Digital Commons Network^™

Cardiovascular Disparities In Mississippi: A Sociological Study Of Heart Health Literacy Among University Students, Laney Etheridge

Honors Theses

Mississippi ranks among the worst states in the United States for cardiovascular health, with high rates of heart disease, obesity, and hypertension. This thesis examines how race and gender influence heart health literacy and behavioral practices among University of Mississippi students. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this study combines quantitative survey data from a stratified random sample of 1,000 students with qualitative interviews from a public health professional specializing in cardiovascular health and a student heavily involved with on-campus heart health programs. The findings suggest that disparities in heart health literacy both align and differ with broader social stratification patterns observed …

Overlooked: The Nuanced Struggles Of Autistic Women, Autumn L. Payne

Honors Theses

Overlooked is a documentary short film that seeks to shine a light on the nuanced struggles of autistic women in a neurotypical world. This short documentary consists of three interviews with autistic women from different backgrounds. Each diagnosed during a different stage of life, they reflect on their journeys to receiving an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis and its impact on their lives. These conversations reveal an overwhelming lack of resources for autistic people, especially for women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. With the diagnosis criteria for ASD being historically based on white males, women and …

The Impact Of Digital Storytelling In Nonprofit Marketing: Increasing Donor Engagement, Haley Cote

Honors Theses

Digital storytelling has emerged as a powerful tool in nonprofit marketing, reshaping how organizations engage donors, communicate their mission, and drive action. This thesis explores the impact of digital storytelling in nonprofit marketing, analyzing how nonprofit organizations leverage various digital platforms – websites, email marketing, social media—and frame their messages to enhance donor engagement. Using framing theory as a foundation, the research examines how the way nonprofit messages are structured influences donor perception and behavior. Through a literature review, case study analysis of Charity: Water, and survey data, thstudy evaluates key storytelling techniques such as positioning the donor as the …

Challenges Us Study Abroad Students Face When Acculturating To A Foreign Food Environment, Sydney C. Davis

Honors Theses

Studying abroad presents a unique opportunity for college students to immerse themselves in new cultures, including experiencing different food environments and dietary customs. However, adapting to a foreign food culture can pose various challenges that impact students’ overall health, eating behaviors, and study abroad experiences. The purpose of this study to develop a survey instrument designed to investigate the extent to which U.S. study abroad students embrace, accept, and face challenges with different aspects of Italian food culture, using the Social Ecological Model (SEM) as a guiding framework. Initial survey items were developed with information obtained from focus group discussions …

Associations Between Tiktok Use And Undergraduate Nursing Professional Identity, Parker M. Watts

Honors Theses

Background. The global surge in social media usage prompts extensive research into its links with nursing professional identity. College-aged individuals who are in nursing school or are going to be in nursing school in the future must navigate their professional identity as they face heightened susceptibility to subjective opinions about the career of a nurse due to their frequent engagement with social media platforms. Among these platforms is that of TikTok, a platform of which has rapidly gained traction, especially among younger demographics. TikTok remains relatively underexplored in terms of its impact on nursing professional identity. This study seeks to …

Top Researchers, Scholars Honored With Inaugural Um Awards, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – A dozen outstanding faculty members at the University of Mississippi were recognized Tuesday (April 29) at the inaugural Chancellor's Awards for Research and Creative Scholarship.

Jtc 25: Achieving A Lifelong Dream, Staff Report

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2025 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Jtc 25: Perseverance Pays Off, Pam Starling

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2025 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Jtc 25: Education Across Generations, Staff Report

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2025 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

A Scoping Review Protocol Of Youth Mental Health First Aid For Adolescents In School, Community, And Healthcare Settings, Irfanul Alam, Marie Barnard, Jessica Osbourne, Divya Chandran Geetha Kumari, Clyde King Jr., M. Allison Ford, Hannah K. Allen

Faculty and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Track 1: Panel Discussion, Leadership, Mentorship, And Sponsorship: Empowering Women In Higher Ed, Natalia Norwood, Tina Martin, Kristin Richards, Ethel Scurlock, Coranette "Chris" Square, Kelly Lester

WHEMN Conference

This panel will illuminate the powerful roles that mentorship and sponsorship play in advancing women in higher education. Participants will hear from seasoned leaders who have successfully navigated these dynamics and discover practical strategies for cultivating supportive relationships.

• Natalia Norwood, ADA Specialist/EORC Investigator, The University of Mississippi — Moderator
• Tina Martin, Dean of the School of Nursing, The University of Mississippi
• Kristin Richards, Associate Professor and Program Chair for Social Work, Jackson State University
• Ethel Scurlock, Dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and Associate Professor of English and African American Studies, The University of Mississippi
• Coranette “Chris” Square, …

Graduate School Newsletter Winter 2024-2025, Sandra Spiroff, Martha Caroline Helms

Newsletters of the Graduate School

No abstract provided.

Program To Boost Safety, Belonging In Rural Mississippi Schools, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi researchers are using a $2 million grant from the Department of Justice to promote safety, belonging and academic success in rural Mississippi classrooms.

Research News, Grants, 2025, Volume 3, Soumyajit Majumdar

Grants (2015-)

Grants and contracts awarded during July - September 2025.

