Digital Commons Network^™

2026 Furman University Scholarship Reception Program, Micah Wingard, Kathie Sloan

Libraries Institutional Records

On February 13, 2026, the Libraries and the Office of the Provost hosted the Furman University Scholarship Reception. The reception showcased scholarly publications, creative works, and professional accomplishments of Furman faculty or staff from the 2024 calendar year. It highlighted Furman faculty and staff who completed a degree, received a grant from an external funding source totaling more than $1,000, and/or published books, book chapters, journal articles, exhibits, recordings, performances, films, or other works. The following Furman presenters provided four-minute speeches about their scholarly or creative works:

• Diane Boyd, Associate Dean and Executive Director, Faculty Development Center
• Kathleen Casey, Professor …

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: January 2026, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

The January 2026 BLS data show U.S. employment rose by 130,000, with unemployment holding at 4.3%. Veteran unemployment increased from 3.9% to 4.5%, and Post‑9/11 veteran unemployment rose to 5.8%. Trends varied by demographic group: young veterans (18–24) saw improvement, while veterans 45–54 experienced a sharp rise. Female veteran unemployment climbed notably to 5.8%. Black veterans saw unemployment rise to 8.3%, while Hispanic veteran unemployment dropped to 2.1%. Overall, veterans experienced greater volatility than nonveterans across age, gender, and racial groups.

The State Of Mental Health In The Mountain West, 2025, Cason Noll, Anirudh Polagani, Taylor Volk, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data on the mental health of youth and adults, as well as the availability of mental health care, across the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah in 2025. The data are derived from "The State of Mental Health in America 2025,” originally published by Mental Health America (MHA).

Encouraging Naturalization: The Broader Effects Of Daca On U.S. Immigration, Emily Battaglia, Thomas Pearson

Center for Policy Research

This paper examines how protection from deportation and work authorization affect immigration outcomes, focusing on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Using a difference-in-differences design exploiting geographic variation in exposure to DACA-eligible immigrants, we find that DACA significantly increased the number of naturalized citizens without increasing the number of noncitizens. This increase is driven by higher naturalization among prior noncitizens, most of whom are likely not DACA beneficiaries. We provide evidence consistent with DACA increasing incentives for, and reducing barriers to, naturalization by protecting undocumented DACA-eligible contacts, suggesting temporary protections can encourage longer-term commitments and permanent residence among existing immigrants.

The Role Of Forgiveness: Spirituality, Loneliness, And Depression In A Christian University, Elda Botello-Ramirez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For university students, loneliness has harmful effects, like depression, but choosing to forgive and embracing spirituality can lead to better mental health. Yet, limited studies have examined these constructs among students enrolled in long-distance learning (LDL) courses. This is important because an increase in loneliness continues, and more students are taking LDL classes. Still, there is a paucity of work on mental health among students in Christian universities. Thus, this quantitative research study examined context-specific or transgression-specific forgiveness (state forgiveness) while considering the role of personality traits (i.e., trait forgiveness) related to forgiveness to investigate its impact on loneliness and …

Measuring Depression, Anxiety, Stress And Burnout In Paramedics, Dispatchers, And Call Takers Of Western Canada, Nahum Chi Heng Ip

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The following dissertation examines depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout in dispatchers and paramedics of Western Canada. This study is meant to bridge a research gap in mental health among emergency health workers in British Columbia, Canada. The samples were collected through two self-reporting surveys, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Maslach Burnout Index (MBI), both of which are strongly validated and widely used in similar research. Of the 948 dispatchers and paramedics who participated, 771 (81.3%) responses qualified to be included. The data was entered into the Intellectus software where a variety of tools were utilized to …

Us Federal Budgets And Federal Employee Job Satisfaction, Nathan Favero, Carla Flink, Tingli Qu

Faculty Publications

Researchers have long studied how organizational budgets relate to performance, but how do employees themselves experience the effects of budgetary decisions? Given widespread attention to political dysfunction in US federal budgeting, conventional wisdom holds that employees are negatively affected by budgetary uncertainty (volatility, delays, and stop-gap measures). We test how budget size and uncertainty are associated with US federal employee attitudes using survey and archival data from 2005 to 2020. Results provide some evidence that employee job satisfaction improves with enhanced funds, but there is little to no support for the notion that budgetary uncertainty influences federal employees' job satisfaction.

