Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Visitor Perceptions Of Wilderness Character Qualities In Parks And Protected Areas: Insights From The White Mountain National Forest, Mark B. Gorman

Master's Theses and Capstones

The increasing use of parks and protected areas by visitors in recent years has necessitated improved management strategies, especially in ecologically sensitive zones such as Congressionally Designated Wilderness Areas. According to the Wilderness Act of 1964, Wilderness Areas must be managed to preserve their natural conditions and unspoiled beauty. The rising popularity and resultant crowding of Wilderness Areas pose significant concerns for natural resource managers. These concerns are due to a fundamental aspect of the wilderness experience being opportunity for solitude, as well as needing to maintain the highest standards of ecological integrity. This study explores visitor perceptions of wilderness …

Socioeconomic Status And Its Relationship To Mathematics Achievement: Using A Meta-Analysis, Bitna Choi

Doctoral Dissertations

Educational inequality mirrors broader societal disparities. There are various factors that represent educational inequality, such as socioeconomic status (SES), school environment, teacher quality, gender, and support services. Among these, SES is commonly used as a key indicator of educational inequality. Consistently, studies have shown that students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds have higher academic achievement (Johnson et al., 2022; Murphy, 2019; Tate, 1997). This disparity is particularly evident in mathematics, which is crucial for academic and career opportunities. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and mathematics achievement of K-12 students. In addition, this …

A Daughter’S Inheritance: The Construction Of Motherhood Through Death, Michaela George

Doctoral Dissertations

Mother-daughter relationships have been of feminist interest for decades as this relationship shifts narrative focus to underrepresented characters. In literature their relationship illustrates and complicates what it means to be ‘woman’ and provides access to educational theories, political understanding, and familial ideologies. Further, examining how these relationships shift and alter through eras of narratives offers tangible patterns for study. My dissertation examines the mother-daughter relationships in late eighteenth-century, early nineteenth-century prose by investigating how social constructions of gender are complicated, critiqued, shaped, and altered as they are passed from parent to child in deathbed scenes. I engage with medical humanities …

Charting Reciprocity: The Mapping Of Knowledge Production In Collaborative Community Networks, Nicole Cunningham-Frisbey

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

This dissertation reconceptualizes community-based literacy and writing practices as dynamic processes of reciprocal textual production grounded in feminist and Indigenous methodologies. It challenges traditional hierarchical structures by foregrounding community-generated epistemologies, emphasizing relational accountability, iterative reflexivity, and sustained ethical engagement. Using qualitative methods—including practitioner-created knowledge and social network maps and an analytical mapping method—the study explores how community practitioners strategically leverage their cultural identities and epistemological frameworks within collaborative writing and advocacy.Empirical case studies illustrate reciprocal knowledge production in action, showcasing intentional approaches such as oral storytelling, collaborative writing, and policy advocacy. Findings demonstrate how textual artifacts from reciprocal frameworks …

Age Distribution Of Minors Portrayed In Image-Based Sexual Abuse And Child Sexual Abuse Material, Samantha Jean Sutton

Doctoral Dissertations

Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) poses a significant threat, especially in the current technological age. A better understanding of victim characteristics is needed to direct investigation and prevention efforts properly. However, determining the age distribution of children in CSAM has been difficult due to numerous factors, including differing laws governing CSAM, the priority placed on investigating younger victims, and the difficulty of determining from images alone the age of young people. This meta-analysis sought to understand the proportion of image abuse victims who are under the age of 13 compared to those who are 13 years or older and whether …

Private Conservation And Indigenous Groups With Contested Identities: How Are Land Trusts Navigating Recognition Politics And Controversy?, Geneva Nuttall Lish

Master's Theses and Capstones

New Hampshire has no state or federally recognized Indigenous tribes, and the identities of its self-recognized Abenaki tribes have been publicly contested by Canadian scholars and the Odanak and Wolinak First Nations. As a result, conservation practitioners within New Hampshire land trusts face challenges in making decisions about collaborations, cultural access, and land management involving tribal entities. Our research thus explores how land trusts currently incorporate Indigenous relationships in their operations, and how these practices may be affected by (a) an absence of tribal federal recognition and (b) the publicly contested nature of a tribe. We conducted six semi-structured interviews …

