Digital Commons Network^™

50 Years Later: How Title Ix Has Influenced The World Of Sports And The Effect It Has Had On Female Athletes, Catherine Jeffers

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to research the opportunities given to women within sports, and perceptions around their identities in the sporting industry. This thesis highlights the history of Title IX and its’ impact on gender in sports. This thesis also discusses the lack of women’s sports represented in media and the limited number of women in positions of power in sports. Since sports were introduced into modern culture, women have been advocating and fighting for their right to participate in sporting events and forcing even more complex conversations around equal compensation for their play.

Social Media Agenda Setting Of Environmental Policy Issues In Switzerland, Canaan Vaughan

Honors Theses

This paper seeks to develop methodologies and testing methods for the agenda setting power of Swiss political organizational accounts on Twitter to determine who sets agenda about environmental topics. Previous research has examined social media’s agenda setting power over traditional media but has been unable to draw conclusions on which political organizations set agenda on other organizations. Research has suggested that larger organizations might have an agenda setting role over smaller ones, and organizations perceived as experts may set agenda over others. Twitter data from official organizational accounts was collected, encoded as environmental or not, and then fitted to a …

A Comparison Of Heterotroph Isolation And Sequencing Methods From Various Cyanobacterial And Algal Microbiomes, Victoria Starks

Honors Theses

Cyanobacteria have provided a vast, new source of natural products to be utilized in drug development. Because of their non-axenic nature, cyanobacteria typically have an abundance of symbiotic heterotrophs living in association with them. These bacteria can play significant roles in the survival of its cyanobacterial host as well as provide the potential production of unique compounds. The possibility of unknown natural products is only increased by the flexible nature of these bacteria, as altering its environmental state can change the activity of biosynthetic pathways and even activate novel production. Our research team’s intent is to isolate cyanobacterial strains from …

The North Mississippi Field Guide For Young Explorers, Olivia Wymore

Honors Theses

The North Mississippi Field Guide for Young Explorers is an interactive field guide to some of North Mississippi’s wildlife designed for a younger audience, ages six to twelve. The creation of this field guide is a culmination of my inspirations and interests as a child and my involvement and passions as a student at the University of Mississippi. Multiple times during my college experience I have had the fortunate opportunity to work with the local Montessori school, Magnolia Montessori School, by volunteering for various events and leading educational activities. After working with this school and learning about their teaching methods …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Concepts And Methodologies In Accounting, Ashley Eickholz

Honors Theses

The following thesis is comprised of thirteen case studies concerning to various accounting concepts and methodologies that are current and relevant to the public accounting industry. These cases include numerous topics learned in financial accounting courses with respect to specific companies and real-world situations. Additionally, two specific cases relate to the recruiting process and potential cities of interest for the internship experience. Each case includes a different topic that reviews accounting theory; thus in combination entails a comprehensive analysis into the sector. The applications of the concepts and methodologies pertain to a future career in the public accounting industry.

These …

Body Image Perceptions Reflected In Social Media: A Guatemalan Instagram Study, Sarah Harris

Honors Theses

Guatemala has faced a long battle with colonialism, civil war, and an ensuing, rapid urbanization. Still today, the country exhibits high levels of malnourishment while also facing an ascending obesity epidemic. This project seeks to explore how the obesity epidemic has changed body image perceptions in the region. Through the use of social media accounts on Instagram, I aim to analyze how Guatemalan influencers use their platform to explore notions of varying body image perceptions in a country where food is culturally significant, malnutrition has plagued many communities, and obesity is growing in prevalence daily. This thesis aims to answer …

The Implementation Of An Authenticity Clause In Social Media Influencers' Contracts, Sarah Tonos

Honors Theses

In the age of social media influencers turning social media platforms into jobs– monetizing pictures of their cats, dancing for dollars, or even making a mockery of themselves for fame and money, the question of whom to trust or distrust has become increasingly important among consumers. As more brands are starting to collaborate with influencers, it is essential to acknowledge the current relationship among all parties involved, including the Federal Trade Commission. There is currently a blurred line among trust, distrust, authenticity, and reliability during sponsorships. The common question among consumers is whether social media influencers believe in the brand …