Burnout, Perceived Organizational Support, And Spirituality: In Msd Special Educators, Bianca Grider Fisher

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational research study explored whether burnout (BO) is correlated with perceived organizational support (POS) in special education teachers (SETs) working with moderate to severe disabilities (MSDs) students during distress, and whether spirituality moderates the correlation. SETs working with MSD students face a heightened risk of BO, yet there is little literature exploring how organizational or spiritual resources help. Exploring these factors is necessary to strengthen SETs’ well-being. Guided by the Organizational Support Theory, theoretical frameworks on BO, Maslow's Theory on Spirituality and Hierarchy of Needs, the Cognitive Appraisal Approach, and biblical truths, this study explored how internal and …

Childhood Emotional Abuse And Effects On Adult Behavioral Health, Motivation, And Resilience, Jonathan Pawson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood emotional abuse (CEA) is a frequently overlooked form of maltreatment that disrupts attachment formation and increases vulnerability to depression, anxiety, and other internalizing symptoms in adulthood. Because the harm is relational and often invisible, its long-term effects can persist without recognition. This study examined how CEA related to adult internalizing behaviors, resilience, and motivation, and whether resilience and motivation moderated these relationships. Attachment theory guided the framework for understanding how early emotional deprivation shapes later functioning.

A quantitative correlational design was used with 249 adults who completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form (CTQ-SF), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Generalized Anxiety …

Leading In The Unexpected: Adaptive Leadership And Time Management, A Phenomenological Study Of The Small Church Pastor, Simorrah J. Majors

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the most challenging obstacles small church pastors face today may be managing their time. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of the use of time management within the scope of church leadership and administration, as perceived through the lens of pastors ages 35 to 80 who are either the senior or sole pastor or elder at small trinitarian Protestant churches in the United States Northeast Region. Time management is generally defined as organizing and planning how to divide time between different activities and functions. The theory guiding this study is Ronald Heifetz's (2009) Adaptive Leadership theory …

Autistic Mothers And Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv): An Intersectional Analysis Of Vulnerability And Systemic Barriers, Rachel D. Bailey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how autistic mothers raising children with autism describe the support they received and the barriers they faced when leaving an IPV environment. The guiding theory for this study was Ecological Systems Theory, which was utilized to explore vulnerability to exploitation through aggressive abuse histories, normalization of violence, and the inability to see red flags in potential relationship partners. Intersectionality was utilized to examine how the interplay of abuse, autistic traits, race, socioeconomic states, and gender created a complex and challenging situation for autistic mothers affected by intimate partner violence. Eight …

Empirical Study Of China’S Foreign Direct Investment In Sub-Saharan Africa, Kennedy Agyei

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In recent years, China's presence in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has increased. The purpose of this quantitative study is to determine what explains the variation in China’s foreign direct investment (FDI) levels across SSA countries. This research examined how political stability, the Corruption Perceptions Index, natural resources, market size, and trade openness influence Chinese FDI inflows into Africa. The sample comprised 48 SSA countries, and a panel data set covering the period from 2003 to 2022 was used for analysis. The study adopted the international political economy (IPE) theory, which holds that international investment flows depend primarily on the quality of …

Teaching Politics In An Age Of Democratic Erosion, Lauren Balasco, Emmanuel Balogun, Janet Lawler, Anna Kapambwe Mwaba

Government: Faculty Publications

Democratic erosion in the United States, and the global decline of support for democratic values and institutions, obliges us to reflect on how we introduce politics to undergraduate students in this challenging era. Recent attacks on democratic rights and academic freedoms on college campuses, as well as the undermining of rule of law and democratic norms in the United States and abroad, compels us to reconsider and reflect on how we introduce politics and civic engagement in the classroom to our students. In this essay, we reflect on how current global and national trends in populism and authoritarianism require us …

What Is Happening In The World Today And Why: Humanity’S Evolving Consciousness And The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding, Carroy U. Ferguson

Journal of Conscious Evolution

What is happening in the world today and why? Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels. Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say. However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born—to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be. That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an …

The Impact Of Communication On Generational Trauma, Claudia Abalo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Trauma has occurred since God made man, and it has been passed down through generations. Now, even though generational trauma may not end until our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ returns (Revelations 21:4), in the meantime, the Scriptures encourage us to love one another as God loves us (John 13:34-35), to care for each other, and to share our burdens with one another (Galatians 6:2). However, there is limited research as to whether sharing our burdens such as discussing traumatic experiences within the home impacts generational trauma. Therefore, this qualitative, interpretative phenomenological study aimed to answer how the children of …

