Alabama Agriculture Teachers’ Perceptions Toward Compensation And Extended Contracts, Allison Kincer

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to explore Alabama agriculture teachers’ perceptions toward compensation and extended contract grants that the state offers annually. The current study was a microreplication of Still and Solomonson’s (2024) prior study and was conceptually framed by their agriculture teacher compensation model. Using a Qualtrics-based data collection instrument, the researcher used multiple points of contact as recommended by Dillman et al. (2014) and collected usable data from 95 Alabama agriculture teachers. The researcher used descriptive statistics to analyze all data collected as part of the current study. The researcher found that respondents felt they …

The Role Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Aggression And Substance Use In Young Adulthood, Sadie Goralski

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are widespread within the United States. More than half of the population has experienced at least one adverse event during their youth. Such experiences range from parental divorce to sexual assault. Past research has shown that adverse experiences during the formative years play a major role in the development of multiple physical and mental health issues. The current study aimed to explore the interplay among ACEs and two of these covariates: aggression and substance use. Moreover, the proposed study further investigated the development of substance use in emotionally dysregulated individuals with past adverse experiences. In doing …

Belonging, Inclusivity, And Educational Outcomes: A Quantitative Subgroup Analysis Of School Climate, Academic Performance, And Graduation Rates, Au'yana Lee

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

National graduation rates have improved over time; however, persistent disparities reveal that prior reform efforts have not fully addressed the relational and cultural dimensions that shape student experiences. The study examines how students from historically marginalized groups perceive the school climate, inclusivity, and sense of belonging, and how these perceptions relate to their academic performance and on-time graduation. Grounded in the Life Course Perspective, Expectancy-Value Theory, and Social Capital Theory, this study conceptualizes belonging, motivation, and support as interconnected factors that influence students’ educational trajectories. Using a quantitative correlational design, this study examines the associations between students’ perceptions of school …

Bridging Classroom And Competition: How Students With Intellectual Disabilities Learn And Apply Ffa-Related Skills, Skyler Lempert

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Though people often hear about inclusion and differentiation in education and their classroom settings there are questions about the capability and effectiveness of students with moderate to severe disabilities to participate in intra-curricular activities such as the National FFA Organization. Often teachers are tasked with trying to find ways for students to be a part of these experiences with little education on this aspect. This research begins by examining the historical progress of special education, particularly in relation to students with moderate to severe disabilities. It then explores the complex educational needs of this population and how schools have worked …

Relationship Between School Climate And Effectiveness, Michele D. Franklin Mrs

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to explore the relationship between school climate and school effectiveness in six rural elementary schools. School effectiveness was defined by state reading, math, and index achievement scores. The districts’ Studer Education Survey and the KSA’s Quality of School Climate and Safety survey assessment data were combined to determine each school’s climate score. The Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework guided the study. The study examined a rural school district’s focus on providing a system of support for reading, math, social emotional learning (SEL), and behavior (SEB) that influenced school climate and ultimately …

Seeing Red In The Bluegrass: How The Democratic Party Lost Kentucky’S Voters, D. Stephen Voss, Corrine F. Elliott, Sherelle Roberts

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Editor’s Note: This article received the David Hughes Memorial Award at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Political Science Association. It is published as it was submitted at the time, prior to the 2023 gubernatorial election.

Table Of Contents

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Table of Contents for Volume 7, Number 1 (2024)

Factors Affecting State Budget Stabilization Fund Access, Jeremy Phillips, Lashonda Stewart

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Since their inception in the 1980s and early 1990s, budget stabilization funds (BSFs) have been seen as a way to avoid recurring crises like those experienced by states after the 1980-1982 recession. In hindsight, we may wonder if other motivations were not at play. For example, states with tax expenditure limitation laws (TEL) were more likely to adopt BSFs with less stringent deposit and withdrawal requirements. Previous research has suggested that TELs may have motivated some states to adopt BSFs. Although our analysis does not provide evidence of collaboration with these earlier findings, it strongly suggests that there are several …

The Impact Of Regional Attachment On Interpersonal Trust, Joel Turner, Jeff Kash, Scott Lasley

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

How much individuals trust others politically, and who they trust, remains an intriguing question for social science researchers. Previous research indicates that levels of political trust demonstrated by individuals often vary based on a variety of factors, such as gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, social class, ideology, and partisanship. However, one area of political trust that has remained surprisingly unexplored has been the impact of regional identity, particularly among Southerners. My theory is that, similar to the manner in which the aforementioned markers work, Southern regional identity activates stereotypes regarding trustworthiness and, thus, influences inter-regional trust decisions. As a result, …

