Digital Commons Network^™

Muscle Oxygen Levels In Patients With Claudication: Measurements During Rest, Walking, And Temporary Occlusion Of Blood Flow, Yuqian Tian

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

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Transitioning The Cal Poly Quarter Horse Enterprise Curriculum: From Quarters To Semesters, Jacquelyn R. Huebner

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

The Cal Poly Quarter Horse Enterprise began in 1978, when student riders brought Cal Poly-bred horses to futurity events to sell them. In 1996, Gene Armstrong brought the sale to Cal Poly, and ever since, the annual performance horse auction has broken records as one of the highest grossing collegiate horse sales in the nation. This sale not only provides funding for the care of over one hundred horses housed at the Equine Center for educational use, but also provides an opportunity for students to gain experience in starting and training young horses, as well as putting on a dynamic …

Perceptions Of Faculty On Trauma-Informed Practices At The American University In Cairo, Marwa M. Emara

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Trauma-informed education is gaining momentum in higher education as a framework that seeks to create learning environments that are safe, inclusive, and responsive to the emotional and psychological needs of students—particularly those who have experienced trauma. This qualitative study, situated at the American University in Cairo (AUC), explores how faculty perceive, understand, and implement trauma-informed practices in a diverse university context that includes refugee and displaced students. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seventeen faculty members from various disciplines and incorporating an autoethnographic reflection. An expert interview was conducted with Dr. Mays Imad, a leading scholar in trauma-informed …

Expanding Extension Involvement Through An Undergraduate Life Skills Course, Stacey F. Stearns, Aditi Rao

Journal of Extension

Extension traditionally involves undergraduate students through experiential learning and internships. We sought to develop a new model, and created an undergraduate life skills course for students in our college that featured Extension educators as guest lecturers in areas aligned with their specialty. Universities have a stable population of potential program participants, volunteers, and employees. It is imperative that we raise awareness about Extension while the students are enrolled in our institutions. Creating a for-credit undergraduate course that teaches life skills through Extension programs has tangible benefits for both the students and the Extension system.

Where To Deposit Your Master’S Thesis Or Doctoral Dissertation In The Unl Digital Commons, Sue Ann Gardner, Paul Royster

Thesis and Dissertation Deposit Information Resources

A list of degree-granting programs with links to the proper series for thesis and dissertation deposit in the UNL Digital Commons.

UNL = University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Updated May 2025.

Find your degree-granting program in the list, then click on the link to go to the proper series to deposit your thesis, dissertation, or other student work.

If you have questions about the process or problems finding the correct series or uploading your work, contact Sue Gardner.

Implementation Of Standardized Mobilization Assessment Tools To Promote Patient Ambulation At Medical Surgical Units, Yunxuan Su

Master's Projects and Capstones

The objective is the cardiac medical surgical unit in a hospital in San Francisco not meeting the ambulation goal. This study aims to provide a context for enhancing patients' ambulation levels by using standardized assessment tools Prior Level of Functional (PLOF) and Current Level of Functional (CLOF) in daily practice, thereby strengthening care plans and shortening hospital stay. The methods are microsystem evaluation, SWOT analysis, causal analysis, cost-benefit analysis, Gantt chart, pre & post survey, and flyer education for staff to guide the project implementation. The results are that after the intervention, the compliance of PLOF and CLOF documentation and …

An Integrated Approach To Supporting Undergraduate Students Through Wellness And Community, Nicole Manning

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

Students experience mounting levels of stress due to the demands of balancing academics and social relationships. These influences can cause negative effects on the mind and body. Empowering students with resources for holistic wellbeing could relieve stress, create a nurturing environment, and impact their overall success at University of San Diego (USD). My project assisted in a course where undergraduate students develop skills to thrive personally beyond their time at USD. The research question that drove my study was: How can I help develop a successful holistic wellness course to support students in relieving stress? I completed three cycles which …

In A Healthy D-Iii Population, Is Blood Flow Restriction More Effective For Increasing Quadriceps Strength Compared To Concentric Resistance Training?, Conner R. Ruff

