Digital Commons Network^™

From Old English Genitives To Modern English Possessives: Tracing Grammar Evolution Through Biogrammar And Grammatical Biology, Charles X. Li

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): Charles X. Li, PhD

This paper presents a biologically grounded and historically informed framework, Biogrammar, as a means to explain grammatical evolution and cognitive processing. It compares Biogrammar with two foundational theories in the study of language: the Nature-Nurture Hypothesis and Chomsky’s Universal Grammar. As a case study, the paper examines the historical evolution of English plural and genitive constructions, focusing on morphological developments such as the -as/-es mergers, his-genitives, group genitives, and the rise of the of + noun phrase pattern. These diachronic changes are interpreted as evidence of grammar functioning as a biologically adaptive system shaped …

Poetry And Empowerment In Islam, Stephanie Kerr

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): Katharine Whitcomb

In this collection I hope to express the abundance of empowerment my religion, Islam, has given me. Before my conversion I, like many, believed some misconceptions about women in Islam but now I have gained confidence and discovered I am capable of more than I ever thought. In this community I have also met many Muslim women who feel the same sense of empowerment. Presentation recording available in the SOURCE 2025 playlist: https://www.youtube.com/@cwusource5518

Exploring Victorian Era Class And Culture: Representation Of The Working Class Through Joseph Skipsey's Poetry, Nathasya Josephine

International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities

Representation of minorities has always been a problem in publication. This is especially true in Victorian society, where class stratification was rampant and class distinctions were marked as normal. As a result, many authors from underprivileged communities are overshadowed by the influential literary giants we now know as the Canons. This paper aims to shed light on one of the unknown voices representing Victorian working-class society. Specifically, it will discuss Joseph Skipsey, a working-class author who writes poems about his daily life and struggles as a miner. The focus will be on two of his poems: "Get Up" and The …

2025 Central Washington University Commencement, Central Washington University

Commencement Programs

A commencement program from graduation ceremonies at Central Washington University.

Banned Books, Central Washington University

Brooks Library Events

Reading and a celebration of the freedom to read, access to information, and freedom of expression. Sponsored by Lion's Rock Visiting Writiers Series and CWU Libraries,

In today’s political climate, the issue of banned books is more relevant than ever. Books are being challenged and removed from libraries and schools at an alarming rate, often for addressing critical social issues or presenting diverse perspectives. This “Banned Books” event is an opportunity to stand against censorship and to celebrate the voices that some seek to silence.

A recording of this event can be viewed in the Archives and Special Collections reading …

Central Washington University 2025-2026 University Catalog, Central Washington University

Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Sun Valley’S 2025 World Cup Downhill Course Improves Dick Durrance’S 1939 Course, And Recaptures The Excitement Of The Classic Harriman Cup Races, John W. Lundin

Works by Local Authors

In October, a delegation from the F.I.S. and US Ski & Snowboard (the country’s national governing body for skiing and snowboarding) gave final approval for the Sun Valley Resort to host the Audi F.I.S. Ski World Cup Finals between March 22-27, 2025. Twenty five men and 25 women from 30 countries will compete in all four Alpine skiing disciplines - slalom, giant slalom, downhill and super-G. International attention will be on Sun Valley, as European greats and their teams come for the tournament, and 2 million people are expected to watch the event in the U.S. alone. The final approval …

The “Problem Of Motherhood”: Early Soviet Maternity Policy And Reality, 1917 - 1936, Danielle M. Hegarty

All Master's Theses

After the October Revolution of 1917, the new Bolshevik regime sought to reshape the lives of women to fit the new socialist future. In line with Marxist thought, they attempted to draw mothers out of the home and into the public sphere. Through legal reforms and social services, the Communist Party worked to relieve mothers of the double burden which tied women between work and the home. This research focuses on the various methods used by the Bolsheviks in their attempt to reform motherhood in the decade after the revolution. Most importantly, it helps to uncover the impact it had …

Igniting Change: Assessing Language Access Gaps For Spanish-Speaking Communities In Wildfire Preparedness Resources In Yakima County, Washington, Rebecca N. Mitre

All Master's Theses

Limited-English proficiency (LEP) individuals across the United States face barriers in accessing information and other resources relating to natural hazard resources, particularly in areas prone to wildfire. In the Pacific Northwest, wildfires are predicted to increase in frequency, severity, and intensity and may also increase the social and economic vulnerability of LEP communities. The 2023 wildfire season underscored how economic, public health, and social impacts disproportionately impact minorities and socially vulnerable communities. This research investigates the inclusion of LEP communities in the development and dissemination of local wildfire resources in Yakima County, using the disaster management cycle as an analytical …

Assessing Potential For Managed Aquifer Recharge On The Manastash Alluvial Fan: A Geochemical Analysis, Elif A. Myers

