Digital Commons Network^™

Espn Navigates A New World Order, Grace Rowe

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

ESPN has been at the top of sports broadcasting for decades. Recently, there has been a shift in consumer behavior towards preferring digital streaming instead of cable television. In this report, I will discuss the background of the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) and its competitive advantages. I will analyze the situation using a strategic framework to take a closer look at what solutions ESPN could implement. Finally, I will recommend how to successfully transition from the crown jewel of cable bundles to an online streaming platform. After looking at the PESTEL framework, Porter’s Five Forces, the VRIO framework, …

A National Survey And Critical Analysis Of University Police Statutes, Vanessa Miller

Buffalo Law Review

This Paper provides an empirical study and critical analysis of university police statutes in all fifty jurisdictions, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The primary focus of the survey is to examine the regulatory framework governing campus police officers at public institutions of higher education. The study employs a crossdisciplinary approach, combining critical legal and qualitative analyses to provide a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape surrounding university police across the United States. The findings of the study include several key elements related to university police, such as police powers, jurisdiction, governing bodies, removal procedures, and use of …

Ambiguously Defined, Systematically Overlooked: The Mixed-Race College Student Experience, Sara Hukkanen

Education Theses

No abstract provided.

An Exploratory Study Of Using Transformative Pedagogy To Teach Towards Social Justice In Face-To-Face And Online Classrooms, Alison Berk

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

As colleges simultaneously vie for students during a recent enrollment dip and try to accommodate the overall historically high national rate of college enrollment, (National Student Clearing House, 2022), and as most Americans experience identity-based tension (Horowitz, et al., 2019), it is essential that colleges and instructors ask themselves how they can create accessible, meaningful and authentic opportunities for individuals to critically examine their communities and the systems in which they live. Developing this kind of critical consciousness provides both ideological and practical positive outcomes for students and institutions alike (Carter, 2008; Diemer et al., 2014; El-Amin, et al., 2017; …

Informal Social Media Activities In Online Learning Fostering A Sense Of Community Through Instagram, Hajeen Choi, Yujin Park, Charles Xiaoxue

School of Engineering Faculty Publications

A sense of community positively relates to students’ engagement, increasing learning and satisfaction. Previous studies on the sense of community have focused on academic interactions. This study investigates the potential for enhancing the sense of community among online learners through informal social media activities. A total of 20 undergraduate students completed surveys and participated in three-week Instagram activities. The study revealed the potential to foster students’ sense of community by incorporating informal social media activities into online learning.

The Global Classroom: A Phenomenological Study Of International Student Experiences In A Reimagined Intercultural Communication Course, Crystal Bock Thiessen

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation examines the experiences of multilingual international student participants who took part in a semester-long intercultural communication course that was purposefully designed and implemented with half enrollment each of domestic and international students at a Midwestern American university. Despite university efforts towards internationalization, they often fall short of the meaningful engagement needed truly promote intercultural and mutual understanding. International and domestic students share classroom and other spaces on campus, yet they remain overwhelmingly disconnected from one another. Using phenomenology and Baker’s (2011) model of Intercultural Awareness, this study analyzed the international students’ experience in this course to learn more …

Dr. Doctor: A Look At Life In Medicine, Alexandra Hausmann

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The life of a medical professional is not easy. The road to get there and the lifestyle when practicing is mentally draining and results in many physicians experiencing burnout. This project and paper explore the stigma surrounding mental health in medicine, examining how fear of professional repercussions prevents many physicians from getting help. Through research and interviews with medical professionals of various specialties, this project looks at the different mental health struggles that each specialty faces. Additionally due to increased social media, medicine continues to evolve at a fast rate. Looking forward, medical professionals will have to deal with increased …

Amazon Strategic Audit, Trinity L. Hansen

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Amazon.com, Inc., also known as Amazon, is a global e-commerce company that provides online retail, digital streaming, and cloud services. Since 1995, Amazon has grown to encompass a variety of diverse markets while maintaining leadership and competition in each. Although Amazon competes in several industries, this strategic audit mainly focuses on its pivotal role in the e-commerce industry and how Amazon has maintained its competitive advantage over the years. This report will start by overviewing Amazon’s history and business model and exploring the e-commerce industry overall and the various competitors in Amazon’s e-commerce market. Diving deeper into Amazon's competitive analysis, …

Strategies For Reducing Racial Disparities In Maternal Health Outcomes: An Examination Of The Role Of Doulas, Samavi Rafique