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Strength is an important factor in the prevention of injuries. However, strength can decrease for numerous reasons, such as age, chronic injuries, or acute injuries. In recent years, Blood flow restriction (BFR) has been used as a modality to increase a patient’s strength gain while utilizing a low load of weight. However, in most research, BFR has been used concurrently with conventional strength training or compared to concentric training in the treatment of an injured population. This study looked at the effect of BFR on a healthy Division III (DIII) collegiate student population and its effectiveness in increasing quadriceps strength …

Examination Of Eating Disorder Risks And Body Image Dissatisfaction Among Division Iii Student-Athletes, Maddie Wisener

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Eating disorders (ED) and pathogenic behaviors are prevalent concerns among collegiate athletes due to performance pressures and body image expectations. This cross-sectional study examined the risk of ED among 243 student-athletes (Males: 54.9%, Females: 44.3%, Non-Binary: 0.4%) at a private institution in the Midwest. The convenience sample included student-athletes from baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track, volleyball, and wrestling teams. The participants were given a demographic survey, the Eating Attitudes Test-26, and Sex-Specific Figural Stimuli Silhouettes to assess eating behaviors and perceived and desired body images. Overall, 22.1% of participants were at risk for …

Using A Process Evaluation In Extension Programming: Takeaways For Teams, Cristina Connolly, Jeantyl Norze, Stacey F. Stearns

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Health fields use process evaluations to measure how closely an intervention aligns with its intended delivery. Despite their potential for improving Cooperative Extension programming and impacts, process evaluations are not widely used outside the medical sciences. We adapted the process evaluation framework for Extension use. The components assess project components such as content, dose delivered, dose received, and reach, as well as moderating factors such as quality of delivery, participant responsiveness, complexity, facilitation strategy, recruitment, and context. The modified process evaluation framework was used to assess an Extension project in the Northeast region of the U.S. Extension teams in the …

Investigating Fatty Acid Influence On West Nile Virus In Mosquitoes And Birds, Hayley Moree

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Vector-borne diseases, including Zika virus (ZIKV), Dengue virus (DENV), and West Nile virus (WNV), pose considerable global health threats, accounting for over 400 million infections and more than 700,000 deaths annually. Many vector-borne diseases are within the Flaviviridae family. Despite this, effective treatments have not been found for some flaviviruses. Flaviviruses exploit host cellular machinery to facilitate their replication and survival, reprogramming metabolic pathways, including lipid metabolism. Lipids play essential roles in the viral life cycle, providing structural components for the viral envelope, enabling membrane rearrangements for replication complexes, and supplying energy resources necessary for particle assembly.

Targeting lipid metabolism …

2025 Nsu Graduate Commencement Program, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

May 9, 2025

• Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy
• Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine
• College of Dental Medicine
• College of Optometry
• Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences

May 15, 2025

• Shepard Broad College of Law
• Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

2025 Nsu Undergraduate Commencement Program, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

May 5, 2025

• Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center
• Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice
• College of Psychology
• H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship
• Shepard Broad College of Law

May 6, 2025

• Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences
• Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing

Unl Emeriti And Retirees Association Newsletter, May 2025

UNL Emeriti and Retirees Association: Newsletters and Other Materials

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Emeriti and Retirees Association Newsletter, May 2025

Expanding and enhancing the ERA President's message

Welcome to new members

ERA Board members

Wake up your well-being

Book review, Hello Beautiful

Service awards

A look ahead to programming

Recapping past programming

Memory moments

Reap What You Sow: Using Historic Enrollment Data To Strategically Recruit Students, Hayden Cherry

Honors Theses

As the higher education landscape continues to become more competitive, adapting our marketing strategies to affordably recruit students will be imperative to maintaining both relevance and financial stability. Research has predicted an increase in tension as institutions weather the enrollment cliff, a period characterized by a steep decline in the number of college-age students in the United States. While this research is useful in informing our outlook in the coming years, there is little research surrounding the most efficacious methods for recruiting college students. Using data from Mississippi State University's Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness on student status and …

