Civic and Community Engagement Commons^™

Influence Of Social Media In Stages Of Democratization, Ira David Sternberg

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Internet and social media have become a pervasive part of our global environment over the last few decades, utilized primarily for commerce, communication, and entertainment. The last several years, however, have seen an increase in the application of social media in political discourse and activities, primarily in developed democracies and autocracies. Does that mean social media can influence democratic transition and consolidation in the 21st century? Are the examples of the Green Movement in 2009 and the Arab Spring in 2011 a validation of social media in service to democracy, or is social media also a tool for surveillance …

Friends Of Rainbow Company Program Evaluation, Holly Balmer, Christian Downing, Eric Garner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Friends of the Rainbow Company (Friends) is a nonprofit organization that supports the mission of The Rainbow Company Youth Theatre (Rainbow Company) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Established in 1978, it supports the Rainbow Company through non-traditional financial streams and hands-on support. The Rainbow Company receives primary financial support from the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs. Being the City’s only youth theatre education program of its kind, it has received local governmental funding since 1976. The City support is mainly for salaried employees and facilities.

Friends and the Rainbow Company are very closely linked in several ways. First, …

The New American Conservation Movement: New Strategies, Focus And Organizations For The 21st Century, Amy Deanna Northrup

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation provides evidence of the emergence of a new conservation movement in the United States. The strategic, tactical and organizational approaches of traditional conservation efforts, which began in the early 1900s, have shifted during the last two decades. Specifically, the new conservation movement is characterized by three distinct changes. First, many of the well-established conservation organizations, such as the Sierra Club and National Audubon Society, have largely abandoned their traditional focus on increasing the number of acres preserved; instead more defensive and fragmented forms of conservation now reign. The second change to the conservation movement involves a dramatic expansion …

Community Gardening: Benefits Focused Strategies, Joseph Zaanan Tellschow

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Throughout history humans have had varying degrees of interaction with nature and natural environments. This interaction has shaped our species in almost every way possible from our physical traits to our behaviors and places we have chosen to occupy. Currently, humans have developed such overwhelming mastery of the planet that it is easy for many humans to feel disconnected from nature. This separation could have detrimental effects on various aspects of human well-being including physical and mental health. To understand these effects, it is important to evaluate the benefits that humans receive from exposure to nature and interaction with natural …

Understanding Loyalty And Motivation Of Professional Sports Fans, Victoria Wilkins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors which create continuous and permanent commitment to a specific professional sports team.

Statement of Objectives: There is no denying that the current economic standing of the United States does not promote spending large sums of money on entertainment and leisure. Since taking a family to a professional sports game gets rather expensive, families are lead to pursue other alternatives while deciding how to spend free time. The costs of game attendance, including tickets, parking, food, beverages and souvenirs, can easily surpass one hundred dollars, which is undoable for many …

Political And Civic Engagement Attitudes Among Asian American College Students, Matthew Vanada

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study explored the attitudes of political and civic engagement among Asian American college students. Previous research suggests that young people are increasingly more inclined to participate in civic activities over traditional forms of political participation. The researcher considered this trend by examining the views of Asian American students, a group whose political behavior has not been largely investigated.

This study employed a qualitative research design. Students from public institutions of higher education in Las Vegas were interviewed using an in-depth and semi-structured format. Findings suggest that there is a general willingness to become involved in civic activity such as …

Volunteer Management Analysis For The City Of Las Vegas, Robert Fash, Jose Rodriguez, Bertral Washington, Heather Whitesides

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The City of Las Vegas current volunteer management program is unable to provide effective administration of its volunteers. We will discuss what type of volunteer management program would work best for the City of Las Vegas? Volunteer management models were examined to determine what best practices can be adopted by the City of Las Vegas. Research shows a correlation between citizen engagement, volunteerism in the community, and a better quality of life for citizens in communities that have active volunteer programs. Thirty-six jurisdictions were surveyed, most of which are in the Western United States, with four jurisdictions being highlighted. The …

Preserving The Past And Planning The Future In Pasadena, Riverside And San Bernardino, Charles Conway Palmer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examines how three Southern California cities—Pasadena, Riverside and San Bernardino—used the processes of urban renewal and historic preservation as development strategies for their downtown business districts. The ways in which these processes were employed has both reflected and shaped the cities‘ evolving definitions of community. These ideas of community were both inclusive and exclusive, favoring certain ethnicities and cultural practices over others to advance a particular civic image. The case studies are representative of cities in the region that are ―other than Los Angeles; those founded in the nineteenth-century after the Spanish and Mexican periods, but prior to …

