Digital Commons Network^™

Rooted In Service, Reaching For The Stars, Lucila Ojeda '26

Senior Presentation of Learning

My biggest takeaway from Bonner is to not be afraid to ask for help. Coming from out of state, the transition from a familiar community to somewhere completely foreign was scary. The kindness shown to me by the people at Bonner is something I will never forget. Do it scared and take the leap of faith in reaching out and building your community. Bonner will help you as much as they can, and I hope my service has reflected the support I have been so fortunate to receive.

The Power Of An Unplanned Path: My Bonner Journey, Amia Mcdonald '26

Senior Presentation of Learning

Coming into my freshman year at DePauw, I had no idea what the Bonner program was or how much it would come to shape my college experience. It wasn’t until a senior Posse scholar took the time to tell me about Bonner and encouraged me to apply that I even saw myself as a part of it. From the start, I’ve always loved giving back and being involved in the communities I’m in, so joining Bonner felt like a natural fit. Over the past 3.5 years, my journey hasn’t been linear, but each service site I’ve been a part of …

Path Unexpected: Finding My Passion Through Service, Tanaa Jones '26

Senior Presentation of Learning

One of my biggest lessons from the Bonner Scholar program is that service can be about passion not only a career. Throughout my Bonner journey I have had fun and enjoyed much of my service. Although it won’t be what direction I go in, I still feel as though I made an impact within the community I spent 4 years with. My biggest piece of advice would be to breathe. Being a Bonner and a student is a hard task, give yourself a huge amount of credit.

Servicing My Communties, Leaving An Impact, Leila Kirkpatrick '26

Senior Presentation of Learning

I was struggling on whether or not I wanted to attend DePauw University because it was a completely different experience from what I was used to being from Chicago. DePauw is located in a small town and predominately white institution, with limited modes of transportation. I didn’t know anyone on campus, but then a faculty member from my tour told me about Bonner because of the community service I did in High School. I have always been passionate about serving my community. I told that member if I get in the program ,I will attend, and that’s what I did. …

Building Community Through Communication: A Bonner Scholar's Journey In Health Equity And Its Impacts, Samrawit (Samri) Soloman '26

Senior Presentation of Learning

As a Global Health major on the pre-medical track, I focused my Bonner experiences on becoming a culturally conscious physician who advocates for community health justice. My Bonner journey lead me to realize that communication is the foundation of building community. It was only through the multidisciplinary opportunities across different areas of health that I developed a more comphrehensive understanding of health equity. My experiences and leadership developemnt in Bonner equipped me with the tools to recognize overlap among health organizations and to use my professional skills to form partnerships and promote health equity.

A Journey With A Map, Ruben Munoz '26

Senior Presentation of Learning

My Journey through Bonner has been an interesting one. I personally have struggled to find a permanent spot throughout my four years in the Bonner Program. I have bounced between service sites, serving at places such as The Humane Society, TZ after-school program, Women's Center, Family Support Services, Crounded, among other sítes and opportunities. Although it has been a struggle, every site has come with its own lessons and motivations. I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to be a Bonner Seholar and have the journey that I have had.

Inequality And Well-Being, Sarah E. Boslaugh

Theses

Human well-being has been a topic of interest to philosophers at least since the time of Aristotle, and well-being has also been a core concern of social scientists since the birth of the discipline in the late 18^th century. Some theories of well-being include economic inequality as a factor, and multiple ways to measure this factor have been developed; as with well-being, there is no single best measure of economic inequality and the choice of which measure to use may be based on both theoretical and practical reasons. I argue that income inequality should always be included as a …

Language And Emotional Experience: A Worldwide Study, Natalie Lorange, Chelsea Romney

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

This qualitative study explored how native language influences emotional experience. Fourteen participants from diverse countries were recruited to capture a range of linguistic perspectives and experiences. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, resulting in four key themes: (1) shared experience as central in creating emotional meaning, (2) the power of words in shaping emotional experience, (3) stronger emotional resonance in native or frequently used languages, and (4) the importance of regional differences in emotional experience. Findings suggest that while emotions may be largely universal, linguistic and cultural differences play a significant role in an individual's emotional identity. The study highlights …

From Disaster To Decision: Spatial And Temporal Patterns In Disaster-Affected Voting, Jake L. Shaw

Dissertations

This dissertation examines how natural disasters shape electoral behavior in gubernatorial and presidential elections in the United States, with particular attention to geographic proximity, disaster severity, and partisan accountability. Using county-level gubernatorial and presidential election returns from 2016 to 2022, it analyzes the electoral effects of hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes through three frameworks: direct disaster impact, near-distance exposure, and disaster severity. Employing the difference-in-differences and fixed effects models across more than 31,000 county-year observations, the study finds that natural disasters can significantly reduce incumbent party vote share and voter turnout, particularly in gubernational elections. Results further demonstrate that electoral effects …

