Digital Commons Network^™

Breaking The Mold: Thinking Beyond Deficits, Elyse Hambacher, Winston Charles Thompson

Education

In an attempt to understand widespread school failure among children of color and children from low-income backgrounds, dominant discourse points to pervasive deficit ideologies that blame a student’s family structure, cultural and linguistic background, and community (Dudley-Marling, 2007; Valencia, 2010; Weiner, 2006). By accepting such a simplistic explanation of blaming the child for a lack of success without examining systemic inequities, deficit thinkers ignore real and complex issues of structural inequity. We agree with Pearl (1997) who argues that deficit thinking ignores “external forces— [i.e.], the complex makeup of macro- and micro-level mechanisms that help structure schools as inequitable and …

I’M Sure I Know Myself From Somewhere: Surveillance And Subjectivity In Social Media, Lucas Power

Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Honors Theses

Building on Critical Art Ensemble’s initial formulation of the data body, and on Kevin Haggerty and Richard Ericson’s concept of surveillant assemblages, my thesis explores a further articulation of digital subjectivity by examining ‘data body’ as a referent for the various data connections and layers that a neoliberal subject is presumed to gather and generate over the course of a day. The flesh is bound to and by this data, as many examples indicate data’s ability to expand, spread, “go viral” and have a discernible effect on a user’s practical existence. My thesis deals with the ways that disciplinary …

Transition Services In The Public School System For Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Krista M. Gieseke-Smith

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Due to early intervention efforts and improved diagnoses, more individuals with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are able to attend postsecondary education than ever before (Adreon & Durocher, 2007). However, due to the inherent nature of autism, the transition to postsecondary education can be of great difficulty and cause a great deal of anxiety for these individuals. The purpose of the current research was to explore what is being done to aid in the transition to postsecondary education for this specific population and what is helpful. All participants were male and either had or currently are receiving special education …

The Evolution Of Disney Princesses And Their Effect On Body Image, Gender Roles, And The Portrayal Of Love, Rachael Michelle Johnson

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

The media plays an essential role in determining people’s schemas of the real world, assumptions about cultural ideals, and perceptions surrounding body image, gender roles, and the idealization of love (Behm-Morawitz & Mastro, 2008; Herbozo, Tantleff-Dunn, Gokee-Larose, & Thompson, 2004). Children in particular are vulnerable to these messages due to their high consumption of media and their cognitive development (Agarwal & Dhanasekaran, 2012; Herbozo et al., 2004). Disney is one the most powerful aspects in children’s media and their princess phenomenon plays an essential role in perpetuating stereotypes by having their heroines embody submissiveness, being young and thin, and attracting …

The Congruence Of The Social And Conventional Entrepreneur: An Examination Of Goal Split Distribution, Emergence By Age, And Antecedent Model Congruence, Eric M. Korn

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Defined social and conventional entrepreneurs enjoy very different levels of support and educational offerings in the United States and abroad. With the launch of more and more nonprofit organizations being spurred on by the entrepreneur, the extent to which those that seek a distributed bottom line for their intended organization differ from those with economic goals becomes an important line of inquiry.

The study of the entrepreneur began, in many ways, with Schumpeter in that late 1930’s, and the echoes of his economic background remain implicit in the definition of the breed to this day. This work seeks to determine …

Predicting Bystander Attitudes Using Rape Myth Acceptance And Adherence To The Commodity Model Of Sex, Kimberly J. Johnson

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The high rate of sexual assault on college campuses has become a growing concern among college administrators. To combat the prevalence of sexual assault, colleges and universities have begun implementing mandatory bystander intervention training programs, which teach students to look for warning signs indicative of sexual assault and intervene before an assault occurs. Previous research has indicated that an individual’s endorsement of rape myths may play a role in whether or not that individual will intervene in a situation that may lead to sexual assault; however, little research has investigated from where beliefs in rape myths might stem. Sex educators …

Risk Factors For Social Isolation In Older Korean Americans, Yuri Jang, Nan Sook Park, David A. Chiriboga, Hyungwoo Yoon, Jisook Ko, Juyoung Lee, Miyong T. Kim

Social Work Faculty Publications

Objective: Given the importance of social ties and connectedness in the lives of older ethnic immigrants, the present study examined the prevalence of social isolation and its risk factors in older Korean Americans.

Method: Using survey data from 1,301 participants (M_age = 70.5, SD = 7.24), risk groups for marginal social ties with family and friends were identified and predictors of each type of social isolation explored.

