Digital Commons Network^™

Destination Branding Strategies In The Hospitality And Tourism Industry, Mary Ann Richey

Senior Honors Theses

Within the last few decades, destination branding has gained significant traction in the hospitality and tourism industry. Therefore, it is essential that marketers within the industry pursue destination branding and analyze both successful and unsuccessful destination marketing campaigns. Successful campaigns cultivate positive consumer perceptions of destinations for both tourists and residents. Unsuccessful campaigns showcase that differentiation and a lack of residential support negatively impact national tourism. In order to successfully conduct destination branding campaigns, industry leaders must partake and acknowledge current industry trends. In 2025, the most impactful way to successfully market tourism destinations is through the use of online …

Belonging Without Borders: A Missionary Kid Reflects On Nursing School, Julia Beth Stamp

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

This reflective essay examines the experience of pursuing a nursing degree while living far from home as a Missionary Kid. It explores how the absence of close family ties during nursing school intensified feelings of loneliness, challenged motivation, and strained emotional well-being. Interwoven with personal narrative and supported by recent literature, the reflection highlights the way that community— through peers, mentors, and faculty— emerged as a vital source of resilience. The essay argues that resilience in nursing education is not the product of individual grit alone but grows from interdependence and the willingness to seek and receive support. Through recounting …

Music Technology As A Medium To Stem Education, Sophia Grace Moon

Masters Theses

This project researched how music technology programs can be implemented in high schools of low-income communities to act as a medium in teaching STEM education. The point at which students are first introduced to STEM concepts is critical in terms of their interest. The project explored the ways we can help students not only excel in school, but also help to interest them in subjects that have lucrative job markets as well. The number of jobs related to STEM fields continues to grow as our society relies more and more on technology. Getting students interested in STEM almost guarantees a …

Growing A Church Worship Band, Charmaine Landrum

Masters Theses

Many churches either leave the music to the professionals, or let untrained musicians blunder their way through the service, distracting their congregations. Little research has been done pertaining to the development of average or inexperienced musicians for Sunday Services. Considering the shift in worship music and technology, there is a need to train the next generation of worship team members. There is a lack in research pertaining to the best methods for training untrained musicians who want to volunteer but may not be ready for the platform. One particular church, Revolution Church in Canton, Georgia, is solving their dilemma by …

Desegregated Goals: Integrating Literacy And Behavioral Health In A Community Mental Health Setting To Improve Outcomes For Middle School Students, Donna M. Reed

Masters Theses

Despite an understanding that many at-risk students lack the reading and writing skills to navigate high school and post-secondary education successfully, current interventions are often inadequate. Schools are forced to focus on academic requirements, while other needs of the student are overlooked, and it is those overlooked needs that contribute to the educational failures of the student. This thesis presents an argument for holistic support of the at-risk student when remediating academics, specifically reading and writing skills, focusing on the middle school students of a rural middle school in central Kansas. It develops a curriculum that integrates physical and mental …

Exploring The Impact Education Level Has On Academic Resiliency Scores For Law Enforcement Recruit Students Enrolled In A Full Time 28-Week Training Program, Ericka Sadowski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of education level on resilience among law enforcement recruits in a 28-week training program in Central Florida. Resilience is essential for recruits to manage the stresses of training, and understanding its relationship to education can improve recruitment and training practices. A total of 210 recruits participated, with data collected using the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS). Surveys were distributed through encrypted emails to ensure confidentiality and accuracy. Descriptive statistics summarized demographics and resilience scores, while the Shapiro-Wilk test and Levene’s test confirmed normality and homogeneity of variances. With assumptions met, a one-way ANOVA compared resilience scores …

Racism In The American Education System: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology Of The Lived Experiences Of Black And White K-12 Educators, Jude Eliassaint

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of Black and White K-12 educators with educational racism and its influence on their well-being, self-efficacy, and cross-racial empathy in American schools. Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory was used to frame this study theoretically, as social cognitive theory focuses on providing a path for a more equalitarian pedagogical system for societal and global betterment. Data collection, conducted through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and a qualitative questionnaire, involved 12 Black and White educators recruited through purposeful sampling from a Southern state school district. A thematic analysis was conducted …

Secondary Teacher Experiences Of Classically Taught Students’ Social-Emotional Development: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology, Kirby Elizabeth Donaldson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the experiences of 7th-12th grade educators at George Washington Academy who teach solely through classic literature and primary accounts of historical and social significance, focusing on their perceptions of their students’ social and emotional development. The theory that guided this study was Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, which provided a framework for appropriate social-emotional development across all ages. The central research question was, “What are the experiences of secondary (7th-12th grade) educators who utilize classic literature and primary accounts of historical and social significance regarding their students’ psychosocial development?” The phenomenological …

