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The Cowl - V. 89 N. 18 - April 16, 2026

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 18 - April 16, 2026. 20 pages.

The Laureate - An Undergraduate Literary Journal, Amelia Perleberg

Honors Theses

This thesis reflects on the editorial and publication process of the 24th edition of The Laureate, an undergraduate literary arts journal, during the 2025-2026 academic year. This thesis displays the role of editor-in-chief and examines the responsibilities, challenges, and personal growth that accompanied leading the journal. Through overseeing submissions, editing creative works, coordinating with the Design Center, and organizing the launch event, this thesis explores the collaborative and creative work required to produce a successful publication. The Laureate accepts a wide range of creative works, including poetry, fiction pieces, personal essays, photography, painting, scripts, etc. allowing undergraduate students to …

A Black Feminist Perspective On The Role Of Community Engaged Pedagogy In Communication Education, Katrina Marie Overby, Nickesia S. Gordon

Feminist Pedagogy

As two Black feminist communication scholars, we reflect on the importance of intersectional and culturally responsive community engaged pedagogical practices in communication education. In this paper, we articulate the ways in which integrating community engaged pedagogical practices more intentionally in our curriculum, positions communication educators to participate in and contribute to advocacy based teaching that centralizes reflexivity, dialogue, critical literacy, and alliance building. Rooted in bell hooks’ theory of engaged pedagogy, our approach advocates for educators to articulate a pedagogy of Conscientizacao and to create curricula that teach us all to transgress.

Engaging The World’S Cultures By Exploring Travel Possibilities: Overcoming Ethnocentrism To Demonstrate Cultural Awareness, Ashley D. Garcia, Daniel L. Foster

Feminist Pedagogy

This series of intercultural communication assignments was designed to assist students with the challenging transition from an ethnocentric (inflexible) mindset to an ethnorelative (flexible) one. At the beginning of the semester, students select a country and a corresponding international news source (online) to read throughout the semester. They complete several Engaging the World’s Cultures (EWC) assignments during the semester to accomplish two goals: to dive deep into the culture and to strengthen the uptake of an ethnorelative mindset when learning about a different culture. The information gathered through the EWC assignments is then compiled in a Travel Brochure at the …

Lindenwood Digest, April 15, 2026, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

• Event & Date: The Lindenwood University Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony is scheduled for Monday, April 20, 2026, from 3–4:30 p.m.. 

• Geographic Grounding: J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts, Lindenwood University, St. Charles, Missouri. 

• Key Honorees/Awards: Benita Phillips Lester was elected Vice President of Professional Development for the Missouri Academic Advising Association (MACADA); the PRIDE Fund annual award cycle opened on April 1, with applications due by May 5, 2026. 

• Institutional Context: The 2026 Lindenwood Showcase on April 23 features faculty sessions on integrating artificial intelligence into the classroom, specifically focusing on building student skills and practical teaching strategies. 

X Versus Reality: Orbán Content Dominates X, But Was 420% Inconsistent With Vote Totals, Bond Benton, Yi Lou, Jin-A Choi

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

This follow-up study from Montclair State University researchers in the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication in the College of Communication and Media shows (again) that the volume of political posts on X (formerly Twitter) may not reflect actual voter behavior. The gap between post volume about candidates and real election votes was 420.7% in the analyzed case of the April 12, 2026, election in Hungary. This reflects an even greater gap than the Center’s previous study of the New Jersey gubernatorial election where X posts favored the losing candidate by a margin of …

How Much Control Should We Have Over Our Social Media Feeds?: Reflections On A Lesson For High School Students, Daniel G. Krutka, Edward Henry

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

This paper describes a week-long high school lesson designed to help students understand and reclaim agency over their algorithmically curated social media feeds. Drawing on Nicholas Carr's framework of media's three functions — message creation, selection, and transmission — the lesson traces how algorithms displaced human editorial judgment beginning with Facebook's 2006 News Feed. Through guided inquiry, social media diaries, and platform comparison charts, students examined how much control they have, and should have, over what they see online. The lesson aims to foster critical algorithmic awareness and more intentional social media practices among young people navigating an increasingly automated …

Coverage, Traits, And Geographic Distribution Of Online Surgeon Reviews: Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Analysis, Michael Geng, Carlos Riveros, Yash B. Shah, Sanjana Ranganathan, Kai Fok, Renil Sinu Titus, Vatsala Mundra, Eusebio Luna Velasquez, Dharam Kaushik, Allan S. Detsky, Angela Jerath, Benjamin N. Breyer, Yusuke Tsugawa, Christopher J. D. Wallis, Raj Satkunasivam

