this study is to analyze relevant research on Afghan refugees’ health and education outcomes in rural versus urban areas in the country. Subsequently, I offer policy recommendations based on my observations to improve the status of each outcome for refugees

Cultural Differences In Perception Of Heroes: Greece, India, And The Usa, Smaragda P. Spyrou, Alexa M. Bertrand, Scott T. Allison

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Abstract:

Hypothesis: The cultural background of an individual will have a significant effect on their perception of heroes. The purpose of this study was to investigate how one’s cultural background may affect one’s perception of heroes. The results of Study 1 revealed significant cultural differences in ratings of heroic traits. Study 2 employed a trait-sorting and hero-sorting task to explore underlying categories of traits and heroes across cultures. The results again revealed substantial cultural differences, suggesting that heroes, heroic traits, and heroism in general are all constructions of one’s culture and nationality.

“It’S Part Of My Responsibility To Help”: Developing A Measure Of Motivations For Extrinsic Emotion Regulation, Sara A. Cloonan, Kristjen B. Lundberg

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Introduction

A growing field of research has emerged to examine the processes by which people manage their own emotions as well as the emotions of others during social interactions, a set of phenomena broadly known as interpersonal emotion regulation (IER). Within this broad category, extrinsic emotion regulation (EER) refers specifically to the processes by which an individual targets and attempts to regulate the emotions of others (Zaki & Williams, 2013). Recent work by Netzer et al. (2015) has explored the emotion-related goals people have when engaging in EER, suggesting that both hedonic and instrumental goals may motivate these regulation attempts. …

Cattle As Technological Interventions: The Gender Effects Of Water Demand In Dairy Production In Uganda, Harleen Bal, Natasha Shannon

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

Smallholder dairy production dominates the country of Uganda, with over 90% of the national herd owned by smallholders. To reduce hunger, malnutrition, and raise families out of poverty agricultural development, interventions in Uganda have focused on increasing milk production through the introduction of improved dairy cow breeds. Development actors, such as the East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) program in Uganda, see crossbreed dairy cows as a key technological intervention for improving production. Drawing on a multi-method study (spatial analysis, surveys, and qualitative interviews) of dairy smallholders, our paper examines the gendered effects of the introduction of crossbreed dairy cows. To …

Reducing Feelings Of Marginalization For Black Students, Jacob Roberson

Arts & Sciences Student Symposium

As if they do not belong, black students attending predominantly white institutions nationwide all deal with feelings of marginalization on their respective campuses. At the University of Richmond, such feelings of "otherness" hold true. Though the current president of the University, as well as presidents past, has instituted "strategic plans" that include goals of flourishing diversity and inclusion "for all," black students at the University, before and still today, do not feel their presence is welcomed or valued on campus. Herein lie suggestions on how to improve cultural awareness and knowledge for non-black students and non-black faculty in hopes that …

Urva: A Social Initiative To Connect Ur With Rva, Joe Han

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

Overview: uRVA is a pilot program with the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce (ChamberRVA), the University of Richmond, Uber, and RVA businesses to connect students with the city. It consists of providing students 50% Uber codes to popular neighborhoods, recruiting businesses in those neighborhoods to offer student discounts, and marketing the program to students. This pilot program is the culmination of work done through ChamberRVA and two independent studies from the Robins School of Business and the Jepson School of Leadership Studies.

Mission: Integrate RVA into the University of Richmond campus culture by (a) showcasing RVA neighborhoods with publicity …

The Rise Of Stalin And Mussolini: The Importance Of Historical Context In The Study Of Leader Emergence, Patrick Hughes

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

This study uses historical comparisons of Joseph Stalin and Benito Mussolini to better understand the factors that contribute to leader emergence. Leader effectiveness is not evaluated in this study. The focus of these historical inquires is early ascensions to power during the early to mid-1920s. The factors that contribute to leader emergence can be divided into the categories of 1. individual traits and skills and 2. social, cultural, and political contexts of the follower base. The conclusion of these historical analyses is that leader emergence is facilitated as an interaction between historical contexts and the traits and skills of the …