Ageism, Eldercare, And Healthcare: An Examination Of Growing Old In Costa Rica, Akshaya Vijayasankar

Honors Theses

The world’s aging population and the Covid-19 pandemic have revealed the high level of ageism against older adults around the globe, which has resulted in an overall decreased quality of life for elders. Societies are now faced with the challenge of creating a suitable and equitable model of care to support their aging population. Despite the recent publication of the World Health Organization's Global Report on Ageism, there is still a large gap in the literature regarding ageism. This paper addresses the issues of institutional ageism in the eldercare and healthcare sector. I argue that Costa Rica serves as a …

An Exploration Of Physical Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of And Experiences With Body Image, Natallie Noel

Honors Theses

Adolescents experience a broad range of physical and emotional changes and begin looking to peers and social media to determine what their bodies should look like through the lens of society. This process of adolescents beginning to visualize themselves is known as body image. These include physical competence, motivation, self-esteem, and confidence through the way the teachers interact with students, develop positive learning spaces, and develop and implement intentional instruction and programs, thus, providing a space where adolescents begin to develop a healthy perception of their own body (Kerner et al., 2017). However, the breadth of literature on body image, …

An Analysis Of Various Financial Reporting Standards, Mary Grace Gaines

Honors Theses

This analysis is a compilation of one year’s work in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honor’s College’s Accounting Practicum Program over the 2020-2021 academic year. Under the direction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson, this thesis is composed of eleven case studies ranging from an analysis on asset concepts to a group project assessing Amazon’s financial statements. Each case study granted the opportunity to dive deeper into a specific topic in the field of accountancy and apply the topic to the business world. Through purposeful research, scholarly conclusions have been made regarding various financial standards and other unique issues related to accounting.

Accounting: A Series Of Case Studies, Anne Elise Pillow

Honors Theses

This thesis explores many areas under the topic of accounting. Under Dr. Dickinson’s instruction, I was given a weekly topic to explore and write about my findings. I used various media to research and learn about the topics such as the internet, interview, and documentaries. The topics included the following: researching two potential cities in which I could intern and live; evaluating FASB’s definition of assets; certification in Excel; off-shore accounting to provide tax benefits; interviewing a mentor; the housing crisis of 2008; and a five-week-long case competition where my group teamed to create audit, tax, and advisor strategies using …

Increasing Perceived Realism Of Objects In A Mixed Reality Environment Using 'Diminished Virtual Reality', Logan Scott Parker

Honors Theses

With the recent explosion of popularity of virtual and mixed reality, an important question has arisen: “Is there a way to create a better blend of real and virtual worlds in a mixed reality experience?” This research attempts to determine whether a visual filter can be created and applied to virtual objects to better convince the brain into interpreting a composite of virtual and real views as one seamless view. The method devised in this thesis is being called 'Diminished Virtual Reality'. The results found in this study show that when presented with a scene composed of a combination of …

Why No Rallying Force? Factors Of Rassemblement National Underperformance In 2021 French Regional Elections, Amy Rhodes

Honors Theses

Marine Le Pen remains popular within national French politics. However, following the June 2021 French regional elections, her far-right party, Rassemblement National (RN), failed to win a single region. This thesis seeks to explore the factors behind the RN’s surprising lack of success through a comparative historical approach. This thesis also evaluates the applicability of the second-order model on these elections. Two regions, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (ARA) and Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur (PACA) serve as case studies for this research based upon their diverse electoral results. Regional newspaper articles, national newspaper articles, and candidates’ social media posts from the election cycles serve as the data …

Hate Crimes: A Statistical Comparison Of Reported Hate Crimes And Victimizations During The Obama And Trump Administrations, Daniel Ramsey

Honors Theses

This thesis attempts to study and assess potential trends in reported hate crime statistics under the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program database along with hate crime victimizations under the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) during President Obama’s first term (2009-2012) and President Trump’s term (2017-2020). The research question addressed in this study includes: a) What trends are evident during the Obama and Trump administrations regarding hate crimes? To assess potential trends in hate crimes and victimizations, a series of charts and tables were compiled that contain the total number of hate crimes …

