Digital Commons Network^™

Are Accountability Courts In Georgia A Cost-Effective Public Health Policy Alternative?, Brian D. Graves, Orion Mowbray, Leaanne Derigne, Holly Lynde, Angel Ellis, Rachel Meyer

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of accountability courts in Georgia, presenting them as a viable alternative in public health policy.

Methods: The research utilized survey data collected from 37 court programs across 40 distinct accountability court programs; it was conducted by the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government in collaboration with the Council of Accountability Court Judges. The analysis includes a comparative assessment of cost savings, benefits, and differences among various court types, specifically focusing on drug courts, DUI courts, mental health courts, family treatment courts, and veterans treatment courts.

Results: Results reveal that …

Messages From The Provost, Georgia Southern University

Messages from the Provost

• Message from the Provost

• GS professor earns $20k grant to advance lighting design education

• From Brazil to Fulbright

• GS professor earns 2026 History Author of the Year from Georgia Writers Association

• GS earns numerous merits for undergraduate excellence from Colleges of Distinction

Message From The President, Georgia Southern University

Messages from the President

No abstract provided.

Marketing As Practice: Resolving The Hunt-Anderson Stalemate Through Practice Theory, Stephen A. Lemay, Martin Svendsen

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This paper revisits methodological debates in marketing theory, tracing the progression from Sidney Levy’s work on symbolic consumption to the Hunt–Anderson empiricist–relativist debate. We argue that this debate rests on a category error: marketing has been misclassified as either a science or an interpretive discipline. Drawing on contemporary practice theory, we reconceptualize marketing as a professional practice oriented toward creating and managing exchange relationships within cultural contexts. This perspective resolves the Hunt–Anderson stalemate, clarifies the epistemological foundations of Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) and Transformative Consumer Research (TCR), and generates distinct research questions and methods. Through comparative exemplars, we show how …

“I” Or “We” In Times Of Crises: Should Marketers Use Individualist Or Collectivist Language When Times Are Tough?, Milad Hour, Golshad Parsimoghadam, Ali Jamei

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

During the pandemic, as people dealt with fatalities, lockdowns, and the psychological impact of reduced social interactions, some marketing messages still captured significant public attention. What was the key element contributing to the success of these communications during such challenging times? This study focuses on the role of collectivism as a stress-coping mechanism included within marketing communications. Analyzing approximately 56,000 brand-generated posts on Platform X, the research examines how the use of collectivist language (e.g., we, us, etc.) relates to message likability, particularly as the pandemic nears its peak. The findings reveal that collectivist terms are positively associated with the …

Bayesian Or Frequentist? Testing The Association Between Statistical Approach In A Research Methods Class Project And Research Attitudes, Jacob B. Rode

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Research methods courses commonly include an empirical project. This quasi-experimental study examined whether using Bayesian statistics to analyze data would be associated with more positive student perceptions of research methods projects. At a private university in the U.S., two research methods courses were taught using frequentist statistics and two using Bayesian statistics for the project analyses. Students (N = 88) reported their attitudes towards research three times across the semester, and their perceptions of the project at the end of the course (Time 3). At Time 3, there were no significant differences between frequentist and Bayesian classes in their …

The Growth And Influence Of Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning Publications, Duane Knudson

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Limited narrative reviews and bibliometric studies of SoTL were extended by a study of the size, growth, and bibliometric performance analysis of published research using three of the most comprehensive, next-generation database services. Multiple searches of Google Scholar, Dimensions, and OpenAlex were performed using nine keyword search combinations. Additional searches of ScopusÒ and Web of ScienceÔ were also performed. There has been exponential growth in indexed SoTL research since the early 2000s with up to 110,000 articles, chapters, and books indexed by Google Scholar. This body of research is larger than previously documented by reviews …

Steven Universe & The Phenomenon Of Family, Jabari J. Whipple

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

This research analyzes Steven Universe, a modern animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar, through a sociological lens to explore how contemporary media redefines the concept of family. The study examines how nontraditional caregiving structures and emotionally based kinship challenge the boundaries of the nuclear family model. Using the theoretical frameworks of symbolic interactionism and feminist theory, this paper interprets family as a social construction formed through love, care, and shared experience rather than biology alone. A purposive sample of fifteen episodes across seasons one, three, and five was analyzed for depictions of caregiving, gender roles, and emotional labor. Findings …

Bringing Worlds Together: How Social Studies Teachers Make Content Meaningful, Harley A. Payne