Diploma Thesis: Do Women Represent Women?, Vladimira Dostalova

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

There is an implicit assumption behind advocating for women in elected offices that descriptive representation of women lead to a corresponding political output. This would mean that gender is one of the indicators of legislative behavior. To examine the role of gender in the substantial representation of women, I focus on the agenda setting process, which I measure as the sponsorship of group interest legislation. Data include all bills introduced in lower Houses of ten states, which provide necessary variance to control for party effect, overall ranking of the status of women, and level of women’s presence in a state …

Realignment: A Century Of Political Evolution, Abigail Huth

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

The Republican Party was founded to oppose the expansion of slavery. For decades, African Americans supported the party of Lincoln, while the Democratic Party rallied against “Black Republicans”. Now Black voters overwhelmingly support the Democratic Party. How did this transition happen? What began this shift? We have explored several milestones that we believe have led to this significant realignment. The evolving politics and policies of both Republicans and Democrats come into play when analyzing this transition. Events involving Theodor Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, and Lyndon B. Johnson present as significant turning points in the realignment of …

The Ethics Of Environmentalism For The Individual Consumer, Molly Collins

Jepson School of Leadership Studies Research Symposium

Climate change harms the health of the environment and the well-being of humans. It is the poor choices of individual consumers that contribute to climate change conditions. I argue that it is immoral to cause harm to others, thus climate change is an ethical dilemma for individual consumers. Enforcement of climate change policies are therefore justified, as individuals who cause harm through consumer behavior are liable to punishment. I begin with a pluralistic discussion of harm, before discussing the duties of individuals to make choices that will mitigate the current harms of climate change and the wrong moral assumptions that …

Diy Self-Care Tool Wrkshp!, Hieu Tran, Song

Q-Summit Gathering

We are powerful and fierce. We are who we are because we face many obstacles daily. We are who we are because we are resilient. When our daily interactions push us into feeling that we must live in survivor/survival mode, we feel spent and stressed. Keeping care of ourselves keeps us ready to rise above the bull. This workshop will serve as a space for sharing the many ways we remain resilient and will encourage participants to have fun while taping into our collective and individual power(s) of self-preservation. We will focus on naming sustainable self-care practices and building tool …

So Sochi...: Understanding The Complex Landscape Of International Queer Politics And Interventions, Erik Lampmann

Q-Summit Gathering

The advent of the 2014 Sochi Games generated a flurry of debate among queer folks as to the role of domestic activists in internationals justice movements. We saw some major corporations attacked via boycotts due to their business relationships in Russia; we saw other corporations exalted for their 'social responsibility' in promoting LGBTQ interests. As this movement weighs intervention in Russian LGBTQ politics alongside other travesties- e.g. the state-sanctioned regime of anti-gay violence in Uganda- situating our own actions within an increasingly global landscape becomes increasingly important. I'm interested in pushing participants to think critically about policy or movement interventions …

Queerness And Christianity, Chris Parks

Q-Summit Gathering

As the Queer movement progresses within our context, less and less are we bombarded by secular defenses against queerness. Now, the movement is increasingly having to navigate the world of faith and specifically Christianity. This discussion-based workshop will cultivate the tools to effectively and nonviolently navigate such a conversation. We will graze over explanations of the clobber passages, and spend most of our time reclaiming the biblical text and strategies for connecting with someone of a deeply biblical mindset. The hope is that each young adult, no matter where they find themselves on ideas of faith, will be empowered to …

Artist Caucus, Jon Henry, Jasmin Ullah

Q-Summit Gathering

The caucus will allow artists to express their full potentials in the supportive and creative environment space. Arts have been a prevalent component of queer activism, politics, and identity formation. Queer artists face additional barriers like lack funding, commercialization, censorship, commodification, and oversight within their field and in relationship to others. Creating a meeting space for queer artists will allow for us to develop our own language and further develop our professional relationships and practices; it will further nurture and inspire the study of queer history, theory, criticism, and studio practices. Topics for discussion include history, resource sharing, advocacy, compensation, …