Spatial Analysis Of American Chestnut (Castanea Dentata) Distribution And Ecology In Kentucky’S Federal Lands, Jacob Raymond Pease

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic factors have been the cause of the decline of tree species across the globe. From unsustainable logging and development to disease and improper management, threats to forests have taken their toll. The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was once an integral basal tree species in Appalachian forests, but chestnut blight drove the species to functional extinction by the mid-1900s. The recent creation of genetically modified chestnuts gives hope for future restoration of the species throughout its historical range. Despite blight resistance, effective restoration will require optimal site selection for finding and planting chestnuts, which will maximize limited resources. …

An Examination Of Middle School Enrollment And Participation In The National Ffa Organization, Melanie Dorminey

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Middle school agricultural education programs and opportunities for middle school students to be members of the National FFA Organization were first made available in 1988. The Perkins V Act of 2018 provided the first federal funding to support middle school career and technical education programs. In conjunction with the federal funding provided by the Perkins V Act of 2018, the National FFA Organization adopted a national middle school membership affiliation program where middle school FFA chapters could pay a flat fee for all students enrolled in middle school agricultural education courses over the traditional membership of paying per individual student. …

The Equitability Of Virtual Public High School Education In Urban School District, Carissa Jury

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Virtual education has become an integral component of modern high school education, particularly in urban districts where diverse student populations require flexible and equitable learning environments. This qualitative study explores the equitability of virtual public high school education in an urban school district, focusing on accessibility, student experiences, and policy implications. Using social constructivism and ecological systems' theory as theoretical frameworks, this research investigates factors influencing equitable outcomes, including access to technology, teacher and community support, and socioeconomic status. Data was collected through structured interviews and focus groups with students and parents engaged in virtual education. Key findings indicate that …

Understanding The Experiences Of Online Learners In Postsecondary Education: A Phenomenological Study, Tara Woyton

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Online education has expanded access to postsecondary education learning opportunities, yet attrition rates remain disproportionately high compared to traditional, in-person education. This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of seven students who did not persist in their online education at a postsecondary institution, with the goal of identifying barriers to retention and potential strategies for improvement. The study applies Expectancy-Value Theory as a theoretical framework, examining how students’ expectancy beliefs, perceived task value, and perceived costs influenced their motivation and lack of persistence in online learning environments. Using qualitative data collection methods, including questionnaires and in-depth interviews, this study …

Factors Influencing Former State Ffa Officers To Forego Careers In Agriculture: A Qualitative Study, Shelby R. Atwood

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the factors influencing former State FFA Officers' decisions to pursue careers outside agricultural education and the broader agricultural industry. Despite their deep engagement with the National FFA Organization and exposure to numerous agricultural career opportunities, many former officers do not transition into related professions. Guided by the expectancy-value theory, this research investigates the personal experiences, perceptions, and external factors that shape their career choices. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with former Kentucky State FFA Officers, focusing on their motivations, barriers, and overall perspectives on agricultural careers. Key findings revealed that practical considerations, personal growth, leadership …

Identifying The Agricultural Mechanics Knowledge And Skills Needed By Kentucky Agriculture Teachers, Thomas Poole Jr

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The agricultural industry increasingly relies on complex machinery and technology, creating a need for skilled workers that are proficient in agricultural mechanics. School-based Agricultural Education (SBAE) programs play a crucial role in preparing students for careers in this field. However, many agriculture teachers feel unprepared to teach agricultural mechanics due to gaps in technical skills, self-efficacy concerns, and safety considerations. This study sought to determine the agricultural mechanics knowledge and skills that Kentucky agriculture teachers need to successfully teach agricultural mechanics in SBAE programs across the state. Using Wells et al.'s (2021) Agricultural Teacher Education and Agricultural Industry Partnership Model …

Assessing The Behavioral And Health Effects Of Turtle Racing On Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina Carolina), Michelle Weaver