All Master's Theses

In south-central Washington, the Yakima River Basin spans 6,100 square miles, encompassing approximately 10% of the state. With a growing population and over 400,000 acres of irrigated cropland, reliable water availability is vital for supporting agricultural irrigation, municipal needs, and aquatic habitats. To ensure water for future use, Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR), the practice of applying surface water to aquifers for storage or hydrologic system benefit, has been proposed within the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan (YBIP). This research explores the Manastash alluvial fan–located west of Ellensburg, Washington as a potential region for two MAR methods: Shallow Aquifer Recharge (SAR) and …

The Hidden Struggle: Peer Perceptions Of Imposter Phenomenon And The Impact Of Gender, Elizabeth C. Yanes

All Master's Theses

Imposter Phenomenon (IP) affects about 82% of people and can have detrimental effects on the mental health and achievement of sufferers (Bravata et al., 2020). Given the previous literature on IP and research on bias in interpersonal judgments based on gender, I explored how the expression of imposter feelings impacts interpersonal perceptions of competence and intelligence, and how gender moderates this relationship. Participants read one of four vignettes and indicated how competent and intelligent they viewed the individual in the vignette in which a high achieving man/woman college student does/does not express IP. Results of the 2 (Gender Pronouns: He/Him …

Fangs And Phantasms: Vampire Fiction's Role In Shaping Victorian Gender And Sexual Ideals, Michele White

All Master's Theses

This thesis examines how Christabel (1816), Carmilla (1872), and Dracula (1897), three quintessential texts in the vampire literary genre, speak to the Victorian proliferation of sexual and gender discourses. These texts use the metaphor of the vampire to contradict and sustain 19th-century regulatory dialogues encompassing sexuality, gender, and desire. By investigating these vampire narratives by means of theories of sexuality and gender enumerated in Michel Foucault's The History of Sexuality and Judith Butler's Gender Trouble, such as the ideas of “biopower” and “gender performativity,” I contend that these works do more than simply reproduce contemporary outlooks. Instead, these Gothic …

Focus Group Interview: Perspectives Of Virtual Dietary Counseling Methods Post Covid-19 Pandemic, Maria R. Mendoza

All Master's Theses

In response to the prevalence of morbidity and mortality, studies to avert these conditions in a cost-effective and accessible manner are also increasing. Developing new methods to provide nutrition education that are more accessible is critical to reaching individuals who may experience socioeconomic barriers impacting their ability to access healthcare. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions related to different delivery methods of dietary counseling. This qualitative research study will examine the perceptions related to different methods of dietary counseling (telephone calls, video calls, or face-to-face visits). Focus group one contained provider participants (N = 7), which …

The Barriers Diverse Students Face When Pursuing Graduate School, Yecenia Ramirez

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this archival study was to extend the existing literature concerning the challenges diverse students face when considering whether to pursue graduate school. The decision to pursue graduate education or developing aspirations to obtain a graduate degree happens through an intricate process that can be affected by many factors. In this study, six factors that aligned with Tinto’s work on college student persistence – financial concerns, academic motivation, family support, proximity, university environment, and access to mentors – were examined to determine their influence on students’ thoughts about pursuing a graduate degree. The data for this study was …

The Process Of Healing Individual And Communal Traumatic Experiences Through Natural And Cultural Reconnection In Silko’S Ceremony, Zeina Y. Ghanem

International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities

Trauma is central in Leslie Silko's Ceremony (1977), however, Tayo and the Laguna Pueblo community also experience healing through reconnecting with the land and its nature. Critiques by Aaron DeRosa, Alexandra Ganser, Michelle Satterlee, and Martin Premoli converge on the theme of trauma, each offering unique insights. DeRosa expands on the notion of cultural trauma and its impact on individuals and communities, advocating for adaptive cultural responses to trauma. Ganser explores Tayo's struggle with violence and identity, advocating for inclusive ceremonial practices. Satterlee emphasizes Tayo's embodiment of cultural struggle and connection to the land, while Premoli extends this to include …

Lecture: Impactful Women And Their Contributions In Ellensburg History, Julia Stringfellow

Library Scholarship

Julia Stringfellow, Professor and University Archivist at Central Washington University, will speak on “Impactful Women and Their Contributions in Ellensburg History.” The event is free, open to the public, but seating will be limited. About the Lecture

About the Lecture: Julia Stringfellow, Professor and University Archivist at Central Washington University, will share her research from a Sabbatical she took in 2023 that focused on Ellensburg and Central Washington University impactful women and their contributions. Women discussed in this lecture include the “mother of Ellensburg,” the wife of the first Ellensburg mayor, the first African American female minister of Ellensburg, and …

Using Gis To Visualize Daily Routines At The Neighborhood And Household Scales: A Feminist Approach Using A Nineteenth-Century Diary, Sterling Quinn

Geography Faculty Scholarship

Feminist scholars in the discipline of geography have noted the ways that routine activities at the household and neighborhood scales contribute to power relations and identity formation. Geographic information systems (GIS), with their ability to create multiple visual representations of people’s experiences in space at any scale, hold great potential for revealing these local processes and patterns that are often lost or invisible in broader historical narratives, especially when they pertain to women and children. This article contributes an example by using GIS to encode and map everyday events in a diary kept by Elisabeth Koren, a nineteenth-century Norwegian immigrant …

Stories About The David Rowlands Family Of Ellensburg, Washington, Joy Main Smith

Works by Local Authors

Including David's upbringing in Montgomeryshire Wales, his brother Robert's coming to America first, his siblings who stayed in the United Kingdom, and his 32 years with the Northern Pacific Railroad in Ellensburg.