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Comparatively high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality remain a significant concern in the United States, particularly for Black women, who face a risk of maternal mortality that is four times higher than that of white women. Realizing the historical context of this burden requires tracing American obstetric and gynecological medicine to its 19th-century roots, where the medical experimentation of enslaved Black women occurred largely unopposed by the voices of those in power. The legacy of this is embodied in the modern maternal health crisis, marked by stark racial disparities in maternal health outcomes. As non-clinically trained professionals whose supportive …

“As If The Devil Was In Her”: Fanny Fern’S Remaking Of Authorship In The Nineteenth Century, Rowan S. Q. Havranek

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Fanny Fern revolutionized nineteenth-century literature with her unapologetically blunt and insightful commentary on social norms, education, women’s rights, and more. As a columnist for The New York Ledger, Fern challenged the conventional boundaries placed on women, blending her personal observations and experiences with sharp social critique. Because of her unflinching style and writings that addressed a wide range of topics, she became one of the most well-paid and widely read authors of her time. Yet, she was also subjected to harsh judgment. The media, particularly in the hands of her second husband, was used to damage her reputation, yet Fern …

Gap, Inc. : A Strategic Audit Of Gap, Inc. Company, Amber Hanson, Ike Mcley, Sophie Thomas, Avery Plessel, Kira Pavlik

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The following paper is a comprehensive overview of the company Gap, Inc., a leading global retailer with a diverse brand portfolio that includes Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta. They compete in the Family Clothing Industry through their operation of over 3,352 brick-and-mortar stores along with offering their digital shopping platform to align with changing consumer preferences. Gap, Inc. plans to maintain financial rigor, reinvigorating its brands, and strengthening its platform. Their strengths are found in their expanding e-commerce segment and their strong commitment to sustainability. Through a broad differentiation strategy, Gap, Inc. targets a diverse consumer demographic across …

Chipotle Mexican Grill Strategic Audit: An Analysis Of Chipotle Mexican Grill Business Strategy, Garrett Smith, Karissa Hodge, Baden Brumbaugh, Daniel Koland, Ellie Hurst

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This report outlines a strategic audit of Chipotle Mexican Grill and its business strategy and policies. The report dives into how Chipotle creates strategic value and competes in the fast-casual food industry. Chipotle’s strategic mission, Cultivate A Better World, motivates them to focus on sustainable practices involving farming, emissions, and water stewardship. Despite facing issues involving health concerns, Chipotle has recovered and positioned itself in a strong position for the near future. With its new CEO, Scott Boatwright, Chipotle has to navigate a crowded fast casual industry that faces market pressures from consumers around healthy eating.

“I Have Returned Home”: Understanding The Re-Entry Experience Of Saudi Female Scholars After Completing Their Doctoral Studies In The United States, Hajer Asiri

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The experiences of Saudi female scholars returning from abroad remain underexplored. This study investigates how Saudi women in higher education institutions readjust and reintegrate into professional and cultural environments after completing doctoral studies in the United States. Using a narrative approach informed by transformational learning theory (TLT), it examines reverse culture shock and the coping mechanisms employed by these women. Five female participants from various Saudi institutions were interviewed in semi-structured sessions lasting 30 to 60 minutes. Thematic analysis revealed five key themes: Cultural Readjustment, Professional Reintegration, Family and Social Dynamics, Personal Transformation, and Coping Strategies. The findings underscore the …

Smu Appoints Professor Zhang Liandong As New Dean Of School Of Accountancy, Singapore Management University

SMU Press Releases and News

The Singapore Management University (SMU) has appointed Professor Zhang Liandong [张连栋教授] as the new Dean of its School of Accountancy (SOA), effective 1 July 2025. With over seven years of leadership experience at SOA, Professor Zhang will lead strategic initiatives to elevate the School’s academic reputation and impact.

Faculty Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence As A Teaching And Learning Tool In Higher Education: A Causal-Comparative Study, Elizabeth A. Fitch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine the differences in attitudes, benefits, and threats of using artificial intelligence tools in teaching and learning among community college faculty in Tennessee. The findings of this study are important because faculty acceptance or rejection of emerging technology determines educational innovation. The sample was composed of 211 full-time faculty employed at twelve community colleges in Tennessee. Data were collected using the Attitudes, Benefits, and Threats instrument which was administered by electronic survey. The results of the two-way MANOVA did not find a significant difference among attitudes, benefits, and threats associated with …

