Digital Commons Network^™

Relational Disruptions And Mental Health Among Sexual Minority College Students During Covid-19, Nia Warren, The Spit For Science Working Group, Traci Wike Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

How Is Ethnic-Racial Identity Affirmation, Exploration, And Resolution Related To Flourishing In Emerging Adult Students Of Color?, Johanna Pasquel, Chelsea D. Williams Phd, Arlenis Santana Phd, Paloma Rodriguez Saucedo, Amy Adkins Phd, Herb Hill Ed.D

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Masculinity, Pornography, And Inceldom: The Use Of American Ideals Of Masculinity And The Consumption Of Heterosexual Pornography To Radicalize Young Men Into Inceldom, Adelaide Verdugo-Thomson

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

The increased presence of the internet has granted many young American men a safe space to share beliefs and experiences, access new materials, and reach wider audiences. At the same time, heterosexual pornographic content has become increasingly accessible, and misogynistic beliefs are protected on various user-run forums. Male dominance in heterosexual pornography, the prevalence of rape myth acceptance, Incel slang, and the strong brotherhood bonds present in Incel communities may be radicalizing factors to encourage young American men to adopt Incel ideology. This literature review seeks to highlight the relationship between American masculinity, consumption of heterosexual pornography, and Inceldom in …

Belaytionships Before Bros: Qualitative Analysis Of Gender Identity And Climbing, Samuel G. Crawford

Graduate Research Posters

Background. Sociological study of queer representation in sports has historically focused on gender within team sports, but less is known about these dynamics in more individual-oriented sports like climbing. Sociological scholarship on these dynamics in climbing has been relatively sparse. More mainstream analyses of queer issues in sports generally could potentially help examine these concepts. However, my experiences as a climber and former industry professional led me to believe that a more targeted qualitative sociological approach would provide valuable insight and perspective, particularly regarding this sports comparison.

Methods. This analysis draws upon ethnographic observation of a climbing gym in the …

Adapting Higher Education: Revamping Curricula For The Inclusion Of Theatre Students With Disabilities, Kevin Kemler

Theses and Dissertations

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiatives in higher education have been largely driven by administrators who have little to no contact with the students for whom they are working for. This top-down approach negatively impacts marginalized students and disproportionately affects the quality of experience for students with Disabilities, an often-overlooked demographic. For Disabled students enrolled in performance programs, barriers to access and inclusion don’t just exist at the institutional level, they also exist in the traditional classroom or studio as well. Through a dismantling of ableist structures inherent within higher education (i.e., American grading practices, the Western and Theatrical Canons), I …

An Introduction To Theatrical Scent Design As Compared To Traditional Design Areas With A Consideration For The Scientifically Notated Physical And Emotional Effects On The Human Body As It Potentially Relates To Future Creative Endeavors: A Framework, Katherine R. Holland

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional areas of theatrical design are established to the point of having a solid foundation for current and future designers to rely on as they strive to innovate. The same cannot be said for scent. I believe that art, like science, is a sector where the imagination is used to push the boundaries of what we currently know and can do. Artists are therefore entrusted with the responsibility to continue testing those boundaries, and that is what my topic lays the foundation for when it comes to scent. With my topic, I plan to look at the practical and ethical …

Behind The Gate: Syrian Women In Soap Operas - Perception Vs. Reality, Tasnim J. Rahimah

Theses and Dissertations

Syria has witnessed what is known as al-fawra al-drameya, an eruption of drama since 2000. Every year, especially during Ramadan, dozens of Syrian soap operas are aired across the Arab world and beyond, depicting Syrians’ historical struggles as they fought for liberation from the French mandate at the beginning of the 20th century. Although women of those days were a vital part of that liberation movement and had prominent societal roles, these historical fiction soap operas chose to portray only the demure and dismissive female figures and not mention the women who were independent, courageous, and active members of the …

“It's Just Not Enough”: Examining The Experiences Of School-Based Sexual Health Education And Conversation Engagement With Trusted Adults Among Black Boys In Richmond, Va, Sharyn A. Dougherty

Theses and Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that youth make up a quarter of the sexually active population, yet account for half of the 20 million new sexually transmitted infections in the United States.In 2021, youth age 15-19 living in Virginia’s central region, which includes the Richmond Metropolitan area, had the second highest number of chlamydia cases and fourth highest number of gonorrhea cases among all age groups, with the highest rates among Black youth. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of Black youth in Richmond, VA with school-based sexual health education (SHE) and their …

Integrating Historically Marginalized Students’ Funds Of Knowledge For Culturally Responsive Teaching And Learning, Martinique Ann Sealy

Theses and Dissertations

The United States historically has not always recognized the unique knowledge, or Funds of Knowledge (FoK; Moll et. al, 1992) that Black (and other historically marginalized) students’ have as assets to classroom learning and much of today’s mainstream curriculum represents White cultural norms as the basis (Sjursen, 2021). Because of this reality, marginalized students must navigate mainstream cultural norms alongside their own culture to be successful in the classroom. This three-paper dissertation includes 1. a systematic literature review of Black U.S. k-8 students language and identity in relation to achievement, 2. a qualitative case study centered on middle school urban …

