Digital Commons Network^™

Gender Gaps And Economic Growth: Why Haven't Women Won Globally (Yet)?, Patrick Agte, Orazio Attanasio, Pinelopi K. Goldberg, Charles Gottlieb, Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan, Rohini Pande, Michael Peters, Charity Troyer Moore, Fabrizio Zilibotti

Discussion Papers

Globally women’s labor force participation lags that of men and women, on average, have lower labor market earnings than men. Does economic growth reduce gender disparities in labor market outcomes between women and men? Conversely, do gender inequalities in the labor market impede growth? To inform these questions, we conduct two analyses. First, we estimate regressions using harmonized data on gender gaps in a range of labor market outcomes from 153 countries spanning two decades (1998-2018). Second, we conduct a systematic review of the recent economics literature on gender gaps in labor markets, examining 16 journals over 21 years. Our …

Social Work In Practice, The Final Stretch, Madison M. Fernandez

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This professional portfolio reflects what I have learned in the MSW program at the University of Montana.

Journey Through, Cathan B. Tautfest

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Journey Through is the Master's Portfolio for the University of Montana for Author Cathan Tautfest. This paper serves as the capstone graduation requirement for students of the School of Social Work. Over the final semester of the Master's program, this Portfolio was created, reviewed by committee, and defended before its publication. This Portfolio is a culmination of three years and thousands of hours to demonstrate mastery of the ten Social Work competencies, the elements of Social Work Practice, and critically reflect on time spent in the School of Social Work's Master's of Social Work (MSW) program. This Portfolio reflects on …

Advancing Equity In Adolescent Mental Health: A Literature Review And Telehealth Program Design For School-Based Access, Renatta Lindsey

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents in the United States (U.S.) are experiencing a mental health crisis, with disproportionately high prevalence rates among marginalized youth. Approximately 1 in 5 adolescents are diagnosed with a mental, emotional, or behavioral condition (Panchal, 2024; Sappenfield et al., 2024). Yet, an estimated 40% (1.8 million) of adolescents aged 12-17 who experience a major depressive episode did not receive treatment (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, 2024). This project examines existing barriers that hinder access to care for this population. While schools are the most common settings for adolescent mental health supports, more than half report difficulties with meeting …

A Tale Of Four Cities: The Effect Of Job Specialization On Employee Turnover Within Mississippi’S Local Police Departments, Wesley Bunch

Theses and Dissertations

Unusually high employee turnover among local law enforcement officers in the United States has been well documented. This exploratory case study examines employee turnover from a bilateral perspective of both generalists and specialists within local police departments. The purpose of this study is to determine if working in a specialized unit has any effect on employee turnover amongst local police officers in Mississippi. This study used qualitative methods to conduct interviews with thirty-four officers from four different police departments encompassing Mississippi’s northern, southern, eastern, and western regions. The interviews were conducted with individuals at the rank of officer and having …

‘Cog In The Machine’ Or Social Being? How Digital Communications Affect Social Capital Development In Higher Education Institution Workplaces., Daphne Abigail Knox

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of digital communications on social capital development within the workplace in public institutions of higher education. While previous literature recognizes the potential implications of the internet on areas like social capital (Putnam, 2000; 2020) and formal and informal communications in organizations (Simon, 1997), an in-depth understanding of how modern digital communications impact social capital development is still necessary to address the gap in literature and to analyze the impact of digital communications on the development of organizational social capital. The potential implications of this work on scholarly research include expanding …

“Land Back With Strings Attached”: Centering California Indian Perspectives On The Integration Of Traditional Ecological Knowledge Into California Environmental Policy, Lauren Crane

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In response to a changing climate and while reckoning with their treatment of California Indians, the State of California has embraced Traditional Ecological Knowledge (T.E.K.) and is working to integrate it into their environmental policies. While many scientists and policymakers view T.E.K. as an important resource for environmental management, how do the holders of this knowledge perceive its integration? This research centers the perspectives of California Indian tribes who engaged with the state in the 2024 Tribal Nature-Based Solutions program - an example of a State policy to integrate T.E.K. Their perspectives highlight the different concerns, priorities, and preferred methods …

Disaster Risk Reduction In Rural Indonesia: Evaluation Of The Japan Red Cross Program In Pujiharjo Village, Meyralda Dara Adisa, Pujo Widodo, Anwar Kurniadi, Wilopo Wilopo

