Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Living On Campus Versus Off Campus On Student Engagement, Megan Carlson

Honors Program Theses

As a Resident Assistant for two years, I saw how engaged my residents were on campus. However, when I would talk to people who lived off campus they seemed to be disengaged from campus activities. I wanted to see if what I already saw to be true, was shown through statistical analysis. In an effort to focus the scope of the study, the analysis focused on student engagement through involvement in extracurriculars. Thus the purpose of this thesis is to determine if there is a statistical relationship between students’ living situations and their involvement on campus. Student engagement includes much …

The Prevalence And Knowledge Of Proper Treatment Of People Living With Dementia In Physical Therapy, Eric Robert Melrose

Honors Program Theses

As the number of dementia cases is expected to rise, healthcare providers will need to know how to best serve individuals with these diseases. Dementia symptoms can vary from person to person, and include memory loss, the inability to communicate, and the loss of gross motor function. Physical therapy can be a useful tool in combating the symptoms of dementia (LeDoux et al., 2020) (Coronado et al., 2020) (Brett et al., 2016) (Braz de Oliveira et al., 2023). This thesis aims to explore the level of knowledge physical therapy students and physical therapists possess, how to increase that knowledge, and …

How Hypermasculinity And Rape Myth Acceptance (Rma) Relate To Rape Proclivity In College Males, Cora Lynn Patterson

Honors Program Theses

The present study examined the relationship between hypermasculinity, rape myth acceptance (RMA), and rape proclivity in male college students attending a mid-sized Midwestern university. This was done to uncover how aspects of traditional hegemonic gender socialization may create pathways for rape proclivity later in life. It looked at college males in particular because sexual assault is a major problem in college campuses and the main perpetrators are male. The study asked a sample of (n=48) males from the ages of 18-24 to answer a survey that included questions from the following measures: Hypermasculinity Scale, Illinois Rape Myth Accpetance Scale – …

Competencies Acquired In The Psychology Major, Jake Harrington

Honors Program Theses

The psychology undergraduate degree is not linked to any specific occupation in the same sense as other degrees, such as accounting or education. The lack of a clear connection between the psychology degree and distinct employment opportunities can make it difficult for stakeholders, such as prospective students, their parents, and even faculty, to develop a clear understanding of which careers psychology students are prepared for after graduation. Until these stakeholders are given a framework to conceptualize the degree's benefits better, the psychology department may fail to optimize its recruitment of valuable young minds into its ranks; furthermore, prospective students may …

Art Teaching And American Society: An Exploration Of How Art Makes Us Think And Why America Needs It Right Now, Julie Marie Hammerand

Honors Program Theses

The motivation for this thesis comes from my own experience as a learner, an artist, and as a teacher. When I was young, I was always fascinated with the idea of the unknown. Each new piece of knowledge I acquired was a part of the greater puzzle I had yet to understand. As I got older, I understood the value of new perspectives and how each person creates a personal relationship with the world around them. I saw how teaching was the art of bringing a person into and through a new realm of knowledge and thought. Each new realm …

A Snapshot Of War: First World War Postcards From The Cedar Falls Historical Society, James Alexander Schmitt

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Secondary Traumatic Stress: Therapists’ Past Trauma And Workplace Interventions, Morgan Wickman

Honors Program Theses

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is a type of indirect trauma wherein listening to the traumatic experiences of another causes a stress reaction. STS can lead to PTSD-like symptoms which can develop after only one instance. STS affects mental health professionals at high rates because they have high rates of exposure to traumatic content. In particular, therapists with a personal trauma history have an increased risk of developing STS, as they are more likely to identify with their client’s traumatic experience. This review examines how therapists’ STS severity and frequency is impacted by a personal trauma history. It also identifies workplace …

Alcohol: The Permitted Drug In Our Society, Madison Tenhulzen

Honors Program Theses

In this thesis, I hope to shed light on how alcohol is advertised in our society, specifically to minors below the age of 21. I researched which alcohol brands I was able to follow, disguising myself as a minor on Instagram and Twitter. After the initial analysis, I specifically observed how the branding and social media presence of each brand is intentionally or unintentionally appealing to a younger audience. To accompany these observations, I conclude by proposing several solutions to help address this issue in our society.