Trading Precarities: How Bangladeshi Freelancers Leverage The Digital Economy Amid Local Insecurity And Ai Disruption, Naim Bin Hasan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This study examines how Bangladeshi freelancers use digital platform work to cope with precarious local labor markets and how this strategy both mitigates and reproduces insecurity. In this form of work, freelancers compete for short-term, skill-based remote jobs posted by global clients. Drawing on 30 in-depth interviews and virtual ethnography, this study challenges dominant Western understandings of the precariat that assume workers fall from stable employment into insecure work. Instead, the findings show that many freelancers enter platform labor strategically as a way out of already unstable and limited local opportunities. While freelancing carries a promise of foreign income, flexibility, …

Suppressing Saints And Suffering Sinners: An Analysis Of Reductive Tropes Through The 2025 Film Sinners, Kaila Palmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Ryan Coogler’s 2025 horror film Sinners is set in a predominantly Black Mississippi community during the Jim Crow era and explores the vulnerability and hypervisibility of Black people. Vampires and Klansmen fixate on Black bodies, treating them as consumable and dispensable sources. Prior to its Amazon Prime debut and extended theatrical run, Sinners grossed over $300 million, signaling its cultural impact and contribution to reshaping representations of Black identity in cinema. As part of Coogler’s broader array of Black storytelling, the film disrupts entrenched stereotypes by emphasizing character depth rather than caricature.

This paper analyzes the characters Annie and the …

The Effects Of Dietary Protein Manipulation On Operant Demand, Brianna R. Lilly

LSU Master's Theses

Previous work with dietary protein restriction in rodents has demonstrated that rodents fed a low protein diet exhibit physiological effects such as lower rates of weight gain and increased levels of circulating fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21). Dietary protein restriction also produces behavioral effects. Compared to rodents that are not protein-restricted, rodents that are protein-restricted exhibit increased food intake and higher preference for a protein vs. carbohydrate solution. Additionally, protein-restricted rodents will respond at higher levels for a protein reinforcer than non-restricted rodents. The current study assessed the effect of dietary protein restriction on operant protein demand during and after …

The "Quiet Professionals": Oral Histories Of The United States Special Forces Veterans Of The Global War On Terror, Chase Rumbley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This thesis examines how United States Army Special Forces veterans of the Global War on Terror narrate the identity of the "Quiet Professional" across training, deployment, and post-service life. Drawing on oral history interviews with four retired Green Berets, as well as archival and material culture analysis, the study approaches Special Forces as a distinctive military institution shaped by narrative, institutional formation, and war. It argues that Special Forces ethos is not a fixed warrior identity, but a lived and contested achievement produced through rites of passage, embodied hardship, informal legitimacy, and collective memory. Participants describe becoming Special Forces as …

Drainage Proximity And Sinkhole Occurrence In Sivrihisar (Central Turkey): A Comparative Analysis Of Linear, Poisson, And Negative Binomial Regression Models, Bilge Bingül, Emrah Pekkan, Resul Çömert

International Journal of Speleology

This study investigates the relationship between sinkhole occurrence and distance to drainage in the Sivrihisar region (Central Turkey) and evaluates the suitability of different regression approaches for modeling clustered count data in karst terrains. A comprehensive inventory of 104 sinkholes developed within the Neogene lacustrine limestones of the Akpınar Formation was compiled using official records, remote sensing analyses, and detailed field surveys. Sinkhole occurrences were analyzed relative to a drainage network derived from a high-resolution Digital Surface Model and grouped by proximity to drainage lines. Linear Regression (LM), Poisson Regression (PR), and Negative Binomial Regression (NBR) models were comparatively applied …

Protecting Free Speech And Promoting Civility: The Dueling Responsibilities Of American Colleges And Universities, Tara N. Parsons

International Journal on Responsibility

Freedom House estimates that 75% of the world’s population lives in countries that experienced a democratic decline in 2020. Even in long established democracies, liberal democratic values have been shaken. As democracy requires an enlightened citizenry cultivated by a college education, many American universities and colleges adopt civic instruction and engagement as a core responsibility and mission. However, growing anti-intellectualism has drawn increased scrutiny and suspicion towards the programming, curriculum, and core values of universities. Powerful political figures regularly accuse universities of stifling conservative voices and discouraging free speech. The tension between free speech and civic dialogue requires a reframing …

Understanding The Underutilization Of The Campus Recreation Facility: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction, Social Physique Anxiety, Sense Of Community, And Physical Environment Barriers, Caden M. Pfingsten