Identification Of Optimal Knowledge Transfer Methods From Generation X To Millennials, Maria Nanci Denmark

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study uses a descriptive phenomenological approach to examine the experience and insights of Generation X and Millennial software engineers employed by the United States government on their preferred methods for tacit knowledge transfer. Phenomenological examination allows for the structured exploration and documentation of common themes and fundamental structures across the generational cohorts. Participants were selected based on inclusion criteria that produced a sample that shared common training and career paths split evenly across the two generations. Using Colaizzi’s Seven Step Method for analysis, the researcher led semi-structured interviews producing data that provided a clear description of the themes …

Mental Illness In African American Women: A Transcendental Phenomenology On Self-Efficacy And The Treatment-Seeking Behavior Of Secondary And Post-Secondary Educators, Sasha N. Gordon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological research shows the influence of mental health treatment on the self-efficacy of African American women who are secondary or post-secondary educators in Northern Illinois. For African American women educators, taking care of their mental well- being and being aware of mental health conditions are crucial. Sharing personal stories and experiences can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. Promoting awareness and understanding of mental health issues are vital in our communities, and access to resources and support are necessary. Using self-identity theory can aid in comprehending motivations and behaviors, leading to greater satisfaction and fulfillment and the …

Educational Technology Instruction In Teacher Preparation Programs: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Study, Madison R. Russell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the technological experiences of pre-service educators enrolled in teacher preparation programs in the Southern United States. The theory guiding this study was Mishra and Koehler’s Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), as it informs the three main categories and four subcategories of knowledge required to use technology effectively in educational settings. The central research question asked what the experiences are of pre-service educators with educational technology instruction and integration while enrolled in teacher preparation programs. To address this research question, individual interviews, focus group sessions, and journal prompts were used for data …

Shaping The Hills: Women Folklorists And Writers In The Ozarks And The Advancement Of A Romanticized Regional Identity And Heritage Tourism, Rachel Pendergraft

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines how women folklorists and writers in the Ozarks, between 1930 and 1970, shaped a romanticized regional identity, preserved its history, and, as cultural representatives, reframed the perception of the region, thus facilitating the advancement of heritage tourism. This development is further explored within the context of a national framework. Moreover, by focusing on three women, May Kennedy McCord, Mary Elizabeth Mahnkey, and Lucile Morris Upton, and using them as key analytical tools, a broader assessment of women’s contributions to Ozark cultural identity and their leadership in the development of heritage tourism is achieved. Drawing on archival material …

A Qualitative Intrinsic Case Study For A Christian Marriage Mentorship Program In Kentucky, Victoria Barbour

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this intrinsic qualitative case study was to explore the marriage mentorship program of Glory Carriers Church (pseudonym) a non-denominational Christian ministry in central Kentucky to be a larger model for other churches that may also have or want to build their marriage mentorship program. The theories guiding this study are social constructivism therapy, the wraparound model, solution focused therapy, emotion focused therapy and last, the Gottman Method: Sound relationship house. The central research question asked, “What programs does Glory Carriers Church provide for married couples?” with Sub-question 1 that asked, “How does this program provide wraparound support …

Mental Well-Being, Belonging, And Chronic Absenteeism: A Correlational Study, Crystal D. Woodall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Chronic absenteeism (CA) is an overwhelming issue facing schools in the United States. A lack of a student’s sense of belonging or signs of emotional symptoms are often red flags that can forecast future absenteeism problems with students. CA has been found to have a positive correlation with a student’s sense of belonging and emotional symptoms. Some CA interventions are geared toward increasing a student’s sense of belonging at school and or improvements in overall mental well-being. The purpose of this predictive correlational study was to examine the relationship between students’ self-reported levels of peer relationship problems and emotional symptoms, …

U.S. Navy Spacecraft Recovery Operations, 1957-1961, Marc Robert Henderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to highlight U.S. Navy efforts during early space recovery operations. The space recovery mission was new to the United States’ Cold War Navy, and in many cases its space recovery forces learned through trial and error, beginning with Jupiter missile nosecone recoveries in 1957. The study examines the collaborative efforts between the U.S. Navy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to locate and retrieve Project Mercury astronauts and space capsules after they traveled into space and splashed down in the ocean. It identifies technological aides on which recovery forces led by the U.S. …