Building Educational Leaders’ Capacity In A Community Of Practice, Théophile Muhayimana, Denise Schares, Megan Ruxton

Faculty Publications

This qualitative study examined rural educational leaders’ perceptions of the outcomes of the 2019 Leadership Camps (LCs). This capacity-building opportunity helped educational leaders meet as a community of practice (CoP) where participants’ interactions contributed to learning with and from one another, reducing perceived isolation and increasing self-efficacy. We analyzed data collected from 242 participants’ responses using an open, axial, and selective coding process. With this sample, 52.5% of participants were rural educational leaders. Overall, educational leaders most often appreciated interacting, networking, and collaborating with peers. Additionally, educational leaders highlighted the importance of the in-depth understanding and application of the Leadership …

Structural, Electronic, And Magnetic Properties Of Cofevge-Based Compounds: Experiment And Theory, Parashu Kharel, Zachary Lehmann, Gavin Baker, Lukas Stuelke, Shah Valloppilly, Paul M. Shand, Pavel V. Lukashev

Faculty Publications

We have carried out a combined theoretical and experimental investigation of both stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric CoFeVGe alloys. In particular, we have investigated CoFeVGe, Co1.25Fe0.75VGe, Co0.75Fe1.25VGe, and CoFe0.75VGe bulk alloys. Our first principles calculations suggest that all four alloys show ferromagnetic order, where CoFeVGe, Co1.25Fe0.75VGe, and Co0.75Fe1.25VGe are highly spin polarized with spin polarization values of over 80%. However, the spin polarization value of CoFe0.75VGe is only about 60%. We have synthesized all four samples using arc melting and high-vacuum annealing at 600 °C for 48 hours. The room temperature x-ray diffraction of these samples exhibits a cubic crystal structure with …

National And Regional Dress, Jennifer Van Haaften, Annette Lynch

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this chapter is to place the rise and use of national and ethnic dress into a historical context. Using an extensive review of journal articles and book chapters focused on national and ethnic dress, historical nationalistic and colonizing trends were examined in the use of clothing and dress. National dress was introduced through the continued rise of nationalism and colonialism in European and Western countries. Western imperialism at first erased identities of indigenous groups, but later had the unintended consequence of creating an appetite for subjugated people to establish a new national identity to reassert their sovereignty, …

Investigation Of Unexpected Purple Substance Extracted From Newsprint Paper, Raquel Wilhelm

Honors Program Theses

In an attempt to extract a green dye from newsprint advertisements, it was serendipitously discovered that a purple substance can be extracted from newsprint paper using methanol or acetic acid.1 Further investigations involving blank newsprint paper showed that the purple substance was a part of the paper itself rather than a component of the ink in the advertisements. Soxhlet extraction was used on the blank newspaper print to obtain the compound. Using different analytical instruments, characteristics of the compound were determined such as potential structures, functional groups, and percent composition. The ultimate goal was to determine the compound and its …

How Economic Distribution Impacts Human Rights On An International Level: A Case Study In Africa And The Balkans, Lindsey G. Ingraham

Honors Program Theses

Data from Reporters Without Borders and the World Bank was used in this small case study to assess correlations between economic dispersion, freedom of the press, and measures of gender equality in eight countries. These countries were selected from two regions, with four from both Africa and the Balkans to total eight: Angola, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Romania, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Zimbabwe. The regions were selected to account for any regional trends affecting the data. These countries were selected based on their Gini Coefficients with the hopes of identifying correlations between economic distribution and their measures of human rights. …

The Effect Of Gibberellic Acid Concentration On Gentiana Andrewsii Germination, Laura Spies

Honors Program Theses

Closed Bottle Gentian, Gentiana andrewsii, is an herbaceous flowering plant found in wetland prairies. The seed is difficult to germinate, so it is not on the native seed market. This study determines the optimal concentration of gibberellic acid for this species. The results were accessed based on the morphology changes, germination rates, and survivorship after transplanting. The 50 ppm concentration of gibberellic acid resulted in the highest rate of Gentiana andrewsii germination. The number of seedlings in the experimental group exhibited only slight differences between concentrations. Transplant data shows more significant advantages in determining an optimum concentration. The 50 ppm …