Hidden Outsiders On The Inside: Exploring The Impact Of Trust In Government On Trump Voters In 2016 And 2020 Elections, Philip (Hayden) Terry Iii

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

This paper investigates the relationship between trust in government and the likelihood of voting for political outsider candidates, focusing on Donald Trump's presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020. Existing scholarship notes that outsider candidates typically occur outside of the two major parties in the United States. These outsider candidates typically draw in protest votes, representing dissatisfaction with the existing political establishment. Voter calculations therefore changed once Trump became the Republican nominee for president, a major party. The theory that Trump acted as a third-party candidate within a major party is thus proposed. The central thesis posits that as individuals' political …

Maria Castlen Art 399 Portfolio, Maria Castlen

Professional Practices (ART 399)

Often, I find myself following the mindset of “go, go, go”. I get caught up in the rush and chaos of the world. The bold, stimulating designs that are prevalent today further feed into the need to constantly to keep busy. To counter this, I like to bring a little bit of the past into my designs. I see it as a throwback to a time when things were simpler. Whether it be through the font, color palette, or illustration style, I embrace the chance to use a blast from the past.

I create designs that find the medium between …

2024-12-13, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Human Nature: Exploring The Role Of Design In Skincare Branding, Gus Smith

Honors College Theses

Human Nature is a clean skincare brand aimed at first-time skincare users in their mid-20's that uses a four-step system to provide a simplified approach to high-quality skincareI aim for Human Nature to be an approachable, relatable, trustworthy product for buyers in this demographic, and branding is tantamount to this goal. The research stage of this project focused on other skincare brands and advertising, mapping out where my brand would fit and how it would respond to other brands. As this is a graphic design project, This project includes a cohesive visual identity that communicates the brand, including packaging, web …

An Overview Of Japanese Kampo: An Integrative Approach To Medicine, Olivia Yaste

Honors College Theses

There is a growing interest in the use of traditional medicine for the treatment of disease and health conditions around the world. The traditional medicine system of Japan has been in place for thousands of years and the traditional herbal system, Kampo, has been fully integrated into the modern national healthcare system. The compilation of information on topics surrounding Kampo written in English is scattered, making it difficult to gain a broad understanding of the subject without immense time and effort. This paper aims to review the existing literature on a variety of topics surrounding Kampo in order to give …

Professional Practices(Art 399), Ciro Astarita

Professional Practices (ART 399)

The blending of cultures and the fusion of art mediums are both integral components of contemporary art culture. High art, low art, sculpture, fashion, graphic design, animation, traditional drawing and digital illustration are all coming together in today’s world in interesting and unique ways. This parallels my life growing up as an Italian American, one side of my family being from Italy and the other half from America. Growing up, I was inspired by my love of comics and cartoons as well as my frequent trips to Italy and visiting my nonno and nonna. Italy is considered ‘old’ and America …

Ash Mcintyre Art399 Portfolio, Ashlynn Eve Mcintyre

Professional Practices (ART 399)

Artist Statement

Ash Eve McIntyre

I create figural work exploring themes of object-human relationships in the context of childhood trauma and its aftermath. The works are made using a variety of media, including wood, ceramic, paint, and even found objects such as stuffed animals. The same craft techniques that are used to create comfort within domestic settings, I utilize to give care to the figures.

In the work, there is an emphasis on comfort and platonic love in my work. Stuffed animals are used in my sculptures to relate back to both domesticity and physical comfort. While the works represent …

Glutamate Receptors At The Zebrafish Neuromuscular Junction, Trenton Randall

Honors College Theses

Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, but at the neuromuscular junction, that role is taken by acetylcholine. However, during embryonic development, non-cholinergic receptors, including those for glutamate, are also present at the NMJ, which are not maintained unless used. These receptors can still form functional circuits, as evidenced by a process called neurotransmitter respecification, in which a neuron changes which neurotransmitter it releases, and is accompanied by the upregulation of the corresponding receptor by the muscle. This process has been observed in frogs and in rats. We predict that zebrafish also exhibit this neurotransmitter plasticity. To assess …

Physical Activity And Sport Participation: Relationships With General Life Satisfaction And Social Life Satisfaction, Clay Barker