Preventia: The Indonesian Journal of Public Health

Pujiharjo Village in Malang Regency, Indonesia, is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. In 2021, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) partnered with the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) to implement a community-based disaster preparedness program. This study evaluates the program's effectiveness in terms of community participation, institutional support, and alignment with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. Using a qualitative case study, data were collected through document analysis of Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments (VCA), Community Action Plans (CAP), and local SOPs. Thematic analysis explored disaster risk perception, governance, mitigation investment, and emergency preparedness. The program successfully improved risk awareness, …

Educator Experiences With Implementing Every Student Succeeds Act Equity Mandates For Students With Autism, Jameelah S. Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educating students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in under resourced schools remains a persistent equity concern in the United States. This study addressed a gap in the existing research, as prior studies have examined special education policy and school-level implementation challenges, but few have explored the experiences of general education teachers implementing inclusion in low-socioeconomic public schools. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the barriers general education teachers encounter in providing equitable education and their recommendations for improving inclusion. The study was guided by Ingram and Schneider’s (1993) social construction theory, which explains how marginalized groups …

Can Schools Sustain The Rising Cost Of Retiree Health Care?, Robert Bifulco, Iuliia Shybalkina

Center for Policy Research

Many New York State school districts spend significant amounts each year for retiree health care benefits, and these payments are expected to grow over the coming decades. This brief summarizes findings from a study examining approximately 300 New York State school districts. Unlike retiree pension plans, which are typically prefunded, retiree health care benefits are funded on a pay-as-you-go basis, meaning that benefits for past employees who are currently retired are paid using current district revenues. In the average school district, pay-as-you-go spending currently amounts to 4.5 percent of district revenues. Assuming current benefit and funding policies remain, spending is …

Defining The European Union’S Top Public Health Priorities: What Can Be Gleaned From Its Multi-State Interdisciplinary Systems?, Mattie Frascella, Thierry Leger

Symposium of Student Scholars

Delineation of the European Union’s (EU) contemporary public health agenda is examined within the evolving architecture of a ‘European Health Union.’ Five interdependent domains are synthesized: climate and planetary health, digital transformation, resilient systems and workforce development, non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention, and cross-sectoral and global leadership. Mutual reinforcement is essential for achieving equitable outcomes. The climate pillar reframes environmental disruption as a public health emergency, embedding adaptation, mitigation, and Planetary/One Health approaches across EU initiatives. The digital pillar examines the European Health Data Space and adjacent tools (telemedicine, e-prescribing, mobile health) as infrastructure for secure interoperability, research, and quality improvement. …

Ach Health Hotline: Summary 2025

CompassPoint

Each summer, camp health and leadership teams encounter a wide range of challenges that reflect the complexities of creating safe, supportive environments for young people. Camps experience moments of uncertainty—health concerns, behavioral issues, environmental emergencies, and emotional struggles. The Alliance for Camp Health (ACH) Health Hotline is a vital resource supporting camps by offering real-time guidance, reassurance, and problem-solving.

This summer’s hotline calls tell the stories of how health staff navigated physical health challenges, from directors seeking clarity regarding care protocols to communities facing natural disasters, heat waves, and unexpected illnesses. Each caller received support, encouragement, and guidance to improve …

Camp Staff Self-Care: What Are We Encouraging, What Are We Observing?, Megan Owens, Alexandra Skrocki, Melissa Van Scoy

CompassPoint

Self-care is widely discussed within nursing literature, most often referencing a patient’s ability to care for themselves or address their own needs when dealing with chronic illnesses and diseases (Kickbusch, 1989; McCormack, 2003). Social movements related to women’s empowerment, health and wellness, and the COVID-19 pandemic expanded this research toward understanding how self-care practices combat stress and negative emotions among employees in helping professions (Martinez et al., 2021). Summer camp work may be considered a helping profession given the level of care and responsibility attributed to camp staff.

