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The Experiences Of International Graduate Students From Latin America In Their Transition Of Graduating And Finding A Job In The United States, Natalia Hernandez, Natalia Hernandez

Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis project is to conduct a qualitative phenomenological study to understand the lived experiences of international graduate students from Latin America in the United States as they transition from their studies to finding a full-time job in the United States. The most common themes mentioned in the different sections of the interviews were: the different dynamics in their identity, the benefits, and limitations of their status in the American context, and how their professional development and economy are impacted while being international graduate students from Latin America. Student service departments such as the Career Service department, …

Development And Interactions Of Instructor And Student Musical Identities In A University Introductory Music Course For Non-Music Majors, Nicholas Booker

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate student and instructor musical identities in the context of a university music course intended for non-music majors. Participants were the instructor of an introductory music course and 16 of her students at a medium-sized university in the western United States. Study of this group of participants and their interactions throughout one 15-week semester led to greater understanding of their roles in music as well as better insight into the many ways in which they formed connections between music and their identity concepts. The research allowed for the development of assertions based on …

Current Status Of Professional Networks Addressing Sex Education In The United States: An Initial Exploratory Thematic Analysis, Aliya Subhit

Master's Theses

Sex education in the United States has been a highly debated topic. The history of sex education depicts the changing narratives of both the public and the government’s ideals on the topic. Due to the discrepancy between the publics attitudes and perceptions versus the governments ideals, this thesis is the first of its kind to conduct an initial thematic analysis of available bodies of knowledge across the five core mental health disciplines (i.e., marriage and family therapy, psychiatry, clinical psychology, clinical social work, and psychiatric nursing) to determine how the current state of sex education programs in the U.S. is …

A Settlement Geography Of Three Ports On The Northern Gulf Of Mexico: The Role Of Rivers, Railroads, And Hurricanes: 1830-1930, Zachary Evan Kalina

Master's Theses

The settlement geography of the Gulf Coast of the United States possesses and shares unique cultural and historical characteristics. The thesis analyzes three selected towns along the coast: Indianola, Texas; Pascagoula, Mississippi; and Apalachicola, Florida. The thesis focuses on describing each town’s historical background and early efforts at permanent settlement, the expansion of the settlement using various modes of transportation such as shipping and railroads, the economic and agricultural base that was used to improve the settlement’s reputation, the characteristics of the settlement’s concept of folk housing, and the impact and recovery of the settlement from disasters such as fire …

Aiding And Abetting: The Illegality Of Morocco's Nationalist Expansion Into Western Sahara And Their Support From The United States, Rachid H. Yousfi

Master's Theses

This paper will address the illegality of Morocco’s nationalist annexation of Western Sahara and how the United States plays the accommodating role through the selling of arms, economic aid, and diplomatic support. Considered as Africa’s last colony, the Saharawi people have not experienced the basic human right to self-determination and the right for independence. These rights are continued to be withheld for the sake of Moroccan nationalism and their “rightful and ethnic” claims to the territory, disregarding the International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s advisory opinion ruling in favor of Saharawi self-determination. It explores the chronology of the Saharawi population from …

The United States And The Overthrow Of Kwame Nkrumah, Eric Quaidoo

Master's Theses

February 24, 1966 is regarded by many Ghanaians as the Waterloo in the history of Ghana, and Ghanaians would not like it to be mentioned so as to rekindle old wounds considering the hardships the country went through from that period until accepting democratic rule in the early 1990s. On that fateful day the first Republic of Ghana was overthrown in a military coup d’état when the first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, was on a peacemaking mission in Vietnam. Most Ghanaians and Africans continue to point accusing fingers at the United States for this unfortunate incident that brought not only …

Messages Of Nationalism In Mexican And U.S. Textbooks: Implications For The National Identity Of Transnational Students, Danielle Lane Jerdee

Master's Theses

This study uses qualitative content analysis to compare fifth grade social studies textbooks in Mexico and the United States to provide insight on how messages of national identity change as students migrate between school systems. The following research questions will guide the analysis: Given that one of the roles of textbooks is to form a national consciousness through mythmaking, how do messages of national identity conveyed in Mexican and U.S. textbooks conflict? How are the topics of immigration and citizenship presented in each nation's textbooks? In what ways do differences in the accounts of history between Mexico and the United …

Comprehensive U.S. Higher Education Internationalization: Exploring Study Abroad As An Indicator, Candace Brzoska Matta

