Digital Commons Network^™

Chesterfield County Parks And Recreation Sustainability Plan, Kyle A. Gilmer

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation Sustainability Plan seeks to develop a foundation for the first sustainability plan that will support the accreditation process and implementation of the Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation Master Plan. This plan focuses on long-term environmental sustainability practices, recommendations, park lands, and topics relevant to Parks and Recreation outreach and management.

The main goal of this sustainability plan is to address department needs for long-term environmental sustainability by analyzing current best practices from the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), benchmark cities with implemented sustainability plans, and others while proposing recommendations per the Chesterfield County …

Cruser Place Green Streets Plan, Neal Friedman

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Combining green and complete street design techniques leads to multiple environmental, social and economic benefits that often enhance each other's effectiveness. In urban areas confronting increased pressures of sea level rise, green streets, which incorporate landscaped features or vegetative areas to manage stormwater within the right of way, can be crucial pieces of pedestrian oriented urban design and multimodal planning frameworks that consider and plan for diverse, complementary transportation options. This plan works with the Colonial Place and Riverview Civic League as well as the Norfolk Preservation Collective to come up with green street design recommendations in order to strengthen …

Land Use Scenarios For Scottsville, Va, Christopher Warring

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Scottsville is an incorporated municipality responsible for its planning and zoning. The town has a small population and serves a larger surrounding area from the neighboring Albemarle, Buckingham, and Fluvanna Counties. As part of its comprehensive plan update, Scottsville can consider long-range planning options. Three scenarios were produced for the town of Scottsville, each representing a different development pattern and planning approach. Added dwelling units, additional retail demand, and total open green space were calculated for each scenario to compare each development approach through common metrics.

Each scenario adopts a different design approach. Scenario 1 follows existing development patterns and …

Exploration Of Brookland Park And Surrounding Neighborhoods: Exploration Of Race And Space, Kearra M. Bright

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This project explores how race and space have impacted the neighborhoods of Brookland Park, North Barton Heights, and Providence Park from the start of their development in the 1890’s to the present day. And how systemic racism has impacted these neighborhoods over time. This paper will explore this through the history, existing conditions, findings, and policy and program recommendations. And will aid in combating systemic racism and starting the conversation about what is currently happening in some of Richmond’s Northside Neighborhoods.

Sharing Vision For Shared Spaces: Mobile Immersive Planning And Community-Led Design Of Green Spaces In Richmond’S Southside, Maria T.E. Dougherty

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan seeks to demonstrate the potential of immersive technologies, specifically augmented reality, in strengthening public engagement and enabling the collaborative, community led design of local green spaces.

Community engagement, while now a focal point of urban planning education, is still implemented in uneven strategies that often further distance the public from the process and understanding of city vision; new paradigms of outreach and community-government knowledge sharing must be explored to overcome common constraints of time, expertise, and language that prevent public participation in projects that directly impact their health. Immersive urban planning offers a way to bring people into …

Food Systems Financing Action Plan, Noah Holmes Foster

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Food insecurity is a well-documented issue in Virginia and throughout the United States. Food enterprises, especially those in under-resourced communities, often lack access to the credit needed to start or expand their operations due to the narrow profit margins of food enterprises. Community development financial institutions (CDFIs), such as Virginia Community Capital (VCC) address this issue by providing low-interest financing to food businesses that can increase food security and strengthen local economies. Food systems financing is a developing field for VCC and other CDFIs, and changes to standard practices are required to ensure that lending is as accessible as possible …

Growing Small: Citizen Preferences For New Development In Highland County, Virginia, And The Town Of Monterey, Charles F. Wilson

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

“Growing Small: Citizen Preferences for New Development in Highland County, Virginia and the Town of Monterey” is a plan by Charles Wilson for Highland County (“Highland”) as they reconsider the future of the Town of Monterey (“Monterey”). Highland is a rural county in western Virginia at the intersection of U.S. Routes 250 and 220. In the Summer of 2021, a new Family Dollar was issued permits to demolish an historical lodging facility and construct a new store—just a few buildings away from an existing Dollar General. This was not without controversy, but ultimately prompted reflection amongst community members for how …

Sophomores Reign On!: A Sophomore Student Success Model For Old Dominion University, Kevin T. Caffrey, Ricardo Clauden-Cross, Tiyacca Simms-Jones, Fredelito Yvan M. Tugas