Post-Pandemic Social Distance: A Qualitative Study Of Communication Barriers In Post-Pandemic Education, Stephen Everett Ford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study investigates communication barriers in post-pandemic rural K-12 education, emphasizing how the shift from traditional classrooms to COVID-19 virtual environments altered interactions among teachers, students, parents, and administrators. The literature review draws on transactional distance theory and computer-mediated communication, supported by related theories addressing digital inequality, communicative noise, and classroom norm breakdowns. Research questions focus on (1) differences between pre- and post-pandemic education, (2) comparative quality of virtual versus face-to-face learning, and (3) whether teachers feel supported by administration and the board of education. Methods include a qualitative case study of five rural Oklahoma districts (C, 2A, 3A, …

School Social Workers In Practice: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study On Understanding Role Navigation And Providing Mental Health Support In Educational Settings, Jennifer J. Bowers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of school social workers as they navigated their professional roles in supporting student mental health within educational settings. Grounded in Organizational Role Theory and Ecological Systems Theory, the study explored the meanings participants assigned to their roles, the challenges they encountered, and factors that supported or hindered their work. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 11 licensed and unlicensed school social workers employed in the South Florida Tri-County area. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analyzed using epoché, horizontalization, and thematic clustering. Findings revealed four interrelated themes: navigating roles and …

Attitudes Of Postpartum Women Accessing Women, Hayley Logan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is an increase in substance use and mental health concerns among postpartum women. Although primary care, behavioral health, and integrative care services are available to postpartum women to increase wellness, these services are not being accessed. While there have been many barriers and challenges identified with postpartum women accessing services, stigma around services has been identified as the most common barrier. This led to looking at the attitudes that postpartum women have regarding accessing these services to improve wellness. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore postpartum women’s attitudes toward accessing behavioral health services, primary care services, …

Perspectives On Healthy Romantic Relationships In The Black Youth Community, Jharman M. Lightner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The perceptions of what constitutes a healthy romantic relationship impact relationship choice that, when unhealthy, has long term effects on mental and emotional wellbeing. This qualitative study explored how African American/Black adolescents ages 18–19 define, perceive, and experience healthy romantic relationships. Using focus group methodology, the study addressed four research questions concerning (1) definitions and perceptions of healthy romantic relationships, (2) influences on relationship beliefs, (3) essential components for maintaining relationship health, and (4) lived experiences with healthy romantic relationships. We conducted two focus groups in which data saturation was reached when no new codes, conceptual insights, or themes emerged …

A Phenomenological Study Of African American Clergy Premarital Financial Counseling Practices, Mary Lawrence Zimmerman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research study was to explore how African American clergy members described their experience of providing premarital financial counseling to engaged couples. Research indicates that financial issues are a significant source of conflict for couples and rank among the leading causes of divorce (Scott et al., 2013; Hawkins et al., 2012). Numerous studies also reflect couples' perceptions of counseling interventions, including their participation and benefits. However, the literature is limited concerning the perspectives of clergy who offer premarital financial counseling (Halley et al., 2011). Given the influence of money on relationships and the biblical role …

Understanding The Effect Of Affective Context On Conflict Monitoring Through Erp And Behavioral Indices Of Cognitive Control, Amanda Holbrook

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding cognitive control in response to conflict requires examining how control-related processes are modulated by affect. This study tested the negative-affective signaling hypothesis, which posits that negative affect elicited by conflict enhances cognitive control. Undergraduate participants (n=73) completed an affective-flanker task in which affective images preceded flanker stimuli. Cognitive control was indexed by the error-related negativity (ERN), conflict N2, response times (RTs), and accuracy, and late positive potential (LPP) to images indexed motivated attention. Across hypotheses, adding event-related potential (ERP) coupling terms did not improve the predictive accuracy of multilevel models, providing no evidence for the predicted trial-to-trial affect-control coupling. …

The Missed Education Of Mtss: A Phenomenological Study Of Cross-Cultural Counseling With African American Students, Whitney L. Towns

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how secondary school counselors experience and implement cross-cultural counseling practices with African American students during the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process. African American students disproportionately face systemic barriers that influence their academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes, and counselors are often underprepared to provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed care within the constraints of MTSS. Guided by Ecological Systems Theory, Intersectionality Theory, and the Trauma-Informed Practice Framework, this transcendental phenomenological study examined how counselors understood and carried out their roles across MTSS tiers while navigating issues of trust, culture, trauma, and equity. …

