Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Arts and Humanities Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities

Improving Diagnostic Outcomes For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders Within The Hispanic Community In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Bethany Waddey Jan 2023

Improving Diagnostic Outcomes For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders Within The Hispanic Community In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Bethany Waddey

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Despite the importance of early identification and intervention of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Hispanic children are significantly under-diagnosed with ASD in comparison to non-Hispanic, white children due to barriers to ASD identification in this population. The purpose of this research is to determine the levels of ASD knowledge in the Hispanic community in Bowling Green, the barriers that may contribute to why ASD is underdiagnosed in Hispanic children, and how to mitigate these barriers. This research analyzes the results of a survey, called the “Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale- General Population Version”, administered to 51 participants from the Hispanic population of …


Does "Good" Mean White?: Understanding The Complexities Of Refugee Resettlement In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Molly Shaddix Jan 2022

Does "Good" Mean White?: Understanding The Complexities Of Refugee Resettlement In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Molly Shaddix

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Bowling Green, Kentucky is a relatively small town comparable to its counterparts across the South. However, Bowling Green has a significant population of refugee inhabitants that have resettled in waves since the late 1970s. This paper describes the lived experience of refugees resettling by analyzing community action and troubles faced while working for independence in their new homes. Some factors explored are access to affordable housing, language barriers, and trouble in education. In addition, this paper contextualizes their lived experiences with other resettlement communities across the United States to understand how Bowling Green fits into patterns of societal xenophobia, racism, …


Where's Jonesville? How The Destruction Of Jonesville Left A Legacy Of Housing Discrimination In Bowling Green, Ky, George Carpenter May 2014

Where's Jonesville? How The Destruction Of Jonesville Left A Legacy Of Housing Discrimination In Bowling Green, Ky, George Carpenter

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Jonesville was a small tight-knit African-American community in Bowling Green, Kentucky with a unique cultural identity. Family-oriented and extremely self-sufficient, Jonesville thrived as a prime example of southern black culture in the mid 20th century. However, Jonesville did not stand a chance placed against a powerful local institution. In the late 1950s and early 1960s the community was destroyed to create space for an expanding Western Kentucky University. Fueled by the entirely unjust urban renewal legislation, Kentucky Project R-31, Jonesville was wiped from the Bowling Green map. Due to locally sanctioned discriminatory action, the displaced citizens of Jonesville were …


Hispanic Health Initiative: Creating A Sustainable Health Fair For An Immigrant Community, Chaz Arnold May 2014

Hispanic Health Initiative: Creating A Sustainable Health Fair For An Immigrant Community, Chaz Arnold

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Previous demographic and social interest research conducted in Bowling Green, Kentucky has prompted concern for access to quality healthcare for immigrant populations, specifically for the Hispanic community. The missions of the preliminary investigation and subsequent implementation of a sustainable health fair for the Spanish-speaking community were to assess the primary health concerns that many Hispanics face and offer long-term solutions to collectively resolve these health issues. Preliminary investigation involved researching population-specific health statistics in order to quantify prevalence of certain conditions which were, in turn, prioritized in terms of necessity to address. Further research reflected personal concern from the target …


Les Villes Jumelées: Finding Bowling Green A Francophone Sister City, Sarah Kinnicutt May 2014

Les Villes Jumelées: Finding Bowling Green A Francophone Sister City, Sarah Kinnicutt

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The Villes Jumelées Project seeks to encourage the study of French language and culture in Bowling Green by creating a relationship with a francophone country. To do this, we have paired with a French-speaking high school in Porrentruy, Switzerland. WKU students of French are participating in virtual exchanges via a class webpage. Eventually, a cultural exchange of regional products and perhaps historical documents will take place. Ultimately, this project could serve as the groundwork for a new sister city relationship between Bowling Green and Porrentruy. As Western Kentucky University strives to become a university with international reach, it is important …


Refugee Services In Kentucky: A Case-Study Of Cedars In Bowling Green, Ky, Mia J. Jackson May 2013

Refugee Services In Kentucky: A Case-Study Of Cedars In Bowling Green, Ky, Mia J. Jackson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This thesis documents existing refugee organizations and services in Kentucky with an in-depth focus on the Center for Development, Acculturation, & Resolution Services (CEDARS) in Bowling Green, KY. CEDARS was established in 2011 with the mission of connecting various community resources in order to assist refugees and immigrants in their resettlement transition following the initial 90 days when government assistance ends. This case-study of CEDARS examines the non-profit’s history, organization, missions, accomplishments, and areas of needed improvement. The research looks at how CEDARS fits into the context of Kentucky’s existing non-profit refugee service organizations and, more specifically, within the small …


Hispanic Outreach In Bowling Green, Ky: Defining The Needs Of The Hispanic Community, Caitlin Reyes May 2012

Hispanic Outreach In Bowling Green, Ky: Defining The Needs Of The Hispanic Community, Caitlin Reyes

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

It is certain that Hispanics in Bowling Green confront numerous obstacles, such as a language barrier and a lack of knowledge of available community services that prohibits them from fully integrating into our community. The goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of these obstacles, to determine the perceptions of the city’s Latino population, and to ascertain what businesses, services, and community organizations can do in order to better accommodate Hispanics in Bowling Green. This research analyzes the results of a needs assessment survey administered to 80 self-identified Hispanic members of local churches. The survey responses indicated …


A Virtual Tour Of Wku’S Main Campus, Zachary Ryle May 2012

A Virtual Tour Of Wku’S Main Campus, Zachary Ryle

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In my WKU Honors College Capstone Experience entitled “A Virtual Tour of WKU’s Main Campus,” my task was to create a virtual tour students across the state, country and even around the world could use to view WKU’s campus without ever setting foot in Bowling Green. Throughout this experience, I filmed myself giving individual tour of over 60 different locations on WKU’s campus, with a total of 72 buildings and locations earning markers on the campus map. This virtual tour was created during the summer of 2011 and was completed by November of that same year. Once completed, Admissions Counselors …