Research Note: Research Literacy

CompassPoint

Camp healthcare providers must rely on current, rapidly changing, and discipline-specific scientific evidence to care for individuals, families, and communities. Healthcare providers for camps face challenges in finding and using research evidence to inform their practice in the moment of need, in part because of the unique characteristics of their care settings. In fall of 2023, the Alliance for Camp Health (ACH) Research Committee conducted a study to determine the most frequent barriers to research utilization reported by camp healthcare providers and administrators. The study identified barriers that the researchers then classified into four categories: personal characteristics of the providers, …

Part I: Building Stronger Camp Communities Through Motivation As A Connected Process, Kelley Freridge

CompassPoint

Every summer, millions of children, youth, and young adult staff members gather in camp communities seeking adventures, community, and growth. They arrive carrying stories of who they are and who they might become. While some camp professionals have explored the existing research on motivation, many still struggle with this question: how do we move beyond temporary, programmatic reward-driven compliance or temporary entertainment-centered enthusiasm to spark genuine, sustained engagement that transforms both individuals and the community?

Elephant In The Classroom: How Ethical Ai Can Improve Student Success, Ibrahim Kocaman, Daniel A. Cutrer

Publications

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into teaching and learning in higher education without compromising academic integrity is a pressing issue. To make the benefits of generative AI (GenAI) available to students while upholding principles of ethics and academic honesty, the authors implemented an ethical use of AI policy in their Introduction to Research Methods at Embry-Riddle University. The authors hypothesized and found that allowing ethical utilization of AI would lead to higher student engagement and academic success. These findings offer valuable insights for higher education programs and educators, particularly in security studies.

Bringing Mutuality And Reciprocity Into Focus: A Case Study On Sustaining University-Community Partnerships For Local Systems Change And Student Learning, Jessica L. Lucero, Lucas Martin, Jayme Walters

Transforming Communities

This case study explores a long-term university-community partnership focused on addressing homelessness, highlighting the principles of mutuality and reciprocity in achieving systemic change. Over nearly a decade, the partnership has evolved to engage university resources, faculty, and social work students through research, courses, and outreach activities, such as community surveys, the Point-in-Time Count, strategic planning, advocacy, and service system expansion. These collaborative efforts have contributed to enhanced public awareness, increased state funding, and the establishment of vital services, including a warming center. The case study also underscores the challenges inherent in community-engaged scholarship, including capacity constraints like funding and staffing …

The Social Side Of Aging In Place: Community, Belonging, And Cultural Fit, Michael Crespo

University Honors Theses

Aging in place, or the capacity of older adults to remain in their homes and communities as they age has been a central tenet of the field of gerontology and the gerontological social policy area. Although access to physical facilities and service provision has been the main focus of traditional studies, contemporary experience demonstrates that social and cultural issues are equally important as determinants of the quality of life. This thesis discusses the influence of social networks, cultural congruence, and community belonging on the aging in place experience. The content of the study is based on the Ecological Model of …

Developing Outreach Strategies To Sustain Diversity And Inclusion In Interfaith Partnerships With Local Government, Dora Muhammad

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Local government has been hindered by a lack of sustained interfaith engagement. Faith leaders have not been consistent stakeholders in policymaking decisions. This gap in practice stemmed from a lack of research of self-transcendence within public administrative settings. Grounded in a review of 70 years of research into the conceptual framework of government needs analysis, this study’s purpose was to explore principles and concepts of civic engagement and partnership shared among faiths. Qualitative research was designed to answer, “How do faith leaders describe the current civic participation, partnership, diversity, and inclusive strategies within their faith communities as they relate to …

Asian College Students' Well-Being During A Period Of Rising Anti-Asian Sentiment, Kyuhan Choi, Ying Shi, Maria Zhu

Center for Policy Research

We use a large survey of students in U.S. colleges to study the distinct ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying anti-Asian rhetoric shaped the experiences of Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs). Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find that the pandemic led to Asian students experiencing more discrimination, feeling less safe during the day, and using fewer mental health services compared to White peers. The increase in discrimination and the perceived lower safety are concentrated among East and Southeast Asians, while South Asians were not affected. Despite these effects, we detect no relative deterioration in severe psychological distress or …

Developing A Waste-To-Energy Assessment Framework Integrating Engineering And Policy Dimensions Using A Triple Bottom Line Approach, Izech Brian O. Edwin, King Harold A. Recto

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

The management of municipal solid waste (MSW) in swiftly urbanizing Philippine cities has emerged as a critical concern in both energy and governance. Dependence on landfills is approaching critical thresholds as disposal sites near saturation, transportation costs escalate, and host communities increasingly resist garbage transfers. In response, this study proposes a comprehensive Waste-to-Energy (WtE) assessment framework that integrates engineering evaluation with policy and stakeholder analysis to support sustainable decision- making.