Master's Theses

Increasing undergraduate study abroad participation is a popular response embraced by both higher education institutions and the U.S. government to internationalize college campuses and to meet the demands of globalization. Yet the nature of the internationalization phenomenon in higher education is much more complex in spite of its ambiguous definition and lackluster theoretical indicators. The purpose of this study was to examine whether one indicator of internationalization, that of study abroad, had any predictive bearing on an institutions' level of comprehensive internationalization. Six institutions were examined--three that consistently held a high study abroad participation percentage or SAPP, and three that …

"A Change Has Swept Over Our Land": American Moravians And The Civil War, Adrienne E. Robertson

Master's Theses

When they first came to North America, the Moravians—a pietistic, Germanic Christian sect—settled in isolated communities where only a few people ventured out to do missionary work for the community. They separated themselves from their non-Moravian neighbors, one missionary community serving the North from its seat in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and the other serving the South from Salem, North Carolina, and neither participating in civic or military life. Then, over the course of a few decades, economic and civic circumstances forced the Moravians in North America to adapt their ways to be more like those of their non-Moravian neighbors, adopting styles …

The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund : A Case Study, Mary Kathleen Gorman

Master's Theses

The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund was the largest victim compensation fund in U.S. history, disseminating more than $7B federal tax monies directly to survivors, victims and their respective families following the terrorist attacks of that day. This represented an unprecedented effort on the part of the U.S. government to fully fund terrorism victim compensation within a no-fault framework intended, first and foremost, to protect the airline industry from potential economic ruin. But in so doing, the Fund compromised legal, ethical, economic and sociological principles on which victim compensation had been based since the inception of government. This interdisciplinary exploratory case …

A Suggested Model For Emergency Medical System Response During An Outbreak Of Human Pandemic Influenza, Ellen A. Black

Master's Theses

Predictions on infection rates for a possible outbreak of human pandemic influenza have officials in Public Health, Epidemiology, Public Safety, and other organizations developing plans on the federal, state, and local levels. These plans are outlining prevention, preparedness, and response during an outbreak, stressing interagency collaboration and contingencies for significant employee absenteeism rates for extended periods of time. However, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers will likely face a marked increase for calls for service to the community; and may be forced to provide service with a diminished workforce and additional duties not traditionally performed by their personnel. This Thesis examines …

Local Law Enforcement's Initial Role In Response To A Radiological Dispersion Device Attack, Andrew Robert Hoehl

Master's Theses

Today the potential exists for a terrorist organization to use a Radiological Dispersion Device or a dirty bomb within the United States. The results of such an attack could be catastrophic to the affected population. The response by law enforcement must be calculated and planned.

To properly analyze the law enforcement's role in a radioactive incident a qualitative approach was taken. A determination must be made prior to an attack to discern what kind of training will be necessary, what equipment will be required, and what response procedures need to be in place to ensure a safe and efficient response. …

Using Internet Simulation Games To Train Prehospital Providers For Mass Casualty Response, Meredith L. Moss

Master's Theses

During a disaster emergency medical services (EMS) plays a critical role in supporting mass casualty response. However, the processes and procedures used in a disaster are different than those which the prehospital providers encounter during routine emergency response. With limited time and resources, new approaches to training should be considered. This thesis presents research on EMS training, disaster response, distance learning, and instructional technology. Survey and interview results are analyzed providing a foundation for the development of a proposed software model using Internet simulation games to train prehospital providers for mass casualty response.

An Unlikely Alliance : The Generals Who Won The American Revolution, Patrick Michael Elgin

Master's Theses

Seventy-seven men were asked to serve as Generals during the Revolutionary War by the Continental Congress. These men came from such disparate backgrounds that it may seem surprising that they could unite in such a dangerous venture as a rebellion against Great Britain. This thesis explores the military history of the Revolutionary War through the framework of these seventy-seven men by providing biographical sketches of each and drawing from these sketches to create a list of factors which affected their service in the war. Specifically, the thesis focuses on where these men came from, how they earned a livelihood, and …

Incarceration : A Rising Population Dilemma, Lessie Smith Jr.