Acculturative Stress Among Immigrant High School Graduates In North Carolina: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Caren P. Morgan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Global migration will continue to escalate in the future. In this transition process, the United States is a popular destination. Migrants are motivated by a variety of factors, including education, employment, and research. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study aimed to better understand lived experiences of acculturative stress among immigrant high school graduates in North Carolina. This qualitative design sought to get answers to the central research question: What are the lived experiences of immigrant high school graduates who encountered acculturative stress? The theoretical framework includes two theories that are essential to this study: acculturation theory, and resilience theory. …

Training Christian Men To Effectively Lead Their Families While Deployed To Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Using An 8-Step Family Leadership Deployment Plan, Lucas Arthur Baker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project examined the result of the author’s 8-Step Family Leadership Deployment Plan on the effective leadership of ten Christian husbands and fathers deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The project’s goals were to mitigate family stress during separation and warfighter reintegration, to prevent role reversal within the family, and to prevent a pause in the headship and leadership roles of husbands and fathers. The project extrapolated eight principles from Ephesians 5:22–6:4 and was designed to fill an identified resource gap within the United States Military, particularly at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It guided participants in creating their own personalized family …

Just In Time: The Definitive Reconstruction Of Biblical Chronology From Adam To The Apostolic Age, James Allen Moseley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

By embedding a relational database of chronology within Scripture, the inspired authors handed down a framework so precise that it surpasses archaeology, carbon dating, and every other ancient record as the most reliable means of reconstructing history—shedding light on the why and how of biblical events by specifying their when.

This study defends that thesis, demonstrating that the Bible presents a continuous timeline from Adam to Christ—a mathematically coherent whole often overlooked or misunderstood by modern scholarship. Many modern chronologists assign speculative dates to Abraham, Moses, or David without grounding them in the Genesis genealogies. Few construct a defensible framework …

Exploring Professors’ Lived Experiences Of Interacting With Artificial Intelligence In The Classroom: A Phenomenological Study, Joshua A. Baltzell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of higher education professors’ interactions with AI in their teaching practices. This study was guided by Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior, which provided a contextual understanding of the concepts that influence higher education professors’ perceptions of AI in their classrooms. A qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological design was employed, utilizing a combination of criterion and snowball sampling. There were 13 participants recruited from higher education institutions from around the United States. Semi-structured individual interviews, a letter-writing exercise, and a qualitative survey were used to collect data from participants. Thematic …

Black Men’S Experiences Of Intergenerational Trauma And Identity Development: A Phenomenological Study, Richard N. Tabb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how Black men exposed to intergenerational trauma describe their experiences of identity development. Grounded in Vivian Rakoff’s Intergenerational Trauma Theory and William Cross’s Nigrescence Theory, the study employed a transcendental phenomenological design to examine how trauma is transmitted across generations and its implications for Black male identity. This research addresses a critical gap in the mental health field, particularly regarding the historical roots of trauma and their impact on contemporary counseling practices. Findings revealed that the enduring legacy of historical trauma rooted in slavery, systemic racism, and ongoing forms of oppression continues to profoundly shape …

Leveraging Digital Technology To Enhance Spiritual Growth And Inclusivity Among New Members In Church Communities, Kimberley Renay Strother

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite swift technological advancements, the implementation of digital technologies inside the church poses considerable problems as well as transformative prospects. The project examines the impact of biblical digital technology in ministry on enhancing spiritual growth, engagement, and inclusivity among women, youth, and senior congregants. It also examines how digital platforms can facilitate a holistic and inclusive ministry that incorporates multiple generations and genders, ensuring the complete engagement of all church members. This praxis initiative was conducted at Third Baptist Church (TBC) in Springfield, Massachusetts, utilizing a mixed-methods approach, incorporating pre- and post-surveys, digital literacy training sessions, observational notes, and website …

Why Christians Should Read And Write Science Fiction An Examination Of The Benefits Of Using Science Fiction To Spread The Gospel, Matthew Ryan Tompkins

Masters Theses

Science fiction is a form of literature that faces many objections from the church that many people may not be aware. Many Christians assume that science fiction is about worlds and technologies that challenge the nature of God’s creation. This assumption is largely because these opposing Christians have neither read or written science fiction. What this Christian opposition doesn’t realize is that whether it be movies, books or television, science fiction continues to grow in popularity as a genre in mainstream media. This growth has created a unique evangelical opportunity to use science fiction to preach to unbelievers. If Christians …

Cold Forged: A Theological Reckoning In Narrative Silence, Craig Steven Wright

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the construction of testimonial fiction as an act of moral resistance and theological witness, developed through a creative manuscript (Cold Forged) that embodies a cruciform narrative structure modelled on Isaiah 53 and the Book of Job. The project interrogates institutional betrayal, memory as liturgy, and the intersection of silence and suffering, situating itself within a literary genealogy that includes Flannery O’Connor, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Cormac McCarthy, and C.S. Lewis. The critical paper will explore the aesthetics of theological realism in trauma narrative, and the artist statement will defend the cruciform architecture of narrative silence as an ethical form.