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

BACKGROUND: The use of online physician rating platforms has significantly increased and has been shown to influence physician selection. There are limited data on the use of these platforms for rating surgeons.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we sought to assess the geographic distribution of and patterns in rating scores of surgeons in the United States. Additionally, we examined rating volumes across different surgical specialties and the association between peer-nominated and patient-initiated ratings on online rating platforms in the United States.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study by identifying 201,154 surgeons in the United States via the National Plan and Provider …

Suppressing Saints And Suffering Sinners: An Analysis Of Reductive Tropes Through The 2025 Film Sinners, Kaila Palmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Ryan Coogler’s 2025 horror film Sinners is set in a predominantly Black Mississippi community during the Jim Crow era and explores the vulnerability and hypervisibility of Black people. Vampires and Klansmen fixate on Black bodies, treating them as consumable and dispensable sources. Prior to its Amazon Prime debut and extended theatrical run, Sinners grossed over $300 million, signaling its cultural impact and contribution to reshaping representations of Black identity in cinema. As part of Coogler’s broader array of Black storytelling, the film disrupts entrenched stereotypes by emphasizing character depth rather than caricature.

This paper analyzes the characters Annie and the …

Protecting Free Speech And Promoting Civility: The Dueling Responsibilities Of American Colleges And Universities, Tara N. Parsons

International Journal on Responsibility

Freedom House estimates that 75% of the world’s population lives in countries that experienced a democratic decline in 2020. Even in long established democracies, liberal democratic values have been shaken. As democracy requires an enlightened citizenry cultivated by a college education, many American universities and colleges adopt civic instruction and engagement as a core responsibility and mission. However, growing anti-intellectualism has drawn increased scrutiny and suspicion towards the programming, curriculum, and core values of universities. Powerful political figures regularly accuse universities of stifling conservative voices and discouraging free speech. The tension between free speech and civic dialogue requires a reframing …

Digital Touchpoints: Investigating Contact Page Accessibility And Visual Authenticity Within Medical Tourism Health Websites, Alicia Mason, Elizabeth Spencer, Kristen Livingston, Treyton Meyers, Sakshi Bhati, Himika Akram

Faculty Submissions

This study examines two critical digital touchpoints on medical tourism provider (MTP) websites: (1) the accessibility of contact pages which often function as entry points for inquiries, scheduling, and pre-travel coordination, and (2) the authenticity of visual imagery used to shape expectations about care environments, personnel, and technological capacity. A sample of 105 MTPs across all six World Health Organization regions were analyzed using quantitative web accessibility testing and qualitative visual analysis. Results indicate pervasive accessibility errors on contact-page touchpoints and extensive reliance on inauthentic imagery to depict patients, providers, and medical technologies. Together, these practices may distort user expectations …

Modern Day Museum Heist; The 2025 Lourve Museum Robbery, Isabella Pizzerrato, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 4

A Tale As Old As Time: The Issue With Superhero Comic Books, Malcolm Summers, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 4

Turning Point Usa Awaiting Approval At St. Mary’S, Deven J. Garcia, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 4

Hungary For More? Russian Storm-1516 Narratives And Engagement Tactics Targeting Hungary’S 2026 Parliamentary Election., Ella Murray, Darren Linvill, Patrick Warren

Media Forensics Hub Reports

This report identifies and analyzes a coordinated influence operation aligned with the Russian Storm-1516 ecosystem and targeting Hungary’s 2026 election. The campaign leverages a network of inauthentic social media accounts to disseminate fabricated narratives, amplify political attacks, and undermine trust in Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar and the TISZA party. The campaign reflects a broader evolution in Russian influence operations, combining established narrative laundering techniques with new amplification strategies. These include the use of fabricated media outlets, paid influencers, and a network of commercial marketing accounts with links to Africa. The campaign leverages likely compensated influencer accounts as well as …

Beyond Green: Re-Reading "Wicked" As Anthropological Text, Tan Gia Bao Huynh

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

This paper examines "Wicked" through the lens of cultural borderlands, revealing how the musical dramatizes the creation and navigation of social boundaries. By analyzing Elphaba's journey, the research demonstrates how her green skin serves as a powerful metaphor for cultural otherness, while her experiences at Shiz University and beyond illustrate strategies of resistance, accommodation, and identity formation familiar to those navigating between dominant and marginalized spaces. Particularly significant is the paper's examination of Oz's propaganda system, which demonstrates how cultures manufacture monsters and heroes through selective storytelling and public ritual. This analysis offers fresh insights into "Wicked's" enduring appeal, suggesting …