Honors College Theses

This study investigated the impact of college student physical activity and sport participation on life satisfaction and social life satisfaction. This study used a survey with scales to assess students’ frequency of physical activity, frequency of traditional sport participation, frequency of esport participation, life satisfaction, and social life satisfaction. This study’s hypotheses attempted to assess if each involvement variable will individually and positively correlate to both life satisfaction and social life satisfaction. This study used in-person surveys given to Murray State University college students. The findings of this study could provide information on the importance of physical activity and sport …

Cultural Memory And The Search For Identity In Victorian Fantasy Fiction, Sadie Boggs

Honors College Theses

Fantasy literature's origins can be traced through myths and folktales, medieval romances, enlightenment fairy tale fantasy, and Romanticism, before finally taking firmer root in the Victorian period and blooming into its own genre in 20th century modern fantasy. Victorian thinkers reacted to the Enlightenment’s realism and technological innovation by “rediscovering” the Middle Ages as a time of beauty, simplicity, and moral virtue. Simultaneously, Psychology developed as a recognized field of study, and theories emerged about the psychological process of memory formation and retrieval, as well as its reliability and relation to identity.

Considering these psychological theories, Victorian fantasy's cultural memory …

A Call To Study The Bidirectional Relationship Between Healthcare Accessibility Issues And Medical Gaslighting For Marginalized Groups With Chronic Pain, Nikki Harnage

Honors College Theses

Chronic pain is an epidemic in its own right. Affecting 21% of American adults and costing $300 billion each year, chronic pain rivals cancer, diabetes, and hypertension combined. From psychological impacts on patients to worsening health outcomes further burdening the healthcare system and billions of lost productivity stressing the economy, chronic pain can affect all Americans. However, chronic pain disproportionately afflicts marginalized groups including non-whites, women, and disadvantaged socioeconomic classes. For decades, research has demonstrated disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and management of chronic pain are associated with accessibility issues in healthcare, a link that is likely the result of systemic …

2024-11-20, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Thank The Heavens! By Ciro Astarita, Ciro Astarita

B.A./B.S. Practicum Group Exhibit (ART 499)

‘Thank The Heaven’s Issue 1: Plate of Bones’ is an issue of a comic I have created inspired by the older style of weekly publications such as that of Casper The Friendly Ghost or Archie that people would buy at newsstands. This comic is set in Europe in a vaguely distant time period and inspired by my background as an Italian American. My work aims to combine the best of both worlds of physical and digital art by blending traditional art methods, primarily illustration in the form of comics, with the ease and convenience that technology and digital tools allow …

Management Of Post-Operative Pain In Those With A Drug History, Emelyn Stockton, Maddie Griggs

Scholars Week

Addressing postoperative pain management in patients with a history of opioid abuse is essential for enhancing patient safety and quality care. Implementing evidence-based practices and standardized protocols can reduce the risk of relapse and improve the outcomes for this population. By focusing on staff education and training, healthcare providers can gain the necessary skills to effectively manage pain while minimizing the reliance on opioids. Ultimately, a comprehensive approach that includes alternative therapies and consistent monitoring will foster better recovery experiences for patients.

Identity And Community Through Associations With Professional Sports Teams, Madison Harrigan

Scholars Week

This paper aims to analyze how fans of sports teams develop an active and strong community over an extended period, the personal connection each fan develops in their sense of identity as it relates to a sports team, and how branding impacts both identity and community within a team environment and fan interactions. Using affective agenda-setting theory, self-categorization theory, and social identity theory, this paper will support the belief that a strong connection exists between self-identity and sports teams' branding and messaging themes. Recommendations include exploring how linguistics affects perceptions of media and data analysis of the connection between access …

The Media's Control, Reid Stevens

Scholars Week

I am going to discuss how the media works to have control over consumer's thoughts and emotions. I will use real life examples while using media theories like the Hypodermic Needle, Agenda-Setting, and Framing theory.

2024-10-23, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

2024-10-01, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

2024-09-13, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

2024-09-12, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Arts Leadership In The Bay Area, Antonio C. Cuyler

International Journal of Regional Issues in the Arts

This study of arts leadership in the San Francisco Bay Area addressed the following research questions: (1) What are the most predominant leadership frameworks and narratives in the local arts ecosystem? (2) What resources and opportunities are currently shaping leadership in the field? (3) To what extent do they align with the Performing Arts Program’s values of equity, justice, and self-determination? (4) How are responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, calls across the creative sector for racial justice, global warming, and ethics informing and transforming arts leadership in the Bay Area? Lastly, (5) what are some compelling visions for how the …