The Uneven Disruptions Covid-19 Caused To Scholars’ Publication: A Preregistered Study, Marco De Prosperis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This proposed, preregistered study investigates the uneven impacts of COVID-19 on scholarly productivity among University of Arkansas faculty, focusing on how demographic and professional factors—such as gender, ethnicity, academic rank, tenure status, field of study, and the presence of children—may have moderated productivity during the pandemic. Utilizing a non-experimental, cross-sectional design, this research will collect data from 160 full-time faculty members through an online survey. Grounded in Role Theory, the study will examine role conflict and enrichment as faculty navigated shifting responsibilities in research, teaching, and caregiving during remote work. This study is particularly relevant as many assistant professors who …

Beyond The Label Campaign: An Integrated Marketing And Communications Campaign To Educate And Empower Low-Income Communities In The Southern United States, Erica Napuli

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Beyond the Label campaign is an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) initiative designed to educate and empower low-income consumers about food additives, labeling regulations and the impact of making educated food choices on long-term health. This campaign is based on research on current U.S. food labeling and regulations, health risks associated with current ingredients and additives approved through regulations, the disproportionate impact of food policy on low-income communities with a focus on the Southern U.S., as well as further exploration of strategies for multi-channel marketing for targeted audiences. This project proposes a hypothetical partnership with the Environmental Working Group (EWG). …

Parasitic Effects Of Amoebidium Appalachense On Daphnia Magna Heart Rate, Hopping Frequency, And Metabolic Rate, Vanessa Wise

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Daphnia magna are a crustacean that inhabits multiple different types of freshwater ecosystems and thus is plays a part in many different types of interspecies interactions, one of which is parasitism. Amoebidium appalachense is a Mesomycetozoean parasite of aquatic arthropods that colonizes the antenna of D. magna. Previous research has shown that A. appalachense infection will reduce the fecundity and increase mortality rate of D. magna but how it causes these effects is unknown. To determine if A. appalachense causes these effects on D. magna by either stealing nutrients inside the D. magna like a tick or by compromising …

Dutch Bros Coffee Strategic Audit, Parker Barry, Olivia Palmer, Cade Swanson, Braden Starck, Jacob Whiston

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This case study focuses on Dutch Bros, a leading drive-thru coffee chain. A strategic audit was conducted to understand the company’s strategic management principles: external and internal factors, performance and competition, business level strategy, corporate level strategy, and organizational design and governance. In addition, the audit studies the implications of their recent strategic decisions to expand roasting facilities and move towards corporate-owned stores rather than operating a franchise model.

The research contained in this audit used publicly available information, including Dutch Bro’s financial statements, information from their website, annual reports, IBIS industry reports, and online press coverage.

Intersectionality In Tennis (Wta) Sports Media, Emily Stoner

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This “applied knowledge” project investigates and observes intersectionality in tennis sports media via the women’s professional tour (WTA). Intersectionality in Tennis (WTA) Sports Media analyzes how intersectionality as a concept and social justice lens impacts and is impacted by media. By considering intersectional identities and their implications in sports media narratives and coverage, this piece displays some telling patterns and perpetuations.

At the professional level, tennis certainly does not garner the most profit or attention, but it provides a unique world of intersecting identities, cultures, geography and tradition. This work aims to shed light on the state of sports media, …

Equity Vs. Excellence: Dichotomy Or Duo?, Nadjia I. Logans

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In this thesis, I investigate recent changes in mathematics education and how these developments connect to the principles of equity and excellence. I place a special focus on “active learning” methods. My methodology primarily consisted of interviews with educators, along with analyzing literature from math education researchers. I first define and explain the motivations behind active learning instruction methods. Next, I explore not only how instructors define equity and excellence but how educators perceive the role of the two principles within education. Finally, I challenge the pervasive media portrayal of equity and excellence as being mutually exclusive. Instead, I find …

Global Brand, Local Market: A Strategic Analysis Of Netflix’S Adaptation Challenges In India, Carolina Barraza

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Netflix is a leading subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platform known for its premium content and global reach. As it expands into new international markets, one of its most complex challenges is scaling in India, a market defined by intense price competition, regional diversity, and evolving regulatory frameworks, but without losing its global brand identity. This case study provides a strategic analysis of Netflix’s position in the Indian market, using external and internal assessment tools to evaluate the company’s opportunities, risks, and long-term viability. The analysis draws on publicly available data, including industry reports, financial disclosures, and academic research.

A comprehensive PESTEL …

Perfecting The Pride Of All Nebraska, David Swotek

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

For my thesis, I completed a creative project focusing on my involvement in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. I created a documentary/YouTube-style video about the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhusker Marching Band and how much work goes into creating their performances. I wanted to see what work happens behind the scenes that their large audiences never get to see.