The Sensationalizing Of Presidential Assassinations In Mass Media Throughout American History, Lindsay E. Smith

Undergraduate Theses

This project explores how mass media has shaped the public response to presidential assassinations across American history. By examining the deaths of Abraham Lincoln (1865), James A. Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901), and John F. Kennedy (1963), we can trace how evolving media technologies – such as newspapers, yellow journalism, radio broadcasts, and live television coverage – have sensationalized violence, politicized tragedy, and transformed periods of national mourning into mass spectacles. The thesis analyzes reporting methods, narrative framing, and the news industry to show how each has influenced emotional response, political landscapes, and eventual presidential legacy. Ultimately, we find that …

2026 Diversity Climate Survey Report, Illinois Math And Science Academy

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Resources

No abstract provided.

Lindenwood Digest, April 8, 2026, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

• Primary Figures: Ken Lanter (United HealthCare Medicare Solutions); Ryan Tomlinson (U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management); Dr. Jennifer Edler, Julie Ingoldsby, Julee Mitsler, and Zeke Chism. 

• Key Events: Lindenwood Giving Week including daily focus areas for campus colleges and athletics; Medicare 101 hybrid information session; Staff Celebration BBQ; Digital Symposium on AI-Augmented Learning; "How to Become a Multi-Millionaire" personal finance presentation; Lindenwood Showcase faculty and student research event. 

• Date/Location: Events scheduled between April 8, 2026, and May 31, 2026, at locations including Spellmann Center, Lindenwood Learning Academy, Pavilion, Dunseth Auditorium (Harmon Hall), and the LARC. 

• Archival Significance: …

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Opening Closed Doors: Supporting Undergraduate Scholars Through Open-Access Publishing, Amelia Baker, Kiara O'Neal, Mikkel Cullen, Amy Buddie, Haleigh Edmonds

All Things Open

Undergraduate publishing is often a closed door due to paywalls, publication fees, and limited access to mentorship. The Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research (KJUR) uses an open-access framework to remove these barriers and expand equitable access to scholarly publishing for students at Kennesaw State University. KJUR is free to submit to and publish in, ensuring financial constraints do not prevent students from sharing their work. The journal is operated by paid and volunteer student editors, providing mentored, hands-on experience in academic publishing. Emphasizing open pedagogy, KJUR supports student authors through developmental editing and multi-semester collaboration, guiding them through …

A Qualitative Interpretive Study Of How A Trucking Company Coordinates The Management Of Meanings Of Its Communications In The United States Of America, Travis J. Koch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines how communication between truck drivers and their managers can support meaningful behavioral change by co-constructing shared interpretations, as described by coordinated management of meaning theory. It focuses on how meanings are negotiated in everyday conversations and how specific conversational mechanisms shape drivers' performances. The central claim is that certain conversational mechanisms can reduce uncertainty, ease friction between co-workers, and improve safety and operational efficiency. When supervisors and drivers successfully develop shared meanings, greater clarity, stronger working relationships are more likely. Those outcomes matter in a high stake, complex industry. This research extends scholarship on organizational meaning-making and …

Redefining Aesthetics: The Communicative Construction Of Body Image And Self-Esteem Among Young Female Adults In Fiditi And Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, Christopher Omamuromu Amojo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines the communicative construction of body image and self-esteem among young female adults in Fiditi and Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, within the context of contemporary social media use. Although a substantial body of scholarship has explored social media’s relationship with body image, much of this research is situated in Western contexts and framed predominantly through psychological or effects-based paradigms. Addressing this gap, the present study adopts a qualitative interpretive approach grounded in social construction theory and the sociocultural communication tradition to investigate how meanings surrounding beauty, self-worth, and identity are produced and negotiated through mediated interaction in a …

Correlating Communication Channels With Baptism Outcomes: A Quantitative Case Study Using Media Multiplexity Theory In The Texas Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Kenrunne L. Dixon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the use of social media within the local church setting as a tool for engaging diverse communities through tailored, targeted messaging that addresses their unique needs and desires. The use of multiple channels helps connect on different levels, allowing for more profound and lasting relationships (Ledbetter, 2021). This quantitative research explored the local church and how it invests in connecting to its communities outside the church walls through multiple communication channels. Local church congregations invest significant time and resources in planning programs that seem only to attract current members. Their congregations …

