Digital Commons Network^™

Economic Analysis On Healthcare Costs With Ai, Kemi Daramola

Research Days

This research paper analyzes rising healthcare costs in the United States through core economic concepts in public administration, including market failure, public goods theory, externalities, cost-benefit analysis, and price elasticity. These frameworks explain persistent inefficiencies such as information asymmetry between providers and patients, high administrative expenses, limited price transparency, and restricted competition among healthcare systems and pharmaceutical companies.   The paper integrates the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as both a response to and driver of economic change in healthcare. AI technologies—including predictive analytics, automated claims processing, and clinical decision-support systems—have the potential to reduce administrative waste, improve diagnostic accuracy, …

Alignment Of Servant Leadership Dimensions With Desirable Job Characteristics Drives Team Performance, Noah T. Currie

Servant Leadership: Theory & Practice

Organizations creating cultures of servant leadership continue to experience immense success in the business world and the nonprofit sector despite an ongoing lack of clarity of the concept. The aim of this paper is twofold, first to provide clarity by proposing an improvement to the definition offered by Laub (1999; 2004) and second to provide a conceptual model describing how servant leadership, mediated by intrinsic motivation as described by the Job Characteristics Model (Hackman & Oldham, 1980) and perceived organizational support, is positively related to team performance. Relating servant leadership to motivation, perceived organizational support and team performance provides leadership …

Cotheorizing Healing With Undergraduate Queer And Trans Latina Survivors Of Power-Based Violence, Kimberly Correa

Dissertations

Current research on healing from power-based violence highlights the importance of integrating victim-survivors’ personal culture and identities into healing approaches, yet few studies actually focus on the culturally distinct healing processes of victim-survivors (O’Brien & Macy, 2016; Sinko et al., 2023). Grounded in Jotería theory (Alvarez, 2023) and Latina/Chicana feminist frameworks (Garcia, 1989), this qualitative study employs queer pláticas as both a methodology and method to center culturally rooted dialogue, reciprocity, and cariño as a political praxis. This study explores how six queer and trans Latina undergraduate victim-survivors conceptualize healing from power-based violence and how their identities, cultural values, and …

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letter - April 2026, The George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letters

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Badge: How Internal Culture Contradicts External Service In Urban Police Departments, Rowan Bari Eiselman

Educational Studies Student Papers and Posters

This ethnographic study examines how gendered workplace culture and mental health culture shape officer retention in two urban police departments: the Orange Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department's 77th District. Through ride-alongs, observations, and informal interviews with nine current and retired officers (four female, five male) across various ranks conducted between March and April 2026, this research reveals a troubling contradiction: departments tasked with serving diverse communities struggle to support diversity within their own ranks. Female officers navigate professional isolation, prolonged competence-proving expectations, and implicit career-versus-motherhood choices, with experiences varying significantly between the more supportive Orange PD and …

Book Bans In U.S. Prisons: A Legacy Of The Prisoners' Rights Movement, Allison Jansen

Honors Projects

The 1950s-1970s saw an unprecedented spike in organized resistance by American prisoners. This long era of rebellion, along with thousands of judicial appeals, made up the “prisoners’ rights movement”-- a political, legal, and social struggle that challenged the conditions of American incarceration and its penological paradigm. The timeline of the movement is abstract and difficult to measure. Nonetheless, what is certain is that it lost its momentum by the 1980s due to overhauling policy changes that quelled prisoner activism without achieving meaningful progress. This research examines the evolution of prison censorship policies within that paradigm shift and how they sought …

Relationship Between Change In Unrealized Gains Or Losses Of Afs Securities And Credit Spreads Of U.S. Life Insurance Companies, Kwang Liang Yeo

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study evaluates the transmission of unrealized fair value accounting losses to credit default risk within the United States life insurance sector during a period of unprecedented monetary tightening. Integrating a pre-specified confirmatory econometric framework with a text-based exploratory analysis of regulatory filings, we examine how changes in Other Comprehensive Income (OCI) and benchmark interest rate dynamics shape market perceptions of insurer default probability. Our findings reveal that credit default swap markets do not price OCI variations contemporaneously; instead, they reflect a structural one-quarter pricing lag that aligns with the regulatory timeline of financial disclosures. Furthermore, the relationship between interest …

