Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Phonics Instruction And Strategies In Emerging Literacy: A Phenomenological Inquiry Into Effective Early Literacy Interventions, Morgan J. Dugan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study examines the experiences of public-school kindergarten teachers in Pennsylvania who implement grouped phonics instruction to support early literacy development. Grounded in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, the research focuses on educators’ instructional strategies, challenges, and collaborative practices in fostering reading skills. The central research question asks, “What are the experiences of kindergarten teachers using grouped phonics education methods?” Through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 10 teachers averaging 20.2 years of experience, the study identifies key themes in phonics instruction. Findings show the widespread use of structured programs such as Heggerty (used by 80% of participants) and …

Women Riding To Victory: Healing From Burnout, Melissa Grace Glanowski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if burnout could be significantly impacted in participants who attended the Women Riding to Victory: Healing from Burnout equine intervention. The project utilized a mixed-methods experimental design to determine the effectiveness. The Burnout Assessment Tool Questionnaire was used to analyze the pre and post-test scores of burnout in female attendees. A paired samples t-test was used to measure the data collected from the surveys. The results of these surveys found a mean difference of 5.916, and with the outlier removed, 4.363. The significant p-value of 0.013, and with the outlier removed, 0.01 …

Bridge Over Troubled Water: Crossing The Bridge Between Biblical Confession And Pastoral Practice Regarding Divorce And Remarriage In Unie-Abc Congregations, Marco H. Kälin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Quite a few pastoral workers within the Unie-ABC perceive a discordance between their churches’ biblical-theological confessions regarding divorce and remarriage and the pastoral practice in which they minister. This could induce tension in which a pastoral worker’s counsel is constrained by the church’s biblical position on these issues. In order to diminish that gap, the purpose of this action research project is to implement a redesigned biblical-theological framework regarding divorce and remarriage in training seminars for Unie-ABC pastoral counselors. The project utilized quantitative data collected through email responses and documents provided by Unie-ABC congregations. In addition, qualitative data was developed …

Improving The Mq For Pastoral Counseling At Hesed Counseling Ministries To Benefit Pro-Life Victims Of Pro-Abortionist Violence, Sean Michael Patrick Ferreiro

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Biblical Christianity has ubiquitously denounced abortion. Unfortunately, an unprecedented number of physical attacks on the pro-ministry’s volunteers and properties have resulted in traumatic experiences. Counseling services are the natural recommendation for these volunteers thereafter. However, secular counselors are often incongruent with the values of the pro-life ministry. Hesed Counseling Ministries offers counseling services for pro-life volunteers. As a group of solution-focused practitioners, they utilize the miracle-question (MQ). To create a counseling milieu congruent to the unique subculture of the pro-life ministry, they created their own MQ. It was bereft of the voices and verbiage of the pro-life ministry. Therefore, the …

The Impact Of A Social Media Literacy Program On Adolescent Subjective Well-Being, Miranda L. Virone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of a Social Media Literacy (SML) program on adolescent subjective well-being. The research was conducted in a public middle school in rural western Pennsylvania, with 102 eighth-grade students participating in a six-week SML intervention as part of regular educational practices. The study utilized pre- and post-intervention assessments to measure changes in both SML and subjective well-being. Data analysis included paired samples t-tests to assess within-group effects and Pearson’s r correlation to evaluate associations between variables. Results indicated no statistically significant effect of the SML program on subjective well-being, leading to the rejection of the first …

An Exploration Of Potential Gaps Between The Expectations Formed In Local Nursing Programs And The Lived Work Experience Of Newly Licensed Nurses, Melissa Low

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Understanding how expectations formed while in nursing school affect one's successful transition as a newly licensed nurse allows educators to identify curriculum changes to align expectations between academic and healthcare settings to improve the transition to professional nursing. A descriptive-hermeneutic phenomenological study utilized interviews, observations, and journal activities to identify variances between student nurses' expectations and the professional nurse work environment. A purposeful, criterion-based sampling of newly licensed nurses within four and 12 months of orientation identified 11 individuals to interview, observe, and gather journal entries to detail specific gaps between their expectations formed in nursing school and their lived …

Breaking Barriers: Bridging Gaps In Mental Health Literacy Through Digital Innovation, Adraine Racquel Chapman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study addressed the development and implementation of digital innovations aimed at bridging gaps in mental health knowledge, promoting awareness, reducing stigma, and enhancing support networks for children and adolescent families. Recognizing the critical need for accessible mental health education, this research reviewed methods in which digital tools were used to create engaging and informative resources. The study investigated the effectiveness of these digital innovations in increasing mental health literacy, fostering open communication, and building supportive communities. By integrating theoretical frameworks and empirical data, the dissertation highlighted the potential of digital platforms to revolutionize health education. The findings spotlighted and …