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

To make informed management decisions regarding box turtles (Terrapene spp.) and other turtle species, one must understand what influences them at multiple levels of biological organization. Common influences include the pet trade, urbanization, habitat degradation, and disease. One factor that has not been studied but could influence turtles at multiple levels of biological organization is turtle racing. It is common practice to use wild caught turtles at these events because there is a lack of regulation and enforcement. My study focused on evaluating the effects of turtle racing on eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina; hereafter EBTs) …

Strong Neighborhood-Prime Labelings Under Ordinary & Gaussian Integers, Micheal Arnal-Brown

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This thesis introduces and studies the notion of a strong neighborhood-prime labeling, a strengthening of the neighborhood-prime labeling where the label 1 can be assigned to any vertex in a graph. We prove that several graph families—including paths, cycles (excluding those congruent to 2 modulo 4), caterpillars, helm graphs, closed helm graphs, gear graphs, and graphs with universal vertices—admit such labelings, and also provide results to more general classes of graphs. We extend this new labeling concept to the Gaussian integers using a spiral order- ing on Z[i] and define a Gaussian analogue of strongly neighborhood-primeness. To support this extension, …

Intersectionality Of Women's Rights Advocacy: Resource Equity, Protection From Violence, And Legal Equality, Erin Hunt

Integrated Studies

Placing a frame of intersectionality on women’s rights advocacy changes not only the way the movement is viewed, but it also strengthens the actions taken and the future processes as well. There are many intricate issues within the context of women’s rights advocacy. However, examining the intersectional issues and aspects of resource equity, protection from violence, and legal equality can attest to the fundamental concerns continually being faced. In exploring the current difficulties along with the past outcomes from an intersectional standpoint, there is a more significant possibility for affirmative change moving forward. Intersectionality within women’s rights shows the overlapping …

The Power Of Coaching: Mutual Influence, Lifelong Lessons, And Lasting Bonds, Jackson R. Mccoy Jm

Integrated Studies

The relationship between collegiate colleges and athletes is one of the most important in sports, affecting athletic performance and personal development. This project looks at how coaches impact athletes by giving emotional support, enhancing self-esteem, teaching life lessons, and being a mentor. Athletes also impact their coaches by increasing growth, self-reflection, and motivation. In addition to talking about possible challenges like stress, disagreements, and changes, the project talks about the benefits that both coach and athlete receive from similar experiences, respect, trust, and a long-term relationship. This project also explains how daily interactions can slowly build a strong and meaningful …

Military Spouses And Family Support: A Human Services Perspective, Hannah L. Prewitt

Integrated Studies

Abstract

Mental health problems among service members and veterans continue to be one of the many challenges that service members encounter. Clearly, the cultural, structural, and institutional barriers that exacerbate these concerns need to be urgently identified. Extensive interventions include resiliency training, policies assuring confidentiality, and awareness campaigns; however, stigma is a powerful reason why service members avoid mental health treatment. The paper reviews the development of military mental health awareness throughout history, the multidimensional construct of stigma, public, self, and structural forms, and the role of perceived career risk in modulating help-seeking behavior. Social identity theory and labeling theory …

The Importance Of Astronomy: Practical And Fundamental Aspects, Bailey N. Rossetti

Integrated Studies

Astronomy is both a field that answers fundamental theories and questions about our universe, while also advancing practical innovations that are used today. Astronomy analyzes questions about life beyond planet Earth and explores how planets, galaxies, and stars form. From early stargazers who only depended on stars for timekeeping and navigation to new advances in telescopes and space missions, astronomy has deepened the knowledge of humans for centuries. Astronomy has also supplied us with ways to track time, make calendars, and use navigation such as GPS systems. Beyond expanding discoveries, astronomy created technologies with wide-ranging features-- including medical imaging, satellite …