Doctor of Education Capstones

The Division of Student Engagement and Enrollment Services at Old Dominion University (ODU) submitted a Request for Assistance to examine the challenges sophomore students face that can lead to attrition. A doctoral research team conducted an exploratory, sequential, mixed-methods study consisting of a literature review, focus groups and interviews with current ODU juniors and seniors, surveys of current ODU sophomores, staff, and faculty, and interviews with benchmark institutions that have successful sophomore student programming at their schools. The team explained the commonly found needs and barriers that sophomore students face, and specifically examined the expressed sophomore student challenges as revealed …

Putting You First: First-Generation Student Perceptions, Needs, And Engagement At Virginia Commonwealth University, Jennifer D. Adams, Brittany M. Gracik, Rochelle H. Jordan, Yeimarie Lopez

Doctor of Education Capstones

You First at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) submitted a Request for Assistance with the need for increased engagement with VCU first-generation (FG) students. To address this request, a doctoral Capstone team conducted problem and context analysis, a literature review, a mixed-methods study analyzing institutional data, a survey of current FG students at VCU, and focus group sessions with FG students at VCU. The goal was to identify FG student perceptions of their FG identities, determine the needs of FG students, and uncover factors that impact FG students’ engagement with You First. Findings suggested that the underlying cause of minimal engagement …

Designing An Evaluation Plan For Hopewell City Public Schools Balanced Calendar, Joy Sheets Blosser, Ellen Elizabeth Burnett, Jeffrey Andrew Elmore, Michael Thomas Smith, Margot Marie Zahner

Doctor of Education Capstones

Hopewell City Public Schools (HCPS) began the 2021-2022 academic year with an innovative year-round balanced calendar that redistributes the 180 days of instruction and adds six enrichment weeks to increase student engagement, achievement and well-being. The purpose of this capstone project was to support the school system’s need for evaluation to ensure continual improvement and sustainable success.

Using improvement science concepts and tools, the team developed a theory of change and comprehensive evaluation plan of this balanced calendar initiative. The scope of work addressed three primary questions:

1. What are the essential components of a quality comprehensive evaluation plan for the …

   ---

   Go to article

Increasing Student Access To Mental Health Services In Virginia Through Staffing And Structures, Erin Sturgis, Kate Puschak, Julie Ellis, Therese O'Dea, Maggie Hartley

Doctor of Education Capstones

This dissertation in practice is a response to a request for assistance (RFA) submitted by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Office of Student Services (OoSS). To help school divisions meet Standards of Quality (SOQs) and serve student needs, the VDOE OoSS aims to increase the pipeline of licensed school-based mental health professionals (SMHPs). This Capstone examines staffing and service models that create equitable access to student mental health supports using problem and context analysis, a review of literature, and a three-phased mixed methods data collection. Focus group participants consisted of students and practitioners in the fields of school psychology, …

Virginia Community College System Online Student Success: Best Practices And Sustainable Change, Lucy R. Hudson, Daniel L. Lindstrom, Monal Patel, Rosa Ponton

Doctor of Education Capstones

Online learning has an increasingly greater presence in the higher education landscape. Students are able to earn a degree in fully online programs and take courses in modalities that offer the necessary convenience to balance multiple life priorities. The flexibility that online courses offer is valuable for adult learners with young children, students with disabilities including invisible and non-physical disabilities, or populations who must work to support families while pursuing an education. For these populations, community colleges play an important role in providing access to education as they enroll a greater number of adult students and have a higher percentage …

Shared Governance At Virginia Commonwealth University: Increasing Awareness Of Shared Governance Among Faculty, Andrea H. Becker, Carlton H. Goode, Jennifer C. Rivers, Melissa W. Tyler

Doctor of Education Capstones

Abstract

SHARED GOVERNANCE AT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY: INCREASING AWARENESS OF SHARED GOVERNANCE AMONG FACULTY

By Andrea H. Becker, Carlton H. Goode, Jennifer C. Rivers, Melissa W. Tyler

A capstone project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Educational Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2022.

Capstone Chair: Jonathan D. Becker, Ph.D., Department of Educational Leadership

The primary focus of this study is to understand and define the concept of shared governance as practiced at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). The researchers approached the study through three guiding questions: …

Outcome Of Vital Pulp Therapy On Immature Permanent Teeth With Calcium Silicate-Based Materials: Retrospective Cohort Study, Brian I. Hone

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The purpose of vital pulp therapy is to maintain pulp viability by eliminating bacteria from the dentin-pulp complex and to establish an environment in which apexogenesis can occur. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of vital pulp therapy on immature permanent teeth using different calcium silicate-based materials. Methods: This study was carried out in the Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate Endodontics department in Richmond, Virginia. Vital pulp therapy cases performed by graduate endodontic residents were retrospectively searched and charts were reviewed to determine inclusion into this study. All cases …