To get all the information I needed to create an efficient and effective piece, I interviewed 13 band students ranging in years, instruments, ranks, etc. It was very important to get a large range of perspectives on this piece because …

Sofi Technologies Incorporated Strategic Audit, Elena Eisaman

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

SoFi, a catchy abbreviation of Social Finance, is a digital bank as of 2022. The company seeks to offer better banking than traditional alternatives. SoFi, founded in 2011, has slowly developed financial offerings with the goal of dominating digital banking. The company is best known for helping customers manage student loans, but SoFi aims to provide customers with services for their every financial need. The platform boasts 10.9 million members, 33 billion in debt paid, and 117 billion in loans issued (SoFi). This report will explore SoFi’s origin, functions, and competitive environment. These investigations will inform recommendations for the company …

Building A Virtual Gallery: How The User Journey Can Inform Technological Innovation Towards Best Practice In Creating A Virtual Gallery?, Paula Cordeiro

Postgraduate

Building a Virtual Gallery: How can the user journey inform technological innovation towards best practice in creating a virtual gallery?

This research investigates how user journey frameworks can inform technological innovation towards best practice in creating a virtual gallery and how virtual hubs can serve as cultural and heritage art spaces, through collaborative interaction with Regional Councils. This exegesis, together with the accompanying creative artwork, Byron Bay Regional Gallery_Virtual Hub (BRGVirtual-Hub), explore the potential of VR gallery design as a platform to emerge from my literature review, technological innovation, cultural and social interaction, artistic collaboration and real-time connectivity among local …

Die With Me: An Exploration Of Cultural Notions Of Mortality And Their Potential Influence On In-Law Relationships Through A Fictional Shared-Near-Death Experience, Suzana Stipanovic

Postgraduate

This exegesis explores the transformative potential of near-death experiences (NDEs) and shared-near-death experiences (SNDEs) through the creation of the fictional screenplay titled Die With Me. Employing a non-linear narrative structure, the screenplay follows a protagonist who, through a SNDE, enters her mother-in-law’s NDE - an encounter that profoundly reshapes their perspectives and relationship.

The research integrates case study analysis of relevant films, a review of academic literature, and engagement with autobiographical accounts of NDEs and SDEs. Grounded in Smith and Dean’s (2009, p. 20) iterative cycle web of practice model, the project employs a cyclical approach that blends creative-led, practice-led …

Countering Deficit Narratives Through A Blackcrit Lens By Examining Case Studies Of Black College Mathematics Students’ Classroom Experiences, Akhenaton Wilbourn

All Dissertations

This dissertation examines the lived experiences of 11 Black college mathematics students at their predominantly white institution (PWI) through the lens of Black Critical Theory (BlackCrit) to counter deficit narratives about the racial achievement gap (RAG) in mathematics education courses. Deficit narratives often attribute disparities between Black and white students’ mathematical performance to assumed deficiencies in Black students’ abilities rather than systemic inequities, historical marginalization, and ongoing anti-Blackness in educational settings (Cobb & Russell, 2015; Kress, 2021). Using multiple case studies, this study explores how anti-Blackness manifests in mathematics classrooms, how students navigate tensions between multiculturalism, neoliberal educational policies, and …

2025 May, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for May of 2025.

Crises In Australian Education, The Push For Educational Technology And The Medium-Oriented Perspective Of Neil Postman, Andrew Hutcheon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

From teacher shortages to declining literacy, the Australian education system faces multiple crises. This paper turns to the work of Neil Postman, who started as a high school teacher but later turned towards communication and media studies, to provide an alternative account of parts of this crisis, especially those around the role of technology in education. In his early works, his concern is attached to the concept of education as a ‘subversive concept’ and then a ‘conserving concept’ – first aiming to create young people engaged in civic society, then aiming to preserve written culture against television. After a middle …

Life After Leaving College: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Senior-Year Transition And Future Self Ideation For Cisgender Women In A Post-Dobbs Sociopolitical Context, Abigail Lukens

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Senior-Year Transition, first named by Gardner and Van der Veer (1995), is defined as the final period of the undergraduate experience before transitioning into graduate school or the workplace. Few studies have investigated gender differences in this transition, and additional research is needed on women’s Senior-Year Transition experiences and the impact of context on experience. This is especially relevant as women and other pregnancy capable people navigate a new, post-Dobbs sociopolitical context in the United States with implications for their reproductive health and future family or life planning. Using a qualitative, interpretive phenomenological research design with a modified …