Digital Commons Network^™

“If We Don't Get The Help That We Need, What Does That Say About The Future For Americans?”: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Public Responses To Ohio Environmental Disasters, Kaitlin M. Gold

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis examines three case studies surrounding various Ohio environmental disasters and controversies. In particular, I explore how the public has resisted and asserted themselves through advocacy measures to ensure that their homes and communities are safe. The case studies examine how the state of Ohio has evaded responsibility and not taken action, and thus how the public has attempted to resist those efforts through various means. While Olson and Goodnight’s (1994) conception of oppositional arguments acts as a methodological backbone to the thesis, each case study employs other specific tools of rhetorical analysis to better understand each chapter and …

Into The Wild: A Journey Paddling The Lower Mississippi River With Quapaw Canoe Company, Sarah Caroline Crall

Honors Theses

Humanity’s profound relationship with water is undeniable. From our reliance on it for sustenance and transportation to the recreation it provides, water is a fundamental aspect of our existence. Yet, in our contemporary era, we find ourselves increasingly disconnected from this life-giving source that shapes us and our surroundings. The Mississippi River stands as a prime example of this detachment. Often overlooked as a lifeless river, nothing more than the backdrop to our daily lives, its significance as the heart of America is underappreciated and misunderstood by many. This thesis embarks on a journey to share the true reality that …

Envisioning Our Ecological Futures. Diffracting Creative Expressions., Mariam Ismail

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis delves into the realm of eco-art, examining its multifaceted role in informing, educating, and mobilizing audiences towards sustainable environmental practices. Through an interdisciplinary lens that intertwines environmentalism, critical explorations of the anthropocene, ecofeminism, Indigenous knowledge, and social justice, this research investigates various themes, approaches, and methodologies employed by eco-artists. Utilizing a diffractive methodology, I acknowledge and respect these concepts’ contextual and theoretical differences while exploring their relationality to one another and to the artworks. By recognizing these entangled relationships, the diffractive framework creates and re-creates ‘research assemblages’ that shift away from conventional anthropocentric or representational methods of interpretation, …

Evaluating Equitable Success In Literary Spaces: A Portland Book Festival Case Study, Tia-Theo I. Thompson

Student Research Symposium

In 2015, data expressing the lack of diversity in literary institutions was made publicly available, yet equitable change remains slow. How do literary institutions achieve and evaluate successes in equity? Do certain factors expedite this transition?

In a three year Diversity and Inclusion plan (2019-2022), the Portland nonprofit, Literary Arts, drastically altered their internal and external practices to accommodate/introduce BIPoC writers, presenters, and employees. The equitability of this plan is assessed at the Portland Book Festival (PBF), 2023. Data concerning the identities, placement, and publications of Writers and Presenters at PBF is analyzed within the context of the goals set …

Manga In Bookstores, Claire L. Curry

Student Research Symposium

In recent years, manga has seen a surge in popularity. This research seeks to provide insights into the role of manga in U.S. bookstores and its implications for reader discovery. Through observations at bookstores in the Portland area, including Books with Pictures, Kinokuniya, Powell’s, and Barnes and Noble, it was examined how manga is presented to readers. Factors considered include manga’s physical placement in the store and surrounding sections as well as shelving methods and categorizations like genre labels, particularly for manhwa, manhua, and light novels. Display tables, end caps, and shelf talkers also demonstrate an unique way for bookstores …

Talking About Weight: Weight Stigma And Information Seeking, Alexandra N. Henrici, Lillian H. Mantel

Student Research Symposium

Guided by the Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model, this study explores the relationship between fear of discussing weight-related topics, or weight-related communication apprehension and weight bias internalization and tests the inconsistent RISP relationship between risk perception and information insufficiency. It investigates differences in weight-related communication apprehension in those who previously sought weight-related information from interpersonal or mediated sources. Using a survey of 64 undergraduate communication students, the study found that high levels of weight bias internalization correlated with high levels of weight-related communication apprehension. The study did not find a significant difference in weight-related communication apprehension based on …

Columbia Chronicle (05/08/2024), Columbia College Chicago

Columbia Chronicle

Student newspaper from May 8, 2024 entitled The Columbia Chronicle. This issue is 24 pages. Cover story: "The Mental Health Issue: Finding Solutions in a Crisis". Editor-in-Chief: Olivia Cohen.

Experiences Of Families Bereaved By Opioid-Related Death, Danielle Hicks, Emily Phasman, Sydney O'Shay, Luisa Kcomt, Stella Resko

Publications

Family members bereaved by a drug-related death are underserved. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 people bereaved by a close family member’s opioid-related death. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify themes in four areas: emotional responses (e.g. anticipatory grief), communication about the death (i.e. open or closed), supports (e.g. social or formal), and advice for others who lost a family member to opioid-related death. Findings highlight the need to support and reduce stigma toward people who use drugs and their families. This study guides social work practice by identifying the needs of families bereaved by opioid-related death.