Using Baguio City as a case study, the framework applies a Triple Bottom Line (TBL) approach to evaluate three waste management scenarios: (1) current landfill-dominated practices, (2) engineered landfill with …

Public Administration's Ability To Ensure Service Quality Through Occupational Licensing Requirements: A Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, Ryan Mcdonald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Occupational licensing was developed to protect the public good. Public administrators are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring future workers enter their professions prepared to provide adequate service quality to the public. This study is grounded in the framework of public interest theory and seeks to evaluate whether the administration of occupational licensing and its associated requirements by public licensing boards aligns with the theory’s intended purpose of serving and protecting the public good. Public interest theory posits public administration operates in the best interest of the population, rather than for personal gain. A multiple linear regression was performed to …

Compensation Transparency In The U.S. Healthcare Workforce, Brandon Perkins

Honors Projects

This study investigates how perceptions of pay transparency among U.S. healthcare workers relate to work engagement, burnout levels, and intentions to stay with their current institution. A quantitative survey was conducted of 200 clinical and non-clinical employees across academic, nonprofit, for-profit, and government healthcare organizations. Self-reported views of transparency were evaluated in relation to validated measures of work engagement, burnout, stay intentions, and pay secrecy. The results showed that increased perceived compensation transparency was highly connected with greater work engagement and lower levels of burnout. Both engagement and burnout appeared as major indicators of the employees' intentions to stay with …

More Girls In The Classroom Improves Adolescent Mental Health, Monica Deza, Maria Zhu

Population Health Research Brief Series

Mental health challenges are common among adolescents in the United States. This brief summarizes findings from a study using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a nationally representative survey of middle and high school students conducted in 1994-1995. The analysis included over 17,000 students from 133 schools across the United States. The authors find that the mix of boys and girls in a classroom affects adolescent mental health and school satisfaction. When classes have more girls, both boys and girls experience better mental health outcomes. Boys in classes with more female peers are 10% less …

The History Of Celiac Disease Legislation, And How Public Perception Can Impact Its Future, Cassandra Smith

Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

How Does Neurocognitive Dysfunction And Personality Pathology Impact Older Adults' Use Of The Healthcare System?, Rose Nyounway

Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Expectations, Trust, And Blame: Marketized Healthcare In Pakistan’S Public And Private Hospitals, Shaheryar Asghar

Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Transportation Practitioners' Reflections On Addressing Transportation Barriers For Vulnerable Populations In Nebraska, Aysan Esmaely

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

This study examines transportation planning practices and challenges in Nebraska, with particular attention to how planners and agencies address the needs of vulnerable populations. Using a qualitative approach, thirty-five transportation planners, practitioners, and service providers were interviewed. Participants were selected based on their professional in transportation planning and service delivery. The study explores what institutional and funding barriers planners and practitioners face, and what strategies they consider most effective for improving access and inclusion. Findings reveal that limited funding, fragmented authority, and the absence of a coordinated regional planning framework significantly constrain transportation development across Nebraska. While metropolitan areas such …

Exploring Retention And Satisfaction Among Arkansas County-Level Cooperative Extension Employees: A Job Embeddedness Perspective, Rebecca M. Simon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This quantitative study investigated the retention of county-level employees within the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service (CES) using Job Embeddedness Theory (JET) as the theoretical framework. The research aimed to describe levels of job embeddedness, job satisfaction, and intent to stay, and to examine the relationships among these variables. A census of 328 CES employees was conducted, yielding a 53% response rate. Data were collected through a validated online survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression. Results indicated high scores in organizational fit and sacrifice dimensions, while links to organization and community were comparatively lower. Age …

The Price Of Priorities: How Human Choices Fuel Climate And Ecological Decline, Keisha Hickman

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the ways in which human priorities and behaviors contribute to the escalating climate crisis and ecological systems. We will first analyze the role of social media in shaping public discourse on climate change and critically evaluate the priorities of institutions that have the means to assist in wildlife conservation. Both speak to the current behaviors of humankind prioritizing their own entertainment over meaningful efforts to mitigate climate change and preserve biodiversity. We will then shift to exploring the profound impact of human population growth and its associated activities on other species and ecosystems. Finally, the thesis will …