Master's Theses

The nation's incarceration growth continues to soar, having negative economic and societal effects. This research explores continued growth causes and possible answers to prevent, intervene, and slow down incarceration. Hampton Roads institutions' offenders and professional staff were surveyed. The survey focuses on preventive and intervention programs and their effectiveness, sociological and economical factors leading to imprisonment, and statistics supporting incarceration growth. The research goal is to validate program contents and components factoring into imprisonment. The study of others and information generated through this study are used to determine program needs and current effectiveness. This study explores reasons offenders frequent the …

"King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" : Rural Populist Imagery In Roots Rock Music, 1967-1973, Christopher Lee Witte

Master's Theses

Through a detailed focus on these five groups and their music, with an added emphasis on their lyrics, this thesis attempts to create a meaningful tie between Slotkin' s study of American myth-making and story creation with a key area of popular culture - music - that he did not focus on. The thesis itself is separated into three key chapters - the first reveals how nature and landscape are presented in these songs and how they viewed modern twentieth century America with idealized notions of a rural past. The second discusses their presentations of heroes and anti-heroes as musical …

White Savages In Hunting Shirts : The Rifleman's Costume Of National Identity And Rebellion In The American Revolution, Byron C. Smith

Master's Theses

This thesis relies on primary sources to address the significance of clothing and accoutrements worn by backwoods riflemen during the era of the American Revolution. As North America's rebellious colonies became a nation, they struggled to find cultural symbols that distinguished them from their European cousins. As Europeans often identified America symbolically as the "noble savage," in turn some Americans looked to the Indian for inspiration in their new search for national identity. During the Revolution many Americans from backwoods regions of the middle and southern colonies, wearing uniquely American garments called hunting shirts, openly rebelled against their European heritage …

United States - Indonesian Relations, 1945-1949: Negative Consequences Of Early American Cold War Policy, Robert Earl Patterson

Master's Theses

From 1945 to 1949, Indonesian nationalists struggled for independence against their Dutch colonial rulers. For most of the period, American foreign policy favored the Netherlands in its desire to reign once again over the archipelago. American foreign policy strategy advocated a "Europe first" position, and possessed finite resources to contain Soviet expansion in the developing cold war. State Department policy planners sided with European powers as they attempted to resume the status quo ante in Southeast Asia following World War II. Colonies were considered essential to the recoveries of Western European powers economically, politically, and psychologically.

Serbo-American Relations, 1903-1913, Jason C. Vuic

Master's Theses

Of the available studies concerning pre-World War I Serbia, few have shown more than a passing interest in that country's relations with the United States. Indeed, no books have appeared on the subject, while only four articles examine Serbo-American affairs during the kingdom's most dynamic decade, from 1903 to 1913. Though each is in some way valuable, these works fail to give an adequate account of the relations existing between Serbia and the United States. Therefore the following chapters explore Serbo-American affairs from the death of King Alexander I Obrenovic in June 1903, to the conclusion of the Second Balkan …

A Study Of Fraud In African-American Civil War Pensions : Augustus Parlett Lloyd, Pension Attorney, 1882-1909, Carrie Kiewitt

Master's Theses

This work examines fraud in the United States Civil War Military Pension system from 1882-1909 by showing how one attorney, Augustus Parlett Lloyd, defrauded the government on numerous occasions without ever being punished. Research for this work was conducted by studying a group of seventy-three African-American veterans who relied on Lloyd to assist in the application process and by using federal pension records, the manuscript census records, vital statistics, records of the federal Pension Bureau, and several secondary works to explore how Lloyd related to his clients, his associates and the Pension Bureau. This study concludes that Lloyd, the most …

A Case Study The Effects Of A Powerful Committee Chair On The Passage Of The Wilderness Bill, Kenneth S. Livingston

Master's Theses

The case of the Wilderness Bill reveals several important insights into the process, policy and politics of wilderness legislation in the late 1950s and early 1960's. The process generally conformed well with the expectations of a strong committee chair model that characterized Congress during the late 1950s and early 1960s. To be sure, the politics involved accommodation of competing interests and was facilitated by a president eager to pass a pro-wilderness bill. Above all, the compromise which ultimately led to the passage of the Wilderness Bill was influenced by the powerful committee chairman of the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee …

Congressional Battles With Franklin D. Roosevelt Over Vetoes Of Veterans' Compensation, 1933-36, Valiant J. Heyer

Master's Theses

This thesis offers the first historical study specifically focusing on Franklin Roosevelt's battles with Congress over veterans' care and compensation from 1933 to 1936. The historical problem addressed in this thesis is, why did the New Deal congresses, with overwhelming Democratic majorities, rise in opposition to Roosevelt's policies and push for passage of veteran benefit programs that were known to be unacceptable to their President? Although most historians explain away the veterans' issue by attributing congressional efforts to pay the "bonus" to simple election-year pressure, this thesis provides a markedly different conclusion. Based on the Congressional Record, manuscript collections …

Reagan And Cutting The Federal Budget : How Consistent Was The Pursuit?, E David Adams

Master's Theses

President Reagan assumed office advocating an economic program based on tax and spending reductions. Achievement of these objectives, Reagan argued, would improve the American economy and result in balanced federal budgets. This thesis examines Reagan's commitment to the spending restraint element of his program. I will analyze all of Reagan's budgets and State of the Union addresses to determine how consistently he sought reductions in federal spending.