Informing Telehealth Public Policy: Lessons Learned From Virginia Telehealth Usage Pre-And Post-March 2020, Shelly Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The enactment of Waiver 1135, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, enabled healthcare systems to deliver care via telehealth. A descriptive analysis of the impact of the implementation of Waiver 1135 on increasing access to care in Virginia was conducted. Guided by Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Service Use (BMHSU) theory, this study used a longitudinal, monthly-level data from the Virginia’s All Payers Claim Database to examine telehealth utilization rates between January 2019 and December 2020. Observations in insurance coverage, healthcare clinicians role and specialty and geographic location were all examined. Results suggest that while Virginia’s overall volume of telehealth …

Shenandoah Valley Partnership: Growing And Enhancing The Food And Beverage Manufacturing Industry, Justin Williams

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan analyzes how the Shenandoah Valley Partnership can grow and enhance its food and beverage manufacturing industry. To answer this question, I interviewed and surveyed food and beverage manufacturers to understand their business needs, as well as interviewed service providers to identify their relationships with this industry. The four main results from the plan were:

• There is a need for more capital for the businesses.

• There is a labor shortage in the industry.

• The Shenandoah Valley has an excellent distribution location.

• The industry has a poor relationship with the region’s service providers.

The plan outlines recommendations on how institutions …

Northern Neck Economic Development Plan: Improving Connectivity Within The Food Industry, Annie Weidhaas

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Northern Neck region seeks a better understanding of its food industry and how the industry contributes to economic growth and development. This plan examines the food industry in the Northern Neck to identify existing assets and missing linkages that can improve regional economic development.

The Northern Neck faces challenges to its regional economic growth and development. This plan uses a rural and regional perspective and interviews with local food-related businesses and stakeholders to answer the following research questions: 1) What is currently happening within the region’s food industry? 2) Can connectivity within the region’s food industry improve? And 3) …

Rejuvenate: North Church Street Corridor Plan, Robert J. Tate

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The city of Burlington is facing a waning issue to stimulate economic growth in neighborhoods in its eastern portion. The Rejuvenate: North Church Street Corridor Plan strives to use equitable development and smart growth strategies to uplift the economic prosperity of the North Church Street corridor. This plan recommends improving pedestrian infrastructure, fostering sustainable development growth patterns, beautifying streetscapes, and increasing social and civic capital. The recommendations proposed collectively work towards re-imagining the American suburban landscape into walkable mixed-use communities.

The Reconstructing Randolph Project, Latoya Gray-Sparks

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Reconstructing Randolph Project is an in-depth historical case study of one of the last thriving and intact Black neighborhoods in Richmond to be disrupted by urban renewal. The case study utilizes a Black geographical lens, historic preservation practices and counter cartography to illuminate the rich history and people who made up the Randolph neighborhood. The plan also outlines policies and strategies that can be implemented to 1) amplify and preserve the history of Randolph and (2) protect long-term Black residents who wish to remain in a city that is quickly changing due to gentrification.

Richmond Community Compost Initiative Plan, Brendan Mcdowell

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The City of Richmond is beginning the process of creating a composting program for the first time in the city’s history. It is part of a cross-departmental collaborative plan to divert food waste from the landfill and into a new composting program. The Office of sustainability is in the process of drafting the RVAGreen 2050 Climate and Equity Master Plan for Richmond, which includes an ambitious zero-waste goal. In order to accomplish this future goal, the city must begin setting up the infrastructure to begin diverting waste from the landfill.

The purpose of the Community Composting Initiative Plan is to …

Revitalization Strategies For Downtown Elkton, Virginia, Gabrielle Dean

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Elkton is a rural Virginia town eager to revitalize its downtown. After years of decline, there is a newfound interest in developing the downtown commercial district. This plan addresses community goals and current market conditions to provide implementable recommendations for revitalization in a rural context. The recommendations are modeled after the Main Street America Community Transformation strategy and primarily focus on vacant property abatement and utilizing urban design tactics to create a walkable district.