Addressing The Lack Of Patient Adherence To Exercise Within The Physical Therapy Clinic And Creating Infographics To Improve Patient Adherence, Gretchen Panovich

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The primary objective of this applied knowledge project is to develop educational materials to enhance patient adherence. The World Health Organization defines adherence as “the extent to which a person’s behavior…corresponds with agreed recommendations from a healthcare provider.” Within the physical therapy field, non-adherence to exercise is a significant problem linked with increased duration of treatment, more patient complaints, reduced positive clinical outcomes, and even surgical intervention.

Multiple factors affect patient adherence, making it hard to pinpoint a singular cause. Clinical observations and research suggest that belief in the rehabilitation process may suffer due to a prolonged recovery period, lack …

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.

The Sense-Making Of Race, Gender, And Masculinity In College Men Of Color: A Critical Race-Grounded Theory Approach, Leon Phú Strayer

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Literature on Men of Color in college has highlighted the disparate retention, persistence, and graduation rates of college Men of Color when compared to their female counterparts or White male peers. As a contribution to the scholarly research on Men of Color, this qualitative critical race-grounded theory study explored this phenomenon and made further inquiry about the nuanced and unique lives of Men of Color attending a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI). This research involved nine Men of Color undergraduate students who attended an HSI in Southern California who collaborated and coconstructed knowledge during the study. The collaborators, or participants, contributed to …

From Activity To Adaptability: Systematic Review On Elevating Adolescent Resilience Through Physical Activity, Kaylee Cowdrey

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The recent increase in mental health concerns among teens showcases the need for accessible solutions that help buffer against psychopathology and build resilience. This systematic literature review looks at various studies to see how physical activity can positively affect resilience in adolescents by enhancing their emotional regulation, self-efficacy, self-esteem, social connections, and brain function. Literature published since 2010 from databases, including APA PsycInfo, PubMed, and Google Scholar, was collected for this analysis. The results of the review found that as adolescents engage in physical activity, there is improvement in coping skills by enhancing emotional regulation, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and social connectedness …

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). …

Nebraska's Preparedness For A Growing Diverse Aging Population: A Survey Of Area Agencies On Aging, Vince Barger

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This paper aims to examine the current efforts of Nebraska’s Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) to serve a growing diverse population of older adults (United States Census Bureau, 2023). This project is comprised of a survey created to gauge the thoughts and opinions of Nebraska AAA employees supplemented by a comprehensive literature review. The findings of the literature review indicate the need for an understanding of the importance of diversity and how it affects individual life experiences. The survey revealed that the AAAs are already making changes to reflect the population shift that is currently happening, such as specific programs …

Gut Feeling: A Holistic Digital Tool For Managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome And Food Sensitivities, Hailey M. Olberding

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and food intolerances are increasingly prevalent chronic gastrointestinal (GI) conditions that significantly impair quality of life. While the low-Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols (FODMAP) diet has demonstrated success in symptom management, current digital tools fail to offer integrated, user-friendly platforms that holistically track contributing health factors. Gut Feeling is a mobile app (Appendix 1) and complementary website (Appendix 2) developed to fill this gap. By incorporating symptom logging, food intake tracking and complementary database, stress and sleep monitoring, and trend analysis, this platform empowers users to better understand their bodies and manage GI symptoms proactively. …

Conagra Brands Strategic Audit, Ashley R. Nierman

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The goal of this paper is to present a comprehensive strategic audit of Conagra Brands, Inc., a major company in the consumer-packaged foods industry. The audit evaluates the external environment of Conagra, including a PESTEL analysis and Porter’s Five Forces analysis. Various industry factors that affect Conagra’s operations are taken into consideration. It will also explain the internal environment of Conagra using tools such as a SWOT analysis, financial performance review, and strategy explanation. Key areas of focus include shifting demands, including consumers’ desire for more healthy and sustainable food options, recent political and economic factors, competitive advantages of Conagra, …

2025 Undergraduate Research Competition Program, Coastal Carolina University

Undergraduate Research Symposium Programs

16th Annual Undergraduate Research Competition, April 15-16, 2025.

The 2025 CCU Undergraduate Research Symposium included 168 oral and poster presentations (51 oral presentations and 117 poster presentations) and an additional 20 team pitch presentations composed of 57 students who participated in the inaugural year of the Wall College’s Chant’s Tank Pitch Competition.

Presentations at the Undergraduate Research Symposium were judged by over 80 faculty and staff, and prizes are awarded in three categories: Best Oral Presentation, Best Poster Presentation, and Best Chant’s Tank Pitch Presentation. Here are the following award winners in their respective categories:

Best Oral Presentation:

• 1st Place: …

2025 April 17 - From My Notepads Newsletter, Office Of The President, East Tennessee State University, Brian Noland

From My Notepads: A Newsletter from President Brian Noland

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Nordic Hamstring Exercise On Knee Flexor Torque In Female Athletes: A Pilot Study, Jarrod Plank, Lucy Singleton, Manuel Probst

2025 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

PREVALENCE Female athletes experience Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries 5-6x more often than male counterparts.

PREDISPOSITIONAL FACTORS The Q-angle refers to the pull vector exerted by the quadriceps muscle on the patella which results in greater valgus load on the knee ligaments.2,3,4,5,6 Females also possess lower levels of testosterone which yield decreased ligamentous strain tolerances.

MUSCULAR IMBALANCES Sufficient hamstring contraction during the landing phase decreases ACL strain by >70%, thereby limiting anterior tibial translation (ATT) force exerted by the quadriceps. As stated by Hewett et al., females present an absence of increased hamstring/quadricep torque ratio compared to males, resulting in …

Leadership Initiatives: International Public Health Internship, Jayden Bradley, Alana Campbell, Paisley Cooke, Aime Ensenat-Pena, Mindy Highley, Jacob Holbrook, Roger Love, Keira Patton

2025 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

No abstract provided.

Pressure Injuries Prevention And Management, Madelynn Mckittrick

2025 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Pressure injuries, also known as pressure ulcers or bedsores, remain a significant concern in hospital settings. These injuries develop due to prolonged pressure on the skin, leading to complications, increased healthcare costs, and extended hospital stays. This capstone project examines prevention and management strategies for pressure injuries using evidence-based practices and QSEN principles. The project emphasizes the importance of proactive measures, including patient mobility, pressure redistribution, and interdisciplinary collaboration, to enhance patient care and outcomes.

Impact Of Year And Animal Origin On Key Factors Of Ewe Longevity, Rachel Bell, Alyssa Howard, Rickalyn Rayburn, Elena Verdecchia, Madison Werner, Flint Harrelson, Patricia Harrelson

2025 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

The MSU sheep unit is an Innovation flock for the nationwide Sheep GEMS Project led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The overall goal of this project is to increase knowledge and improve traits in different breeds of sheep across the United States. Robustness and climatic resilience are vital factors to maintaining and further developing the industry. Unfortunately, these are not common characteristics of U.S. sheep breeds. The work of being an Innovation flock includes measuring how maternal traits of the ewes affect the survivability of the lambs. Taking consistent measurements will assist in determining what traits promote greater success in …

Environmental And Social Determinants Of Gastrointestinal Cancer In Eastern Kentucky, J.D. Berry, Leah Wells, Dylan Williams, Timothy Hare

2025 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

This study aims to answer the research question: What health behaviors and other factors affect diet and contribute to disproportionately high rates of gastrointestinal cancer in Appalachian Eastern Kentucky? Gastrointestinal cancers and nutrition are closely linked, and certain eating habits increase the risk of these diseases. These patterns are even more complicated in Appalachia, where environmental and social challenges shape how people eat and live. This work explores addresses food deserts, educational disparities, economic hardship, and healthcare access