Digital Commons Network^™

Visual Narratives Of Forced Displacement, Schooling, And Re-Settlement Among Refugee And Asylum-Seeking Students In Grand Forks, Nd, Pempho Chinkondenji, Giovanni Whyte

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

This study examines how school-aged refugee and asylum-seeking students, most of them girls from the "Global South," experience schooling, resettlement, and belonging within the Grand Forks community and the broader U.S. education system. Using a two-phase visual/arts-based participatory design, the research team engaged 34 co-researchers from various countries including Somalia, Afghanistan, Liberia, Burundi, Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico, and Guinea Conakry. In the first phase, 20 co-researchers aged 14 to 20 took part in a photovoice study, using photography, focus groups, and interviews to document their lived experiences. A subsequent arts-based Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project extended this work through comics, …

Standardized Training Methodologies For Medical Laboratory Science Students And Their Importance For Student Success, Maria Simpson

Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects

Clinical education is a critical component of Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) programs, serving as the primary bridge between academic instruction and professional practice. However, traditional clinical rotation training models often struggle to keep pace with rapid advancements in laboratory technology, expanding professional responsibilities, workforce shortages, and heightened patient safety expectations. The purpose of this capstone project is to examine the key factors driving the need to update training methodologies in MLS clinical rotations and to evaluate contemporary educational approaches that better prepare students for entry-level practice. This project addresses systemic challenges faced by clinical laboratories, such as staffing constraints, heavy …

Policy Brief: North Dakota Maternal Mortality Committee, Kilyn R. Parisien

Public Health Student Publications

The following policy brief was created to examine North Dakota policies that are specific to maternal mortality and morbidity reviews. The North Dakota Maternal Mortality Committee (NDMMRC) is responsible for conducting maternal mortality and morbidity reviews in the state of North Dakota. This brief is guided by policies from North Dakota and MMRC reviews from surrounding states to inform six recommendations intended that guarantee the highest quality data collection and data reporting on maternal mortality and morbidity.

Exploring Instructor Engagement With Aviation Safety Messaging At Und: A Pilot Study, Brendan Aug

Aviation Student Publications

Effective communication of safety information is critical in fostering a strong safety culture within collegiate aviation. This pilot study explores how flight instructors at the University of North Dakota (UND) engage with two safety communication tools: The ASAP Spotlight email update and the 60-Seconds for Safety flyers. A 25-question survey distributed to active UND Line Flight Instructors examined engagement levels, behavioral impact, perceived effectiveness, and preferred communication methods. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and an exploratory factor analysis were used to evaluate responses across four constructs: engagement, behavior, perception, and communication preference. Results indicate that while instructors do generally engage with and …

Double-Scoring: Reliable Extraction Of Strong Lottery Tickets, Bryce Christopherson, Jack Baretz, Darian Colgrove, Salah Dandan

Mathematics Faculty Publications

The lottery ticket hypothesis proposes that large random neural networks contain sparse subnetworks that can match the performance of dense models after compara- ble training. A stronger version asserts that sufficiently overparameterized random networks contain subnetworks that are already accurate before any weight training. Existing theory establishes that such strong lottery tickets exist, but reliable ex- traction remains difficult. We revisit edge-popup, a frozen-weight score-training method for extracting strong tickets, and identify layerwise sparsity selection as a central bottleneck. We introduce double-scoring, an augmented score-space parameterization that replaces a layerwise sparsity search with optimization over enlarged score tensors. We prove …

Facilitating Conditions And Gender Gaps: Predicting Intention To Adopt Digital Education Resources Among Teachers, Bijaya Shrestha, Virginia Clinton-Lisell

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Student Publications

This study examined factors shaping school teachers’ intention to adopt Digital Educational Resources (DER) in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Factors included were performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and behavioural intention. Fifty-six (56) teachers completed an online survey measuring those factors. Among all the factors, facilitating conditions were the marginally significant positive predictor of behavioural intention to adopt DER. Male teachers reported marginally higher behavioural intention (p =.05) to adopt DER compared to female teachers. However, gender was not a significant moderator in relationship between behavioural intention …

Caelestis Ars Poetica, Ryan Prusak

Floodwall Magazine

No abstract provided.

Picture Perfect, Brenden Kimpe

Floodwall Magazine

No abstract provided.

Choke, Elisabeth Yager

Floodwall Magazine

No abstract provided.

The Sneaker Bride, Jameson Askew

Floodwall Magazine

No abstract provided.

Haunted Hill, Honna Westlund

Floodwall Magazine

No abstract provided.

An Extension To A. Goldshtein, Et Al, 2025, Manish Rami

Communication Sciences & Disorders Faculty Publications

This note extends the findings reported in “Onboard recordings reveal how bats maneuver under severe acoustic interference” available at:

Goldshtein, Aya, et al. “Onboard Recordings Reveal How Bats Maneuver under Severe Acoustic Interference.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 122, no. 14, Apr. 2025, p. e2407810122. pnas.org (Atypon), https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2407810122.

