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An Investigation Of The Role Of System Effectiveness In The Acquisition And Sustainment Of U.S. Defense Systems: 1958 To 2022, John Green

Operations Research and Engineering Management Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the role of the system effectiveness methodology in acquiring and sustaining U.S. military weapons systems from 1958 to 2021. The period of interest has seen numerous changes in both the acquisition process and the application of system effectiveness to acquisition and sustainment. Several of the changes were disruptive, including shifting acquisition and sustainment to a commercial paradigm and completely overhauling the approach to acquiring new systems. The method of inquiry integrated three qualitative methods–structured literature review, grounded theory analysis, and historiography–into an innovative approach for investigating the changes to system effectiveness. The database for the investigation was …

Nutrition Education As A Tool Of Empowerment, Claire Devries

Culminating Experience Projects

This study investigates the nutrition education programs implemented by organizations that operate Fresh Markets in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with the goal of connecting empowered nutrition education to a food justice context. A review of scholarly literature reveals that there has been limited published work within the last three decades that integrates empowered nutrition to a food justice context. Analysis of interviews conducted with the four organizations indicates that nutrition education is used as a tool of empowerment in a food justice framework. However, this study reveals that nutrition education cannot be used alone as a tool of empowerment, rather it …

The Black Male Triumph Story: Successfully Achieving Graduate Degrees, Albert Charles Furlow Iii

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. In post-baccalaureate education, Black males have historically and continuously been underrepresented and misrepresented; however, this research was focused on abstracting the positive characteristics that were similar among successful post-baccalaureate Black male graduates. My research looked at the post-baccalaureate attainment of 16 Black male participants in a nuanced way by pinpointing the common positive attributes of the successful scholars. Specifically, I explored the importance of informing educators about necessary tools that contributed to the success of Black males in graduate school. The goal of my study was to target policymakers in education, present and future researchers, practitioners, and faculty …

Program Planning On Social Determinants Of Health For Rural Nebraska, Athena H. Ramos, Maria H. Cantu Hines

Capstone Experience

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are non-health factors that impact health in both direct and indirect ways. Research into SDOH and their effects has been extensive in recent years and has been further documented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the wealth of the literature on the SDOH, awareness of these important factors is not prevalent among community residents. Rural communities are as subject to the impact of SDOH just as their urban counterparts and experience additional complexities related to geography and topography.

This capstone project aims to raise awareness, provide education, and assist with tools and resources, to empower rural …

Impact Of Coalition Building To Promote Maternal Infant Health Equity In The District Of Columbia, Maryland, And Virginia, Sydney J. Turner

Capstone Experience

The health of women and babies is critical to creating a healthy world. Stratified data shows the overwhelming rates at which Blacks are affected more than Whites. Literature has shown that leveraging partnerships and community engagement are critical components of decision-making and can positively impact the health of communities. Through a direct observational study, the Community Coalition Action Theory was used to analyze the current structure of the March of Dimes Maternal Infant Healthy Equity Coalition. The study aimed to identify strengths and gaps and subsequently provide recommendations to advance the coalition work and promote maternal and infant health equity …

A Collaborative Autoethnography: Your Passport To Immigrant Women Of Color Leader's Stories Of Identity Exploration And Leadership Barriers And Possibilities, Fraylanie Adan Aglipay

Doctoral Dissertations

The study of the personal and career narratives of immigrant Women of Color can lead to more appropriate standards in mainstream work environments and to the expansion of professional leadership opportunities for immigrant Women of Color. The experiences of immigrant Women of Color leaders are varied and complex, with each leader’s experience offering unique perspectives on their leadership journey. Additionally, it is important to analyze their identities because they contain multiple layers, serving as the foundation that has shaped them into the authentic leaders they are today. As scholars, researchers, and activists, we have a duty to address the lack …

Evaluating The Transition To Zero-Emission Vehicles And The Impact On Clean Electricity Demand Under The Effects Of Climate Change In San Francisco, Tamara Totah

Master's Projects and Capstones

California is considered a global leader in environmental policy relating to climate change and greenhouse gas emission mitigation. The state has implemented policies to limit greenhouse gas emissions and phase-out the use of fossil fuels in transportation. The transportation sector is one of the major emitters of greenhouse gasses in California. In 2020, Executive Order N-79-20 established the goal of having 100% of in-state sales of new light-duty passenger vehicles and trucks to be zero emission by 2035. The use of electric vehicles has reduced greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, but we need to be able to power these vehicles …

Indigeneity In Space Governance Discussions: Centering Indigenous Knowledges Beyond Earth, Erin Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

