Digital Commons Network^™

College Student Perceptions Of Death, Shelby Brubaker, Melinda Heinz

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

The purpose of this study was to understand college student perceptions of death. Undergraduate students were invited to participate in a focus group about their perceptions of death. Three focus groups were held and a total of nine students participated, all of whom had majors in the social sciences. All participants were women and approximately 55% were non-religious and 55% reported they were spiritual. Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic approach was used to code focus group transcriptions. Three themes were identified: 1) Family and Religious Influences: One participant said, “I think it is less of how religion has shaped …

State-Corporate Crime In Agricultural Markets: The Lynch Livestock Fraud Case, Leah Blaine

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

• Livestock dealers connect farmers to markets
• Dealers control weighing and classification
• Farmers rely on dealer-reported measurements

Wellness Center, Alisa Friday, Davan Smith, Nikola Szlachta, Favian Zaragoza

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

A wellness center shaped by natural light and gentle biophilic cues creates an inviting sense of calm from the moment visitors arrive. For this wellness center, we wanted to create a welcoming and biophilic space where patients and caregivers can come to a community setting and feel connected to each other. A bright atrium anchors daily movement, while also providing enough spaces for rest. The wellness center blends wellbeing, inclusivity, and ease with architectural elements that tie our concept together.

The Role Of Google Translate In Supporting Writing Accuracy And Classroom Expectations Among Esl Students: A Qualitative Case Study, Thi Thu Ngan Ho

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Google Translate Use in Intensive English Programs

• Widespread but Informal Use
  • Google Translate is widely used by English as Second Language learners, but often privately and without explicit classroom discussion.
• Benefits and Challenges
  • Students rely on Google Translate in different ways during writing, yet little is known about how they use it in real time.
• Critical Research Gap
  • Most studies examine Google Translate's outcomes, but very few explore how students actually use it during real-time writing.

The Impact Of Teacher Burnout On Learning Ability In Elementary Children With Aces, Kassidy Lake Patterson

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) impact individuals both psychologically and physically into adulthood. Children with ACEs often face challenges in learning, emotional regulation, and behavioral outbursts. Consequently, teachers supporting these students may experience Secondary Traumatic Stress and burnout. This examines the relationship between teacher burnout and students' ACEs. Using a mixed-methods approach guided by the Transactional model, the research discusses Allostatic Load and Toxic Stress theories. Teachers in the Waterloo area (n=10) completed the Professional Quality of Life Survey and the Trauma Informed Education Knowledge Survey. Findings indicate that teachers exhibit moderate burnout levels and possess high trauma knowledge, particularly those …

Examining Burnout In Early- And Late- Nurses, Emily Forsyth

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Burnout from one's job due to chronic stress at work and is common in helping professions (Maslach, 2001). Burnout is categorized as experiencing emotional exhaustion, depersonalization (cynicism) and reduced personal accomplishment (inefficacy). (Maslach, 2001). Early-career nurses (i.e., < 20 years of experience; Berlin et al., 2023) and post-master’s counselors (Cook et al., 2021) experience burnout at higher levels than those in their late-career.

Conversations On The Wall: Using Public Art To Destigmatize Discussions Of Death, Hope Thurm, Melinda Heinz

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Starting as a participatory mural in New Orleans, Candy Chang’s Before I Die project has been recreated in over 75 countries. Inspired by her work, the purpose of this project was to encourage students to reflect on mortality and life aspirations publicly. A temporary mural on a college campus was built as part of an honors gerontology class, Families and End-of-Life Issues to encourage interactive reflections about mortality. The mural was up for one week, each side was stenciled with “Before I Die, I Want To ___” and blank white lines for the public to fill in their aspirations with …

Geotree Center Drone Photography, Modeling And Analysis Across Uni Campus, Tim Conlon, Harriet Quarshie, John Degroote

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

No abstract provided.

Academic Ai Use And Willingness To Pay For Premium Subscriptions, Haley Ceruzzi, Tucker Langenberg, Mojtaba Alfardan, Jiuqing Cheng

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

This study examines how college students use AI tools for academic purposes and how usage patterns influence willingness to pay for premium AI services. Using survey data from 75 students at the University of Northern Iowa, results show that perceived value of AI tools is the strongest and most consistent predictor of willingness to pay. Academic AI usage frequency predicts short-term subscription intent, while academic workload and employment hours are not statistically significant predictors. These findings indicate that AI companies should prioritize premium features that clearly improve academic productivity and performance.