Human Trafficking: A Phenomenological Analysis Of Indiana Law Enforcement Human Trafficking Training Effectiveness, Keeley Chelise Keasler Adams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Human trafficking is a rapidly growing, pervasive issue that threatens the fundamental human rights of every man, woman, and child across the globe. Human trafficking is one of the most lucrative illicit organized crime businesses in the world, and as the fueled demand for cheap labor, services, and commercial sex continues to reach stifling rates, law enforcement organizations are desperately seeking to identify ways to effectively combat this critical issue. Today’s advanced technology and transport systems have enabled human traffickers to expand operations to every country, including the United States. Although every state in the United States is affected, reliable …

A Case Study Of The Formation And Implementation Of Development Plan In Akwa Ibom State Of Nigeria, Anietie Edoho-Ukwa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the formation and implementation of development plans by public administrators in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. This study will seek to understand the underlying factors affecting the success of these plans and proffer strategies for improving their effectiveness and sustainability. The theoretical framework of this research study is grounded in modernization theory, globalization theory, and transformational leadership theory. This study will conduct a comparative examination of other states in Nigeria with comparable populations and metrics. To gather data for the study, the researcher will convene with 20 current or former public …

Investigating The Impact Of Childhood Trauma On Marital Satisfaction: A Moderated Multiple Regression Analysis, Clarence Duff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood trauma and its negative impact on adult life is well documented as a growing global concern and has been a focus of research for many years. A growing body of literature has demonstrated its impact on psychological and physical health, as well as emotional and social well-being. However, research on how it affects marital satisfaction and variables that moderate this relationship is unexplored. Using the Adverse Childhood Experience questionnaire (ACE) and Pearson correlation, the study examined the relationship between childhood trauma and marital satisfaction. Furthermore, a linear multiple linear regression was used to examine whether Experience in Close Relationship …

Analyzing The Effects Of Supervisors’ Conduct On The Persistent Stress Experienced By Nevada Law Enforcement Officers, Kendra D. Still

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study aimed to identify the specific actions of supervisors that contribute to chronic stress among law enforcement officers in Nevada. Chronic stress is a common issue in law enforcement and can have detrimental effects on officers’ mental and physical well-being. Despite the acknowledgement of supervisors' actions as a significant stressor for officers, there is a lack of research specifically addressing the actions that officers perceive as most stress-inducing, particularly in Nevada. This research gap hinders efforts to address and alleviate these stressors, allowing them to persist and impact officers' well-being. To address this gap, a Likert-scale survey was …

The Development And Maturity Of Borderline Personality Disorder In Modern Times, Kevin M. Reynolds

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a dynamic condition that significantly varies between afflicted individuals, with a diverse variety of contributing factors in terms of symptom manifestation. Better comprehending BPD is essential in generalizing the contributing, etiological factors of the condition to broad demographics. Unfortunately, the existing research has failed to accomplish this goal, usually only studying how the condition and its symptoms manifest in Caucasian females. This study focused on closing this gap by discovering links between broader demographics within the context of etiology, comorbidities, and spiritual affiliation. This quantitative study involved collecting etiology, symptom, comorbidity, and spirituality data from …

Powering Up Clinical Scholarship In Dental Journal Club On February 13, 2026, Evelyn Wang

HSLIC Faculty and Staff Instructional Resources

Instruction session for a dental journal club introducing common biases through critical appraisal of three article types: a systematic review (observer bias and blinding), a retrospective study (selection bias, information bias, and confounding), and a prospective pre‑post study (lack of a control group and residual confounding) in clinical research.

Finding Research Datasets And Evaluating Data Quality, Ibis Anette Moreno-Lozano Phd.

Day Family Research Lab Workshop Series

No abstract provided.

Beyond "Place Matters": Making Spatial Analysis Accessible With Dashboard-Driven Geography, Stephen Borders

Public Health

This article presents an instructional module that uses Tableau to teach spatial thinking and policy geography through an analysis of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation. Tableau’s ability to integrate custom spatial files with demographic and health data makes it an accessible platform for introducing geographic inquiry without requiring specialized GIS expertise. The lesson guides instructors through building maps, bullet charts, and scatterplots that highlight gaps between eligibility and enrolment, while connecting food insecurity to health outcomes. By lowering technical barriers, Tableau provides a pedagogical bridge that helps educators foster spatial literacy in diverse classroom contexts.

This article was published …