Strategic Economic Evaluation Of Microsoft's Post-Acquisition Gaming Portfolio, Brett Hancock, Daniela Orta Castaneda, Travis Stevens, M. Affan Badar

Symposium Projects

Microsoft Gaming is a gaming and entertainment division of Microsoft. In 2023 Microsoft bought Activision Blizzard, another industry leader. Rapidly changing industry and increased operation costs have created challenges. Sound financial analysis required to maintain company profitability and health. The purpose of this study is to analyze the economic data to recommend potential areas of investment and consolidation.

Parental Use Of Digital Location Tracking Technology & The Impacts On Adolescent Development: A Scoping Review, Madison G. Cox

Senior Theses

In the 21st century, many parents rely on digital location tracking applications (e.g., Life360, Find My Friends) to track the whereabouts of their teens and young adults, exerting a new form of parental control in the digital age. Though a popular parenting strategy, it is unclear how utilizing these tools might be affecting adolescent and emerging adulthood development. To better understand these outcomes, the present thesis conducted a scoping review of articles via the PsycINFO database. After screening studies according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of five studies were included in the scoping review. The included studies …

Evaluating The Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health On Outcomes Of Type Ii Diabetes In South Carolina, Alexander G. Downs

Senior Theses

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) represents a significant public health burden in South Carolina, where 13.5% of adults are affected, surpassing the national rate of 12%. This integrative literature review examines the social determinants of health most strongly associated with T2DM morbidity and mortality in South Carolina, including race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, rural or urban residence, educational attainment, healthcare access, and food insecurity. Evidence drawn from peer-reviewed studies, epidemiological reports, and state health data reveals that African American, rural, and low-income populations bear a disproportionate share of the diabetes burden in the state. These disparities arise through multilevel mechanisms …

The Middle-Class Rip-Off'? Subsiding Culture In Contemporary Ireland, Connell Vaughan Dr

Irish Communication Review

In the last few years (roughly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic) there has been a noted increase in state-led cultural funding in Ireland. Key examples include the raise in the financial allocation to the Arts Council, the introduction of the Basic Income for the Arts scheme, and increased sports capital funding. With reference to the official communication documents of these cases (so-called ‘grey literature’) and deploying the classic 1982 episode of the British sitcom Yes, Minister, ‘The Middle-Class Rip-Off,’ which pitches sports funding against support for the arts, as a satirical lens, this paper reflects on the contemporary …

The Influence Of Mentoring On Educational Attitudes, Beliefs, And Behaviors (Eabbs): A Scoping Review, Amanda L. Davis, Jennifer Koide, Savannah B. Simpson, Samuel Mcquillin, Michael D. Lyons

Faculty Publications

Youth mentoring is a popular means for preventing negative psychosocial outcomes (e.g., high-risk behaviors, school dropout) and promoting positive ones (e.g., matriculation, goal setting). Mentors matched with youth through formal programs, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, are uniquely positioned to promote the development of the mentee’s positive educational attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors (EABBs; e.g., academic engagement, grit, growth mindset). While school staff, such as school psychologists, are often unable to directly serve all students in need of support due to lack of time or large caseloads, youth mentoring may be a means to target EABB development. However, a critical …

Navigating Sustainable Burial In Southern Nevada, Kristen Gibson

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

Navigating Sustainable Burial in Southern Nevada investigates the accessibility of environmentally conscious end-of-life options for individuals throughout the region. Sustainable burial practices, including green burial, water cremation, and natural organic reduction, provide alternatives to traditional burial and cremation methods. Research was conducted through an analysis of Nevada statutes, local reporting, funeral service resources, and public discussions related to sustainable burial. The research revealed that although Nevada expanded legal recognition of sustainable burial by legalizing natural organic reduction, public access to clear information and available services remains limited. These findings informed the creation of a choose-your-own-adventure booklet designed to translate legal …

Bates College Journal Of Political Studies: Volume Iii, Issue 1, Spring 2026, Bates Initiative For Government Studies

