Digital Commons Network^™

Eastern Kentucky University: Program Profile, David Coleman

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) is a public comprehensive university in Richmond, Kentucky, with around 15,000 (primarily residential) students. The university offers 80 undergraduate majors, 36 master’s degrees, and four doctoral programs. Approximately 40 percent of undergraduates are first-generation students. EKU traditionally draws many students from its 22-county service region across southeastern Kentucky, but the university also recruits heavily in the larger metro areas of the region.

Honoring The First-Year Seminar: Exploring High-Impact Learning Experiences For The First Year In Honors: About The Authors

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Honoring the First-year Seminar: Exploring High-impact Learning Experiences for the First Year in Honors: About the Authors

Metallic Nanoparticles And Cosmetics: The Role Of Mitochondria And Premature Aging, Veronica Montesinos-Cruz, Justin Olmanson

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

The cosmetic industry has developed and commercialized numerous products using new technologies, making them increasingly appealing to the public. The use of metallic nanoparticles (MtNPs) as key ingredients in cosmetics has become more widespread due to their demonstrated benefits. However, the use of these products remains controversial, as some studies have shown that MtNPs can penetrate the deeper layers of the skin and disrupt homeostatic balance. It has also been demonstrated that the interaction between MtNPs and keratinocytes increases the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can lead to oxidative stress, a condition associated with premature aging. Mitochondria, as …

Launching Cures In Non-Traditional Settings: How One Honors Program Propels Primary Research For The Institution, Kathryn M. Macdonald

Honors in Practice Online Archive

This essay considers how course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) can drive original research. Honors students in career-oriented majors (accounting, hospitality management, health services administration, criminal justice) develop primary research studies that are proposed for institutional review and then conducted within a specific population across the university. The author describes the CURE model within an honors curriculum, observing that it actively engages students in the full research cycle from conceptualization to dissemination and fosters critical thinking, methodological rigor, and ethical awareness. The author recommends its use in either group or individual settings to honors programs seeking to position students as active …

Why The Museum Matters To Honors, Mimi Killinger

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Using classroom displacement and pandemic pivoting during COVID as a touchstone, author presents ways in which museums complement and reinforce pedagogical goals in honors. Community and campus museums offer immediate and innovative teaching opportunities that require minimal technology, present diverse viewpoints and cultural perspectives, and foster visual and cultural literacies. Demonstrating how teaching within a museum aligns with the educational mission of her home institution, author suggests that these spaces can be creative, collaborative, and engaging learning locations for honors colleges and programs throughout the country. Detailed descriptions of curated collections are provided.

Honors Capstones And Self-Authorship: A Case Study, Chelsea Mckeirnan

Honors in Practice Online Archive

While self-authorship theory posits that students who actively define and articulate their values and goals are better positioned for post-collegiate success, little has been done to examine curricular opportunities for self-authorship in the context of honors education. This case study explores the potential for self-authorship development within an honors capstone preparation course at a southwestern regional university. Author observes that such a course provides students with opportunities for self-authorship development and self-efficacy by offering provocative moments and granting autonomy for decision-making. Results suggest that the design and structure of honors capstones can support the growth and development of honors students …

Envisioning Honors As Complex Problem Solving, Pat Akos, Nathan Hicks

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Honors education can maximize student well-being and career-life readiness by integrating a range of wicked problems and design thinking. This approach fosters interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking, and the development of innovative problem solvers. The authors introduce student choice and design thinking throughout the first three courses of an honors interdisciplinary minor at a large, public R1 university and consider its pedagogical implications.

Honors Thesis Proposal Course Components, Lynn Stallings, Anete Vásquez

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Completion of an undergraduate thesis can be a transformational experience for honors students because they learn that they can contribute original intellectual thought to the record of scholarly knowledge. This essay considers how the misconceptions and challenges of an honors thesis can discourage students from undertaking the task. Authors describe the design, delivery, sequencing, resources, and administration of a junior-level thesis proposal course aimed at abating student anxiety over and supporting faculty engagement of thesis work. The Hopscotch Model, a tool to help novice researchers thoroughly design qualitative research studies while learning the philosophical underpinnings of a particular form of …

Building Place-Based Experiential Learning Into The Honors Curriculum At Ohio University, Geoffrey L. Buckley, Nicole Finnicum, Michelle O'Malley, Jennifer Bowie, Yolonda Youngs

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Observing the demand for interdisciplinary experiential learning opportunities post-COVID, authors present a place-based curriculum in honors. Workshop-style special topics classes provide students with an immersive and flexible learning environment, energize faculty, and engage alumni and community partners. Coursework, fieldwork, internships, and study abroad opportunities all contribute to the development of an informed and engaged citizenry. Authors address challenges in funding, access, and equity, and they suggest ways these challenges might be met.