We Don't Get Our Voices Heard, We Work: Power, Perception, And The Working-Class, Jadin Grieser

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

What dynamics influence the working-class to vote against their economic interests?

By performing thirteen interviews with working-class Iowans about their perceptions of politics and feeling of power over politics, this project found a pattern of powerlessness caused by a disconnect with government officials. Through examining how the dimensions of power with people’s internal feelings of powerlessness, this project offers a look into how the working-class has become powerless and how this powerlessness interacts with their perceptions of politics.

My main finding was that people perceive business interests have power over politics, with this being the same for conservatives, moderates, and …

Predictors Of Prejudice Towards People With Tattoos, Jordan Smith, Helen Harton

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Tattoos continue to hold negative connotations, despite the increasing popularity of tattoos. In this study, we investigated potential correlates of negative attitudes toward tattoos to better understand this bias. Perceptions that people with tattoos were a threat and different from participants were better predictors than personality, similar to research on correlates of other prejudices.

Maternal Glow And Family Solutions Organization, Catherine Wanyana, Maud Gladys Quaye, Mawora Plaxcedes

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Money In Politics: Analyzing The Connection Between Knowledge Of Congressional Campaign Fundraising And Political Trust In The United States, Trina Schmadeke

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

This study focuses on the link between knowledge of campaign finance and trust held by Americans in political institutions and members of Congress. Political trust makes a significant impact on political support and democratic stability. The existing literature on the topic suggests that knowing that a congressional candidate has accepted large donations harms political trust. I used a self-administered online survey to examine the connection between perceptions of congressional campaign funding and political trust. My survey results demonstrate a significant relationship between trust and perceptions about campaign fundraising. Specifically, the more money that the average congressional candidate was believed to …

Effects Of Race & Tattoo Status On Criminality Judgements, Gabriella Haddad, Madelyn Wells, Helen Harton

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

310 Prolific participants viewed eight AI-generated images of men who appeared to be Asian, Hispanic, Black, or White who were "suspects in an ongoing investigation." Participants viewed one of the two targets for each ethnic group, one with an arm tattoo and one without. Participants rated each target on characteristics such as intelligence, competency, and trustworthiness, and rated how likely they think it was that the target was the perpetrator. Men without a tattoo were rated more positively than those with a tattoo across all four racial/ethnic groups. Hispanic men, with or without a tattoo, were rated the most negatively. …

Patricia A. Tomson Center For Violence Prevention Spring 2026 Newsletter, University Of Northern Iowa. Patricia A. Tomson Center For Violence Prevention.

Patricia A. Tomson Center for Violence Prevention Newsletter

Contents:

--- MVP Student Retreat
--- Spring 2026 MVP Workshop
--- Dan Marburger MVP Advocacy Award Ceremony
--- Youth Workplace Violence Prevention Council Summit
--- UNI COE 2026 Social & Emotional Learning Conference
--- Iowa Safe Schools Annual Governor's Conference
--- Stand Up Guy Panel Event
--- Tomson Scholars
--- Rape Prevention & Education Grant Administrators for Iowa

International Panther Monthly, April 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of International Engagement.

Office of International Engagement newsletter

Contents:

--- From the Director's Desk
--- Last Month With OIE
--- Student Spotlight
--- UNI's World Window
--- Did You Know?
--- Behind the Scenes
--- Next Month's Activities
--- Additional Opportunities
--- Get Involved

Community Engagement Newsletter, April 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Community Engagement.

Community Engagement Newsletter

Contents:

--- UNI's Day of Service - April 8, 2026
--- Service-Learning and Engaged Department Institutes
--- Student Funding
--- Certified Nonprofit Professional Credential
--- UNI Engaged Podcast

Uprising, Issue 21 [Spring 2026], University Of Northern Iowa. Northern Iowa Student Government.

Uprising

Contents:

What Came First? --- 10
Nothing --- 20
Playlist --- 22
Eraser --- 23
Physical Media --- 24
Echoes of You --- 34
Think Again --- 35
Blue Jeans --- 36
Asking for an Echo --- 48
Performers --- 50
Another Year --- 60
AI Girlfriend --- 62
Crossword --- 72
2016 Trend --- 73
Behind the Scenes --- 75

Ica Newsletter, Spring 2026, Iowa Communication Association

ICA Newsletter

Contents:

--- President's Note
--- 2026 ICA Conference: Sept. 25-26
--- Westphal Student Paper Call - 2026
--- Call For Outstanding Adjunct Teacher Award
--- Call for Outstanding New Teacher Award
--- ICA Book Club
--- Going to CSCA? Check out ICA members’ presentations in Minneapolis
--- Iowa Journal of Communication Call for Submissions: Volume 58.1
--- Iowa Journal of Communication Call for GIFTS Submissions: Volume 58. 2
--- Our ICA Board

Iowa Waste Reduction Center News, April 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- MSEI Final Day Reminder
--- UNI Day of Service
--- Advisory Board Meeting Recap
--- Industry News

Csbs Kudos, Spring 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Social And Behavioral Sciences.