Bates College Journal of Political Studies

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Legalized Sports Betting On Divorce, Alvaro Muniz-Fernandez, Brad Humphreys, Jane E. Ruseski

Economics Faculty Working Papers Series

This paper estimates the causal effect of legalization of sports betting on marital dissolution. We exploit the staggered legalization of sports betting in states following the Murphy v. NCAA (2018) Supreme Court as a source of exogenous variation, using a U.S. state-year panel from 2012 to 2023. Implementing a difference-in-differences design, we find that legalization increases both the flow and stock of divorces: the annual divorce rate and the share of divorced men rise by 0.107 and 0.276 percentage points, respectively. These effects accumulate gradually over the post-treatment period, consistent with a mechanism operating through the slow deterioration of household …

Earth Day 2026 - History, Emily Gomez

Library Display Posters

No abstract provided.

Usa Libraries Newsletter - V. 1, No. 2 (Spring 2026), Usa Libraries

USA Libraries Newsletter

Library News

What’s new at USA Libraries?

USA Libraries Personnel News // Lorene Flanders

Welcome Zach Basler! // Marx Library

Spring Semester at the Marx Library // Kaitlyn Moody

Winter & Spring Semester at the Biomedical Library // Leesha Coleman

Spring Semester at the MCOB Library // Amia Baker

Marx Library Period Product Initiative // Kaitlyn Moody

Biomedical Library Team Tours College of Medicine Construction Site // Gail Kouame

Research Round-Up

Spotlighting library tips, tricks, and tools…

Demystifying the Archives: What to Expect on Your Tour! // Kaitlyn Moody

Graphic Medicine: Ripple Effects Review // Leesha Coleman

Now Showing: South …

Are Missourians Voting For Conservative Candidates And Liberal Policies? A Case For Ballot Measure Ticket Splitting, Kimberly L. Casey, Andrew Strunc

Missouri Policy Journal

Missouri voters have recently been observed engaging in a form of ticket splitting in which support for Republican candidates is accompanied by approval of liberal ballot measures. This study examines that phenomenon using data from the Northwest Policy and Civic Engagement Center’s exit poll of the 2024 general election, conducted in Maryville, Missouri. The data reveal a strong tendency among voters to support candidates from a single party, Democratic or Republican, yet split their votes on ballot measures aligned with opposing ideological positions. We define this behavior as Ballot Measure Ticket Splitting (BMTS): the act of casting a straight-ticket …

Abortion Policy Opinions: Results From 2022 And 2024 Election Day Exit Polls, Mariliz Kastberg-Leonard

Missouri Policy Journal

Missouri has approached abortion policy in a post-Dobbs world, in an interesting way. As one of the states with a trigger law in effect, following the overturning of Roe v. Wade (1973), abortions were banned in Missouri except in very few cases. Just two years later, a constitutional amendment, Amendment 3, was added to the 2024 general election ballot to restore the right to abortion. This paper explores the results of two exit polls administered on Election Day 2022 and 2024, asking voters in Maryville, Missouri, their opinions about abortion. The results show Maryville voters support abortion protections, in …

Framing Artificial Intelligence In Higher Education: A Narrative Policy Analysis Study Of Higher Education Institutions With Particular Reference To Missouri, Taylor D. Corlee

Missouri Policy Journal

This study examines how higher education institutions narratively frame students’ use of artificial intelligence through policy-related documents, focusing on how these stories shape AI policy and how they can guide Missouri-based research. Using the Narrative Policy Framework and directed content analysis, 59 documents from 12 US public universities were coded for characters, plots, and morals and analyzed with descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and difference-of-means tests. Findings reveal that institutions frame AI policy through narratives that cast faculty as guides, students as both capable and vulnerable, and AI as both tools and threat. For Missouri, recognizing how narratives shape AI governance …

Missouri Policy Journal -Volume 2, Issue 3 (2026) -Full Issue

Missouri Policy Journal

No abstract provided.

Suds & Smiles: Empowering Confidence Through Hygiene Education, Yarkara Calhoun, Mikayla Cosby, Alona Johnson, Harmony Ware

Expo Student Presentations

2026 Spring Expo Poster Presentation

• Service-Learning

Burnout Sentinel: An Early Warning System For Student Burnout Using Workload And Recovery Indicators, Minh Duy Do

Expo Student Presentations

2026 Spring Expo Video Essay Presentation

• Biological & Life Sciences
• Health Sciences & Health Professions
• Physical & Applied Sciences
• Service-Learning
• Social & Behavioral Sciences

Applying Aba In Early Learning Classrooms: A Service-Learning Experience At Mitchell’S Place, Ligaya Gapud, Maria Hopkins

Expo Student Presentations

2026 Spring Expo Poster Presentation

• Service-Learning

A Mixed Methods Moderation Analysis Of Historical Trauma, Enculturation, And Drinking Among Southwest Indigenous Young Adults, Antonia M. Young

Psychology ETDs

Multicultural efforts to understand how enculturation could reduce alcohol-related harms among American Indian and Alaska Native and Mexican American young adults in the Southwest United States have been lacking. The present mixed methods study tested the cross-cultural applicability of Walters et al.’s (2002) Indigenist Stress-Coping Model, which suggests enculturation moderates the relationship between historical trauma and drinking, between these groups using moderated linear regression. Participants (N=120) completed an online survey with items from the Historical and Intergenerational Trauma Transmission Questionnaire (HITT-Q), the Vancouver Index of Acculturation (VIA) heritage subscale (i.e., enculturation), NIAAA’s 30-day drinking consumption questionnaire, and one …

A Medical Home: How Pediatrics Challenges Systemic Barriers Through Relationships And Time., Doris Serrano , ‘26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Investigating Social Justice Implications Of Glyphosate Residues In Human Urine, Ananya Malhotra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Glyphosate, the nominal active ingredient in professional-grade Roundup weed and grass killer, is the most extensively used herbicide globally and in the United States (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2020). An increasing level of concern has surfaced regarding its health consequences, particularly because of contamination of our food supplies. Recent research indicates distressing levels of detection of glyphosate in human blood and urine samples, revealing many instances of frequent human exposure (Conrad et al., 2017; Zhang et al., 2020).Most of the research about exposure is focused on agricultural workers or individuals living in close vicinity to agricultural lands.  Few …

Smu Launches Longevity Societies And Economies Institute To Advance Knowledge And Innovation For Singapore’S Longevity Transition, Singapore Management University

SMU Press Releases and News

Singapore Management University (SMU) launched the SMU Longevity Societies and Economies Institute (LSEI) which will focus on the economic and societal transitions needed for economies and societies to continue thriving despite an ageing population. The new institute will consolidate SMU’s ageing-related research and drive an interdisciplinary agenda to build resilient and opportunity-rich longevity societies and economies.

The Willow Who Kept The Secrets Of The Heart, Ana Suarez

Speak for the Trees!

This digital museum exhibit features the climate change fairy tale The Willow Who Kept the Secrets of the Heart, presented as a written narrative and recorded reading that explores the symbolic relationship between the Weeping Willow, water, and ecological care in the face of climate change. It also includes an infographic highlighting the Weeping Willow’s habitat, characteristics, and environmental challenges in Texas, along with a curator’s talk and curator’s board. The exhibit features an artifact entry using a half-filled vial of water to represent climate instability and the often-overlooked resources that sustain life, as well as a persuasive essay, …

Who's Qualified? Examining Attorney Perspectives On Lpcs In The Legal System, Becca Wilson, Bernave Vega

Posters - 2026

Legal cases frequently intersect with mental health concerns, positioning Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) to contribute clinical expertise in custody disputes, trauma documentation, and psychological functioning. As mental health issues become increasingly central to both civil and criminal proceedings, the working relationship between attorneys and counselors carries real consequences for clients, yet LPCs entering legal settings often face challenges related to role clarity, courtroom preparation, and professional credibility. Existing research has focused primarily on counselors' forensic experiences, leaving attorney perspectives on LPC involvement largely unexplored. This gap is meaningful, as attorneys serve as gatekeepers to expert involvement and their perceptions of …