A Qualitative Study Of The Uses And Gratifications Theory In Tiktok’S Short-Form Video Influence On Users Behaviors And Motivations Among Young Adults In The Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania, Jonathan V. Robertson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative dissertation explored the TikTok consumption and engagement behaviors of young adults aged 18-25. The TikTok social media platform is well-known for its active community of content creators producing high-quality, short-form, eye-catching video content. These videos are tailored to individuals' personal interests, beliefs, and values, shaping users' daily lives. Alternative social media platforms offer similar capabilities; however, they fall short of TikTok's powerful algorithm. The uses and gratifications theoretical framework were specifically selected to help understand why young adults engage with TikTok, how their unique motivations shape their engagement behaviors, and the role TikTok plays in identity development. The …

Public Willingness To Report Suspicious Activity Captured On Facebook Viral Videos, Tamika S. Bouldin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The widespread use of social media platforms has transformed how individuals observe, engage with, and respond to public events. Viral videos depicting potentially unlawful and dangerous behavior have become common, yet little is known about the factors that motivate viewers to report such content to the authorities. The study aimd to examine the factors influencing the public's willingness to report suspicious activities observed in viral videos across Facebook. Using a cross-sectional correlational quantitative design, the research employed a structured survey questionnaire collecting data from a diverse sample of adult Facebook users in California. Key predictor variables included trust in law …

The Media's Influence On The Public's Perception Of Police Use Of Force, Kristopher D. Lauro

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Police use of force has long been a concern within law enforcement, but in recent decades, it has faced increasing scrutiny from the general public and across all sectors of society, sparking widespread debate on the practice. The rise of body-worn cameras (BWCs) and the prevalence of cell phone recordings of police incidents have amplified attention on the issue. Media representations of police use of force are influential in bringing together or shaping public opinion and often encapsulate ideological biases; the pervasive publicity associated with such incidents provides a unique opportunity for detailed examination of the underlying relationship between media …

Cowpox And Counterpublics: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Anti-Covid Vaccine Conspiracy Theories On Social Media, Cole Melton '26

Honor Scholar Theses

In order to better understand why people construct and perpetuate anti-COVID vaccine conspiracy theories, I perform a rhetorical analysis of some conspiracy theories widespread on social media during the height of the COVID vaccination effort. I begin with a literature review, highlighting the history and efficacy of vaccine technology, gathering characteristics and definitions of conspiracy theories, and reviewing the history of the anti-vaccine movement. Ultimately, I argue that anti-COVID vaccine conspiracy theorists understand vaccination as an attack on personal rights by the U.S. government, prompting the conspiracy theorists to establish an ideological institution rival to the U.S. government that would …

Divide And Conquer: Polarization, Power, And Conspiracy Theories, Lilly Vanhouten '26

Honor Scholar Theses

The following paper is designed to explore belief in conspiracy theories, especially conspiracy theories surrounding the distrust of government like the Uniparty theory in relation to polarization, cults, moral and psychological factors, populism, precedence for having distrust in the government, and influencers. I sought to discover why people believe in conspiracy theories like the Uniparty theory and conducted a media analysis; researched polarization, cult and conspiracy, moral and psychological factors, populism, and precedence; analyzed influencers I watch reflecting conspiracy theory belief; and wrote poetry about conspiracy theories to determine the answer. I found that conspiracy theory belief is influenced by …

The Wandering Role: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Gamal Abdel Nasser, Ethan Nichter '26

Honor Scholar Theses

In the mid-twentieth century, Gamal Abdel Nasser emerged as a powerful figure in Egypt and the rest of the Arab world, seeking to uplift the region in the era of decolonization. While contemporary scholars have analyzed Nasserism as a contradiction of itself, an ideology that originated as liberation but resulted in autocratic rule, less attention has been paid to instead break down what made Nasserism so appealing to his audience. I draw upon Max Weber’s theory of charismatic authority and Maurice Charland’s concept of constitutive rhetoric in interpreting Nasserism in three phases: as a political theory, as a ruling ideology, …

Media Center Gets New Studio, Name, Timesdaily

Documents

New Media Center and grand opening for the new Communications Building (former Gymnasium) in 1988