Digital Commons Network^™

Navigating Higher Education: Waves Of Success Mentorship Initiative, Roberto M. Davila

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Too many undocumented students and students from mixed-status backgrounds face obstacles and don’t receive enough support while navigating higher education. Undocu-Success at CSUMB orients its services to meet the needs of undocumented students and students with mixed-status backgrounds. In collaboration with Undocu-Success Center staff, the Waves of Success mentorship initiative is a new resource to increase students' preparedness during their academic journey and increase awareness of resources accessible to CSUMB students through mentor-mentee relationships. The capstone project was to create a new program which involved conducting research, recruitment, management, and building campus partnerships. Evaluation included an interview conducted with the …

Increase Of Corporate Offices In Worcester, Ma, Francisco Hernandez

Master of Public Administration for Senior Leadership

The city of Worcester currently located in the heart of Massachusetts, benefits from a strategic position with access to multiple highways connecting various states and cities. With 12 colleges in the area, the city attracts a diverse workforce with varied backgrounds and experience. However, Worcester faces a challenge in increasing its professional workforce by attracting businesses to establish headquarters within the city. While Worcester offers lower costs for setting up offices compared to Boston, businesses often still gravitate towards Boston due to its more developed infrastructure and higher income and education levels. Boston currently serves as a hub for various …

Discipline, Preparation, And Persistence: How School Environments Shape The Teacher Pipeline In Arkansas, Taylor Wilson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation uses administrative and survey data from Arkansas to examine how school discipline environments shape multiple stages of the teacher pipeline, including student disciplinary experiences, entry into the teaching workforce, and early career preparedness and retention. The first chapter analyzes statewide student-level data from 2017/18 through 2022/23 to document trends and racial disparities in school discipline before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. After accounting for infraction type and student characteristics, Black students remained more likely to receive exclusionary disciplinary consequences, though these disparities were substantially reduced when district fixed effects were included. The second chapter examines labor market …

A Plague On Both Your Houses: Archetypes Of Political Choice, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

In times of political polarization, we are well-advised to heed Spinoza’s injunction, “Not to lament, not to curse, but to understand.” Understanding can be facilitated by ideas about the archetypal structures of political choice. This paper offers a systems theoretic analysis of a set of such archetypes focusing solely on their structures and not advocating any specific political positions. The primary question that must be answered is whether available or desirable political choices are dyadic or triadic, and if dyadic, whether the two alternatives of the dyad should be viewed as good versus bad or as complementary.  Various modes of …

A Phenomenological Study: Examining Organizational Change Initiatives Within The U.S. Army To Influence Racial Climate, Reginald Gerald Dash Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study was aimed at examining organizational change initiatives influencing the racial climate among African American soldiers in the United States (U.S.) Army. African Americans comprise a significant portion of the U.S. Army. However, African Americans’ significant contributions do not readily translate into “equal treatment”, which includes proportional representation at the highest levels of leadership. African Americans in the U.S. Army face career navigation challenges rooted in systemic racial division. The goal of this qualitative phenomenological study was to add African American soldiers’ voices to the existing literature by interviewing African American soldiers with at least five years of …

Factors Affecting Pedestrian-Vehicle Conflicts: An Empirical Analysis, Christo D. Jamo

Honors Scholar Theses

The number of pedestrian deaths increased by 78% between 2009 and 2023, while other motor vehicle crash deaths increased by 13% in the same period [1]. To identify potential pedestrian safety measures, this study analyzed the effects of location-based demographics, pedestrian phasing type, and other physical infrastructure and behavior variables on the probability of pedestrian-vehicle conflicts at signalized intersections, which is a surrogate measure of crash risk. Data were collected from 55 intersections in Connecticut, and the pedestrian-vehicle interactions were classified by severity based on the Swedish Traffic Conflict Technique: undisturbed passage, potential conflict, minor conflict, or serious conflict. Because …

Integrating Organizational Theory In Student Employee Development Across Dispersed Workplaces, Anica C. Chesnut

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Managing and developing staff at university residential desks presents unique challenges. One challenge is the complexity of supervising student employees while allowing them the opportunity to grow as well. Another challenge is the dispersed nature of residential desks across a university campus. Satellite desks present a difficulty to maintain community, a positive work culture, continuity of expectations, and procedures. Several organizational theory frameworks can be directly applied to the organization in order to reduce challenges. This capstone paper utilizes literature review and examination of current practices, to provide context of current inefficiencies while also critically analyzing pain points within the …

Efficacy Of Implicit Bias Training Within The Hazel Park Police Department, Luke Londo