Williamsburg Road Commercial Corridor Revitalization Plan, Rachael B. Thayer

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Sandston is the second oldest established neighborhood in the County of Henrico, and the commercial corridor found along Williamsburg Road has served this community for over a century. This corridor developed during a time when Williamsburg Road, or Route 60, was the primary roadway between the City of Richmond and Williamsburg. As seen with other American corridors that emerged before the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, the Sandston corridor has experienced a halt in the economic development and decrease in the vitality of the economic base in recent decades. The Williamsburg Road Commercial Corridor Revitalization Plan strives to identify key …

Effect Of Moderate Sedation Regimen (Diazepam, Meperidine, And Hydroxyzine) Dosages On Patient Behavior And Outcome Of Sedation In Pediatric Dentistry: A Retrospective Study, Taibah M A M J Albaker

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To determine if behavior at consult visit and sedation medication dosages are associated with the success of sedation visits and patient’s behavior using the diazepam, meperidine, and hydroxyzine (DMH) regimen.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 324 VCU Pediatric Dentistry Department patients who underwent 404 moderate conscious sedation visits with DMH regimen from April 2017 to June 2022. Sedation visits were graded as “Successful” or “Unsuccessful” and “Good” or “Poor behavior.” The primary variables of interest included Frankl behavior at consult visit and the sedation medication dosages. Logistic regression models were used to determine if these factors …

Disincanto, Daniel Barotti

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

After joining the navy, a young sailor finds on his first posting that the stories he's been told aren't as true as he'd like them to be.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer …

The Human Louse Microbiome Insights Into Insect-Bacterial Coevolution And Consequences For Vector Capacity, Kirthana Srinivasan

UROP Posters

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Social Media Use And Depression And Anxiety Symptoms During Covid-19, Tene'sha L. Crews, Christina Sheerin

UROP Posters

The rise of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a global surge in exposure to disaster and crisis-related media. Increases in poor mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression, are associated with increased exposure to such media content (Abbas et al., 2021; Riehm et al., 2020; Zhao & Zhou, 2020). In recent years, social media has become one of the most widely used sources for news; approximately 48% of adult Americans receive their news from social media (Pew Research Center, 2021). During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in social media use due to social distancing and …

Comparison Of Free Versus Encapsulated Drugs On 3t3 Differentiation, Simon H. Friedrich, Gabriel Volpe

UROP Posters

The scope of this project was to design, synthesize and test targeted nanoparticles containing hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs that promote browning in adipose tissue. For hydrophilic drugs the use of liposomes and their hydrophilic core is more useful than the PLGA nanoparticles which have hydrophobic cores. The inhibition of the FOXO1 pathway and modulation of autophagy in adipose tissue can promote browning of white adipose tissue, or an energy burning state where excess energy is burned as heat instead of stored in the cell. If successful, these drugs would offer an alternative treatment for obesity where changes to the patient's …

Mental Health Among Chicanos And Chicanas: Barriers To Mental Health Care, Consequences Of Disparities, And Resources, Roma A. Kankaria, Shaheer Alam, Ananya Udyaver, Alyssa Sievers

UROP Posters

Mexican Americans, or Chicanos and Chicanas, face many barriers to mental health care. This literature review was conducted by the Collective Corazón—a VCU student organization, mentored by Dr. Indira Sultanić, that addresses Latinx health equity through service and advocacy—in order to examine the underlying causes and consequences of disparities in mental health in Chicanos and Chicanas. Some of the barriers that affect mental health care in Mexican Americans are racial inequities and discrimination, the societal and/or cultural stigma associated with receiving care, language barriers, lack of health insurance, and legal status. Furthermore, among Chicanos, machismo culture is associated with an …

Man Vs Machine: How Will Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning Systems Impact Cancer Diagnosis And The Patient-Physician Relationship?, Aditya Kotha, Faye Prichard

UROP Posters

Oncologic diagnosticians are physicians who specialize in interpreting diagnostic exams to diagnose cancer in patients. Software companies have been developing artificial intelligence (AI) systems to interpret these exams to diagnose cancer. These AI systems may affect the traditional role of oncologic diagnosticians if they were to be implemented in the clinical setting. Therefore, I set out to answer my research question: How will AI and machine learning systems impact the roles of oncologic diagnosticians in diagnosing cancer and the patient-physician relationship? By analyzing surveys and studies, I examined the attitudes of oncologic diagnosticians versus cancer patients toward implementing AI systems …

Development And Usability Testing Of A Phr For Down’S Syndrome (Ds) Care Coordination, Jeffrey B. Duah, Elizabeth Baker Ph.D, Bethany Cosgrove Ph.D, Isosceles Lab

UROP Posters

Development and Usability Testing of a PHR for Down’s

Syndrome (DS) Care Coordination

Jeffrey Duah¹, UROP Fellow, Dept. of Computer Science, with Dr. Elizabeth Baker¹, Dept. of Information Systems, Dr. Bethany Cosgrove², School of Nursing, and ISOSCELES Lab¹

¹Virginia Commonwealth University ²UNC Chapel Hill

Parents of children with Down’s Syndrome typically have many health professionals they have to meet with which leads to the need to efficiently document the development of the child. With this, information management becomes a problem for a number of families. Dr. Bethany Cosgrove drafted 321Connect with …