Digital Commons Network^™

Esg Investing: From Fad To Force, Erin Cullen

Senior Theses

ESG Investing is the application of environmental, social, and governance factors to identify material investment risks and growth opportunities. Though traditionally viewed as non-financial factors, this paper asserts that ESG factors are indeed financially material. This work first surveys the current state of ESG Investing, its shortcomings, and its success despite these inherent issues. Section II adds a new perspective to ESG research by examining the applications of ESG scores in portfolio management. The study conducts t-tests to answer whether the typical holdings of an ESG mutual fund are more sustainable than those of traditional funds. The paper then focuses …

From An Ambivert's Perspective: The Relationships Between Personality Types, Attachment Styles, And Behavioral Tendencies Of Introverts And Extroverts, Andrew Chang

Senior Theses

Over the years, there has been continuous discussion around the idea that extroverts dominate the business workplace over introverts and vice versa. However, depending on the work setting and skillsets needed, it is imperative to realize how certain business practices, personality styles, and relationship approaches are different in every scenario. For this research thesis, the goal was to compare the personality and attachment styles of students who study in two different cultural environments, seeing if there were any apparent relationships between the two variables and student behavioral tendencies. Previous studies have shown that personality, behaviors, and attachment levels can predict …

Application Of The Precede-Proceed Planning Model In Designing An Infant Mortality Mitigation Strategy, Alexandria Hawkinson

Senior Theses

In this paper, I present a clinical intervention strategy aimed at mitigating infant mortality rates through application of the PRECEDE-PROCEED planning model. These steps involve analyzing the social implications of infant mortality among non-Hispanic black women in the state of South Carolina and identifying contributing factors of preterm birth via a thorough literature review. After concluding that adverse childhood experiences are linked to preterm birth and its contributing factors, I utilize the Health Belief Model to develop a health promotion program titled Empowered Mothers of South Carolina. This program works towards increasing acknowledgment of adverse childhood experiences and implementation of …

Secret To Success: A Survey Of The University Of South Carolina Student Success Center, Lilian Mitchell

Senior Theses

This paper seeks to survey the practices of the Student Success Center (SSC) at the University of South Carolina (USC) and show the effectiveness of those practices. Through the analysis of the history of student success in higher education, current literature on student success, and the 2020- 2021 Blueprint for the SSC at USC, it is clear that the SSC has developed a successful and effective method of guaranteeing student success on USC’s campus. At USC, the main focus is on Supplemental Instruction, Peer Tutoring, and Academic Coaching (a.k.a. Success Consultations). By setting goals and measuring the outcome of those …

Healthcare Safety-Net In The United States: Patient Satisfaction Across Rural And Urban Hospitals, Vivian Ho

Senior Theses

Objective. To examine rurality and other hospital characteristics associated with patient satisfaction across hospitals in the United States.

Data. Nationwide hospital data from the 2019 Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey and the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Provider of Services (POS) file.

Study Design. Hospital ZIP-codes were categorized into urban, rural micropolitan, or small/isolated rural based on Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes. Patient satisfaction measures from the HCAHPS survey were linked to the CMS POS data for hospital characteristics, yielding 2,357 urban, 749 rural micropolitan, and 1,343 small/isolated rural hospitals. ANOVA and …

Fashion Changes: How Advertisers In East Asia Used The Image Of The Modern Girl To Promote Cosumerism, Madelyn Foster

Senior Theses

The modern girl is one of the most visually memorable female archetypes of the 20th century. She emerged at the beginning of the century in countries across the world and represented the merging of modernity and consumerism, as well as the increasingly visible role of women in the public sphere. She can be seen in the art and media of many different nations around the world, and while her basic essence is the same across countries- a young, cosmopolitan woman who dresses in modern fashions- her specific traits and clothing choices depend heavily on the nation in which she is …

Enlightened Evangelicalism And The American Revolutionary War: A Comparison Of John Witherspoon And John Zubly, Henry Bolin Jr.

Senior Theses

This paper compares the religion, philosophy, and politics of Presbyterian ministers John Witherspoon and John Zubly leading up to the American Revolutionary War, during which Zubly was a Loyalist and Witherspoon was a Patriot. The two ministers integrated Enlightenment thought and evangelical Calvinism differently which led to hold opposing political views. Witherspoon’s commitment to the Scottish Enlightenment concept of ethical sensibility was not contrary to Calvinist doctrine, but rather fits within the Reformed understanding of how God’s grace restores nature. Even though Zubly ended up becoming a Loyalist during the Revolutionary War, his pre-war political leanings are complicated, as he …

Mobile Sports Gambling In South Carolina, Drew Pechulonis

Senior Theses

After the U.S. Supreme Court deemed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), sports betting has expanded across the country at a rapid pace. As the sports gambling industry continues to grow, states that have not passed legislation are left wondering whether legalization would benefit their constituents.

The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility and consequences of legalizing mobile sports gambling in the state of South Carolina. This study can inform state leaders on how to implement mobile sports gambling in the state as well as the positive and negative repercussions that would follow legislation. As …

Drawn In: An Exploration Of The Graphic Narrative, Celia Casciani

Senior Theses

This thesis project aims to explore ordinary stories told through the graphic narrative. The goal is to understand what intrigues us about ordinary stories and what is gained through the use of comics form to tell these stories. The project portion of the thesis consists of a website showcasing comics based on narratives told by students at the University of South Carolina. The research portion uses existing literature, as well as reflections from the creation of the project, to answer the above questions. In the end, I found that we are drawn to ordinary stories through the process of identification, …

Capital City Ventures Towards An Equitable Clean Energy Transition: A Case Study Comparison Between Columbia, South Carolina And Richmond, Virginia, Claire Windsor

Senior Theses

Combatting climate change requires a rapid transition to renewable sources for energy generation. In the United States, the electricity sector alone accounts for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions (28%), with about 63% of electricity generation derived from burning of fossil fuels (EPA, 2020). In order to lower greenhouse emissions from the energy sector, federal, state, and local policies must pave the way for renewable energy and energy efficiency innovations and policies. However, political action to address the effects and combat the causes of climate change have been limited due to political gridlock at the federal level. In addition, under neoliberalism, …

Transdisciplinary Environmental Work: An Evaluation Of Transdisciplinarity In The Field Of Environmental Science And Its Relevance To South Carolina Conservation Efforts In Lake Wateree And The Catawba Indian Reservation, Olivia Mn Shugart

Senior Theses

Transdisciplinarity describes the integration of knowledge and exchange of ideas across diverse academic disciplines, public stakeholders, and decision-makers. In this paper, I discuss the relevance of transdisciplinarity to the environmental field and offer ways in which its principles could be employed to enhance current South Carolina conservation efforts. I advocate for transdisciplinary work through analyzing existing discourse on the value of transdisciplinary research to the environmental field, and I present some of the challenges associated with this mass integration of knowledge. Finally, I describe three models of transdisciplinary research that have been proposed by scholars to address some of these …

Co-Teaching At The High School: One School's Approach To Create A Sustainable Co-Teaching Program Using Collaborative Learning And Learner Centered Theories, John Kegan Flynn

Theses and Dissertations

Co-teaching is a method of instruction that utilizes the professional knowledge of general education and special education teachers to best meet the needs of all students in the classroom. At Northwood High School (NHS), the co-teachers have received piecemeal professional development on co-teaching. This mixed-methods action research study seeks to determine the comfort and knowledge levels of the NHS co-teachers and provide the co-teachers with co-teaching professional development that is tailored to meet their needs. The theories of collaborative learning and learner-centered were used to provide a structure from which to conduct the research. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected …