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White Horse Village: A Northern Utah Ufo Narrative, Melissa Petersen

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

In the early 1960's a group of UFO believers, called Christ Brotherhood Inc., established themselves in Smithfield Canyon, UT and called their commune White Horse Village. A main house was built where the leader of the group lived and two or three smaller cabins were erected for the believers. Without running water they used an outhouse among them and built a small church where they would meet for lectures. Their beliefs centered around the popular movement of New Age spirituality of the time, which included scientific explanations for Christian beliefs including a belief in benevolent aliens as modern angels. Their …

The Collapse Of The Cotton States League: Segregation And The Final Years Of Minor League Baseball In South Arkansas, Alex Mason Becker Mceachern

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

From 1953 through 1955 the Cotton States League of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana went through an integration and financial crisis that led to its collapse. Through this three season stretch several clubs attempted to sign and play black ballplayers, a first in the segregated minor league. While the major leagues and a majority of minor leagues successfully integrated, the Cotton States League represented one of the final holdouts of whites-only baseball. The league collapsed in 1955 due to a myriad of issues including declining interest, which led to severe financial issues. This thesis will examine the final three years of …

The Birth Of A City: The Politics Leading To The Incorporation Of The City Of El Paso, Michael Britt

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

While the history of the Civil War and Reconstruction-era focuses on the eastern United States, those events rippled across the country and affected the development of places far from the national capital and sites of the major battles. Most histories of El Paso, Texas focus on the era after the arrival of the railroad and growth of Fort Bliss as a major military installation. The region that now encompasses El Paso County, Texas experienced European migration centuries before the United States developed, and its Spanish and, later, Mexican background would impact how the area integrated with the United States. Texas …

"Forgive Our Living And Our Dead": Colonial Warfare In The Philippines, Mattie Fitzpatrick

History

In March of 1906, American troops massacred over 1,000 Filipino civilians on Bud Dajo mountain. American service members were commended for this incident. My research examines this massacre to ask why wars of insurgency are specifically subject to abuses of power, particularly during the American-Philippines War and the ensuing colonial warfare between 1898 and 1906 under the colonization of the US. My research will focus on the circumstances created to excuse US soldiers after atrocities were committed and the colonial attitudes of the time in addition to the brutal methods used by the American government in Philippines. American colonial administrators …

Lanthorn, Vol. 60, No. 08, December 1, 2025, Grand Valley State University

Volume 60, August 4, 2025 – April 20, 2026

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Local Problems, Global Solutions? Making It Rain In Hong Kong C. 1890-1930, Fiona Williamson

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

The late nineteenth to early twentieth century saw a small but dedicated rise in experimental rainmaking. The possibility that humanity might one day be able to control the weather – especially to alleviate drought – was very attractive to governments and private investors. The late nineteenth century was an era of scientific optimism and a number of rainmaking experiments across the world had brought the potential for weather control out of the realms of discourse and literature and further into tangible near-future science. There has been a small but thorough historiographical literature on this subject, focusing largely on American, British, …

Community Approaches To Digitally Documenting And Sharing Conjunto Music In The South Texas Borderlands, René Antonio Ballesteros

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the rich tradition of conjunto music within the South Texas borderlands, examining how integrating community engagement and digital humanities methodologies can effectively enhance the documentation, conservation, and presentation of this place-based expressive culture. Recognizing existing archival gaps, the research employed community-engaged programming to gather and preserve valuable cultural data. A key methodology outcome involved creating digital maps utilizing place-based data related to conjunto music sites and activities, subsequently integrating these maps into an ArcGIS Online story map for public online access. The findings demonstrate the significant potential of community collaboration and digital humanities tools in amplifying cultural …

A Voice To Remember: Recovering The Rhetoric Of Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, Diana Lynne Nogay

English Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation will recover Mordecai Johnson's rhetoric to demonstrate how he addressed the political issues of his time, which were often related to race, and were frequently reduced or even forgotten. In this dissertation, titled “A Voice to Remember: Recovering the Rhetoric of Mordecai Wyatt Johnson,” I perform and analyze the rhetoric associated with him. Johnson was well known for being the president of Howard University; the goal of this project is to recover the rhetoric and identify the common themes. The two themes identified in Johnson’s rhetoric are religion and education. Personal traits and associations with religion are traced …

“Are There Any British Soldiers In Tobruk?” National Identity During The Siege Of Tobruk, May To November 1941, Stewart Golightly Weight

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Throughout this thesis, I examine what it meant to be British during the 1941 Siege of Tobruk. This is important as it reveals previous assumptions about the Second World War’s British Army, including its religious practices and regional distinctions, were more diverse and influential than previously assumed. To do this, I analyze previously overlooked sources concerning religion, morality, and regional identities to demonstrate that Second World War Britishness was not monolithic.

A Protectorate Divided: The Otjimbingue Petition And Settler Contestations Of Railway Construction In German Southwest Africa, 1897–1902, Marta Millar

Publications and Research

Supporters of the State Railway in German Southwest Africa heralded its construction as ‘the dawn of a new era for the protectorate’ (Windhoeker Anzeiger, 27 October 1898). While railways did enable the expansion of colonial communities, not all settlers wrote as optimistically about this change as did the Anzeiger’s editor. Between 1897 and 1902, familial correspondence and debates in the protectorate’s first newspaper, the Windhoeker Anzeiger, reveal how various settlers negotiated the railroad’s transformative impact on colonial society and their everyday lives. Opposition voices argued that the railroad would harm the fragile colonial economy, serving only …

The Seed That Begot America: How Political Principles Of The Reformation Contributed To The American Founding, Gabriel Stisser

Senior Honors Theses

When teaching the American founding, the contemporary public-school curriculum tends to emphasize the influence of the thinkers from the antiquity and Enlightenment periods. However, the curriculum tends to neglect the impact that the Reformation had upon America's formation. Through a qualitative historical review, this study will analyze both primary and secondary sources to examine how Reformed ideals of the political covenant, limited government, and resistance to tyranny influenced the American founding. This analysis finds that the Reformed (sometimes called Calvinist) political ideals from the Reformation had a significant influence upon the formation of the New England colonies, the enlightenment figures …

Black On Black Sounds: Music, Migration, And The ‘Nu-K Blak’ Identity Formation In Early 21st Century Britain, Monique Charles

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

Examining literature on the under researched areas of Afrobeats and African migration to Britain, this article identifies significant internal shifts in the ethnic diversity of Black Britain —i.e., from Caribbean (predominantly Jamaican) to West African (Nigerian, Ghanaian) (ONS 2011). Interpreting literature and applying to the British context, it highlights how Afrobeats reshapes Blackness in Britain, particularly the incorporation of desirable Africanness through Afrobeats music. It argues that demographic and musical shifts in Britain result in a renegotiation of the Caribbean and US dominant 20th century Black Britishness — ‘UK Blak’ identity (as identified by Bradley 2013, Gilroy 1993 & Palmer …

Martial Arts Studies: A Commentary On The Exploration Of Consciousness In Modern Martial Arts, James H. Sutton

Journal of Conscious Evolution

The rapid globalization of martial arts has reconditioned how the beliefs, customs, and philosophies of traditionally based systems are interpreted and applied in modern practice. As contemporary scholarship struggles to accommodate the cultural histories, myths, and traditions that permeate the perception of martial arts in modern contexts, the focus of inquiry has shifted towards explaining cultural variations in practice rather than understanding the nature of self-awareness derived from self-practice. Consequently, the deeper meanings of martial arts as pathways to personal and transpersonal awareness are often invalidated in favor of objective and verifiable explications. In short, the role of consciousness is …

Review Of Illegalized: Undocumented Youth Movements In The United States By Rafael Martínez, 2024, Gabrielle Cabrera

Regeneración: A Xicanacimiento Studies Journal

Review of Illegalized: Undocumented Youth Movements in the United States by Rafael Martínez, 2024 by Gabrielle Cabrera.

Place, History, And Memory: New York City’S World’S Fairs In Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Peter Conolly-Smith

Open Educational Resources

This proposal for an intermediate-level History seminar taps into students’ memory, sense of place, and history skills by focusing on a space many of them already know: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. From its origins as wetlands converted in the early twentieth century to a dumping ground for ashes memorialized in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and on to its later incarnation as the site of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs, the park’s history and those of the two fairs—richly documented, all—provide ample material for a place-based seminar that utilizes multiple aspects of experiential learning.

While all the reading and …

Student Senate Meeting Minutes November 19, 2025, Student Senate-Winona State University

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

This document is the official Winona State University Student Senate Minutes for November 19, 2025.

Trump’S Lasting Impact On The U.S. Presidency, Imer Kj Cespedes-Alvarado

Political Science Student Research

The first presidency of Donald J. Trump had a lasting impact on the American Presidency, expanding executive power through robust assertions of constitutional power, unconventional communications, and an unprecedented disregard for political norms. The two terms further blurred the line between governance and personal branding, cultivating this new model of leadership that depends on constant public exposure and polarization among the American people. This research examines how Trump's executive power and political tactics during both of his presidencies redefined expectations of presidential behavior and accountability by consolidating executive authority, reorganizing federal institutions, and placing even greater emphasis on loyalty and …

Clara White Mission, Inc. Mortgage Liquidation Campaign Leaflet

Eartha M. M. White Textual Material

Document: Leaflet soliciting donations for the Mortgage Liquidation campaign for the Clara White Mission. Eartha Mary Magdalene White Diamond (75th) Birthday Benefit Tribute Tickets 40 cents. Undated.

Dr. Robert W. Bagnall Appearance At Pythian Auditorium Announcement

Eartha M. M. White Textual Material

Leaflet: Announcement of the appearance of Dr. Robert. W. Bagnall, Branch Director of the NAACP at the Pythian Auditorium, Jacksonville, Florida, February 8th. Handwritten notes on verso. Undated.

The American Dermatological Association And The Story Of American Dermatology, Thomas N. Helm, Lawrence C. Parish, Amy S. Paller, David M. Pariser

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Robin Hoods Of The Revolution: A Great American Outlaw Myth, Erin K. Levy

Masters Theses

Historians have depicted the Doan Gang of Bucks County as either heroes or villains and, thus, distorting the more truthful history of the notorious outlaws. To a great extent, aspects of oral tradition, contemporary accounts, and even descendants of the Doan Gang themselves have greatly contributed to the outlaw mythology. Interestingly, Robin Hood motifs have attributed to the mythical elements of the Doan Gang legend, especially the classic theme of philanthropic justice. In reality, historical evidence refutes such claims. Instead, the Doan Gang’s membership was comprised of everyday men and women who were driven to a life of outlawry for …

The Grizzly, November 13, 2025, Renee Washart, Alex Zelaya, Julia Picklo, Sophia Kumar, Kat Carey, Emily Veasey, Erin Ewing

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Sparking Discussion: Advocacy & Community • Hope to C-U Tonight! • Sound (in) Sight: Honoring Tradition Through Dance • Being the Villain • Seniors' Wisdom • Halloween: A Night to Forget? • Ursinus Wrestling's Successful Season Debut • Ursinus Swim Teams Looking to Make Waves

With Love From The Front: Exploring Authenticity In Historical Fiction, Sarah E. Ray

Masters Theses

This MFA thesis is comprised of an artist statement, a scholarly essay on authenticity in WWII historical fiction, and a novel set during World War II. The artist statement outlines personal experiences, faith perspective, and writing aesthetics that shape the approach to historical storytelling, examining how a history-oriented upbringing and Christ-centered worldview inform a writing philosophy centered on crafting emotion through authentic character development and vivid sensory details. The scholarly component argues that authentic WWII fiction requires both meticulous historical accuracy and genuine emotional truth. Drawing on primary sources including interviews with former WWII Army members, wartime diaries, and period …

U.S. Navy Spacecraft Recovery Operations, 1957-1961, Marc Robert Henderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to highlight U.S. Navy efforts during early space recovery operations. The space recovery mission was new to the United States’ Cold War Navy, and in many cases its space recovery forces learned through trial and error, beginning with Jupiter missile nosecone recoveries in 1957. The study examines the collaborative efforts between the U.S. Navy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to locate and retrieve Project Mercury astronauts and space capsules after they traveled into space and splashed down in the ocean. It identifies technological aides on which recovery forces led by the U.S. …

Shaping The Hills: Women Folklorists And Writers In The Ozarks And The Advancement Of A Romanticized Regional Identity And Heritage Tourism, Rachel Pendergraft

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines how women folklorists and writers in the Ozarks, between 1930 and 1970, shaped a romanticized regional identity, preserved its history, and, as cultural representatives, reframed the perception of the region, thus facilitating the advancement of heritage tourism. This development is further explored within the context of a national framework. Moreover, by focusing on three women, May Kennedy McCord, Mary Elizabeth Mahnkey, and Lucile Morris Upton, and using them as key analytical tools, a broader assessment of women’s contributions to Ozark cultural identity and their leadership in the development of heritage tourism is achieved. Drawing on archival material …

Student Senate Meeting Minutes November 12, 2025, Student Senate-Winona State University

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

This document is the official Winona State University Student Senate Minutes for November 12, 2025.

Michael “Mike” Sherman, Mark Naison, Steven Payne

Oral Histories

In 2010, Sherman was introduced to KAP at a party held in Eastwood Manor in the Bronx. He enjoyed the feeling of giving back he got from them, and he was chartered into the fraternity in spring 2012. That same year, Sherman began working at a charter school, Harlem’s Children Zone, where he served as Assistant Dean and later as a Teaching Assistant.

In 2021, Sherman left Harlem’s Children Zone, wanting more control of his classroom, and founded his own charter school, Emblaze Academy, in Hunts Point. Sherman teaches because it fulfills him to be a pillar of support for …

Cv: Mark Schultz (History), Mark Schultz

History Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Interview With Cassidy, Jacey Terrill

What Happened Here

This is a transcript of an oral history interview with Cassidy, who graduated with a degree in business administration a semester after the protest. He was present for the first night of the protest and the initial police response. He normally used Nelson Hall as a study space, and during the protest, he used one of the normally available rooms for studying and was later suspended. From his understanding, the school utilized an AI system that tracks student behavior to determine that he was on campus during the campus closure. Luckily, he completed the semester, noting the support of his …

The Art Critic As Learner: A Review Of Erica Cardwell’S Wrong Is Not My Name, Bronte Cronsberry

Comparative Woman

Erica Cardwell’s debut book Wrong is Not My Name: Notes on (Black) Art is about art, race, family and perhaps most prominently, about grief. Through her personal experiences with these themes, Cardwell’s voice as art critic is still undeniably present throughout the entirety of the text. Wrong is Not My Name reminds readers of the power of art to push us towards growth, but in the context of this issue on Aesthetic Education, I focus on Cardwell’s approach to art as critic, which she continually grounds in her approach to art as learner. It is this orientation in particular that …