Pediatric Nursing Challenges, Daizsa J. Revels

Integrated Studies

Nursing is known to be one of the most difficult professions there is, but also rewarding. Once a student graduates from nursing school, they are allowed to pick whatever hospital unit they desire to work. The pediatric unit is extremely fascinating because you work with children of all age ranges. The pediatric unit consists of working with children, all the way up until they reach the age of 18. Throughout this paper, the topic that will be discussed is Pediatric Nursing Challenges, which means that there are problems that need to be acknowledged, but also allow nurses within the unit …

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)

A Personal Touch: Intergovernmental Organizations And The Mechanism For Mayor-To-Mayor Relationships, Matthew L. Howell

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Much of the research on intergovernmental cooperation starts with cities that are already in a relationship or are co-participants in an intergovernmental organization and then look at which relationships get developed into cooperative agreements. In this article, four potential methods by which local officials might form those precursor relations are tested. First, cities work within a network context where intergovernmental organizations might matter for several reasons. The intergovernmental organization might reflect similarity in the organizations, called homophily. Second and third, existing intergovernmental organizations may matter directly by serving as a social focus, or a Tertius Iungens. Finally, the professionalism of …

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 Blends, Cameron Neal

Professional Practices (ART 399)

My works explore personal ties to my living environment and need for comfort. Comfort is something that I often think about because I spent so much of my life feeling uncomfortable in my mind and body. My works consist of many materials, but I mainly work in metals and wood, and my process relies heavily on hands-on experimentation. I’ve had experience crafting, but I have never been so meticulous with my work before now.

One of the works I included is a domed ring that mocks the shape of a pillowy or cushioned object even though it is made of …

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 …

Art399 Portfolio, Sadie Smith

Professional Practices (ART 399)

My work mainly consists of drawing, using charcoal, ink, and pastels to create pieces that emphasize stark contrasts and surreal, dreamlike atmospheres. The contrast between rendered forms and flat backgrounds creates a sense of timelessness, as if the subjects exist in a space removed from reality. This quality is evident in pieces like “Three Birds,” where three women appear to float in an undefined, eerie environment. The implausibility of the forms and their ethereal nature contribute to the dreamlike quality of the imagery, making it clear that these scenes could not exist in the real world. The themes I explore …

Art399 Portfolio, Kristian Canada

Professional Practices (ART 399)

I value a synergistic use of color or value. Additionally, using details that can be seen working conjointly to further the level of my art. The mediums I enjoy working with are charcoal, oil paint, graphite, and clay. Most of my work is illustrated in black and white with my main medium being charcoal due to its ability to form and cast by using layers. I use this element to add expressive additions, shading, and line work to my art.

The ideas that I want to focus my work on are freedom of expression and creation where I can simply …

Samira Art399 Portfolio, Samira Johnson

Professional Practices (ART 399)

When you are first seeing my artwork, wanting it to bring some type of Joy. The main reason I make art is because it reminds me of when I was young, I’ve always had a creative mind. I loved creating things and my favorite classes to always go to was art. The initial reaction when seeing my art is it wouldn’t be what you would expect. Most people looking at it would see some similarities but at the same time sometimes my concepts don’t flow. The main similarity you see when you look at my art is how I use …

Professional Practices Portfolio, Krizianna Groves

Professional Practices (ART 399)

My artwork consists of large self portraiture drawings and paintings. Exploring the amount of distortion I can create with my face and hands. The distortion of my body stems from the sexual assault I’ve experienced in my life. How their hands on me made me feel disconnected from my body and self. Living with that trauma that will continue to follow me, caused myself to not see me correctly or even feel like me. Maybe if I looked different it wouldn’t have happened. I also create work that has my partner as the subject instead of myself. He’s drawn to …

399 Portfolio, Addison Miller

Professional Practices (ART 399)

The overall goal of my works is to tell the stories of the characters I have created and give my audience a glimpse into who the characters are and why they are the way that they are. I make pieces and characters based on the environment around me, specifically the plants and animals in my own backyard. My process starts in my current sketchbook. Sometimes characters get reused from a previous time in my life that I feel I could improve upon, characters designs will more likely than not change over the course of time. When I am satisfied with …