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Secondary educators in social studies classes face the challenge of maintaining the attention of twenty to thirty students while they instruct them about content that often seems irrelevant or unimportant. These educators know, however, that the material these students are disinterested in is useful and crucial for developing adolescents who are learning to interact with the world. Research suggests that bridging the gap between the classroom and the real world has been linked to greater classroom engagement (Cooper 2014, Tagliaferro, 2012). Students who are engaged and exert more effort in class derive academic benefits, such as placement in advanced pathways …

Honoring Survivors’ Wholeness: Recommendations For University Offices Of Wellness, Maeve Jillian King

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Rates of child abuse are nationally significant, especially after considering how much violence goes unreported. Many college students have experienced sexual violence prior to arriving on campus, where incidents of sexual victimization are prominent. With this in mind, how can university offices of wellness support survivors wherever they are in their journey of survivorship? Previous research rarely considers both realities of victimization, but displays large concerns surrounding survivor’s mental health and educational obtainment. Additionally peer and social support play significant roles in survivor outcomes. This interdisciplinary literature review examines current university practices, mental health realities, and impacts of culture on …

Bringing Worlds Together: How Social Studies Teachers Make Content Meaningful, Harley A. Payne

Honors College Theses

Secondary educators in social studies classes face the challenge of maintaining the attention of dozens of students during instruction, often on content that seems irrelevant or unimportant. Educators must find ways to emphasize that the content their students are disinterested in is useful and crucial for their development into adults. Research suggests that bridging the gap between the classroom and the real world improves classroom engagement (Cooper, 2014; Tagliaferro, 2012). Students who are engaged and exert more effort in class derive academic benefits, such as placement in advanced pathways and increased test scores (Carbonaro, 2005). Civics education and the inclusion …

Selling The Self: Personal Branding And Impression Management On Linkedin, Matthew A. Gilbert

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Drawing on Erving Goffman's self-presentation theory, this study examines how professionals construct personal brands on LinkedIn through strategic identity performance. Using qualitative content analysis, the research analyzes 250 publicly available posts from 50 professionals across five occupational categories. The analysis employs deductive coding guided by Goffman's concepts of front-stage performance and impression management, examining visual elements, linguistic strategies, content themes, and engagement tactics. Data is analyzed using NVivo software. This study contributes to marketing theory by conceptualizing personal branding as both a communication practice and economic behavior, illuminating how professionals balance authenticity, visibility, and strategic positioning on career-focused platforms where …

Consumer Insights About Wood Pellets And The Heating Industry, Marlana Krug, Camille Gagnon, Harrison Synder, Ashton Rounsley

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This study investigates consumer purchasing behaviors and decisions within the wood pellet and heating industry with a focus on Central Pennsylvania. Research examined the decisions behind heating sources, pellet retailers, and pellet vendors. These findings are focused on understanding the purchasing habits of consumers, preferred retailers, and other considerations that influence pellet choice. Gaining an understanding of these purchasing choices and heating options is essential for improving marketing strategies. The Customer Engagement Theory served as the theoretical framework for this research, while the survey used quantitative questions to conduct and gather data on household decision-making.  Overall, the findings highlight the …

Clusters Of Student Perceptions Of Ai-Assisted Grading: Implications For Fair And Transparent Assessment Practice In Higher Education, Roberto Bello

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

As artificial intelligence (AI) tools become increasingly embedded in assessment and feedback systems, understanding how students perceive these technologies is vital for maintaining trust and fairness in higher education. This study investigates how students experience AI-assisted grading through an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) that incorporates fairness, transparency, and trust as pedagogically relevant constructs. Survey data from undergraduate marketing students (N = 142) were analyzed using cluster analysis, revealing three distinct perception profiles: Enthusiasts, Pragmatists, and Skeptics. These clusters differ significantly in their willingness to rely on AI feedback, perceived fairness of algorithmic grading, and expectations of …

Green Marketing And Culture: Understanding Hispanic Consumers’ Sustainable Purchase Intentions, Santiago Reyes, Sindy Chapa

AMTP Proceedings 2026

As sustainability becomes a central force in shaping consumer expectations, businesses increasingly rely on green marketing strategies to communicate environmental responsibility and influence purchasing behavior (Polonsky, 1994; Kuria, 2024). This study examines how environmental concern, attitudes toward cause-related marketing (CRM), and cultural values influence purchase intentions, and compares Hispanic and non-Hispanic consumers.