A Quantitative Descriptive Study Of Authentic Leadership Practices And Attracting The Millennial Generation, Bria L. Tillman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The millennial generation represents the largest group of the American population, but this statistic is not reflected in local church attendance. Barna Group (2022) explains that many millennials have a relationship with God but are absent from church due to certain customs, leadership practices, and lack of belonging. This rationale is the basis of this research, designed to explore church leadership practices and how to create leadership that builds trustworthy, transparent, and authentic relationships. This descriptive study aimed to examine the extent to which Avolio, Gardner, and Walumbwa’s (2018) authentic leadership practices of transparency, trustworthiness, and relevancy attract millennials to …

Integrated Marketing And Impact To Consumer Loyalty And Customer Satisfaction, Richard A. Sizemore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation explored how the lack of an effective marketing strategy can result in the loss of consumer loyalty and customer satisfaction when a grocery retailer takes an omnichannel approach. The researcher used a flexible, single case study to explore the potential when a grocery retailer offers services for in-store and virtual platforms when an integrated marketing strategy is not used resulting in the loss of brand equity. The researcher was guided by two critical questions and two sub questions to set the limitations, assumptions and delimitations to understand a contemporary issue. The literature review, which contained over 110 peer-reviewed …

A Comparison Of Two Worship Education Programs And The Relative Effectiveness Of Preparing Worship Leaders For The 21st Century Evangelical Church, John Dawson Kinchen Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines and compares the worship leadership programs at Liberty University and Union University, focusing on their curriculum design, development, and effectiveness in preparing worship leaders for the 21st-century modern evangelical church. Utilizing a multiple-case study methodology, the research traces the historical development of these programs, evaluates their curricular frameworks, and analyzes their alignment with the standards set by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The study identifies shared core learning competencies, including music theory, conducting, ensemble participation, and theological understanding, while highlighting unique strengths in each program's approach.

Liberty University’s curriculum emphasizes contemporary worship practices, integrating …

Exploring Social Exchange Theory (Set): The Effects Of Internal Communication Between Select Staff And Managers At Yale University, Lalani Perry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study explores the impact of internal communication on employee engagement and productivity between a select group of non-academic staff and managers at Yale University, using Social Exchange Theory (SET) as a theoretical framework. SET posits that interpersonal relationships are shaped by the exchange of resources, both tangible and intangible. While SET has been widely applied in organizational studies, there is limited research on its application within higher education, particularly concerning how communication dynamics influence employee engagement and productivity. This study seeks to contribute to the academic literature by examining the communication practices between a select group of non-academic …

An Assessment Of Virginia's Temporary Detention Order Process: Impacts On Public Services Delivery And Stakeholders, Teresa Gale Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Stakeholders contend Virginia’s public system of mental healthcare lacks adequate access to services, and its temporary detention order process contributes to undue burden on individuals, state and private hospitals, and law enforcement. The purpose of this applied study was to analyze Virginia’s mental healthcare system to identify factors that can be altered and best practices that can be implemented to improve care for citizens admitted under temporary detention orders. The study did this through triangulation of data collection methods including archival dataset analysis, secondary document analysis, and semi-structured interviews. Additionally, the study examined the literature and offered suggestions for best …

A Qualitative Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study With Parents Of A Child With Adhd And Their Lived Experiences With Their Child’S Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Mariah Elizabeth Couser

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of parents with a child who has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive/Impulsive Disorder (ADHD) with their child’s clinical mental health counselor. There are over 6.5 million children diagnosed with ADHD within the United States, and it continues to grow every day. Within the current literature, there is a lack of understanding of what parents of children with ADHD need from their child’s clinical mental health counselor to help reduce their parental stress levels. The theoretical framework guided the hermeneutic phenomenology study, aimed to discover themes …

Strategic Steps Applied Using A Team Leadership Model To Implement A Restructured Leadership Program, Angel Cynthia Gayle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

To fulfil its mission, an organization must operate effectively and efficiently. The role of the organization’s leadership is to implement the most appropriate solution to alleviate the problems. However, when the leadership of the organization itself is the strategic problem, organizational theory is a valuable source to implement as steps are taken to solve the problem. Team leadership was the topic of discussion in this research project. The topic of team leadership was researched with the quest of selecting an appropriate team leadership model for Christians In Action International Network, Inc. in Tamarac, FL. The benefits and values in the …