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Among the many desired outcomes for uniformed police officers who undergo implicit bias training is a reduction in the level of discriminatory conduct related to such biases. Current research on the subject offers mixed results, and nearly all existing studies do not provide an empirical measurement of efficacy or other outcomes beyond officer sentiment. This case study examines and measures the impact of implicit bias trainings, which is a requirement for officers within the Hazel Park Police Department in Michigan, prior and subsequent to certification by using raw and sustained complaints of discriminatory conduct allegedly perpetrated by Hazel Park police …

Improving And Maintaining Public Trust In Law Enforcement: A Qualitative Case Study Of The Northville Township Police Department, Christopher Bachand

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Public trust is a key component of effective law enforcement. While historically cyclical, trust in American law enforcement agencies has trended downward in recent years following several high-profile use of force incidents. In response, many agencies have begun incorporating new theories and models into their policies and procedures aimed at increasing public trust. This capstone paper draws upon the relevant literature surrounding these theories and conducts a qualitative case study of the Northville Township Police Department. This agency consistently achieved above-average levels of confidence from its community members by incorporating these theories using a hybrid-synthesis policy implementation approach. This paper …

Public Safety Policy In Michigan’S Rural Upper Peninsula: Collective Efficacy, Youth Engagement, And Prevention, Christopher J. Reynolds

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Rural communities in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula face unique public safety concerns due to resource limitations and geographic isolation. Small townships and cities lack sufficient funding and personnel to respond effectively to emergencies across large land areas. By building stronger families and communities, rural areas can prevent public safety concerns through preventative strategies, rather than reactive strategies that focus on incarceration. Through strengthening social networks and providing programs for youth to build leadership skills and good character, public safety will become a part of daily life in rural areas and not just a reaction to negative situations.

Body Worn Cameras For The Madison Police Department, Caleb Wright

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Body-worn cameras for law enforcement officers can ensure accountability of the officers and transparency to the public. Though body-worn cameras have become increasingly popular in police departments, some departments do not use them. The Madison Police Department is one of these departments. Body-worn cameras have been implemented with policy models in many surrounding departments in Wisconsin and have proved to hold officers accountable and ensure transparency during complaints and cases. Leveraging literature on integrated policy approach and policy implementation, this capstone paper summarizes the needs and benefits of body-worn cameras for the MPD. This paper contributes to broader debates on …

Factors Contributing To The Effectiveness Of Reentry Programs For Formerly Incarcerated Adults, William Lopez Jr, Falina Rose Gonzales

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Reentry into society following incarceration represents a critical transition that significantly influences long-term stability and recidivism outcomes. Formerly incarcerated adults frequently encounter structural barriers related to housing, employment, behavioral health access, and social reintegration, highlighting the need for effective reentry programming. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine factors that contribute to the effectiveness of community-based reentry programs for formerly incarcerated adults and to understand how participants and service providers perceive successful reintegration outcomes. Guided by ecological systems theory and empowerment theory, this study employs a qualitative phenomenological design using semi-structured interviews with approximately 15 formerly incarcerated adults …

Meritocracy And Equal Access To The Public Sector: A Comparative Analysis Of Accessibility To Public Sector Jobs And Public Services, Beomgeun Cho, Heasun Choi

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This study investigates the impact of meritocracy on equal access to the public sector, focusing on public sector employment and services. While meritocratic principles promote impartiality and fairness in administrative processes, their effectiveness in improving equal accessibility remains understudied and contested. Drawing on the literature linking meritocracy to democratic stability, we argue that strong meritocratic systems enhance equal access to the public sector regardless of social groups and gender by fostering professional stewardship in the bureaucracy and strengthening checks and balances between bureaucrats and politicians. Our findings, drawn from a panel dataset consisting of 161 countries over 49 years, suggest …

Massachusetts' Unseen Contributors: The Economic Contribution Of Its Latino Population With Irregular Immigration Status, Phillip Granberry, Mariana Dutra

Gastón Institute Publications

This report shows that so-called “irregular” Latinos are an essential part of the

workforce. Beyond community spending, consumer activity, and taxes paid

(including tax benefits that many will never benefit from), it is important to

remember that we are talking about people— human beings with stories, families,

difficult choices, and dreams. I hope that in the near future, when we are able to

dream big again, this analysis will sustain our advocacy for systems that truly reflect

our (Latino) contributions to the Commonwealth and beyond.

Bipoc Stem Scholarship And Mentorship Initiative: A Community Based Approach To Expanding Access And Equity In Stem Education, Raymond Davis Jr.

Master of Public Administration for Senior Leadership

Across the United States, persistent inequities continue to limit access to Science,  Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education for Black, Indigenous, and  People of Color (BIPOC) students. Despite increased national attention toward diversity,  equity, and inclusion over the past decade, measurable improvements in participation,  retention, and degree completion in STEM fields have not kept pace. These disparities  remain deeply rooted in structural inequalities that influence educational access, resource  distribution, and long-term career opportunities.