2024 Central Washington University Commencement, Central Washington University

Commencement Programs

A commencement program from graduation ceremonies at Central Washington University.

Multimodality And Transfer In First-Year Composition: A Pedagogical Reflection, Mariah Sebastiani

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

This research project investigates how my FYC (First-Year Comp) content transfers into my students’ diverse classes, majors, and professional discourses. By interviewing and surveying my past students, I will use transfer theory to evaluate what pedagogical tools and methods lead students to effectively or ineffectively transfer FYC concepts, such as writing process, rhetorical situations, and discourse communities, into their current classes and professional lives. I will also focus on how multimodal activities impacted the learning environment and concept retention. I will interview and survey my students about how FYC knowledge transfers into their other classes. Using this research, I will …

404 Error – Gender Not Found: Lived Experiences Of Genderqueer Autistics Assigned Female At Birth, Christina-Marie J. Wright

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

While autism research has historically focused on males, increasing attention is being paid to the expression of autism spectrum disorder in cisgender girls and women. However, a significant percentage of the autistic population assigned female at birth experiences gender outside the male-female binary, and the expression of autistic traits in this population remains largely unexplored. Understanding the expression of autism in diverse populations is important for diagnostic access and support. The purpose of this study was to identify which behaviors and interests commonly ascribed to autistic individuals were demonstrated by autistic genderqueer individuals assigned female at birth. The study also …

The Power Of Words: Unpacking Language's Role In Educational Inequities, Zara Yokohama, Liz Beccari, Malcolm Jasmin

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

The language used to describe racial disparities in education may inadvertently influence how we address them. Framing such disparities as “achievement gap” rather than as “inequality in educational outcomes” assumes a deficit thinking mindset, shifting focus from the structural injustices contributing to education disparities to individuals, resulting in decreased prioritization of racial equity (Quinn & Desruisseaux, 2022). We aim to replicate this prioritization effect, specify the language driving the effect, and examine the impact of frames on perceptions of how to achieve racial equity. Participants were randomly assigned to conditions framing racial equity concerns as: a racial achievement gap, racial …

Cwu Faculty Senate Minutes 4/03/24, Janet Shields

Faculty Senate Minutes

These are the official Central Washington University Faculty Senate minutes for the April 3, 2024, regular meeting.

Research, Instruction, And Student Outreach: Reflecting On Pandemic Changes For Growth In An Academic Library, Chelsea Riddle, Elizabeth H. Brown, Janet Calderon

Library Scholarship

While academic settings are often accused of moving more slowly than other industries, they are not immune to change. Academic libraries have had to adapt, pivot, react, and prepare for a variety of shifts within higher education. The 2020 Covid-19 pandemic forced adaptations in library services; in light of this, student expectations are changing, the field has seen significant turnover within the workforce, and faculty behavior has evolved. However, while the core and intention behind library services may stay consistent, delivery and process has changed. This article will discuss evolutions and changes in a mid-sized, comprehensive university library and how …

Leadership Evaluation Paper: Establishing A Culture Of Gender Equality In Ems, Emily Gonzalez

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Female emergency medical services (EMS) providers face gender-based challenges and discrimination in the workplace, leading to higher rates of stress, depression, and anxiety. EMS leadership plays a critical role in shaping the experiences of all first responders, as well as the perpetuation or dismantling of discriminatory practices. Three leadership theories and their practical application for EMS leaders to dismantle gender inequality and promote fair and just treatment of women in the workplace are evaluated: transformational leadership, Path-Goal Theory, and servant leadership. The analysis involves examining professional and cultural factors contributing to gender inequality, utilizing leadership theories to address the issue, …

Cwu Faculty Senate Minutes 2/07/24, Janet Shields

Faculty Senate Minutes

These are the official Central Washington University Faculty Senate minutes for the February 7, 2024, regular meeting.

Cwu Faculty Senate Minutes 1/10/24, Janet Shields

Faculty Senate Minutes

These are the official Central Washington University Faculty Senate minutes for the January 10, 2024, regular meeting.

Central Washington University 2024-2025 University Catalog, Central Washington University

Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Racism Detection In Tweets, Ndjeuha Gihane

All Graduate Projects

Since the advent of social networks in 1997, businesses and people’s lives have changed in a good way. From promoting companies to reaching out to friends and family, social networking has become a major element in our lives. X is a very popular platform that is used by many people, including celebrities and politicians, to communicate with their audience. Like other platforms, X is not spared by the racism contained in the tweets. We should be able to catch those racist comments on any social media and block the accounts of those responsible for them. To do so, we have …

Library Advisory Council 2023-2024 End Of Academic Year Report, Central Washington University

Library Advisory Council for CWU Libraries

Library Advisory Council 2023-2024 End of Academic Year Report