The Underrepresentation Of African American Male Educators In K-12 Education, Nisa Lewis Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American education system has struggled with a significant teacher shortage for years. Alongside this shortage is the underrepresentation of African American male teachers. Despite the increasing diversity of the student population, African American men make up less than 2% of teachers nationwide (Aftunion, 2020). This disparity denies all kids access to diverse perspectives in the classroom and limits the presence of role models for students of color. Research studies have shown that African American students who have African American teachers show improvement in their grades, standardized test scores, attendance records, and graduation rates (Breazeale, 2023). This study aimed to …

Framed By Education: Labeling, Stigma, And The Behavioral Pathways Of Alternative School Students, Abigail Dempsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alternative education has emerged as a critical part of the education system, addressing the needs of students who face academic, behavioral, or personal challenges. However, concerns persist about their long-term effectiveness and the stigma associated with alternative school placements. This study examines how stigma tied to alternative school placements impacts delinquency outcomes among adolescents, utilizing labeling theory as a conceptual framework. Drawing on longitudinal data from the Pathways to Desistance dataset, this research explores the relationships between school placement, self-perception of success, and delinquent behaviors. It also serves to investigate whether labeling of an alternative school placement creates a self-fulfilling …

Mental Health Literacy: What’S The Value Of Youth Engagement In Intervention Development?, Teresa Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: One in five youth experience a mental health challenge each year (CDC, 2021). Mental Health Literacy (MHL) is vital for addressing this crisis as it involves the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to promote mental well-being, understand mental health conditions, and seek appropriate help. MHL interventions for adolescents have been developed; however, recent reviews indicate research is needed in school settings with community input. Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) places youth as co-researchers in intervention development. This methodology aligns with Bartholomew’s Intervention Mapping (IM) framework, which ensures interventions are theoretically grounded. Utilizing these two frameworks, this study aimed to …

Examining Stress, Stress, Potentially Traumatic Events, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, And Emotional Support Among Individuals With Skin Disease Symptoms, Taylor A. Strange

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the complex interplay between psychological stress, trauma-related experiences, and skin disease symptoms, alongside the potential moderating role of emotional social support. While the worsening effect of stress on skin conditions is well-documented, the specific association between trauma and dermatological symptoms, and its contribution to inflammatory responses, warrants further exploration. The stress-buffering hypothesis posits that perceived emotional support can mitigate the negative impact of stress on quality of life in chronic health conditions. This hypothesis has found support across various chronic physical and psychological ailments, yet its applicability to dermatological conditions remains less established. Our study pursued two …

The Ole Miss, University Of Mississippi

The Ole Miss (1897-)

The Ole Miss Annual, 2025

The Relationship Between Religious Coping Styles And Eating Disorder Risk In Christians In A University Setting, Meghan E. Aubuchon

Honors Theses

Existing research on eating disorders and religion is beginning to gain momentum in the present day, but research is lacking on the topic of religious coping and eating disorder risk. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between two known styles of religious coping—positive and negative—and eating disorder risk in University of Mississippi students, faculty, and staff who identify as Christian. A survey consisting of basic demographic questions, the EAT-26, and the Brief RCOPE was distributed via emails sent by the office of IREP to students, faculty, and staff at the University of Mississippi. A total of 330 participants were …

December 4, 2024, The Daily Mississippian

Daily Mississippian (all digitized issues)

No abstract provided.

Ole Miss Becomes Member Of Age-Friendly University Network, Edwin Smith

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi has joined a worldwide collaboration of colleges and universities that support healthy and active aging across the lifespan.

09.03.2024 Orsp Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

RED Talk

OpenScholar website opportunity

William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing

07.08.2024 Orsp Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

NSF research infrastructure, IDS (Institute for Data Science), NSF Mentoring Plan Requirement, NSF Pilot for Startups and Small Businesses

Study Focuses On Improving Care For Adults With Dementia, Edwin Smith

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – A University of Mississippi professor is researching ways to improve care and outcomes for people living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Graduate School Newsletter Spring 2024, Sandra Spiroff, Martha Helms

Newsletters of the Graduate School

No abstract provided.

Exploring Social Workers Potential Role In Mitigating Maternal Mortality Through Coordinated Care, Jena Brown-Talib

Honors Theses

Maternal health disparities persist as a significant challenge in Mississippi, particularly for African American women. This thesis explores the intersection of coordinated care models and social work interventions in addressing maternal mortality. Coordinated care involves collaboration among physicians, nurses, practitioners, social workers, community health workers, and other support services, aiming to maximize pregnant patients' overall health outcomes.

Analyzing strategies of social workers within coordinated care models is important for improving maternal health outcomes within this study. A qualitative approach was chosen to delve beyond statistics and illuminate the reality of maternal health disparities and the efforts to resolve them. Data …

Jtc 24: Making The Most Of College, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2024 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Jtc 24: Cancer Survivor, Mother Of Four Earns Master's Degree, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2024 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

An Examination Of Products That University Of Mississippi Students Consume For Managing Their Stress, Kiersten Rickard

Honors Theses

Students are notoriously one of the most stressed groups in our society. Stress is a complex topic; causes, mitigation methods, and manifestations of stress all vary in an individual. Being that stress is an universal experience, this research capitalizes on the importance of stress and the methods used to mitigate stress. This study looks at, among other ideas, stress on the University of Mississippi campus in regards to demographics and the products (caffeine, sleep aids, over the counter medicines, stress supplements, and CBD) that students use. Results demonstrate that, overall, higher stress levels correlate to higher product usage rates. The …