One-On-One Vs. Group Health Coaching: Impact On Weight, Knowledge And Well-Being., Julie Nelson

Nursing Capstones

This DNP scholarly project completed a retrospective review, comparing the effectiveness of one-on-one versus group-based health and wellness coaching in improving outcomes related to weight loss, health knowledge, and participant perceptions of well-being. The project reviewed existing, de-identified data from adults who previously completed a coaching program focused on healthy behavior change. Coaching was delivered in either a group or one-on-one format, and outcome measures included changes in weight, knowledge of healthy behaviors, and participant reported impressions of overall health and wellness. The aim of the project was to determine if the delivery method of coaching impacts outcomes, thus informing …

Improving Nurse Burnout With Wellness Activities During Break Times, Alyson Sigvertsen

Nursing Capstones

Nursing burnout continues to be a critical concern in healthcare worldwide. Due to a lack of physical, emotional, and mental breaks, burnout has a high prevalence in the nursing profession. Burnout leads to reduced patient quality of care, higher staff workload, increased risk of errors, delay in care, and reduced job dissatisfaction. Nursing staff who do not take their scheduled breaks are more at risk for burnout because of the strong correlation between burnout and lack of rest (Stutting, 2023). For nurses to take their scheduled breaks is a common practice; however, nurses report continued stress as their break includes …

The Impact Of Oral Adherence Education From Pharmaceutical Nurse Educators, Joshua David Boss

Nursing Capstones

The project investigates the impact of pharmaceutical nurse educators providing oncology practice nurses with education on oral anticancer medication adherence. A sample of nine registered nurses and advanced practice nurses participated in the pre-education survey and educational intervention, whereas seven participated in the post-education survey. Using a quantitative, quasi-experimental design, the project found an increase in understanding of the role pharmaceutical nurse educators play on the multidisciplinary team following the educational intervention. The findings support the need for an industry-wide naming clarification for the pharmaceutical nurse educator role, including the title across companies. Additionally, the need for the pharmaceutical nurse …

The Relationship Between Sleep And Mental Health, Lily Faucher

Psychology Student Publications

This paper looks at the relationship between sleep and mental health across the lifespan. Sleep is an essential process for our bodies to function. Understanding this relationship between sleep and mental health can help individuals to choose healthy habits and prioritize sleep as it is an important part of overall wellbeing.

Mapping Unmanned Warfare: Analyzing Drone Usage In The Russo-Ukrainian War Using Open-Source Social Media Data, Kayla Barral, Carter Pedersen, Elise Stevens

Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Showcase

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, has expanded significantly in modern warfare, reshaping operational dynamics by enabling precision strikes while reducing personnel risk. At the same time, the growth of open-source and social media–based reporting has created new opportunities to analyze military activity through publicly available information. This study examines whether patterns in social media–reported drone strikes can provide meaningful insights into operational behavior in the Russia–Ukraine war.

Using open-source intelligence (OSINT) collected from Telegram posts between September and October 2025, this research compiles documented drone strike events conducted by both Ukrainian and Russian forces. Much of …

Responsible Ai Practices In Engineering Programming, Mohamed Elfaham

AI Assignment Library

This project demonstrates how responsible AI tools can be integrated into engineering programming assignments to support learning, debugging, verification, and critical evaluation while maintaining student accountability and independent problem-solving skills.

Spring Undergraduate Commencement: May 16, 2026, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Spring Undergraduate Commencement program from May 16, 2026.

Spring Graduate School Commencement: May 16, 2026, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Spring Graduate School Commencement program from May 16, 2026.

School Of Law Commencement: May 9, 2026, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND School of Law commencement program from May 9, 2026.

Nature As The Foundation: A Shift In Pedagogy, Mary Moroney-Fernandez

The Cicadian

Somewhere in the United States right now, a child is sitting beneath fluorescent lights while the world outside continues without her. This paper argues that her confinement is not accidental, but rather theoretical. Examining the divergent frameworks of Friedrich Fröbel and Jean Piaget, it traces how American public schooling absorbed a vision of learning organized around cognitive individualism while displacing Fröbel's relational vision of child and nature. Drawing on reflection, historical analysis, and research, this paper contends that lasting reform requires confronting the foundational assumptions that built the classroom in the first place.