The issue is frequently described as a“pipeline problem,”suggesting that students enter  STEM pathways but fail to persist through to completion. While this metaphor is useful, it  oversimplifies …

Exploring The Biocultural Profile Of The Undocumented Populations Of The Sonoran Corridor: A Skeletal Assessment Of The Prevention Through Deterrence Strategy, Mary A. Vaughn

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

Over the last thirty years the mortality rate of the undocumented population at the US-Mexico border has risen, requiring methods distinguishing US-born individuals from immigrants to improve the likelihood of identification and repatriation through foreign consulates. Forensic anthropologists with the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME) have advocated for the use of the biocultural profile, combining the biological profile with factors including oral health, osteological stress, and personal effects. The biocultural profile serves two purposes, functioning both as a tool for identification and with which to document structural inequality within communities of origin.

This study examines changes in …

Evaluating The Rural/Urban Divide In Conservation: Methods Of Improvement In Conservation Programming Across Kentucky, Lauren Tackett

Honors College Theses

Kentucky’s lands and waterways have always defined the state. Our unique karst landscape, combined with the Appalachian Mountains and Ohio River, help characterize the state and its identity. However, across Kentucky conservation efforts within recent years have been under attack. Through legislation changes and policy challenges, various bills have sought to repeal Kentucky’s conservation efforts regarding water, soil, and land use. Furthermore, there has been a rise in environmental disasters within the state that cause long term issues for both rural and urban communities to contend with. The responsibility of land stewardship falls on a variety of entities but weighs …

The Geography Of Race: A Spatial Analysis Of Free People Of Color In The City Of Charleston (1790-1861), Alexandra Ullman

All Theses

In Charleston, South Carolina, for all but one year from 1790 to 1860, the enslaved and free Black population outnumbered that of the white. Through manumission, the process of an enslaved person gaining their freedom, the free Black population grew substantially and reached a peak in South Carolina during the nineteenth century. This large community of free people of color (FPOC), shifted the social climate by upsetting the balance of white power, thus increasing racial conflict, tension, and legislation that aimed to control the movement of FPOC.

Despite FPOC comprising a significant portion of the total population of Charleston, there …

Rooted In Purpose: Understanding Volunteer Motivations And Preferences In University Forest Stewardship, Lydia N. Heisel

All Theses

In an era of growing reliance on community support in public lands, this study explores the relationship between volunteer motivations and preferences for engagement in university forest management. The research draws from survey data collected from visitors to the Clemson University Forest (CUF), a 17,500-acre educational and research forest in South Carolina, incorporating the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) to assess six motivational dimensions alongside preferences for volunteer program structures, activity types, communications, and sustained engagement intentions.

Using quantitative segmentation analysis, this study identified five distinct motivational profiles within the CUF visitor population through k-means cluster analysis of approximately 180 forest …

Beyond The Straight Road: A Narrative Of Growth Toward Integrated Social Work Practice, Samantha Bymaster

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Cities And Climate Change, Matthias Roth, Enric Aguilar, Winston T. L. Chow

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

We are pleased to present this special virtual collection of articles, highlighting the multifaceted interactions between cities, local climates, and global anthropogenic climate change. Climate change and urbanisation are the two global megatrends that transform human life and, at the same time, directly impact each other. Urban areas have the highest density of human populations and experience altered atmospheric conditions due to anthropogenic modification of natural physical settings and extra emissions of air pollutants and trace gases. One of the most obvious examples of climate modification due to humans is the urban heat island (UHI). This phenomenon describes urban regions, …

Patterns In Awareness And Uptake Of The Lpa Among Older Adults In Singapore, Paulin Tay Straughan, Emi Loh, Cassandra Ng, Yi Wen (Chen Yiwen) Tan, Wensi Lim

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Findings from a survey with 7910 Singapore Life Panel members reveal that awareness of the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) was relatively high, but actual uptake remained low, with only one in three having made an LPA and pronounced gaps among lower socioeconomic groups. Despite this, attitudes towards LPA were generally positive, with perceived benefits centered on peace of mind and reducing burdens on family members. A major barrier to adoption is the misconception that children automatically have the legal authority to make decisions if parents lose mental capacity. Structural and psychological barriers, including cost, complexity, and limited guidance, further …

One Faculty, One Mission: A Unified Faculty Model For California Community Colleges, Debbie Klein