Flexibly Changing Resource Allocation In Individuals With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (Mtbi), Alyssa Walker

Master's Theses and Capstones

Introduction: The current study examined how individuals with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) can shift their attentional efforts in real-time. These abilities were examined within a dual-task, during which individuals had to perform two tasks simultaneously. The first research question compared the performance of healthy controls and concussion participants on individual subtasks of the dual-task. The second research question explored how effective healthy controls versus concussion participants were in shifting their attentional resources. The final research question examined the effect of fatigue, specifically whether concussion participants would demonstrate a greater fatigue effect and have more difficulty at the end of …

King Stephen's War: Military Strategy In A Time Of Anarchy, Keith Sloan

Master's Theses and Capstones

This paper examines military strategy during the mid twelfth century civil war in England, the so-called “Anarchy.” It demonstrates that King Stephen and his Angevin opponents both employed what would be recognized today as strategy in their conduct of the war. It posits that the two largest factors influencing their respective strategies was the permeability of the English countryside, allowing the easy movement of military forces, and the expensive and time-consuming necessity of besieging castles to gain control of territory, the latter a reality of contemporary technology. Using concepts from the field of strategic studies, it demonstrates that, rather than …

The Loper Bright Two-Step: A Reply And Comment To Professor Savitz, Darren Bush

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

No abstract provided.

Bridge To Real World Communication: Evaluating The Ecological Validity Of Narrative Performance Measures In People With Aphasia, Abigail L. Rowe

Master's Theses and Capstones

Purpose: Standardized aphasia assessments focus on diagnosing and measuring language impairments, but do not capture how well individuals with aphasia (PWA) communicate in everyday contexts. Thus, there is a mismatch between the clinical measures used to quantify aphasia severity and real-world communication. This study aims to bridge that gap by employing naïve listeners’ in an effort toward social validity of a measure of lexical typicality (CoreLexicon) by establishing its relationship with aphasia severity and communicative successMethods: Audio samples of picture descriptions from twenty-four people with aphasia were gathered from existing data at two timepoints (mean between testing = 15.4 months) …

2025 Nh 4-H Horse State Show Supporter Packet, Unh Cooperative Extension

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Approval Of Scott Remains Strong In Vermont But Residents Divided On A Sixth Scott Term 4/24/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Nearly two-thirds of Vermont residents approve of Governor Phil Scott's performance, including majorities of both Republicans and Democrats. However, Vermonters are equally divided on whether they want Scott to seek a sixth term in 2026, though less than one-third believe Scott does not deserve to be re-elected if does choose to run. On issues recently discussed by the State Legislature, a plurality of Vermonters support introducing ranked-choice voting for presidential primaries, while a majority support ending the state's use of for-profit prisons. Nearly half of Vermonters say that housing, taxes, or the cost of living is the most important problem …

Ayotte Popular, But Higher Negatives Than Past Governors; Housing Still Most Important Problem In Nh 4/24/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Half of New Hampshire residents approve of Governor Kelly Ayotte's performance early in her term, similar to recent governors, but a higher percentage disapprove compared to her predecessors. Housing remains the most important issue facing the state. On legislation under discussion in Concord, Granite Staters oppose cuts to the state University System, are divided on making all students in the state eligible for Education Freedom Accounts, and support a ban on puberty blockers for children.

Mainers Divided In Assessment Of Mills, But Is Preferred Challenger To Unpopular Collins In 2026 Senate Race 4/24/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Mainers are divided in their assessment of Governor Janet Mills. A majority of Mainers approve of Mills' performance as governor, but the partisan gap is wide: nearly all Democrats approve of her while almost all Republicans disapprove. More than two-thirds of Mainers believe incumbent Senator Susan Collins does not deserve to be re-elected in 2026, including a majority of Republicans. Mainers generally oppose state prison policy concerning transgender inmates and oppose two bills being considered by the legislature to loosen vaccines requirements in Maine schools.