Results: Male gender and poorer rating of health were identified as common risk factors for marginal ties to both family and friends. Findings also present specific risk factors for each type …

Implicit Association Of Gender And Politics, Bryonna Bowen, Jessica Preece

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The gender gap in participation, capability, and interest in politics has been widely researched. However, in this project we examined whether or not people implicitly identify men more strongly than women with politics. Furthermore, I was interested to determine to what extent everyday media exposure, particularly focusing on a specific gender, could influence an individual’s implicit biases. Mock newspaper articles, with either male or female political subjects, were used to further determine the effect of media content on people’s gender biases. While self-reported prejudices may be inconsistent and untrustworthy, I used the implicit association test (IAT) to assess the patterns …

You Can't Sit With Us: An Examination Of The Influence Of Forgiveness And Accountability On The Use Of Relational Aggression In College-Age Women, Katherine Frances Long

Honors Theses

The current study seeks to investigate the ways in which forgiveness and accountability influence the likelihood that a female perpetrator of relational aggression will continue this behavior, and/or reconcile with her victim. It is hypothesized that when a perpetrator of relational aggression is held accountable for her actions, and is also forgiven by her victim, she will experience the greatest level of guilt, will perpetrate the least number of similar instances in the future, and will be most inclined to seek reconciliation with her victim. Ninety female students attending Bucknell University (57 in the fall, 33 in the spring) were …

Peer Encouragement Of Risky Behavior And Other Statistical Predictors Of Campus Sexual Assault Victimization, Gwenn Gideon

Honors Theses

Campus sexual assault (CSA) is a chronic health crisis. There are many factors that are thought of to be predictors of CSA, such as alcohol consumption, which is the most robust correlate of CSA. Additionally, previous research (e.g., Flack et al., 2007) demonstrates a positive association between CSA and hooking up. Hazing is an activity that often includes alcohol and hooking up. Female peer encouragement of risky behavior is a set of behaviors that women engage in with other women that may place them at higher risk for CSA victimization. Some examples include engaging in hook-up and drinking bets. The …

A Theatrical Approach To Raising Awareness Of Human Sex Trafficking Across The Globe, Gwenn Gideon

Honors Theses

As a culmination of my theatrical studies and other academic and personal interests developed over my four years at Bucknell University, I conducted a yearlong project that raised awareness of human sex trafficking in the 2014-2015 academic year. My project was composed of three distinct parts that included facilitating in-class workshops, public workshops, and directing a staged reading. The overall goal of this project was to raise awareness of human sex trafficking, get people interested and involved in the project, and give people the information they need to do more. This project was a THEA 319 Independent Study that was …

Crossover Youth: Person-Centered Approaches To Understanding Youth Involved In The Child Welfare And Juvenile Justice Systems, Kellie G. Randall

Doctoral Dissertations

Crossover youth (COY) is a broad term that describes those who are served, at any point, by both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems (Herz & Ryan, 2008). In 2012, The Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF; the state child welfare agency) and the Court Support Services Divisions (CSSD; the state agency that handles juvenile court matters) entered into a data sharing agreement to better understand the COY population in the state. The current study uses this DCF-CSSD dataset to address two aims: (1) understand how COY differ from youth who are involved only in the child welfare …

Nipe-Nikupe: A Multi-Level Perspective Of Gender And Hiv Prevention In Heterosexual Marriages In Kenya, Rose Anne N. Njiru

Doctoral Dissertations

Archival abstract submitted

The Good Imperialists: Empire, National Identity, And Gender In British Theater, 1660-1790, Jennifer Ryer

Doctoral Dissertations

This work deals with one way in which imperialism could be convincingly rationalized to average people who had little to no substantial, direct investment in it and who may have understood it as something that went against their values as Britons. Through media like the theater, Britons who were sympathetic to empire-building could reframe it as a patriotic and humanitarian endeavor, connect it to their audiences’ national identity, and could present those audiences with respectable models for imperial citizenship. Public debate about Britain’s expanding empire bled heavily into the theaters, where authors could stage their own immediate contributions to the …

Experiences Of Slow Violence In Poor Kenyan Communities: Micro Disasters, Formalized Aid Responses, And Community Support Through Social Networks, Jennifer L. Willett

Doctoral Dissertations

Experiences of Slow Violence in Poor Kenyan Communities: Micro Disasters, Formalized Aid Responses, and Community Support through Social Networks

Jennifer Willett, Ph.D.