CSBS Kudos

Contents:

--- Faculty Accolades
--- Retirements - Ken Atkinson, Gregory Bruess, Todd Evans, Mark Grey, James Hall, Wallace Hettle, Mary Losch
--- Promotions - Disa Cornish, Tyler O'Brien, Jayme Renfro, Eran Hanke, Kyle Endres
--- In Memoriam - Mary Louise Franken, John Johnson, Susan Welch, Charlotte C. Wells
--- $1.22 million grant to UNI’s Center for Civic Education
--- University of Northern Iowa receives $2.4 million grant to launch Humanities Hub
--- UNI announces restructuring to strengthen humanities and public service education
--- UNI launches online non-thesis Master of Arts in Geography
--- UNI teacher education program continues to boast …

Notes For The Stalled, V18n07, April 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Rod Library.

Rod Library newsletter: Notes for the Stalled

Contents:

--- Introducing Sydney
--- Inspire Conference
--- RodCon 2026
--- Research Awards
--- Upcoming Events

University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Agenda, March 23, 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

Meeting agenda from the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, March 23, 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

Meeting minutes from the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

Predictors Of Prejudice Towards People With Tattoos, Jordan Smith, Helen C. Harton

Research in the Capitol

Thirty-two percent of Americans have at least one tattoo (Schaeffer, K., 2023), up from 16% about twenty years earlier (Harris Poll, 2003). Despite this growing popularity, tattooed individuals are still viewed more negatively than those without tattoos. People with tattoos are perceived as being less inhibited, less competent, having worse character, less sociable, and more sexually promiscuous (Broussard & Harton, 2018). Tattoos are also one of the few physical characteristics that can be legally discriminated against in workplaces. Fewer than 30% of employers in beauty, hospitality, and office sectors are willing to hire someone with a tattoo. (Zestcott et al., …

Effects Of Race And Tattoo Status On Criminality Judgements, Madelyn Wells, Gabriella Haddad, Helen C. Harton

Research in the Capitol

310 Prolific participants viewed eight AI-generated images of men who appeared to be Asian, Hispanic, Black, or White who were "suspects in an ongoing investigation." Participants viewed one of the two targets for each ethnic group, one with an arm tattoo and one without. Participants rated each target on characteristics such as intelligence, competency, and trustworthiness, and rated how likely they think it is that the target is the perpetrator. AI men without a tattoo were rated higher on positive characteristics, for all four races. Hispanics were rated the lowest, with or without a tattoo.

The Role Of Parent Involvement In Enhancing Pediatric Speech And Language Therapy, Katie Lynch, Kenneth Bleile

Research in the Capitol

As speech-language pathologists we provide speech and language therapy for children in a variety of settings. It is crucial to include the client’s family in therapy because family involvement has been shown to promote generalization of skills learned in therapy to a child’s typical environment. Despite this, there are a variety of barriers that exist for families as they try to support their child’s speech and language goals. A literature review will be conducted in an effort to understand how speech-language pathologists can gain an understanding of these barriers and work to understand how vital family involvement is in pediatric …

20th Annual Research In The Capitol [Program], March 9, 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. University Honors Program. Iowa State University. Honors Program. University Of Iowa. Honors Program.

Research in the Capitol Programs

Program of research presentations given at the Capitol by students from the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Iowa.

International Panther Monthly, March 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of International Engagement.

Office of International Engagement newsletter

Contents:

--- From the Director's Desk
--- Last Month With OIE
--- Student Spotlight
--- UNI's World Window
--- Did You Know?
--- Behind the Scenes
--- Next Month's Activities
--- Additional Opportunities
--- Get Involved

Community Engagement Newsletter, March 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Community Engagement.

Community Engagement Newsletter

Contents:

UNI's Day of Service - April 8, 2026
Service-Learning and Engaged Department Institutes
Inspire Conference
Certified Nonprofit Professional Credential
UNI Engaged Podcast