Vermonters Strongly Oppose Trump's Handling Of Economy, Tariffs, And Immigration 4/23/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Vermonters have negative assessments of Donald Trump's actions as president with two-thirds disapproving of his handling the economy, immigration, and his overall job performance. Republicans remain staunchly behind Trump. Vermonters are uneasy about tariffs and most expect them to harm the country's economy and result in much higher prices for goods. Residents are also pessimistic about the direction of the country.

Hyper-Partisanship In Maine Over Tariffs & Trump Presidency 4/23/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

President Donald Trump’s approval rating remains underwater in Maine, as Republicans are nearly unanimous in their approval while nearly all Democrats disapprove. Mainers continue to be wary of tariffs and expect them to harm the national economy and raise prices, but Republicans have become more amenable to tariffs and expect them to raise prices only slightly and benefit the economy overall. Immigration is a highly contentious issue in Maine, as nearly all Republicans support Trump's actions on this issue while nearly all Democrats are opposed. Those who say the country is headed in the right direction most often cite immigration …

Nh Republicans Close Ranks Around Trump Amid Tariff Fears 4/23/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Approval of President Trump's job performance among New Hampshire Republicans has hit a record high, along with the percentage of Republicans who feel the country is headed in the right direction. While Granite Staters overall continue to disapprove of Trump's use of tariffs and fear they will lead to substantially higher prices for goods, Republicans are warming up to tariffs, with most anticipating only a slight increase in prices and a net positive effect for the economy. A slight majority in New Hampshire feel the country is on the wrong track, with many citing the president or Republicans in power …

Unh Names Jeannette E. Riley Provost And Executive Vice President For Academic Affairs, Tania Deluzuriaga

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

University Of New Hampshire 2024-2025 Faculty Senate Xxix - April 21, 2025 Minutes Summary, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Agendas & Minutes

No abstract provided.

Anchoring ‘Neo-Hahnian Outdoor Education’ In The Cold War Era: A History Of Character Building In The Outward Bound Movement, Jayson Seaman

Faculty Publications

The invitation to comment on a foundational early article from the JAEOL provided a welcome opportunity to engage with Andrew Brookes’s trilogy of ‘neo-Hahnian outdoor education’ critiques (Brookes, 2003a, 2003b, 2023). In this article, I approach outdoor education’s character building ideology by using archival and secondary sources to situate its evolution in four periods corresponding with major geopolitical and cultural movements: (1) 1941–1945 when Outward Bound (OB) was established; (2) 1946–1952 when Hahn exported OB from his perch at Gordonstoun; (3) 1953–1967 when OB expanded to the U.S. and replicated globally, and (4) 1968–1976 when human potentialism replaced muscular Christianity …

A Relational Approach To Workplace Leadership, Nathaniel J. Hunt

M.S. in Leadership

This research project examines relational leadership as an ethical and strategic foundation for fostering effective workplaces. Motivated by the growing importance of human connection in leadership, the study integrates philosophical insights, particularly Emmanuel Levinas’s ethics of the face of the Other, with empirical evidence on workplace relationship-building. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining a structured survey of 32 professionals with thematic analysis of qualitative responses. Results confirmed that strategies such as encouraging knowledge-sharing and cultivating positive relational climates significantly enhance employee well-being, psychological safety, and organizational performance. Knowledge-sharing emerged as the most effective strategy, while relationship-building was found to be …

Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival Readies For Second Annual Celebration, Unh Communications And Public Affairs

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Tradition And Transformation: The Changing Role Of Chestnuts In New England Contra Dance, Emilie Carroll

Inquiry Journal Spring 2025

It is common knowledge that traditional music and dance are integral to many cultures, but we may not think of the traditions that shape our local community, such as the New England contra dance tradition. Contra dance is a form of folk dance brought by European settlers during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and like all living traditions, contra dance continues to change, yet its historical roots remain significant. In my research project, funded by a Research Experience and Apprenticeship Program grant from the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research, I studied a subset of older tunes called “chestnuts” which are …