Though Reagan's commitment to budget reduction was evident, his selection of means to achieve the cuts was inconsistent. His proposed budget cuts varied in intensity, and Reagan failed to propose consistent reductions in …

Political Influences On The National Park Service : Past And Present, Bonnie Sachatello

Master's Theses

Since the beginning of the Reagan Administration in 1981, there has been a dramatic change in policies affecting the national parks and the National Park service. The Department of the Interior's goals combined with the economic strategies of this Administration have brought about new park policies that have departed sharply from those of the last two decades. This thesis is designed to distill some of the changes evidenced in park policy and the Park service under the Reagan Administration.

Medication Administration By Non-Registered Nursing Personnel : A Safe And Cost Effective Way To Reduce The Shortage Of Registered Nurses, Royce A. Burruss

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy of, and necessity for, assigning the technical tasks of medication administration to non-Registered Nursing (non-RN) personnel in light of the continuing Registered Nurse (RN) shortage in the acute care setting and our rapidly changing and financially unstable health care environment.

Opportunities To Develop A Strategic Competitive Advantage In The Electric Utility Industry, Tim J. Carroll

Master's Theses

Competitive forces are gaining more steam within an industry that has been characterized as a regulated monopoly. Electric Utilities must develop a strategic competitive advantage in order to survive and succeed in this new environment. This project articulates the more significant competitive issues impacting the generation, transmission and distribution of electric power. Issues are organized and focused, communicating the important connection between the macroenvironment and successful strategy development. The project explores several parameters which could provide an indication of the relative strengths or weaknesses of market participants. Specific utilities are evaluated to reveal the opportunities and challenges facing executive management. …

Predicting Attrition For Women At West Point : Is It A Function Of Adopting The Male Dominant Culture?, Jane P. Mckeon

Master's Theses

This study examined 40 selected items from the Student Information Form that had been identified as representing cultural differences between men and women at the United States Military Academy. A principal components analysis of the data collected from 3005 male and 314 female cadets yielded 7 factors for men and 6 factors for women suitable for interpretation. As hypothesized, men and women were found to have similar cultual values, attitudes and experiences based on their similar factor structures. Next, item responses from 58 women attriters were compared to responses from the nonattriters. Using all the factors identified for the women, …

Corporate Responses To Day-Care Needs As A Function Of Organizational Characteristics : Going Beyond The Bottom Line With Babies, Maria Legrand

Master's Theses

This paper reviews various aspects of the child care issue: demographic, economic, political and psychological. It also reviews the day-care options available to organizations. A review of organizational characteristics includes looking at the organization's goals, external environment, technology and structure. Finally, day-care options and the organizational characteristics are linked to form a set of hypotheses, the testing of which is beyond the scope of this paper.

A Land Development Financial Model, Bruce Saunders

Master's Theses

Often the term "real estate industry" is casually used as if sufficient in accurately describing a well defined segment contributing to the GNP. In actuality, real estate is a very large complex industry, involving a variety of corporations, partnerships, trusts, and individuals with different functions and objectives. A comprehensive profile of the industry would include investors, lenders, and government regulators. These players may be involved with a vast array of projects such as undeveloped land, single family and multifamily housing, office building, shopping centers, industrial buildings, hotels and motels, mobile home parks, resorts or recreational complexes. This variety illustrates the …

A Retail Branch Profitability Measurement Model For The Thrift Industry, Rex L. Smith Iii

Master's Theses

Deregulation of the financial services industry has created a need for management to adapt a different approach to operations. Drastic regulatory and environmental changes have forced thrifts and banks to concentrate on increasing efficiency and core profitability from the retail branch network. Once considered to be highly bureaucratic, financial institutions are trimming back off ice review and focusing on a more decentralized leaner operation. Expensive mergers and large conglomerate financial powerhouses have created a need for increased management controls and reasonable methods of measuring the true profitability of the individual business units within a financial services company.