What It Means To Be Latino: Exploring Identity Among U.S.-Born Gen Z Youth, Santiago Reyes, Alessandra Noli Peschiera, Melany Sarcevic, Tatiana Garcia, Leen Tlanepantla

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This study explores how U.S.-born Hispanics and Latinos define their identity within a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse demographic group. As the Hispanic population expands, traditional labels such as Hispanic and Latino often fall short of capturing the community’s cultural, linguistic, and generational complexity. With most growth now coming from U.S.-born generations, identity is shaped by a blend of American influences and heritage traditions, making it more fluid and context-dependent. Guided by Social Identity Theory and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, this research uses focus groups with Gen Z participants to examine how they describe themselves, what characteristics they associate with being …

Transactional Platforms Under Goal Duality: Managing Tensions With Coordination Strategies, Nikolina Koporcic, Vesna Damnjanovic, Johan Frishammar, Vinit Parida

AMTP Proceedings 2026

While traditional transaction platforms like Airbnb emphasize economic value creation, some emerging platforms increasingly strive to pursue both economic and social goals. Balancing these dual goals creates tensions, especially in resource-constrained contexts, requiring innovative coordination strategies. Drawing on collective action theory and platform literature, we investigate how four start-up platforms pursuing dual goals manage these tensions. Using case study data from 64 interviews and extensive secondary sources, we identify six core tensions related to mission, user inclusion, scalability, operational control, community engagement, and stakeholder communication. We demonstrate how three key coordination strategies—framing, convening, and multivocality—help alleviate these tensions. Our study …

A Model For Professional Organization Membership Support: Trust, Commitment, Membership Value, And Relationship Quality Commitment, Shawn F. Clouse, Nader H. Shooshtari, Simona Stan, Liz Kohl

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Members of professional associations join these organizations for reasons that include benefits and services to members, advocacy and lobbying on behalf of members and their interests, networking opportunities, and a sense of community and identification with fellow association members. Members are likely to commit to the association and remain as members to the extent they are satisfied with what the association provides and if they perceive the benefits to exceed the costs (not just monetary) of membership. This survey of members of a professional association investigates the relationship between trust, relationship quality commitment, membership dues value and commitment (normative, affective, …

Different Experiences, Shared Connections: Program Leaders Autoethnographic Storytelling Reflections From A Panama Study Abroad Program, Beverly A. King, Kay Coates

University Libraries: Faculty Presentations

No abstract provided.

If We Build It, Will They Use It? Aligning Resource Recovery Design With Place-Based Social Systems, Jayce Sudweeks, Helen Rosko, Matthew R. Landsman, Francisco Cubas-Suazo, Lewis Stetson Rowles

Public & Nonprofit Studies: Faculty Publications

Recovering water, nutrients, energy, and critical materials from waste streams is essential for building resilient and circular water systems. Yet many recovery technologies fail to achieve adoption or persistence beyond pilot scales because they overlook the social and institutional contexts that shape implementation. This Perspective reframes resource recovery as an adaptive challenge, i.e., one that depends as much on governance capacity, trust, and collective learning as on technical optimization. We propose a watershed- and place-based framework that situates recovery systems within the ecological and institutional boundaries where communities, infrastructure, and governance intersect. Within this discussion, the Community Capitals Framework offers …

Subjective Perspectives On Antarctic Wilderness: An Application Of Integral Ecology, Annabelle G. Mayes

Honors College Theses

Parties to the Antarctic Treaty have set Antarctica aside for peace, scientific research, and environmental protection. However, they have yet to take concrete actions to protect Antarctica’s wilderness values as agreed under the 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Meanwhile, pristine areas that are free from human interference are declining as human activity escalates. This study examines perceptions of Antarctic wilderness through the lens of integral ecology. Data from 1,640 people and 16 study populations were extracted from four published studies. Content analysis was conducted to determine how subjective perspectives differ across populations and geographic regions. All …

Resilience In The Wake Of Faith-Based Trauma: Investigating The Role Of Social Support In Complex Posttraumatic Stress And Well-Being After Religious/Spiritual Abuse, Ellen Murphy

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Religious/spiritual (r/s) abuse involves the mistreatment of individuals within religious or spiritual contexts, often resulting in psychological and spiritual harm (Ellis et al., 2022; Johnson & VanVonderen, 1991). Although research examining the potential benefits of religion and spirituality has proliferated, harm stemming from religious/spiritual experiences remains relatively understudied (Ward, 2011). This study investigated associations between r/s abuse severity, complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) symptoms, and psychological well-being. To identify potential protective factors, the moderating role of perceived social support in the relationships between r/s abuse and CPTSD and well-being outcomes was examined. Additional exploratory variables included current spirituality and religiosity, …