Living A Lie: The Truth Behind Isohydnocera Curtipennis (Newman) And Other Historically Confused Species Of Phyllobaenus Dejean, With The Description Of The New Genus Neohydnocera (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae: Hydnocerini: Hydnocerina), John M. Leavengood Jr.

Insecta Mundi

Taxonomic changes in the New World Hydnocerina (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae: Hydnocer­ini) at the species and genus level are presented. Phyllobaenus suturalis (Klug, 1842) and Hydnocera limbata Spinola, 1844 are designated junior synonyms of P. pallipennis (Say, 1825), new synonymy. Phyllobaenus nigrescens (Schaeffer, 1909) is designated a junior synonym of P. verticalis (Say, 1835), new synonymy. Iso­hydnocera curtipennis (Newman, 1840), P. lineaticollis Spinola, 1844, and Clerus brachypterus Klug, 1842, are re-established as junior synonyms of P. verticalis (Say, 1835), status reinstated, and I. curtipennis is accordingly reassigned to Phyllobaenus Dejean as P. curtipennis …

Distributional Records Of False Click Beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) From Western North Carolina, John M. Leavengood Jr., Robert L. Otto, Mary Kait Brown

Insecta Mundi

Two new state records (North Carolina) and eight total species of false click beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) are reported from a survey site in western North Carolina. Updated distributions are provided for each species.

Court Review: Journal Of The American Judges Association, Vol. 61, No. 1, Eve M. Brank, David J. Dreyer, Reba Page

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

Contents

We Need Cvility Now More Than Ever, Benes Z. Aldana

Bias of Work-Related Psychological Claims, Melissa Lin Jones

An AI Primer for Judges, Joseph Regalia

Editor’s Note

President’s Column, Vincent L. Johnson

Thoughts from Canada: The Supreme Court of Canada Considers the Application of the Common Law “Exigent Circumstances” Doctrine to the Warrantless Searches of Electronic Devices, Wayne K. Gorman

Crossword: Four 38-acrosses, Victor Fleming

Court Review Author Submission Guidelines

The Resource Page

What Judges Can Do about Implicit Bias: Evidence-based Recommendations and Practices, Jerry Kang

How To Create A Self-Sustaining Meditation Garden, Heather Salazar, Lydia Barrett-Miller, Kaitlyn Parisan

Honors in Practice Online Archive

This essay presents the creation and maintenance of a campus meditation garden as an outgrowth of four successive philosophy classes in honors. The authors describe the garden’s inception, execution, curricular advantages, and administration, with specific examples of the impact on student health and well-being. The authors observe the ways in which honors students attained skills in transformational leadership by collaborating to develop projects and lead events, suggesting that a meditation garden may be appropriate for any learning environment emphasizing cooperation, creativity, mindfulness, and well-being.

Honoring The Wellness Journey: An Evidence-Based Retreat To Build Stress Resilience In Honors Students, Sydney Tutuska, Alexandra Caldwell, Jennifer Willford

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Honors students are goal-oriented, motivated, and engaged achievers. As such, they often experience heavy course loads, manage multiple responsibilities, have limited free time, and sacrifice their health (relationships, sleep, nutrition) in pursuit of their goals. This essay presents an evidence-based wellness retreat designed for honors students at a medium-sized university. The authors describe the retreat’s inception, development, curricular advantages, and administration, with specific examples of targeted evidence-based programming. Eight workshops, designed to build resilience and coping skills, address mental agility and mindset, emotion regulation, social connection, and wellness habits. The authors observe student efficacy in the development of skills and …

Honoring Careers: Developing Professional Aspirations In Honors Programs, L. Benjamin Boyar