Addressing Church Retention In A Post-Christian Age: A Multi-Faceted Approach, Lawrence Kendall Gurley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Declining and shuttered churches in America have become the norm in the past several decades. Congregations and church organizations have witnessed a steep decline while the average age of members and clergy continues to rise. Interventionist efforts to alter the calculus of these trends have been underway for many years in both mainstream and evangelical circles. Only recently have Pentecostal organizations begun to address this decline. The research shows that church decline and attrition, although pervasive, are not inevitable but require concerted and sustained efforts to restore health and a sense of mission to local churches. This dissertation builds on …

5 Keys To Global Dominance: ​ Examining China's Strategic Resources​, Zachary Renner, Grace Marie Farina, Grant Alexander Fellers, Jolie B. Hewitt, Samuel Truth Lemire, Reagan Grace Jones, Madolyn Sara Moore, Anya Veinberg, Gavin Dawit Sweeney

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The People’s Republic of China has become a significant international power by waging a form of unrestricted warfare on the United States and other Chinese competitors. Admiral John Arbuthnot Fisher believed controlling five key straights would give a nation global dominance. In the 21st century, international cooperation has created an environment where a nation must possess more than a geostrategic monopoly to control the world. Following Admiral Fisher’s philosophy, this paper looks at five key areas of interest that a nation would need to control to secure dominance. Simultaneously, it will discuss how the PRC attempts to control these areas …

A Modern Strategy To Combat Pornography, Dennis Izhboldin

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

In keeping up with 2025’s Public Policy Conference theme, “Legacy of Freedom,” it would be beneficial to discuss the importance of freedom from addiction, especially related to pornography. The purpose of this essay is to assess the political feasibility of sweeping prohibitions on the access of pornography. To aid in the development of the essay, research was conducted which consisted of utilizing academic reports documenting the consequences of pornography on both its consumers and those featured in sexual scenes to set a background for the paper as well as survey data exploring public sentiment towards pornography and potential restrictions on …

China’S Infiltration Of The U.S. Higher Education System, Joshua Harden

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The People’s Republic of China has established numerous methodologies for power projection. A portion of this process is its assertion and coercion of higher education to spread communist ideology and Sino-centric narratives to either directly or indirectly press the goals of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). China’s assertion of soft power in higher education highlights an acute risk to the stability of a democratic government as its principles are slowly eroded. The CCP utilizes the internationalism of higher education, foreign exchange students, and the development of higher education institutions abroad to facilitate the ideological change of a nation’s image. The …

Sex And Labor Trafficking In Cambodia, Kaeli Rasnake

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Human trafficking affects some forty-nine million men, women, and children, with twenty-nine million within the Asian and Pacific region trapped in a web of forced labor, sexual exploitation, and coerced marriage. Human trafficking is now one of the world’s most lucrative organized crimes, generating more than $150 billion a year. Southeast Asia is a particularly vulnerable region, where weak enforcement mechanisms, poverty, and cross-border mobility create fertile ground for trafficking networks. Cambodia has been designated as a tier 3 nation in this region by the U.S. Department of State due to widespread issues of labor and sex trafficking. Tier 3 …

Verify And Protect: Guarding Children From Online Pornography, Adam Opp

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The growing rate of children in the United States being exposed to pornography and its negative consequences on their development necessitate action to protect them from the evils of pornography. While federal and state governments have legal barriers surrounding pornography and obscenity, options remain for children to access pornographic content. Research suggests that more children are viewing pornography at younger ages, which has detrimental effects on their development and holistic well-being. Several policy options exist to mitigate pornography access to children, and this paper will specifically analyze options to be implemented by the state of Maryland, which could serve as …

Is Direct Democracy A Friend Or A Threat To America’S Pursuit Of Individual Liberty?, James Black

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

In this politically charged and polarized climate, we see many individuals in America advocating for an increased focus on “democracy”, claiming that the nation is on the road to fascism in the rise of recent political movements. An examination of the writings of America’s own Founding Fathers, however, indicates a deep skepticism for a “pure” or direct democracy. Framers such as John Adams argued that a “direct democracy” was a self-destructive form of government, and Alexander Hamilton believed that such a democracy represented an extreme form of government directly across the ideological spectrum from an authoritarian monarchy, believing that America’s …

The Reapplication Of Natural Law, Dylan Coombs

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

This research seeks to analyze the constitutional crisis our nation is facing and provide a specific remedy. More precisely, this paper will examine what the public policy implications are of Judges returning to natural law originalism. The two policy recommendations that will be argued for are stronger natural law jurists picked by the President, and a more rigorous confirmation process by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The central research question is, will nominating judges who hold a natural law jurisprudence produce a more logically consistent jurisprudence than originalism when interpreting the constitution?