With Love From The Front: Exploring Authenticity In Historical Fiction, Sarah E. Ray

Masters Theses

This MFA thesis is comprised of an artist statement, a scholarly essay on authenticity in WWII historical fiction, and a novel set during World War II. The artist statement outlines personal experiences, faith perspective, and writing aesthetics that shape the approach to historical storytelling, examining how a history-oriented upbringing and Christ-centered worldview inform a writing philosophy centered on crafting emotion through authentic character development and vivid sensory details. The scholarly component argues that authentic WWII fiction requires both meticulous historical accuracy and genuine emotional truth. Drawing on primary sources including interviews with former WWII Army members, wartime diaries, and period …

Mental Health Impacts On African Refugees, Michelle Mailhiot

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study explores the mental health impacts of African refugee women traveling with children under the age of 18 during migration to Europe through Morocco, a key yet under examined transit country. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological case study was to examine the lived experiences of distress, coping, and barriers to mental health support. Twenty participants were recruited through local NGOs and community networks in Morocco, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring patterns across participants’ narratives including hunger, homelessness, and exploitation intensifying psychological strain, particularly in relation to caregiving responsibilities …

Retrospective Adult Bullying Role Trend Analysis With Correlational Investigation Between The Victim Role And Stigma-Based Demographic Information, Shilowe A. Ensminger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A longstanding social construct that has negatively impacted large numbers of individuals throughout generations is bullying. Despite anti-bullying programs and policies, current literature indicates that bullying is an ongoing concern throughout schools and in the workplace. The consequences of bullying have been shown to impact the mental and physical health of those involved with potentially severe outcomes. Current literature focuses on analysis of childhood bullying experiences, leaving a gap in the research investigating adult reflective bullying trends. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental survey, and causal-comparative study was to address this gap by recruiting adult participants for a reflective analysis …

Separating The Wheat From The Chaff: A Quantitative Pilot Study Of Biblical Christian Spirituality As A Regulator Of Dark Triad Personality Traits, Patricia L. Elston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of the psychological literature on Christianity as a regulator of Dark Triad personality traits over the last 25 years revealed just a handful of quantitative and qualitative studies that relied exclusively upon long-standardized constructs drawn from cultural Christian ideology. Such constructs remain in direct contrast to biblical tenets to opine that Christianity has no important impact upon the development and persistence of highly aversive Dark Triad social attributes. The current quantitative pilot study was conducted in a small sample (n=26) of adult male and female born-again members of an international Evangelical Christian motorcycle ministry whose primary recruitment is …

A Phenomenological And Transcendental Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Mental Health Practitioners Acquiring The Competencies To Become A Sandtray Therapy Practitioner, Deborah Kay Webb-Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological, transcendental study was to describe the lived experiences of 16 mental health practitioners in North America who acquired competencies through various training programs or certification courses to proficiently integrate sandtray therapy as a cross-theoretical approach. Through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, participants described how they developed the competencies and standards to integrate sandtray therapy as a cross-theoretical approach with diverse populations, while also engaging in dialogue about the need for greater governance and regulation of training programs. The theoretical framework for this study was based on Husserl’s theory of transcendental phenomenology and the …

From Transactional To Transformational: Cultivating A Theologically Robust Learning Experience For Upper School Senior Bible Classes, Linus Nguyen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem at Holy Ground Christian Academy is that its approach to senior-level Bible classes is transactional rather than transformational for life and godliness. With parents feeling pressured to find effective educational options for their children and teachers facing growing demands from administrative duties, education urgently needs a new vision. Parents want their children to succeed and leave a lasting impact on society, while educators seek purpose in their careers. Modern educational trends push schools toward a utilitarian, transactional approach to learning, and private Christian college-preparatory schools are no exception. Within the Christian college-preparatory setting, Bible classes often struggle with …

Relational Satisfaction In Middle-Aged Married Adults In The United States: A Phenomenological Study, Rebecca S. Trouse

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Relational satisfaction is an essential component of marriage that impacts longevity, stability, and well-being. Currently, there is an alarming surge in divorces among middle-aged and late-aged married adults in the United States, often related to mid-life relational satisfaction. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to better understand relational satisfaction in middle-aged married adults in the United States. The study’s research questions explored how middle-aged married adults in the United States described their lived experiences of relational satisfaction in marriage and how they and their spouses contributed to relational satisfaction in their marriages. Four married couples (i.e., eight adults) participated …