University of Connecticut, 2015

Despite increasing focus on the physical environment within social work, the profession at-large is failing to integrate concerns about environmental degradation into research, education, and practice. Using a slow violence frame, this study applied a qualitative phenomenological design to collect data through interviews and field notes about environmental degradation and responses in 19 poor communities in Kenya. Rather than describe mega disasters as the source of their environmental problems, participants detailed “micro disasters.” Micro …

Trypanosoma Cruzi Prevalence In The Domestic Canine Population In Central And Eastern Kentucky, Katelyn Cox

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Domestic canines are regarded as natural sentinelsfor the transmission of vector-borne pathogens since infection in an owner’s dog suggests the presence of the vector in or around the household. In collaboration with the University of Kentucky’s Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Lexington, Kentucky, we have investigated the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi (the causative agent of Chagas disease) in canines from central and eastern Kentucky via a serological test, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and DNA sequencing. In addition, Canine SNAP 4Dx plus tests (Idexx Laboratories, Inc.) were used to determine the prevalence of four other vector-borne pathogens: Ehrlichia canis/ewingii, Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma …

Biases In Race And Social Desirability Within Jury Simulations, Michelle Hallaran

Honors Program Theses and Projects

This study examined how the defendant’s race and the victim’s social desirability influence sentencing. Participants were randomly assigned to read one of four crime scenarios, featuring either a Black or White defendant or a socially desirable or undesirable victim. For each scenario the defendant’s race was manipulated and participants were shown a picture of either a Black or White male. Data were collected at two different time periods, because of potential influence of media coverage of racial bias in jury decisions. Therefore, the effects of defendant race, victim social desirability, and time period were tested through an experiment using a …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 90, No. 53, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Archives Records

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Rogers, Shelby. Administrators Start Filling $7.7 Million Gap – Budget
• Rogers, Shelby. New Building for College of Business on Horizon
• Ponder, Abby. Students Unwind at Valleypalooza – Housing & Residence Life
• Ponder, Abby. WKU Owensboro Campus Becomes Small-Scale Main Campus
• Pettway, Shantel. Building Maintenance Headline Summer Construction Projects – Facilities Management
• Marsupial Awards
• Profumo, Morgan. Finals Are Finally Here But Stay Calm
• Wagner, Nick. Tobacco Worker Struggles to Support Family – Santiago Garcia, Migrant Workers
• Henderson, Andrew & Trey Crumbie. Paper Cranes to Wish Good Luck on Finals – …

Vista: May 7, 2015, University Of San Diego

USD Vista

No abstract provided.

The Rough South And New Southern Studies: Crossroads And Constellations, Amanda Freeman

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

“The Rough South and New Southern Studies: Crossroads and Constellations” examines fiction by writers of the Rough South and interrogates the inadequate state of criticism on these working-class authors in New Southern Studies. New Southern Studies seeks to de-marginalize the South and to combat a sense of inferiority or irrelevancy in a multicultural and increasingly globalized world; but in this process, New Southern Studies has actually marginalized the region’s most vibrant form of contemporary fiction—Rough South literature. This marginalization springs partly from class-based prejudice, and partly from a concern that the Rough South is too provincial for New Southern Studies. …

Immersion, Jennifer M. Tremblay

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The focus of this paper is on a body of work created between 2014 and 2015. This series, titled Immersion, deals with the pollution of a local body of water, Blacks Run, and with my own bodily illnesses that occurred during this time period. Using large-scale cyanotypes, video, and large format photography I explore the attitudes that lead to environmental pollution and reference my own struggle with depression and anxiety.

My work examines traditional gendered views of the landscape and female figure, and the intersections and interactions between these two ‘bodies’. By using my illness as a way to …

Memory As Torchlight: Frederick Douglass And Public Memories Of The Haitian Revolution, James Lincoln

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The following explores how Frederick Douglass and others used public memories of the Haitian Revolution during the nineteenth century.