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

General Abstract

Understanding the Underutilization of the Campus Recreation Facility:

A Mixed-Methods Examination of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction,

Social Physique Anxiety, Sense of Community, and Physical Environment Barriers

Caden Miles Pfingsten

Department of Health and Human Performance, Fort Hays State University

May 2026

General Abstract

This study investigated why students at a mid-sized Midwestern public university elect to pay for off-campus commercial gym memberships rather than use the on-campus Campus Recreation Facility (CRF), which is available at no additional direct cost. A cross-sectional quantitative survey (N = 169) was administered to students across six fitness facility groups. Validated and researcher-adapted …

Pages Of Despair: Economic Policy Uncertainty And Mental Health, Kori Massner

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Policy uncertainty threatens access to affordable medical care, yet few studies have examined how it shapes what people search for online. This study examines whether economic policy uncertainty predicts mental health information-seeking behavior by analyzing daily Wikipedia pageviews from July 2015 to April 2026 using a time series model. Results show that as economic policy uncertainty increases, there is an increase in pageviews on Wikipedia for suicide related information. When there is an increase in those searching for information on pages about depression and pages about anxiety, there is also an increase in pageviews on Wikipedia for suicide related information. …

Developing Strategies For Pce Outreach, Mariah Blankenbaker, Gordon Carlson, Daniel Adesoji, Levi Eck

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

In collaboration with Professional and Continuing Education (PCE), we produced projects to automate their internal tasks, as well as to promote their services. By taking advantage of software techniques, we bridged live-action footage with 2D and 3D computer visuals for promotional material. In addition, we researched the capabilities of creating a custom Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) and trained it to analyze and interact with thousands of industry datapoints.

Barriers And Motivators To Participation In Intramural Sports At Fort Hays State University, Tereus Henry, Dillon Provost, Judson Wiltfong, Samuel Spencer, Taylor Falk, Justin L. Montney

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Introduction: Intramural sports programs play an important role in promoting physical activity, social connection, and overall well-being among college students; however, participation rates on many campuses remain lower than desired. The purpose of this study was to examine factors influencing student participation in intramural sports at Fort Hays State University and to identify strategies that may enhance engagement.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was utilized to collect data from currently enrolled students taking at least six credit hours. Participants were recruited through university communication channels, including course announcements and social media, and completed an online questionnaire assessing perceived barriers …

Community Cultivation: Building Community Health, Growth, And Sustainability Through A Community Garden, Lauren J. Franks

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The Community Cultivation program is a grant proposal project that explores how a community garden can improve access to healthy food in rural areas, with a focus on Hays, Kansas. Guided by the question of how community-based food initiatives can reduce nutrition-related disparities, this project responds to the HaysMed Community Health Needs Assessment, which identifies nutrition and access to fresh produce as critical concerns for Ellis County. The program offers a sustainable, community-centered approach that increases the availability of fresh produce while building individual gardening and cooking skills. With an emphasis on food-insecure and low-income individuals, the Community Cultivation Garden …

Immigration And Policy: Who Influences Who?, Madison May Albers

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This project examines how public opinion on immigration changes in response to the framing of major immigration policies in the United States. The study is grounded in Policy feedback theory, which argues that shifts in public opinion reflect the dominant frames of policy. The independent variable is the framing of the legislation, measured by presidential State of the Union addresses, and the dependent variable is the public's sentiments on immigration, measured by the media's portrayal. Utilizing a qualitative comparative historical design, the project analyzes the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, DACA in 2012, the Trump travel …

An Evaluation Of The Anomie Theory In The Criminal Justice System, Emma K. Schneider

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Anomie Theory is a sub-theory of social structure theory and focuses on someone's sense of normlessness when society is ever-changing, and a person of low economic status lacks social ties or a way to legitimately obtain the goals of social norms, resulting in resorting to aggravation and anger. Émile Durkheim originated the idea and went on to give a new way to observe and study crime. The criminal justice system implements this through federal aid and help after imprisonment, but there is still a lot that can be done to progress this theory. This occurs in everyday life, and it …

Cross-Cultural Differences In Academic Pressure, Anxiety, And Sleep Quality Among High-Achieving Students In The United States And South Korea, Yumi Choi, Brett Zollinger, Jisook Park

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study examines cross-cultural differences in academic pressure, anxiety, and sleep quality among high-achieving students in the United States and South Korea. As academic success becomes increasingly competitive in both countries, students often face significant psychological and physiological challenges. This research investigates how differing educational systems and cultural expectations influence levels of academic pressure and their subsequent impact on anxiety and sleep quality.