The Open Secret: Drugs And Fishing In Georgia, Makala L. Collins

Honors College Theses

Substance use and overdose deaths have been disproportionally disrupting families and communities in rural America. Increasing rates of drug use in these areas can be traced to the outsourcing of blue-collar work to outside of the United States, which economically restructured these areas by decreasing the profitability of generational industries. This is the story playing out in Georgia’s commercial shrimping industry and the communities it used to support. This research uses qualitative data collected over the past ten years to understand the perceptions and impacts of drug use on Georgia’s shrimping community. Using a lens of critical medical anthropology, environmental …

2026 Spring Commencement, Georgia Southern University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Student Perceptions Of Clinical Psychology Workforce Diversity, Ogochukwu Obi

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Clinical psychology remains a predominantly White field, with more than four in five current clinical psychology academics and practitioners being White. Increased racial representation in the field could contribute to more culturally responsive treatment research and practice and improved treatment outcomes. Barriers to increasing racial representation exist across all levels of psychology education and careers. The current study focuses on a potential barrier to pursuing a clinical or counseling psychology doctorate for Black undergraduate psychology majors. Research on social identity theory, perceived identity compatibility theory, and social-cognitive career theory show students’ identities can influence career aspirations, educational experiences, and sense …

The Gender Binary And Its Effects On Athletes And Society At Large As Described In Newspaper Accounts Of Competitors In The Summer 2024 Olympics, Neo Zheng

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this paper is to look at the impact of gendered language and gender rhetoric on the continued social maintenance of gender, especially as it relates to athletes. This project focuses on the patterns that arise in language of news articles on two female athletes participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics who are accused of being transgender or male, shedding light on how media outlets talk about the topic of gender in athletes specifically, and society itself more generally.

From The Classroom To The Workplace: The Role Of Internships In Shaping Student Values, Jasmine Williams

Honors College Theses

A significant degree of research on workplace values has been conducted to better understand how employees are motivated in the hopes of reducing turnover. There also exists a significant body of literature on how internships impact career outcome and can effectively prepare students for the workforce. However, previous studies have not explored the differences between students who have completed internships in comparison to those who have not. The goal of this research is to determine whether internships create a significant impact on students’ workplace values (e.g. intrinsic, extrinsic, altruistic, and social) when compared to students who have not completed an …

The Impact Of Belonging To Identity-Based Student Organizations On Minority Stress In A Midwestern Predominantly White University, Mallory Millet, Akanksha Das, Christian C. Garcia, Rose Marie Ward

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Minoritized students are exposed to additional unique stressors due to the systematic devaluation of their identities (i.e., minority stress). Additionally, minoritized students report higher levels of mental health concerns than their peers (e.g., anxiety, depression). Identity-based student organizations can be one avenue that universities could use to support these students. These organizations, designed to build social connections among students with shared experiences, may reduce minority stress through fostering students’ sense of belonging. However, the relationship between sense of belonging, minority stress, and identity-based student organizations has yet to be studied. The present study used quantitative and qualitative methods to understand …

“Maybe I’M Not Valued Here”: Organizational Toxins In Student Affairs, William R. Bowey Jr

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Organizations of student affairs are dynamic entities that are situated to support the learning, growth, development, and wellbeing of students. However, like any organization, they may contain toxins that detract from these goals. This study situates ambiguity and exploitation as organizational toxins faced by individuals in student affairs. The conceptualization of organizational toxins is novel to the student affairs literature, and the findings provide fertile ground for future research and the implementation of strategies to mitigate toxins in student affairs.

The Liminal Space Of Invisible Disability: An Educator And Doctoral Student Autoethnography, Tina Michelle Samuels

Georgia Educational Researcher

This autoethnographic study explores the liminality of navigating academia as both a remote doctoral student and a college instructor living with invisible, fluctuating chronic illnesses. Grounded in standpoint epistemology and the rallying cry of "Nothing About Us, Without Us," the author examines the "Crip Liminality" of occupying a threshold between the able-bodied majority and established disability categories. Through the lens of Spoon Theory and "bodywork," the article details how conditions like Fibromyalgia, POTS, and Interstitial Cystitis disrupt traditional academic rhythms, necessitating remote environments as essential adaptations rather than luxuries. The paper identifies critical gaps in current institutional accommodation models, which …