The Politics Of Migration In América: A Comparative Analysis Of Federal Immigration Policy And Local Impacts In The United States And Ecuador, Hayden Williamson

Honors Theses

This study addresses the hemispheric politics of migration through the cases of the United States and Ecuador. It first reviews the scholarly literature regarding globalization and the politics of migration in the United States and Ecuador. Next, it analyzes the politics of migration of the Trump and Biden administrations in the United States and their local impacts. The subsequent chapter analyzes the impacts of the Moreno and Lasso administrations in Ecuador. The central argument of this thesis is based on criminalization rhetoric, arguing that criminal securitization discourses have become vital to how center and peripheral countries in the Americas are …

Measles And Migration In Colombia And Brazil: Determinants Of Differential Disease Impact Resulting From The Venezuelan Crisis, Kaylen Hisle

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the 2018 measles outbreaks that occurred in Colombia and Brazil as a result of importation from Venezuela, seeking to uncover underlying factors contributing to significantly greater case numbers in Brazil than in Colombia. It analyzes vaccination coverage, migrant integration, and migration policy, using a mixed-methods approach to compare the two countries. Qualitative analysis of the border zones, migration policies, health systems, and progression of the outbreaks in each country reveals that geographical and socioeconomic differences at the borders, heterogeneity of vaccination coverage, timeliness of policy responses, and disease tracing capabilities could all be possible contributors to greater …

Dicyanobenzothiadiazole-Based Organic Dye As A Visible Light Absorbing Strong Photoinduced Oxidant With A 16 Microsecond Long-Lived Excited State, Ivy Li

Honors Theses

Strong photoinduced oxidants are important to organic synthesis and solar energy conversion to chemical fuels or electric. For these applications, visible light absorption is important to solar energy conversion and long-lived excited states are needed to drive catalysis. With respect to these desirable qualities, a series of five 5,6-dicyano[2,1,3]benzothiadiazole ((CN)₂BTD) dyes are examined as organic chromophores that can serve as strong photooxidants in catalytic systems. The series utilizes a ((CN)₂BTD) core with aryl groups on the periphery varying electron donation strengths relative to the core. The dyes are studied via both steady-state and transient absorption and …

Accounting 420 Case Studies, Deyampert Garner

Honors Theses

Fulfilling the Practicum Thesis route requirements for the Sally McDonald Barksdale Honors College, this thesis is composed of short academic papers. These papers are written throughout the duration of two semesters of ACCY 420. The classes offer the opportunity to hear from a range of accounting professionals from various firms and working both individually and in groups to complete case assignments relating to various facets of the accounting industry. The cases were varied to illuminate areas of the industry that students might not otherwise encounter. The class culminated in a group case that involved several sectors of the accounting field …

Accounting Case Studies, Virginia Sudduth

Honors Theses

This thesis is a collection of accounting case studies completed during the 2020-2021 academic school year. Each case was assigned and reviewed by Dr. Victoria Dickinson in her honors independent study class. There are twelve cases that comprise this thesis including A Tale of Two Cities, Asset Concepts, Presidential Debate, Excel Course, Taxodus – Playing The Global Tax Avoidance Game, Business Interview, Case Competition – Earnings, Stock Price, and Analysis, and Financial Crisis of 2008. These cases cover a wide variety of topics that allowed me to apply concepts learned in my studies in order to solve complex accounting issues …

A Collection Of Financial Accounting Case Studies, Evelyn Rowan

Honors Theses

Throughout my two semesters in ACCY 420, taught by Dr. Victoria Dickinson, I wrote my thesis for the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. Throughout this class we analyzed different case studies, completed an excel certification, participated in a case competition, and listened to presentations from different accounting firms.

Each case study helped me gain knowledge in different accounting topics in the real world. We read articles, watched a movie, watched a presidential debate, and conducted an interview with an accounting professional to complete the case studies.