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy

This article advances a unified, non-tiered faculty model as essential to fulfilling the mission of the California Community Colleges (CCC) system. Although the system is charged with realizing open access and educational equity, nearly 70% of faculty serve in part-time or contingent roles—often without proportional compensation, institutional stability, or meaningful participation in governance. Drawing on research demonstrating that faculty working conditions shape student learning conditions, the article argues that structural employment inequities undermine the system’s democratic promise. Situating the proposal within national “One Faculty” efforts and recent legislative attention to pay parity in California, it demonstrates that reform is both …

Chicago, Arbitrary Detention And Torture: An Examination Of Human Rights Violations And Legal Responses Under The Second Trump Administration, Gianna Keuer

Bates College Undergraduate Law Review

This paper uses a human rights-based analysis to explore the legal implications of the second Trump administration’s deportation policies, using frameworks enacted by international legal organizations and state-level bodies. Drawing upon the Convention Against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and established state policies, the paper identifies important jus cogens norms against arbitrary detention and torture. With Chicago serving as a case study, the paper explores different avenues that have been employed to counter violations of prohibitions of arbitrary detention and torture, ultimately concluding that state-level policy responses and impact litigation cases serve as a more efficacious …

Separating Access Legitimacy From Utilization Analytics: A Two-Layer Evaluation Model For Philanthropy And Development, Stephanie Zabriskie

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This article introduces a two-layer evaluation model for philanthropic and development decision-making in access-based interventions. The first layer treats Access as Outcome (AAO) as a recognized outcome when essential goods, services or resources are delivered through a viable delivery pathway, without requiring post-access utilization or compliance to validate legitimacy. The second layer evaluates post-access variation through System Coherence Conditions (SCC), defined as internal alignment across governance and decision-making, distribution and logistics, social accountability and norms, and scarcity management and continuity, which explain differences in utilization, continuity, and downstream effects as signals of system coherence rather than as retroactive worthiness thresholds. …

Occupational Stressors And Health Impacts Among First Responders, Mason N. Roach

Honors College Theses

The United States 911 emergency response system is an interconnected web of public services that seeks to provide its community with care, resources, and safety in times of need. However, the impact of this support on the employees providing the service often goes unnoticed. This review identifies and analyzes the unique strains on first responders' physical and mental health using the Job Demand-Control Model and the Allostatic Load Model. A review of available research literature supports the conclusion that occupational-related stress, including trauma exposure, shift work, poor leadership, and inadequate communication, can have long-lasting negative impacts on provider health.

Hidden Barriers: Enforcement Asymmetry And The Political Economy Of U.S.–Mexico Food Trade And The Cattle Industry, Sabina Prieto, Chris Jackson

Honors Thesis

This project examines how enforcement irregularities in Mexican food safety regulation affect small exporters’ ability to access U.S. markets. On paper, agricultural trade is regulated by laws on food quality, certification, and logistics. In practice, it is how those rules are enforced. In Mexico, big firms and producer associations tend to gain steady support and easier certification, while smaller producers face delays, rejections, or inconsistent oversight that make it much harder to compete. This study uses a comparative case study approach to analyze how similar industries produce different outcomes in market access. By tracing key events such as disease outbreaks, …

Study On The Prevalence Of Police Whistleblower Retaliation In The United States Of America, Brian Andrew Morrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research indicates that two substantial problems arise as a result of retaliation against law enforcement whistleblowers. The first is that up to 10% of whistleblowers attempt suicide, with more contemplating the action (Shepard, 2021). The second problem is that, in law enforcement, the corruption of the investigative authorities involved in such cases represents a significant issue. In the last 5 years, the need for change in law enforcement has grown; one cause of this has been the rising voices of those who have witnessed corruption. Consequently, the aim of this applied quantitative study is to help unravel the problem of …

Abortion Politics And Policy: Stigma And Access In The Silver State, Celene Fuller

Lincy Institute Events

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) overturning Roe V. Wade, states have taken divergent paths in regulating access to abortion services. In 2024, Nevada voters overwhelmingly passed Question 6 proposing to codify abortion rights into the state constitution. In November 2026, Question 6 will again be on the ballot for final confirmation. If it passes, these rights will be protected from future legislative action.

Despite Nevadans’ strong support for abortion rights, the state’s dearth of abortion providers limits access to these services. As this lecture explores, both providers and individuals seeking abortions, …

China-Canada Resource Diplomacy: New Era Of Land Grabbing, Valdrin Dragusha

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

This paper examines the evolving economic relationship between China and Canada, particularly in the context of China's transition from a strictly social economy to an authoritarian socialist market economy. It highlights the implications of China's Going Out Policy initiated in 2000, aimed at securing vital natural resources amidst growing domestic demands driven by rapid economic expansion. The paper analyzes China's significant demand for resources, its sustainable development policies, and the changing dynamics of land acquisitions, particularly in relation to Canada, which is perceived as a strategic investment destination due to its abundant natural resources and technological advancements in clean energy. …