Data Ethics And The Dilemma Created By Turing's Learning Machines, Jacob Kuhn

Honors Program Theses

The main purpose of this research is to shed light on the good and bad that has come about from the interaction of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in society. Transparency with the public is paramount for the future of Artificial Intelligence. Without awareness, the public is blind to the parts of the Data Revolution that could help them or hinder them. The key question is what AI advancements are being made and what ethical problems do they pose to the general population? To help answer this question, it is best to examine the founding of Artificial Intelligence and the …

Exposure, Adaptation And Expectations: How They Affect Perception Of Foreign Accented Speech, Isabella Huddleston

Honors Program Theses

Understanding accented speech is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society. The world is connected through technology allowing us to reach further than we ever have before. One challenge this presents is the necessity to communicate across languages. Even if an individual has learned another language proficiently, the speech they produce is influenced by their native language resulting in foreign accented speech (FAS). There now exists the need for understanding how FAS affects speech perception and uncovering ways to improve communication situations between native and nonnative communication partners.

Identification Of A Dna Polymerase Alpha Gene Sequence In Thermomyces Lanuginosus Fungus, Nathan Williams

Honors Program Theses

With cell growth being the main focus of our research, we chose to study DNA polymerase alpha. DNA polymerase alpha is likely to be involved in cell growth as it is the enzyme that starts DNA replication. Control of this enzyme might lead to decreased cell growth in cancer or increased cell growth in damaged spinal cord tissue. We chose the thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus for the study of the enzyme due to the ability to compare the enzyme’s activity during fungal growth at different temperatures. Thermomyces exhibits rapid growth at high temperatures and slow growth at low temperatures. Studying …

New Policy Opens Trade With India For Pork Producers In The U.S., Morgan Marie Aitchison

Honors Program Theses

International trade is critical in maintaining a country’s prosperity. Trade between countries fuels the economy for both parties, creates jobs, and raises the standard of living. This statement comes from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). A major development of USTR's portfolio is the progress in trade with India. In November of 2021, the United States of America and the country of India agreed on a long-awaited Trade Policy concerning numerous economic topics. Within the policy released by the USTR were discussions and agreements over agriculture, non-agriculture goods, services, investment, and intellectual property. The topics included a …

Monitoring Archaeal Persistence In Cultivation, Payton Hall

Honors Program Theses

It was previously thought that microbes in the domain Archaea were only found in extreme environments such as hot thermal vents at the bottom of the ocean and hypersaline environments, but as scientists began to use environmental DNA to survey soil, they detected archaea from the phylum Thaumarchaeota in relatively benign environments including farm fields, forests, and prairies. In spite of their widespread global distribution, relatively few of these species have been grown in laboratory culture. It is now known that Thaumarchaeota play an important role in the nitrogen cycle because they can generate energy through ammonia-oxidation. To increase the …

The Impact Of Exercise On Mental Health: The Use Of Exercise As Prevention And Treatment For Mental Health Disorders, Abigail Stivers

Honors Program Theses

Mental health is one of the most crucial dimensions of well-being that is necessary for human wellness. However, it is also one of the most neglected aspects of individuals’ health, often resulting in the development of mental health disorders. There are multiple methods of treatment that can be used to support and improve mental health, one of which is exercise. While exercise is commonly prescribed as a form of prevention and treatment for physical ailments, such as hypertension and heart disease, it is often overlooked as being applicable to illnesses related to mental health. Furthermore, medications and therapy are more …

Evaluation Of Methods To Analyze Microbial Composition In Soils, Joseph Correa

Honors Program Theses

DNA testing has become a vital tool for studying microbes in their natural environments, but there is a lack of standardization in the protocols for extracting environmental DNA. Cave systems provide a special and unique area to research how life thrives in extreme environments. Many parts of caves receive no sunlight and very little nutrients yet harbor microbial communities. Previous work in our lab developed a DNA extraction protocol that works with a wide range of microbial species and with different soil types. I updated this protocol by adding a pre-lysis rinse step and tested whether it performed better with …