For the case competition our class was divided into teams of four to five …

Effective Green Marketing Strategies On Social Media: Selling Companies And Their Consumers On Investing In Carbon Offsetting And Solar Energy In 2021, Melvin Richard Springer Iv

Honors Theses

In a digital world where consumers and businesses alike care significantly about sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR), the success of startup companies hinges on constant, clear, and thoughtful communication. Through my research into successfully marketing such concerns on social media as well as my internship at Clearloop, I discovered some of the best ways to convince both companies and consumers that preserving the planet should be a primary concern for every environmentally conscious company. Companies that ignore their impacts on the environment are synonymous with companies doomed to fail in the 21^st century. Clearloop’s model of partnering with …

Delineating The Source And Implications Of Social Polarization, Logan Kohan

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research was to examine the causes and consequences that meta-perceptions of polarization in the United States entails. The survey used in this study assessed respondents demographic and political information prior to questions regarding polarization. This study found that the polarization in the United States results from a multitude of variables, including: the intrusion of partisan cues into everyday life, social sorting, polarization’s implicit effect, and differences in moral concern. Moreover, polarization encompasses and variety of ramifications that include disease, amplified interparty animosity, biased policy evaluation, reduced governmental efficiency, intraparty polarization, tribalism, and the quest to achieve …

Traumas Of German Unification And Weakness Of Civil Society: Contributing Factors To The Disproportionate Strength Of Populist Parties In Eastern German States, John Bethea Iii

Honors Theses

While East and West Germany reunified into one country in 1990, populist parties have done better in the former GDR than in the “old lands”. This paper draws on the political science literature on populism performing better in the absence of robust civil society, as well as the specific history of the region. I argue that because the GDR had not permitted the development of robust civil society, when the unexpected economic difficulties of unification arose, they were compounded by resentment over the necessity of importing more experienced western politicians to help run western institutions and that the lack of …

Lawyers That (Say They) Listen: An Exploratory Study Into Law Firms With Listening Specific Branding, Kacey Henriques

Honors Theses

The following investigation attempts to explore the communication dynamics between law firms and their clients. As shown in this research, clients tend to make note of poor communication skills, specifically listening skills, when they interact with attorneys. In an attempt to appeal to clients who have had negative interactions in respect to listening, several law firms across the country are utilizing branding that stresses their strengths in listening (what I term listening specific branding). In the investigation to come, three law firms are analyzed that utilize this type of branding. Additionally, three law firms that specialize in similar areas of …

Lights, Camera, Action - Journey To Commencement, Katherine Stewart

Journey to Commencement

Taliya Harman pursues unique passion of studying Chinese and filmmaking at Ole Miss

Finding Purpose In Following In Their Footsteps - Journey To Commencement, Lisa Stone

Journey to Commencement

Jasmine Meredith discovers empowerment in pursuing graduate education at Ole Miss

Scoring Big With Academics And More - Journey To Commencement, Lauren Lucas

Journey to Commencement

Courtney Keller prepares for future through sports and recreation administration program

Two Faculty Members Appointed As Distinguished Professors, Edwin B. Smith

University of Mississippi News

Kenneth J. Sufka and Robert Van Ness honored for their teaching, research and service

Food Insecurity In Collegiate Athletes During Covid-19, Elizabeth Swindell

Honors Theses

A study done by Georgetown University in 2019 found that one-fourth of NCAA, D1 collegiate athletes experience food insecurity. The study purpose was to examine food security levels in student athletes at a southern university and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security in these students. A survey was completed by student athletes to determine their food security levels during the 2020 academic year at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey included questions relating to food security based on the USDA’s food insecurity module as well as questions specifically related to the impact of food security …

The Coronavirus Pandemic And Participation In The Influencer Economy, Emma Grace Richbourg

Honors Theses

The 2019 coronavirus pandemic, also referred to as the COVID-19 pandemic, altered day-to-day life and has effected the economy quite notably. The aim of this paper is to determine to what extent the COVID-19 pandemic altered consumer behavior and whether these alterations encouraged participation in the influencer economy, which represents social media influencers who create and monetize online content. In order to do so, I administered a survey to 250 respondents to evaluate the reach of influencers during the pandemic and whether social media users felt the presence of influencers was an effective marketing technique. I also conducted an analysis …