An Evaluation Of Group Differences In Mentoring Programs' Perceived Outcomes, Jennifer Sue Anderson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mentoring programs, like Big Brothers/Big Sisters (BBBS), focus on targeting at-risk youth in a preventative effort to increase pro-social behaviors as well as improving one's confidence, competence, and caring. These factors are important as they are indicative of the types of attachment bonds that insulate juveniles from delinquent behavior. Using data from a BBBS located in the Southeast part of the United States, the current study examined whether different groups of juveniles in mentoring programs are considered to be equally successful in promoting feelings of confidence, competence, and caring. Employing a series of one-way ANOVAs, no significant relationships were found …

Cross-Sectional Study Of Strength In Sharing: Philanthropy In Girl Scouting, Juergen Barbusca

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

On the morning of September 11th, the world was witness to a tragedy that represented the very worst and the very best of what human beings are capable. Marked by heroic deeds with life-saving consequences, caring acts performed by complete strangers, and charitable giving carried out by a shocked but generous country, the events of September are prime exemplars of America's philanthropic tradition. For some, these humanitarian acts were instinctive, for others more purposeful and conscious, and for still others perhaps an appeal to duty. The response to the immediate and longer-term needs of the victims, their families and communities …

Coalition Formation: Governmental Practices To Resolve Social Issues, Delshanna Jones

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Small groups have formed to resolve social issues since the beginning of time. It is the village concept where activists meet in the center of town to discuss a concern and together work toward a solution to a problem. This is represented in the town of Plato’s Republic and how they handled its dilemma with Socrates disrespect and disruptions to their way of ruling/ their culture. People met at a central location, discussed the issue, agreed on a solution and, together, enforced the resolution. Thus, first governments used groups to find solutions to community problems (Bell and Smith, p.1). Citizens …

Factors Affecting Participation In Senior Center Programs, Betty J. Jefferson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study investigated whether the factors of relationships, recreation, relatedness, and reward would affect participation in senior centers. Demographic variables of age, sex, and socio-economic status and enabling variables of health, transportation, and income were also investigated. Data were collected from a sample of 57 older adults (aged 55 and over) from three Las Vegas Senior Centers using an instrument developed by the investigator. Findings revealed that relationships, recreation, and relatedness contributed to reasons for participation. Rewards did not seem to affect participation. In terms of demographics, more participants tended to be older, female, and educated. Enabling variables revealed participants …

Public Participation In Clark County, Nevada: An Analysis Of Public Participation In The Land Use Planning Process, Fred R. Turnier

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper explores public participation as determined through three land use planning case studies in Clark County, Nevada. Chapter One outlines the existing conditions for public participation and introduces a set of questions to be explored. Chapter Two defines the scope and methodology employed in the research. Chapter Three is a literature review for levels of public participation. The next Chapter discusses statutory requirements for planning and formal public participation. Further, Chapter Four outlines the events leading up to a revised planning participation process and implementation in three land use plan updates. Finally, Chapter Four explores themes derived through the …

Water Conservation In The Las Vegas Valley, Judith M. Keir

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis deals primarily with residential use of water in the Las Vegas Valley, an arid climate located in the Mojave Desert, and whether the education of people living here has any bearing on whether or not they conserve water. Many of the residents of the Las Vegas Valley have moved from other areas of the country, and perhaps are not aware of the fact that there is a limited supply of water available to the Valley. I believe that people are not necessarily wasteful, and that they would want to conserve water, if they were aware that conservation and …

Public Participation Program Development: An Analysis Of Public Participation In The Water Industry, Marcia Lynne Holmberg

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The field of public participation is a distinct, but yet unpolished facet within the public relations industry. While the purpose of and need for public participation are becoming increasingly clear, many remain unaware or unconvinced of its advantages. Likewise, even among those who endorse the necessity of public participation, its methods and strategies continue to be a mystery to most.

One industry, in particular, that has recognized and embraced the benefits of conducting public participation is the water utility industry. The purpose of this thesis is to 1) crystallize the understanding of why public participation is a necessary and advantageous …