Admittance Processes In Gifted Education And Their Influence On Equity, Rachel Wohlgemuth

Honors Program Theses

A gifted education program is present in most public schools throughout the country. The goal of these programs is to challenge academically advanced students more than they would be in a general education course. However, there are disparities within all types of gifted education; these disparities span race, socioeconomic status, gender. In this study, the focus was on the inequity present in gifted education and look at the admission processes that are used to identify and therefore serve gifted youth. I will look into policies in place in 15 states to find similarities and differences. The purpose of this study …

Investigation Into A Potential Dna Polymerase Of Thermomyces Lanuginosus, Kameron J. Kruger

Honors Program Theses

Thermomyces lanuginosus is a species of fungus with ever-expanding applications in the world of industrial chemistry. Primarily, this fungus is known for producing enzymes with a wide variety of industrial uses. These enzymes include xylanases, which are produced by T. lanuginosus in greater amounts than any other fungus (Mchunu et al., 2013). Xylanase is a degradative enzyme that breaks down hemicellulose, a key component of plant cell walls (Singh et al., 2003). Due to its stability over broad temperature and pH ranges, this enzyme serves many industrial purposes, primarily as a food additive and an alternative to chlorinecontaining compounds in …

Nature-Based Education: Expanding The Walls Of The Classroom, Halle Louise Kilburg

Honors Program Theses

Are the current practices of education one that best benefits a student? Every day, millions of children go to school. While there is a wide variety of what this experience may look like, there are common factors, such as sterile classroom environments, canned experiences, and dry lectures that often contribute to leaving students feeling burnt out, exhausted, and unmotivated. The purpose of this study was to explore how various schools use Nature-Based education to run their programs and the impact of this approach on students and teachers. For this study, four educators from three various programs were interviewed and asked …

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2022/2023, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--Definitions
--Some Comparisons
--Annual Report Data
--Summary of Attendance
--Attendance by Session
--Degrees Granted 2022/23
--Degree Summary 2022/23
--Program Certificates 2022/23
--Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--Degrees Granted by College, Degree and Racial/Ethnic Classification

Welcome From The Editor, Kristen L. Majocha

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Chastity And Celibacy: A Rhetorical History Of A Rhetoric Of Sex And The Priest In The Catholic Church, Teresa Morales

Iowa Journal of Communication

The seemingly never-ending instances of reported sex abuse by Roman Catholic priests is commonly thought to be a matter of deviancy and crime. This is true; but there is more to the story. The RC Church has, for two thousand years, known of the sexual behaviors and deviancies of its priests, yet has accomplished little in controlling the situation. The rise of the lawsuit against the Church has led, finally, to the need to examine more deeply the reasons for this ongoing criminal behavior. This paper uses a method of rhetorical history to uncover and understand how and why this …

Front Matter - Table Of Contents - Preface

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Artificial Intelligence In Crisis Communication: A Study Of Public Perceptions And Trust Of Ai, Travis Loof, Rachel Ehlers, Julia Lobo Paes, Prah Haider, Rachel Spinks

Iowa Journal of Communication

Organizational crises can be detrimental if not offset with an appropriate communication strategy. The Situational Crisis Communication Theory (Coombs, 2007) has been studied as a framework for understanding how organizations can respond to crises. The current study explores the effectiveness of a nontraditional message source, artificial intelligence (AI), when delivering a rebuilding crisis response strategy. The current study empirically tests and discusses future research in AI trust building and crisis communication response strategies.

Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr) Activities And Communications In Response To The Covid Crisis: Evidence From The U.S., Hyun Ju Jeong, Deborah S. Chung

Iowa Journal of Communication

This study investigates how corporations responded to the COVID-19 crisis through their fulfillment of corporate social responsibility (CSR). We quantitatively analyzed a total of 60 CSR news stories published during the year of 2020. We then provided context through the close readings of all 60 news stories. CSR news coverage was selected as the focal content because it is considered to be a more objective communication of CSR compared to corporations’ self-disclosed CSR reports. Results show that CSR was provided throughout the year as corporations’ timely responses to the unprecedented pandemic. Specifically, corporations emphasized philanthropic CSR activities to support health …