Honors in Practice Online Archive

This essay builds on previous arguments in honors for greater representation of preprofessional disciplines. Drawing from a focused honors accounting initiative, author explores how video interviews with alumni—created through an iterative process of outreach and collaboration—can effectively bridge intellectual inquiry and career preparation. Alumni narratives help students critically examine professional trajectories, connect current coursework with broader academic and societal contexts, and produce tangible outcomes, such as conference presentations and journal publications. By showcasing these diverse career trajectories, this approach reassures students in both preprofessional and traditional disciplines, demonstrating the relevance of their academic pursuits while ensuring honors education remains intellectually …

Microcredentials For Honors Healthcare Students: Translating Academic Achievement To The Resume, Tina C. Melamed, Belinda Deal, Steve Myers

Honors in Practice Online Archive

In healthcare disciplines, honors students need opportunities to develop research skills in line with current trends and advanced degree requirements. The authors present a pilot program offering a series of online, self-paced microcredentials to enhance scholarly and clinical research competencies. Instructional modules in three areas (introduction, research tools, applied scholarly communication) include activities and assessments for demonstrating competency. Each student works with a faculty member to develop a specific topic and apply elements of scholarly communication and documentation such as research methodology, APA style, data analysis, implications for clinical practice, and directions for future research. Successful completion of microcredentialing culminates …

Honors In Practice, Volume 21, 2025: About The Authors, National Collegiate Honors Council

Honors in Practice Online Archive

About the authors, Honors in Practice, volume 21 (2025).

2025 Extension Highlights

Lancaster County, Nebraska Extension: Reports

The work and programs highlighted in this report are a sample of how local residents count on Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County to:

• Strengthen Nebraska Agriculture & Food Systems

• Inspire Nebraskans & Their Communities

• Enhance The Health & Wellbeing Of All Nebraskans

Annual Report: Nebraska Extension In Lancaster County, January 1, 2025 Through December 31, 2025

Lancaster County, Nebraska Extension: Reports

Lancaster County Extension information from 2025. Contents include:

1) About Extension - mission statement, leadership and program area overview;

2) Staff and Programs - staff directory, 2025 program highlights and impact reports;

3) Financials - summaries of 2024-2025 expenditures and current fiscal year 2025-2026 budget; and

4) Media - website and social media information, samples of the Nebline newsletter and local newspaper articles.

The Bone Lady: Life As A Forensic Anthropologist: Book Review, Dakota Taylor

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of The Bone Lady: Life as a Forensic Anthropologist (2000) by M. H. Manhein.

The Black-Market Commodification Of Human Organs And Bones: A Marxist Perspective, Erik Schulz

Nebraska Anthropologist

The trade and treatment of human remains, while seemingly straightforward, have increasingly become subjects of ethical and moral debate. Over time and in light of recent events, questions have emerged regarding the appropriateness of how human remains are handled and exchanged. This paper examines these issues through the lens of Marxist framework and the perspective of forensic anthropology. The objective is to provide contextual understanding and encourage a reevaluation of current practices, particularly within academic settings, to ensure that human morals, dignity and ethical standards are upheld.

Future Of Bse Days 2025: Growing A Regenerative Bse, Derek M. Heeren, Santosh Pitla, Jennifer R. Keshwani, Mark Stone

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

The Future of BSE Days 2025: Growing a Regenerative BSE brought together over 150 faculty, staff, students, and partners to envision the next quarter-century of the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. The event emphasized regeneration—not only of resources and ecosystems, but also of ideas, learning models, and relationships. Across seven major sessions—three Spark Talks and four Pillar Workshops—participants explored how BSE can thrive amid technological disruption, demographic change, and societal transformation.

Key Outcomes

Redefining Impact: This session challenged participants to evolve from counting outputs to valuing relationships, collaboration, and community well-being.