The Pebble In The Shoe, Marcos Fernandez Tous

The Cicadian

This piece offers an introspective reflection by an educator at the University of North Dakota, blending phenomenological perspectives on the nature of education with the embodied experience of participating in a sweat lodge. Framed by a meandering walk across campus, the narrative interweaves several thematic threads: the tension between clarification and explanation, the values that should guide technology education, and the role of nature with its inherent, chaotic vitality. Although the text adopts a stream‑of‑consciousness approach, it does so without leaning on the established stylistic traditions of Proust, Joyce, or Faulkner. The work is also poetic in tone, suggesting that …

Establishing The Inter-Rater Reliability Of The Titleist Performance Institute (Tpi) Movement Screen, Ian Henry Dahners, Matthew Fetner, Carlan Haugrud, Hunter Johnson, Braeden Lee Knutson, Erica Jo Peters, Dana Jayde Zarn

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background: The Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Movement Screen is a golf-specific physical assessment widely used by professionals to identify physical limitations that may influence swing mechanics and injury risk. Despite its popularity, there is limited peer-reviewed evidence regarding the screen’s inter-rater reliability. Without established reliability, clinical and performance decisions based on TPI scores may be questionable. Prior research on similar tools, such as the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), shows that reliability varies based on evaluator experience, scoring objectivity, and standardization—all relevant concerns for the TPI Movement Screen.

Purpose: To determine the inter-rater reliability of …

The Effects Of Dynamic Blood Flow Restriction On Transmembrane Fluid Shifts, Parker Bradley Carroll, Caden John Heinert, Isaiah John Kludt, Lucas Robert Simon

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

The benefits of blood flow restriction (BFR) training, particularly its ability to induce muscle hypertrophy, are well established. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying this hypertrophy remain unclear. This study hypothesized that fluid shifts within the skeletal muscle, specifically changes in intracellular fluid (ICF) and extracellular fluid (ECF) composition, contribute to hypertrophic responses following BFR exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate ICF and ECF dynamics in the lower extremity skeletal muscle using bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS) following BFR in combination with submaximal resistance exercise. Additionally, the researchers aimed to determine the duration of fluid shifts by assessing ICF/ECF …

Prognostic Predictors Of Developmental And Functional Outcomes In Children With Global Developmental Delay: A Retrospecive Chart Review, Rachel Lynne Kuechle, Sadie Elizabeth Olson, Eliana Hazel Parks, Hailee Lynn Schauer, Mara Marie Vannyhuis, Audrey Elizabeth Whitman

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Global developmental delay (GDD) is a broad, global disorder in which children do not reach the appropriate gross and fine motor milestones as expected for their age. GDD’s impact can extend beyond motor skills to include speech and language development, cognitive abilities, social and personal skills, and ADL’s. This study aims to investigate the prognostic predictors of developmental and functional improvement of children with GDD. Our study also examines how the prognosis of children diagnosed with GDD will be affected based on therapeutic intervention in order to offer evidence-based recommendations to support children with GDD and their …

Assessing The Preparedness Of New Graduate Physical Therapists For Primary Care Physical Therapy Roles, Hannah Ellen Snobeck, Olivia Mavis Manuel, Rachel Jean Dukart, Samantha Marie Krogfoss, Logan Nicole Redding, Haley Paige Hase, Reese Paige Richards

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: The growing shortage of primary care providers in the United States has led to increased discussion about expanding the role of physical therapists (PTs) in primary care. Physical therapists have advanced diagnostic and musculoskeletal expertise that helps them succeed in these roles. This study aimed to assess how new graduates perceive their readiness to practice as primary care providers and to identify the education and experiential factors that shape this.

Methods: Using a qualitative research design guided by self-perception theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with three physical therapists who graduated between 2022 and 2024. Participants were asked …

Pedagogical Strategies In Medical Laboratory Science Student Learning Outcomes: A Comparative Study Of Learner-Centered And Lecture-Based Instruction, Kasey Kuker

Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects

Learner centered teaching (LCT) has gained prominence across the health sciences, yet its specific impact on Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) education remains underexamined. This comparative literature review synthesizes findings from various empirical studies to evaluate how active, learner centered pedagogies - such as flipped classrooms, blended learning, team based learning, simulation, gamification, and structured feedback - perform relative to traditional lecture based instruction. Across diverse MLS and allied health contexts, LCT consistently improved cognitive outcomes including examination performance, laboratory skill proficiency, and long term retention. Equally significant were gains in affective outcomes: heightened self efficacy, motivation, engagement, teamwork, and professional …

Utilizing The Indian Self Determination Act To Enhance And Improve Health Outcomes In A Tribal Communities, Adriann Ricker, Shawnda Schroeder

Indigenous Health Faculty Publications

The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (PL 93-638) serves as a critical policy mechanism enabling Tribes to exercise sovereignty and self-determination in health care delivery. American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities face significant disparities in oral health outcomes, driven by systemic and structural racism, geographic isolation, and inadequate access to health care professionals. This policy paper examines the historical context and implementation of PL 93-638 and explores how the law empowers Tribes to address health inequities on their own terms. Drawing on case studies and insights from the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, this paper highlights how …

Und Leads Implementation Team Meeting Agenda — April 28, 2026, University Of North Dakota

LEADS Implementation Documents

Agenda for the April 28, 2026 meeting of the UND LEADS Implementation Team. The agenda includes subgroup reports, Discovery recommendation development, planning for May discussions, and matters arising related to UND LEADS implementation.