Energy Security: Exploring Opportunities For The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (Imec) And Italian/Eu/Nato Efforts To Foster Collaboration With Africa, Devin Burnat, Mary Prentice Ph.D., Umberto Bosna

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

This research demonstrates the strategic importance of the port of Trieste located in northern Italy, overlooking the Adriatic Sea to energy security, trade, global infrastructure investments, and international collaborations. This port has become an important maritime gateway of Central and Eastern Europe and it can serve to connect India in Asia, and the Middle East. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), connects India, the Middle East, and Europe, in Northern-Eastern Italy. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni envisions Trieste as a strategic hub to advance Italy’s interests across the Mediterranean and Europe, aligning with the Mattei Plan for Africa and potential ties …

Manumission In Virginia: A Christian Witness, Venture Ciccarelli

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

While uncommon, slave manumissions occurred in the United States of America. Manumissions were voluntary releases of slaves through legal documents such as wills and deeds. While manumissions happened in many states prior to and during the Civil War, the Commonwealth of Virginia had the most manumissions. Varied reasons were given for the freeing of slaves, some of them religious. This article explores many of the explicitly Christian reasons given for the freeing of slaves, seeking to illustrate the connection between people’s political and legal action and their identities as followers of Christ, doing all things before the face of God. …

Preventing Inevitable Decline: The Message Plato And The Roman Empire Send To The American People, Emma G. Dayton

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Plato’s Theory of Inevitable Decline outlined heavily in his Republic provides the basis for this paper. One can compare his theory to several governments throughout history, such as the Roman Empire. By examining the Roman Empire, one identifies three areas where the republic erred: education, military defenses, and economic flourishing. Mistakes in these areas led to the country’s downfall. Taking Plato’s theory and drawing from Rome’s example, Plato’s Theory of Inevitable Decline can be tested against several independent variables in present-day America. The state of American decline can be studied by examining her education system, military defenses against outside threats, …

Readings From The Kenyan Constitution: A Critical Discourse Analysis On Legacy And Freedom, Sarah Marjie

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

One of the most important documents about historical realities is the Constitution. It establishes the principles of fundamental human rights and institutional provisions for governing a country. Given the above, the study explores the aspects of the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, focusing on the themes of legacy and freedom. It aims to explore the relevant articles and chapters to show how the principles of legacy and freedom are articulated. It does this by paying attention to the language employed, the historical and cultural contexts adopted, and the power dynamics at play in the Constitution. The purpose of the study is to …

Comparing Modern Scottish And Indigenous North American Political States In Relation To Their Colonizers, Katrina Jorquez

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Colonization has had a major impact upon the formation and relationships of the vast majority of current countries. While much of colonization happened at a geographical distance from the conquering country this was not the case for Scotland or the majority of Indigenous North Americans. Both were geographically close to their colonizers (or inhabiting the same land, in the case of Indigenous Americans), but still maintained strong separate cultures that persist in spite of forced assimilation. As acts of colonization became more politically distasteful, the respective colonizers have both changed their relationships to the colonized state to allow for greater …

A More Perfect Disunion: Warning Signs Of Revolution And Regime Collapse, Elena Mccloy

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

In the 14^th Century, the late European Latin lexicon had a new word to describe the cyclical nature in which regimes found themselves moving from periods of prosperity to periods of discontent, with each revolution fueled by the belief that radical change was necessary for survival. History rewards us with the opportunity to examine each cycle of revolution for distinct patterns of recurrence, so that we may be better prepared for the next stages of change. This paper outlines the most common trends indicating political upheaval, studying current and historical examples from The United States, the Middle East, and …

Tackling Violent Extremism And Terrorism In Ghana: Interventions Of The State, Afua Boatemaa Yakohene

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The West African sub-region appears to be at crossroads, in tackling the spread of violent extremism and terrorism within the Sahel region. The spread of terrorist cells and their activities continues to pose a threat to the stability of the region. The concerted efforts of some West African states to tackle violent extremism and terrorism continues to expose the vulnerabilities of member states. Despite, the drafting of policy frameworks such as the Accra Initiative on terrorism, Economic Community of West African States counter-terrorism strategy implementation plan and the African Union Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism, the spread …

The Death Penalty In The Bible: What Does God’S Word Say?, Caily Shriver

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The death penalty is widely debated among Christians, as various verses are used to support both sides of this argument. Although this topic can be controversial, the Bible shows that God said, “Thou shall not murder” when he gave Moses the Ten Commandments and that Jesus tells Christians to love their neighbor. Christians need to have a more unified view on this issue because many Christians on the opposing side of the death penalty essentially claim that the Bible contradicts itself. Such a belief destroys the Bible’s credibility and our credibility as Christians because our beliefs come from God’s Word. …