Space policy and space law are expanding fields given the recent boom of commercial space flight, yet we hear less about space governance. These conversations are happening, but the discussions generally replicate western democratic practice with little input from other knowledge traditions, despite recent socio-political strain seen in senior democracies.This work focusses the discussion on missing voices. Those of the many Indigenous cultures that have routinely been silenced from terrestrial governance discussions. These voices, however, reflect thousands of years of collective knowledge of managing societies in a holistic manner. Some of these societies have developed in areas considered extreme environments …

The Relationship Between Grit, Perceived Social Support, And Educational Gains In The Adult Basic Education Classroom, Jennifer D. Shearon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adult Basic Education (ABE) is a critical part of the educational landscape in the United States; its aim is to improve the basic reading, writing, and numeracy skills of the very diverse population of adults in America who lack proficiency in these skills, and more often than not, a high school graduation credential (U.S. Department of Education, 2021a). Each program year, federal funding for ABE state administrated programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA, 2014) is tied to percentages of participants who make measurable skills gains (MSGs). One type of MSG is Educational Functioning Level (EFL) gains, which …

Effective Community Development In Informal Settlements Through Analysis Of The Kibera Slum In Kenya, Chloe Powell

Undergraduate Theses

Many people have a heart for those living in poverty, but very few have a mind for how to fight poverty well, according to Harvard University Professor Michael Fairbanks. The Kibera slums in Kenya is no exception to the plethora of challenges informal settlements face concerning development, including a lack of security of tenure, corruption, an unhealthy business environment, and a lack of jobs. Kibera has been the subject of numerous studies and development efforts throughout the years and has faced a long history of failed government interventions. In 2020, Kenya received almost $4 billion from the U.S. in official …

Surviving A Broken System: Synergies Between Solidarity Economies And Sustainable Development Goals, Julie Beach

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Capitalism has created problems including wealth polarization, rapid depletion of natural resources, and pervasive systemic societal issues. Hard work is not enough to solve the unequal distribution and barriers preventing access to necessities. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were created to remedy the harsh reality of global inequities and negative environmental impacts by working towards a more just and equitable future for all. Solidarity Economies (SE) offer an alternative framework to achieve these goals.

This research used multiple qualitative methods to investigate the synergies between SE and SDGs in a growing urban environment. St. Petersburg, FL struggles with affordable housing, food …

Understanding Motivations Among Sustained Cooperative Extension Partners For Obesity Prevention In Rural Louisiana, Catherine R. Losavio

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana consistently has one of the highest rates of obesity in the nation with higher concentrations of obesity in many rural parishes (i.e., counties). Due to over a century of visibility and engagement in rural communities, Cooperative Extension (Extension) is uniquely poised to reach remote rural communities disproportionately impacted by obesity. As Extension increases its use of community coalitions and implements its new National Framework for Health Equity and Well-Being, understanding motivations and communication preferences among long-term rural coalition partners for obesity prevention and health promotion has become essential for duplicating successful local-level policy, system, and environmental (PSE) changes. This …

Building Community Through Urban Renovation On Pittsburgh's Riverfront, Shian Wu

Theses

Every city has its most important place for citizens to promote informal sociability and urban connection with humans. The riverside is the most important urban connection in Pittsburgh. Each side of the bridge has a different development level. The design of the riverside pedestrian path can build a connection between both sides of the bridge and help urban development in the north side of Pittsburgh. The aim of the study is to analyze the connection between architectural open space, pedestrian trails, and riverway trails and to propose methods that are suitable for developing a mixed-use building that will help improve …

Communicating Sustainability Through Websites Of Higher Education Institutions Of New Jersey, Swathi Karamcheti

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

Sustainability is integrated into the higher education institutions as a new culture. Since the emergence of various declarations and policies, higher education institutions have integrated, implemented and practiced sustainability in the form of campus operations, community engagement and academic programs. As a result, some institutions have started communicating about their sustainability practices through their websites to inform their stakeholders. It is also noted that prospective students prefer to study in institutions that communicate about sustainability on their websites. However, there is a gap in research to understand the strategies used by higher education institutions to communicate sustainability. This content …

High School Principal's Perception And Experience With Student Voice And Youth-Adult Partnerships, James D. Flynn

Theses and Dissertations

High school principals can foster student voice (SV) and youth-adult partnerships (YAP) while leading their students towards being engaged and informed citizens in our democracy. It is critical to understand the advantages and opportunities high school principals have in listening to and partnering with their students. It is also critical to understand the challenges facing high school principals in their journey towards SV and YAP. A qualitative multicase study of 10 high school principals from across the nation was used to understand the perception and experiences of high school principals in the area of SV and YAP. In addition, this …

Environmental Justice Mapping In The U.S. Pacific Island Territory Of Guam, Ben Rocha

Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management Projects

Academics, regulators, and the public currently use geospatial analysis tools to identify locations that may be candidates for further environmental justice review in the continental United States (U.S.). However, current environmental justice geospatial analysis tools overlook a small but significant portion of the U.S. - the U.S. Pacific Islands. This study analyzes environmental justice within the U.S. Territory of Guam using existing geospatial analysis methods and publicly available environmental, climate, and socio-economic data to: (1) Spatially map relevant demographic and environmental data and (2) determine the correlation, if any, between the exposure to environmental hazards and the socio-economic status of …

An Intersectional Community Resilience Approach To Understanding Climate Vulnerabilities In Lynchburg, Virginia, Tracy Mallard

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

This study uses an intersectional and justice lens to analyze how economic, institutional, social, cultural, and natural factors influence resilience in historically marginalized communities. It builds on the work of previous studies that have employed a five-dimension conceptual framework of resilience at the community level by focusing the model on the factors that enable or prevent resilience to extreme heat in communities. The focus community is the City of Lynchburg, Virginia. The researcher observed groups of community organizers in the process of setting an environmental justice and sustainability agenda, who prioritized determining how to engage residents in the decision-making process …

The Influence Of A Professional Sport Team’S Philanthropic Initiative On Fans’ Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr) Participation Intention, Young Suk Oh

All Dissertations

Within corporate social responsibility (CSR) research, there has been significant evidence of the positive impacts that CSR could bring to businesses. However, few studies, especially in the context of sport, have focused on how CSR benefits an actual social cause. Therefore, through a three-article format, the overall purpose of the dissertation is to examine how a professional sport team could use its CSR as a social marketing strategy to increase its fans’ willingness to participate in the team’s CSR program in contributing to a specific social cause. Specifically, Article 1 assesses whether CSR participation intention significantly differs among fans with …

Reconciling Conflicting Institutional Logics: Community Reinvestment Officers At The Intersection Of Public Policy And Market Forces, Meredith Mckee Adkins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although the public policy literature has traditionally focused on public sector agencies’ roles in the policy implementation process, private sector managers who oversee regulatory mandates for their organizations are also policy actors. These actors operate between multiple conflicting field-level institutional logics that create demands that they must reconcile through their work. In the banking sector, the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), enacted in 1977, and its associated policies are monitored by the banking regulatory agencies and implemented by the senior managers responsible for these mandates at regulated financial institutions. Simultaneously with their responsibility for the policy mission of the CRA, CRA …

Covid-19 Renters And Housing Instability: Combatting The Eviction Epidemic During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Knox County, Tennessee, Samantha B. Myers-Miller

Masters Theses

COVID-19 has exacerbated preexisting inequities in Knox County, Tennessee. The disruption to employment caused by the pandemic has imposed a great financial burden for many individuals who rent housing. The primary relief that was afforded to renters during the pandemic was enabled by a federal eviction moratorium order, where covered renters could defer payments to avoid eviction while the moratorium was in effect. Some additional rental assistance was provided to local governments through the federal CARES Act pandemic relief package. Despite these provisions, many people experienced housing crises in Knox County, where over 3,000 renters have faced eviction filing from …

Enrollment Management Strategies As A Result Of Covid-19 At Rural Community Colleges, Robin Christine Daniel

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Higher education institutions world-wide were impacted by the unprecedented novel coronavirus (COVID-19) beginning in early 2020. COVID-19 caused a disruption in services to students and resulted in pivots of teaching, learning, and student support. Community colleges differ from four-year counterparts through varying student demographics, funding sources, mission and foci, and student intentions. Community college enrollment is affected by economic, employment, and social trends. Enrollment management practices changes as campus operations for student support changed to remote support. COVID-19 forced administrators at colleges to make quick decisions. This study examined the perceptions of academic administrators at rural community colleges regarding how …

Training Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (Sane) And Patient Advocates To Improve Utilization Of The Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission (Acvcc) Program For Sexual Assault Victims, Erica Starling

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Sexual assault is a nationwide problem that often goes unreported. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted. One out of every six women has been a victim of sexual assault in their lifetime. Sexual violence has long-term effects on victims including post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal ideations and/or attempted suicide, substance use disorder, work and/or family life struggles, unplanned pregnancy, and/or sexually transmitted infections (STI).