Crusading Against Vice In The Progressive Era: American Anti-Profanity Leagues And Their Legacy, Evan J. Christensen

Roland D. Sawyer Scholarship Papers

During the Progressive Era in the United States, the rise of Anti-Profanity Leagues—such as those led by Roland D. Sawyer and Arthur S. Colborne—mirrored a growing national moral sentiment against profanity that aligned with broader ideals of social reform and public virtue. These leagues responded to widespread concerns about the perceived erosion of public decency and sought to promote “clean speech” through grassroots organizing, religious engagement, and civic advocacy. This paper situates the Anti-Profanity Leagues within the larger framework of Progressive Era moral reform movements, including temperance, anti-vice campaigns, and social purity efforts. Drawing on period newspapers, archival materials, and …

The Semantics Of Sin: Profanity, Reform, And Cultural Authority In Progressive America, Evan J. Christensen

Roland D. Sawyer Scholarship Papers

During the Progressive Era, language reform movements such as the Anti-Profanity League sought to regulate everyday speech as part of broader efforts to preserve public morality and cultural identity. This paper examines the rhetorical strategies and cultural assumptions underpinning the anti-profanity crusade, focusing especially on Reverend Roland D. Sawyer’s leadership. Using historical sources including league literature, newspaper accounts, personal letters, organizational records, and sermons, it argues that profanity was framed not merely as a religious or moral failure but as a threat to social cohesion, character, and national values. Efforts to suppress swearing reveal how language functioned as a marker …

Write Free Or Die: Vol. 11, No. 02, Unh Writing Programs

Writing Program Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Mane Pulling And Stress Response: Investigating The Welfare Impact Of An Equine Husbandry Practice, Rowan Grzeszkiewicz-O’Neill

Inquiry Journal Spring 2025

This study assessed stress response in horses during mane pulling, a practice that involves using a metal comb to tear out hairs in order to create an even and thin mane for horse showing. Seven horses from the UNH equine program were tested under three conditions: the experimental condition, during which they had their manes pulled; the baseline condition, in which they were not handled during testing; and the control condition, where the horse’s manes were brushed using a hairbrush. I collected data on heart rate, how frequently horses showed certain behaviors, and the temperature of a structure of the …

Tales Of The Seres And Silk: Roman Perceptions Of The Far East And Silk Within The Empire, Karter Mingze Hanley

Inquiry Journal Spring 2025

Research into the social, economic, and political impacts of the Silk Road, a former network of international trade routes linking the Roman and Chinese empires, has proliferated since the late nineteenth century. However, there is no comprehensive, modern examination of Roman portrayals of the Seres, the people producing silk in the east, or attitudes towards silk in Roman society. To examine these two topics, I worked closely with seven passages discussing the Seres or silk. These passages, all coming from different Roman authors, spanned diverse ancient genres and various timeframes from the first century BCE to the fourth century CE …

Vervet Monkey Orphans Raised Via Surrogacy And How Their Behaviors Differ From Those Of Vervet Monkeys Born And Raised Biologically, Morgan Breen

Inquiry Journal Spring 2025

Increasingly higher rates of orphan Vervet Monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) are ending up in rehabilitation centers all over Africa. This species is viewed as a pest and is often hunted or killed by humans, however, they play a vital role in their ecosystem. They also have extremely complex social hierarchies, living in large matriarchal troops which makes them difficult to rehabilitate. Through the use of surrogate mothers, orphans can learn survival skills and be reared without relying solely on human care. This study aims to assess how to provide these orphaned monkeys with the best chance of survival once released by …

Massachusetts Residents Strongly Disapprove Of Trump On Economy And Tariffs, Most Expect Recession 3/27/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Two-thirds of Massachusetts residents disapprove of Donald Trump's performance as president. Approval of Trump's handling of the economy is particularly low, and a majority disapprove of Trump's use of tariffs and expect a recession within a year. On foreign policy, most disapprove of Trump's handling of the conflict in Ukraine and see Ukraine as an ally or friend of the United States. On transgender policy, nearly two-thirds of Bay Staters believe transgender female athletes should be barred from participating in women's sports.