Lindenwood Digest, May 8, 2024, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

Then And Now: Comparing The Representations Of Gender, Race, And Class In Rom-Coms From The 1990s To Today, Madeline Goldberg

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The formula of the romantic comedy is relatively consistent. The couple meets, they get closer, there are trials and tribulations in their relationship which lead to a confession of love, and they live happily ever after from that point on. Popularized by films such as When Harry Met Sally (1989), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), and You’ve Got Mail (1998), the rom-com genre had a modern resurgence in the 1990s led by the films of Meg Ryan, and has continued to have many moments of relevance in the decades since. Romance can be a divisive genre. People who enjoy it do …

Decolonizing 20th Century Consumerism: Analyzing The Role Of Advertising In Amauta, Sam Roberts

Honors Program Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Nike Omni Sense Swim Guardian Googles, Dallas Silva-Dunn

Honors Program Theses and Projects

In a world where innovation meets athleticism, there is room to push the boundaries with the introduction of the Nike Omni Sense Swim Guardian Goggles. This groundbreaking smart swimwear technology represents a paradigm shift in swim safety, offering unparalleled features designed to empower swimmers of all levels. The Nike Omni Sense Swim Guardian Goggle Public Relations Campaign aims to amplify the launch of this new revolutionary product, leveraging strategic communication tactics to build brand awareness, foster consumer trust, and drive engagement among target audiences.

The Perfect Model: Exploring Gender Differences Within Commercial Graphic Design Preferences, Adeline Roberts

Undergraduate Theses

Personal preferences within graphic design are heavily shaped by social factors, including cultural practices. This project explores the effect of gendered-based experiences on visual design preferences, through investigating men’s and women’s preferences regarding graphic design elements, and the source of these opinions. The data was then used to create two educational images, which mimic contemporary magazine covers, visually illustrating the effects of gendered marketing and experiences on personal design preferences. These images were then attached to an interactive website, so that the findings and pieces from this project can be easily accessed by future audiences.

Teacher, Model, Father: An Autoethnography Of Long-Term Mentoring Between A Male Teacher And A Male Student, Si Chen

The Qualitative Report

This autoethnography offered an opportunity to have an open conversation to explore the nature of the long-term relationship with my mentor, Mr. Jiang, who has guided me to grow since I was a high school student. With confidence being a significant theme, our interaction has changed along with my growth from a boy to an independent adult man, a teacher, and now, a doctoral student. Feelings between us have been complicated and featured as puzzled, doubtful, hurt, happy, guilty, and moved. The nature of the relationship is challenging to define accurately, but it is similar to a father/son-like mutually beneficial …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald: Ways Of The Future, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Magazine edition of the College Heights Herald for the period April 8 - May 5, 2024.

• Anderson, Alexandria. Letter from the Editor – Science, Technology & Business
• Anderson, Alexandria. Women in STEM Make Advances
• Novoselia, Mariia. Turnover on Fountain Square: Local Businesses Share Concerns & Success Stories
• SOKY Rentals Offers New Apartments
• Walk2Campus: Where Home Meets Community
• Bush, Camden. Can a Baseball Team Reduce Their Goals to a Math Problem?
• Hawkins, Kaylee. Student Business Owners Share Experiences – Gatara Townsend, Andrew Garrett, Brittiny Sadler
• Ivory, Larkin. Bikewalk BG, WKU CHHS Offer Chances for Healthy Lifestyle – Health & Human Services

Experiences Of Dyslexic Students Learning A Second Language: A Review Of The Literature, Lauren Ricci

Senior Honors Theses

A systematic review of the literature was conducted to explore the experiences that college students with dyslexia face learning a second language in the classroom setting while studying at a private institution in Central Virginia. This literature review offers an analysis of the scholarly research related to this topic. The processability theory is discussed in the first section, followed by a review of recent literature on how dyslexia affects the brain’s processing, specific experiences of students, and how to best support these students in second language acquisition (SLA). Lastly, the literature surrounds phonological processing, working memory, specific struggles in the …

The Mexican Immigrant Experience In Northwest Iowa: A Qualitative Pilot Study, Gabriela J. Luevano

Honors Thesis

This study focuses on acknowledging and amplifying the voices and experiences of the Mexican immigrant community in Northwest Iowa. To that end, the primary question this study answered was: “What is the experience of Mexican immigrants in Northwest Iowa?” Furthermore, this study focused on community, how Mexican immigrants understand it, when they do and do not experience it, and how they seek to create it. This study aimed to shed light on the unique experiences of this population and provide insights into better ways to support their well-being and integration among local communities.

Through thematic analysis, this study found that …

Los Intérpretes Médicos Son Un Derecho, No Un Privilegio, Morgan Uesseler

World Languages and Cultures Senior Capstones

This essay explores medical interpretation as a right, not a privilege. It argues that medical interpretation is a vital service that should be required in all healthcare settings, not just in those that are funded by the government. Themes addressed include the difference between interpretation and translation, face-to-face interpretation versus telecommunication, liabilities and risks associated with untrained and uncertified medical interpreters, and the federal law Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Challenges experienced during any medical session are underscored, while giving special focus to limited English proficient Hispanic patients whose healthcare literacy is in Spanish, not English.