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to improve the utilization of the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission Program (ACVCC) for victims …

Using An Ecojustice Education Framework To Address Conservation In The Upstate, Rebecca Bolich-Wade

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

In an era of complex and overlapping issues, it is critical to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative interdisciplinary methodology within the fields of justice and environmental conservation. One such method is encapsulated in an ecojustice education framework. This capstone project sought to analyze the effectiveness of an ecojustice education framework to address conservation in the Upstate of South Carolina. In the process of this study’s literature review, it is evident that isolating social justice from environmental conservation is ineffective and unresponsive to the needs that historically underserved communities today face in terms of the mitigation of environmental burdens and enhancement …

Using Community-Based Participatory Research To Tailor A Diabetes Education Program To An At-Risk Black Church Congregation In The Mid-Atlantic, Samantha A. Mielke

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Prediabetes and diabetes continue to have a high disease burden in the United States (Lin et al., 2018). Many individuals are unaware of their glucose state or the impact impaired glucose can have on their quality adjusted life years and cost of living. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has underscored the importance of decreasing the incidence of diabetes and has resources available. Still, many communities, particularly minority populations, can benefit from tailoring programs to their specific populations, where typical approaches may not be as beneficial (Joo & Liu, 2020). Additionally, Black American (BA) congregations often have …

Leading For Sustainability In School-Community Partnerships, Kimberly Renee Benavides

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools receive support in the form of partnerships with organizations such as businesses, churches, and non-profits for many reasons, and such partnerships are beneficial to students and the school community. The purpose of this participatory qualitative study was to determine behaviors of elementary school principals that result in the sustainability of school-community partnerships beyond the initial year of implementation. Elementary school principals in an urban public school district in North Texas were interviewed along with leaders from their corresponding community partners to determine the role of the principal in school-community partnership work. Through an in-depth analysis of interview transcripts, the …

How Can A Non-Personal Interpretive Guide Increase Place Attachment For Visitors, Encourage The Appropriate Development Of Sustainable Community-Based Ecotourism, And Increase Knowledge Of The Desert And Coastal Ecosystems And Migratory Whales Of Baja Mexico?, Mahin Hamilton

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Small ecotour companies run whale-watching tours in remote, protected lagoons of Baja California Sur every winter, as gray whales migrate there to mate and give birth to their young. Often, tourists must drive for hours each way to reach the lagoons for their tour. When tourists get to the small villages that are the base camp for whale watching, their only guides are the boat captains, who do not normally speak English (the main language of tourists in the area). A non-personal interpretive guide would bridge the gap of information, so that tourists learn about the ecology, history, and culture …

Buildings Integrated Into Landscape & Making People Care For Them: Exploring Integrated Land-Building Ecosystems And The Lifestyles Needed To Support It, Sara Mallio

Masters Theses

As climate change worsens, it is imperative that we make drastic changes to how our

buildings are designed. We need to create building systems that work with and enhance the surrounding ecosystem. Many of these types of systems were developed and tested during the back to land and environmentalist movements of the 1970’s. What is needed now is to synthesize these systems into packages that can be more easily adopted by the mainstream culture. By paying special attention to what people are willing to invest into their home’s system maintenance and adapting the sustainable systems to meet those needs, we …

Making The Old City: Life Projects And State Heritage In Rhodes And Acre, Evan Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations

The “old city,” a widely recognizable category of urban space, has long been a locus of development projects, state monitoring, and mass tourism, while also being home to resident communities. This dissertation explores the intersections of community life and state-driven heritage projects in the Old Town of Rhodes, in the Greek Dodecanese, and the Old City of Acre (‘Akka), a Palestinian community in northern Israel/Palestine. Both old cities are UNESCO World Heritage sites and subjects of intense state-supported tourism development. However, their resident populations and their built environments, which coalesced mainly under Crusader and Ottoman rule, challenge the authorized heritage …

Community Health Worker Program - Substance Use Disorder In Pregnancy, Alicia Claire Kletter Dnp

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background Substance use disorder (SUD) in pregnancy is a concern for mother, baby and community. Healthcare policies are increasingly calling for diversification of the workforce to meet healthcare needs. Community health workers (CHWs) are understood from the literature to be effective at bridging the gap between patient and healthcare provider, especially for vulnerable populations. Local Problem California’s Central Valley is majority Latinx and faces challenges from poverty, lack of medical resources, unemployment and SUD at rates which are higher than other communities. Combine SUD with pregnancy and the need for robust social connections, psychological support, and physical healthcare become even …

Belonging And Banding Together: Perspectives And Insights Of Newly Recruited Ell Musicians, Edward Luckey, Edward Luckey, Edward Luckey

Education Doctorate Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to bring forward the lived experiences of English Language Learner (ELL) musicians who were new to the band program as of the Spring of 2021. This study was born out of previous coursework and reflection where it became apparent that more must be done to provide access to our band program for students who are in our ELL program. Therefore, the research question that guides this study is “What are the lived experiences of ELL band students?” The methodology is primarily a pursuit of the stories and lived experiences of the ELLs via a …