Adaptive Learning Models: This discussion introduced design studios, micro-credentials, …

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2025, 145th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Thirty-Fifth Annual Meeting

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Biological and Medical Sciences

Biology

Chemistry

Earth Sciences

Science Education

Anthropology

Applied Science and Technology

Physics and Engineering

Forensic Sciences

Ecology, Sustainability, and Environmental Science

Maiben Lecture: Mary Ann Vinton, "State of the Academy"

Friends of Science Awards: David Crouse and Daniel Sitzman

When One Door Closes: Legal Education And Racial Justice After Students For Fair Admissions, Michael I. Meyerson

Nebraska Law Review

In Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, the Supreme Court ruled that the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited colleges and universities from using race as a factor in admissions decisions. Many have feared that this ruling portends the end of racial diversity in higher education. Law schools, however, can choose to treat this decision as creating a fresh opportunity to pursue racial justice in a comprehensive and meaningful way. Most of the early scholarly writing on Students for Fair Admissions focused on either its …

Incentivizing Accelerated Federal Student Loan Repayment, A Small Change, Steve Lydick

Nebraska Law Review

This Comment suggests incentivizing accelerated repayment as a practical solution to provide relief to stakeholders in the federal student loan program. By using its existing legal authority, the Department of Education can permit borrowers to satisfy their loan obligations through partial overpayments. This strategy allows borrowers to play a more active role in expediting their loan repayment, benefiting both the borrowers and the Department.

I. Introduction

II. Postsecondary Education and Federal Student Loans ... A. Student Loans & the Federal Government: World War II through 2005 … B. Expanded Student Loan Repayment Options from 2005 to Today

III. Federal Student …

Uncle Sam And The Sea: An Administrative Red Herring, Heather Haratsis

Nebraska Law Review

“The law must be stable and yet it cannot stand still.”¹

Compared to the Old Man and the Sea, the administrative state’s situation does not seem all that different.² The idea of the administrative state has been around since the birth of civilization. There has always been a need for caretakers to protect the best interests of their people. While the administrative state is a testament of our society’s resilience and loyalty to the idea of one union providing for public good; it has become the Santiago.³ An administrative state is only as good as its …

A Judiciary Without Trust?, Brandon J. Johnson

Nebraska Law Review

Public hand wringing over waning faith in the Supreme Court, this Essay contends, mistakes symptom for cause. The real crisis is not distrust but the Court’s persistent failure to earn trust in the first place. Trust is a feeling; trustworthiness is a record. This Essay adopts a common understanding of trustworthiness that evaluates the demonstrated ability of the trusted party to protect the vulnerable trusting parties, and analyzes the Court’s trustworthiness against that yardstick. From Dred Scott, Plessy, and Korematsu to modern “shadow docket” interventions and undisclosed donor funded travel, the Court has too often shown itself untrustworthy …

Not The “Mere Creature” Of Big Tech: The Constitutionality Of Parental Consent Laws For Minors’ Social Media Accounts, Kat Turco

Nebraska Law Review

A growing number of states have passed laws requiring social media platforms to obtain parental consent before granting accounts to minors to combat rising mental health issues, cyberbullying, and screen addiction. Although well intentioned, every such law has been enjoined in the lower courts, and the Supreme Court has yet to address whether laws requiring parental consent for minors’ social‑media accounts violate the First Amendment. This Comment argues that lower courts have miscast such statutes as content‑based speech restrictions requiring strict scrutiny under Brown v. Entertainment Merchants’ Association. Parental consent laws differ from the content-based statute at issue in …

The Self-Erasure Of The Eeoc In Bostock V. Clayton County, Nicholas B. Mauer

Nebraska Law Review

During the decade before the Supreme Court decided Bostock v. Clayton County, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) interpreted Title VII to prohibit employment discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Through informal adjudication, independent litigation, and nonacquiescence, the EEOC successfully etched its interpretation of Title VII into law without receiving Chevron deference. The agency made arguments about the meaning of Title VII that succeeded in lower courts and eventually at the Supreme Court. However, the majority opinion in Bostock never mentioned the EEOC’s near-decade of work. Thus, the EEOC’s role in Bostock is both a potential model …

A Study Of The Tap In Center Movement: How Collaboration In The Legal System Is Reducing The Negative Impact Of Bench Warrants And Restoring Justice In Communities, Patrick C. Brayer

Nebraska Law Review

While many aspects of the criminal legal system have been criticized for the harm judicial institutions inflict on communities, a unique legal initiative is garnering praise from observers across the nation. What started as a local effort to help residents withdraw bench warrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic has blossomed into four independent legal service centers in three separate Midwest metropolitan areas called Tap In Centers. The primary mission of the Centers is the recalling of bench warrants issued when criminal defendants fail to appear for court or pay a fine; however, the needs of the individual and the community guide …