Negative Emotions On Social Media Dominate Gen Z'S Decisions For The 2024 Election, Yi Luo, Jin-A Choi, Bond Benton

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

The demographics of Gen Z have positioned it to potentially have the greatest impact of any emerging generation in the upcoming election. As this generation consumes social media at a rate higher than any other generation, evaluation of the themes and tone surrounding the election in social media is particularly important for understanding Gen Z and politics. Results show election themes and issues in social media reveal negative emotional sentiment (77%) online is more than double the amount of positive sentiment, with “sadness, disgust, fear, anger” far outpacing optimistic sentiment such as “joy.”

Image Repair Strategies And Theories And The Lost Apology In Crisis Communication, Bridget Crowley

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This research paper examines different image repair strategies and theories, and how well three different real-life examples of recent responses to crisis utilized strategies that are discussed. The literature review covers specific image repair strategies and theories, and then there is the analysis of specific cases where public figures went through a crisis and responded in an effort to clear their names. The findings summarize why each case was not successful, and why people with large followings need to know key image repair strategies that can help save one’s reputation.

Simulating Information And Communication Applications In Employee Interaction Network Models, Matthew Kanter

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Information and communication technology (ICT) use has been identified throughout its development and evolution with the Internet boom as a net positive tool for most employees and organizations in the working world. Only recently have studies regarding employees’ well-being begun to come to the forefront of research regarding these rapidly evolving technologies, however these are important issues to discuss in the context of work-life boundary management, emotional exhaustion, overwhelming stress levels, and moral disengagement among other employee well-being dimensions. To explore how employees’ well being might be influenced by ICT use, this study conducted a quantitative survey and analyzed a …

The Prevalence Of Anti-Feminist Content On Tiktok And Youtube Shorts, Naomi Jones

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

In today's digital landscape, online platforms serve as hubs of political discourse, akin to modern-day town halls. Among these platforms, TikTok has surged in popularity, emerging as a significant arena for ideological exchange. However, it has also become a breeding ground for anti-feminist rhetoric, a trend not exclusive to TikTok but also observable across competitors like YouTube Shorts. A content analysis conducted on the initial 100 videos suggested by both TikTok and YouTube Shorts for a new account revealed several noteworthy insights. Within this sample, it was found that 5% of TikTok videos contained anti-feminist themes, while only 3% of …

Asian American Represenation In Sitcoms, Anna Blake

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Representation of minorities in the media is powerful in shaping the public’s perceptions of a community or group. Some well-known Asian stereotypes are that they are good at math, tiger moms, and foreigners. In the literature review, I found that in addition to those common stereotypes, Asians were commonly portrayed as model minority myth, kung fu master, dragon lady/lotus blossom, and family-oriented. Using a quantitative content analysis approach, I examined how Asian Americans are portrayed in American sitcoms and searched for positive and negative representations. I analyzed 24 episodes of Fresh Off The Boat, which aired from 2015 to 2020 …

Media Censorship’S Development In The Information Age: Authoritarian Case Studies In Europe During The 20th And 21st Centuries, Carter R. Linke

Honors Thesis

The Information Age has dramatically changed how people consume information. With the availability of smart devices and the Internet greater than ever before, a population’s ability to receive multiple news reports and instant messaging has continued to prove beneficial to democratic societies. With these same technology improvements, authoritarian governments have been forced to adapt censorship policies to eliminate the Information Age’s push towards the free press. Since the 20^th century, authoritarian countries have introduced policy solutions to the growing connectivity across the globe. From the German Holocaust to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, censorship has aimed to control their …

Ethnic Identity Development And South Asian Stereotypes In 'Never Have I Ever', Priya Dutta, Allison Noyes

Honors Thesis

Intersectional media serves as poignant representations of marginalized communities, and as few positive models exist, researchers must explore the efficacy and impacts of celebrated works on consumers’ perspectives.

“Ethnic identity is less a process of ‘being’ and more a process of ‘becoming…’ The factors that form an ethnic identity allow its members to establish their distinguishing features from other groups, creating a sense of solidarity, belonging, and connection within their own definable cultural group through customs and celebrations, like festivals and religious gatherings, as well as through particular cultural artifacts, like a style of dress” (Stuart Hall, 1996). I will …

Representations Of Gender In Math-Related Films, Jacob Gathje

CSB and SJU Distinguished Thesis

This project analyzes how four popular math-related films - Hidden Figures, Mean Girls, Good Will Hunting, and A Beautiful Mind - either follow, resist, or reconfigure gender stereotypes in mathematics. It includes close readings of specific scenes in each of the films, along with broader analysis of the effects of how women and men are represented differently. It concludes forward-looking focus, providing suggestions for how future math-related movies can depict a more realistic and inclusive version of the field of mathematics. Ideally, this will help improve one part of the larger issue of gender disparities in math.

The Activist Corner - Ecojustice Insights From The Field, Coralie Boulard, Lucas Zabotin

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

No abstract provided.

The Artist Corner, Vijali Hamilton

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

No abstract provided.

Melissa Tuckey, Melissa Tuckey

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

No abstract provided.

Sequence, Cole Swensen

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

No abstract provided.