Her Majesty's Dignity: Secularization In The Age Of Reformation, Catherine Larson

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This thesis explores the growing secularization in English government policies between the years 1570-1598. By examining international politics and domestic treason trials, the reader can see a clear change in the language used to describe Catholics by the Protestant English. Beginning with the Papal Bull, Regnans in Exchelsis, the Catholic persecution reached its zenith under Elizabeth in the 1570s. The treason trials of Edmund Campion, William Parry, and Mary Queen of Scots show how the 1580s was a period of secularization in domestic politics. Internationally, the changing alliances between England, the Netherlands, and France show how England slowly begins …

Impacts Of Consumer Horticulture On Stormwater And Nutrient Management: Investigating Public Perception, Knowledge, And Practices In The Shenandoah River Watershed, Christopher P. Parker

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The South Fork Shenandoah River is a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay that is a significant contributor to nitrogen and phosphorus that enter the Bay and leads to increased eutrophication. These nutrients also cause problems in the South Fork Shenandoah River. The United States Environmental Protection agency has implemented strict regulation to reduce nutrients entering the Bay by developing the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. While the TMDL has strict regulation on wastewater treatment, agriculture, and industry, there are still sources of nutrients entering the Bay through unregulated sources. Urban/suburban runoff is one of these sources, particularly runoff from home owner’s lawns. …

Analysis Of Real-World Passwords For Social Media Sites, Mark J. Quinn

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Textual passwords have dominated all other entity authentication mechanisms since they were introduced in the early 1960’s. Despite an inherent weakness against social engineering, keylogging, shoulder surfing, dictionary, and brute-force attacks, password authentication continues to grow as the Internet expands. Existing research on password authentication proves that dictionary attacks are successful because users make poor choices when creating passwords. To make passwords easier to remember, users select character strings that are shorter in length and contain memorable content, like personal identity information, common words found in a dictionary, backward spellings of common words, recognizable sequences, and easily guessed mnemonic phrases. …

Competitive Drive In Varsity And Club Collegiate Student-Athletes: The Correlation Between Motivation, Influences, And Coach-Athlete Relationship, Carolann R. Baldridge

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The current study explores the factors that drive Division I collegiate athletes to be competitive. Student-athletes from James Madison University, both at the club and varsity levels were surveyed in this study. There were 129 total student athletes that participated (67 males and 62 females). Exactly 89 participants were varsity athletes and 40 were club athletes. Athletes were presented with an in-person survey that included several demographic questions followed by the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ). The TEOSQ scored athletes on their task and ego orientation during sport participation. The quantitative results of this study do not …

Occupy The Future: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Dystopian Film And The Occupy Movement, Justin J. Grandinetti

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The anarchic Occupy Wall Street protests, which began in 2011, had an immediate impact on politics and the global lexicon. By introducing the terms “the one percent” and “the 99%” into the public sphere, Occupy was able to draw attention to growing global income inequality. This revolutionary spirit was not lost on popular culture, as a number of films that followed the protests were linked to Occupy. The Hunger Games (2012), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), and Elysium (2013) represent films that were not only extremely successful in the box office, but were also connected to the Occupy Movement because …

Educating The Modern Woman: Girls’ College Preparatory Schools In Virginia, 1900-1930, Eliza Mcgehee

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

In the early 1900s, women pursued higher education and employment outside of the home in growing numbers. As women’s educational opportunities expanded, the need for college preparation also increased. This study examines the development of four all-girls’ college preparatory schools in Virginia from 1900 to 1930, focusing on the ways in which notions of gender influenced the creation and execution of the schools’ guiding visions and curricula. It also examines the roles students played in the development of these programs and shows students’ wide range of responses to the purpose and goals of their own education. Through the academic curricula, …

Propensity Score Matching In Higher Education Assessment, Heather D. Harris

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The applied nature of higher education assessment does not lend itself to rigorous experimental research designs. However, assessment practitioners would like to make claims about the influence of educational programs on student learning outcomes. Propensity score matching (PSM) methods are quasi-experimental techniques that allow researchers to control for known confounding variables. In the context of higher education, PSM techniques allow assessment practitioners to control for confounding variables related to students’ self-selected participation in university programs. Research and recommendations on how to apply PSM techniques are scattered throughout several disciplines. However, additional research is needed to evaluate how well PSM techniques …

Persons Can Speak Louder Than Variables: Person-Centered Analyses And The Prediction Of Student Success, Elisabeth M. Pyburn

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

In order to ensure that analyses are appropriate for one’s research question(s), it is important to consider whether a person-centered or variable-centered approach is needed. Person-centered approaches are often not considered in situations for which they would be appropriate. To that end, a description of the characteristics and procedures of two common person-centered analyses (cluster analysis and mixture modeling) are provided. Although both analyses accomplish the same general aim – to group persons based on their similarity on a series of variables, thus providing ease of interpretation – the methods employed for each analysis differ considerably. As illustration, both analyses …