Data were collected from high-achieving high school students in both countries using standardized measures, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale. Comparative analyses were conducted to identify differences in perceived …

Behaviorally-Anchored Team Member Feedback In Undergraduate Learning: Linking Verbal Communication To Ai-Detected Emotional Expressions, Ryan Will, Brent J. Goertzen, Magdalene Moy, Jace Hesford

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study examines how undergraduate team members’ verbal communication behaviors are associated with the emotional expressions of their teammates during student project team interactions. Drawing on data from a semester-long, team-based undergraduate course, three key team meetings were video-recorded across the team life cycle. Verbal communication was analyzed using a systematic content analysis with an a priori codebook capturing emotionally relevant behaviors such as optimism, empathy, building bonds, developing others, service orientation, and task-focused communication. Nonverbal emotional expressions were assessed using AI-based facial expression analysis grounded in Facial Action Coding System research, generating average emotion scores for each team member. …

Validating Llm-Assisted Coding Of Student Leadership Teams For Formative Feedback, Jace Hesford, Magdalene Moy, Ryan Will, Brent Goertzen

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Leadership education scholarship increasingly calls for direct assessment of leadership behaviors rather than reliance on proxy measures (Banks et al., 2023). This poster reports a validation study situated in a project-based leadership course at a midsized university. While teams meet regularly throughout the semester-long project, three meetings are digitally recorded, transcribed and analyzed to provide students with objective feedback based on the content of their communication. Team meetings are coded using an a priori framework grounded in emotional intelligence (Salovey & Mayer, 1990; Lee & Wong, 2017), with codes reflecting self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, social awareness, and relational management as enacted …

From Books To Justice: Public Libraries Strengthening Legal Access Across Kansas, Lauren J. Franks, Ziwei Qi

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Legal self-help centers across Kansas allow access to legal information for self-represented litigants in civil court cases. However, there is a lack of these centers in rural areas. In areas where this resource does not exist, libraries, which already serve as a trusted community-centered hub, can help provide legal information and resources. This project aims to identify best practices in increasing access to legal information and survey key staff including self-help center staff, court staff such as court clerks and judges, and librarians, to help inform our integration of legal self-help services into public libraries. By executing a short anonymous …

The Role Of Dna Exoneration In The Bloodsworth Case, John T. Brasfield

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

In the Kirk Bloodsworth case, a man was falsely convicted for the rape and murder of Dawn Hamilton. He spent eight years in prison after being convicted through witness testimony, where he learned about DNA profiling. After submitting a request to check his DNA against the DNA left at the scene, he was exonerated. Later, the DNA left at the scene was checked against a database and got a hit on a convicted rapist who had been charged shortly after Mr. Bloodsworth. If there had been the same access to DNA technology during the trial or if they had listened …

False Confessions Of A Teenage Boy: The Case Of Brian Boles And Charles Collins, Rebekah Bottner

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

On February 8, 1994, James Reid was found dead in his apartment in New York. In the days following the murder, detectives spoke to several people who lived in the building, looking for potential leads or suspects, including 17-year-old Brain Boles. Boles was initially released from questioning after he signed a statement confirming his alibi and that barely knew Reid. A month later, Boles was arrested for a separate assault and robbery. For this crime, Boles confessed, but he was then subjected to an intense and lengthy interrogation for the murder of James Reid. Eventually, Boles also confessed to the …

Yellowjackets And White Hoods?!: The Mistreatment Of Bipoc Characters, Suki Shepherd

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

In 2021, a psychological horror television series inspired by Lord of the Flies, reimagined as a high school girls' soccer team, was released. The highly skilled team from Wiskayok High School is on the way to the national championship game when their plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness. With both a teenage timeline and an adult timeline, the show switches between the girls' desperate survival and descent to madness in the woods and modern times, where the truth of how they made it out starts to be revealed.

Competition As A Solution To High Prices And Low Capacity In U.S. Healthcare: A Synthetic Control Analysis Of Certificate Of Need Repeal As A Lever For Hospital Market Reform, Eve Velasquez, Wyatt Greco

School of Public Policy Capstones

The U.S. healthcare system faces dual challenges: rising hospital prices and declining capacity. Between 2000 and 2024, average hospital expenses per adjusted inpatient day increased from approximately $1,000 to over $3,000, while hospital beds per capita declined from 3.11 to 2.45. This capstone evaluates three policy alternatives to address affordability and accessibility: restrictions on most-favored nation clauses in insurance-provider contracts, elimination of federal tax exemptions on employer-sponsored health insurance, and repeal of certificate of need (CON) laws. Through a comprehensive literature review and a synthetic control analysis of Indiana's 2019 nursing home CON reinstatement, we assess the empirical effects on …