Buckets In A Deep Well: Essays About Shakespeare’S History Play Characters And An Original Drama, Brian C. Bassett

Theses and Dissertations

Buckets in a Deep Well is a set of essays that examines various characters portrayed in Shakespeare’s history plays, as well as parallel figures in 20th and 21st century works. Each essay primarily focuses on a single character’s response to a power structure: Richard Gloucester to the Tudor England of his audience in Richard III; Richard Nixon’s campaign-produced version of himself to 20th century American democracy in “Checkers;” Falstaff to organized society in Henry IV, Part 1; Marlo Stanfield to the drug economy of early 2000’s Baltimore in The Wire; the Duke of York to the disrupted monarchy of The …

The Cultural Diplomacy Of U.S. Peace Corps: Understanding The Role Of Peace Corps Volunteers As Strategic Geopolitical Assets, Corey B. Miles

Theses and Dissertations

Beginning in the Summer of 1961, the United States government has deployed volunteer humanitarians around the world to serve the mission of U.S. Peace Corps and has since contributed to communities in 143 partner countries while enjoying widespread popularity. Its mission of promoting world peace and friendship is pursued through three operational goals: technical training, cultural exportation, and cultural importation. Since 2016, with the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, and continuing through the Covid-19 pandemic, which produced the first global service interruption in agency history, the value of the Peace Corps service model has been fundamentally challenged. As a …

Pwatem: An Anthology Of Literature And Art (2023)

Pwatem (Poictesme), 2006-

Pwatem is an anthology of literature and art from undergraduate students at Virginia Commonwealth University. Pwatem publishes poetry, prose and art of all kinds from talented undergraduate students of all majors.

Underrepresentation Of Black Participants In Drug Court: Reasons Reported For Non-Admission In Six Jurisdictions, Kathryn J. Genthon

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the beneficial impacts of drug court participation, access to these programs may not be equitable across racial groups. The reasons behind racial disparities in access to these programs are not well-documented in the current literature. This study investigates disparities in access to drug court and the possible reasons they occur. Chi-square tests are used to assess for disparities in admissions between Black and White individuals referred to drug court. Additional statistical analyses addressed the association of sex and age with admission to provide a broader picture of the impact of a variety of demographic characteristics on admission to drug …

Sense Of Belonging As Behaviorist Construct: “Doing Belonging” And Its Application For College Students With Disabilities, Chris Parthemos Phd

Theses and Dissertations

Sense of Belonging has been widely linked to academic performance, retention and persistence for college students. Students with disabilities are less likely to enroll than peers, and are more likely to drop out. Similar to other historically-marginalized groups, these students report lower sense of belonging than peers. Research with this population suggests that they may be seeking ways of building community and belonging at their universities which are self-driven. This notion of “doing belonging”, as it is described in the sociological literature, appears at first glance to be compatible with behaviorist approaches to student support. Although not without controversy, behavior …

Putting The “U” In Shore U: Expanding Postsecondary Education On Virginia’S Eastern Shore, Katelyn D. Jones, Karen Belanger, Katharine Wise, Takeya Mclaurin

Doctor of Education Capstones

The University of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Foundation (Shore U) submitted a Request for Assistance to examine opportunities to expand postsecondary education on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. In response to this request, a doctoral research team conducted a mixed-methods study that explored potential pathways for a four-year degree option on the Eastern Shore. Eastern Shore Community College (ESCC) students, ESCC employees, and Eastern Shore community members were surveyed during the quantitative phase of the study. Secondary data was used to understand the postsecondary positionality of Eastern Shore high school students. The President of ESCC, Eastern Shore community members, and Virginia …

Assessing Graduate Student Needs And Structures Of Support At Virginia Commonwealth University, Trisha Saunders, Kiama Anthony Bishop, Herbert Hill Iii, Tameka Fitzgerald Burroughs

Doctor of Education Capstones

The purpose of this multi-case study was to explore how the institutional landscape is designed to support graduate student success at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a large, public, urban, R1 research university. The study included review of existing literature on the various factors that contribute to or limit graduate student success at institutions across the country. A major aim of this study was to collect qualitative data from participants with a key stake in this issue, including enrolled graduate students, and faculty/staff supporting graduate (master’s and doctoral) programs at VCU. Participants included 39 graduate students and 23 institutional stakeholders. All …

Driven By Personality: Exploring The Relationship Between Custom Cars And Self-Expression, Tharwa Dalansi

Theses and Dissertations

Custom Car Culture (CCC) is a form of creativity that emerges from personal identities and passions. It involves the restoration, modification and personal adornment of commercially manufactured cars. This process creates a journey, where the enthusiast goes through multiple phases of self-reflection. But due to a lack of local resources, Qatar-based CCC enthusiasts often have to send their cars abroad to Dubai or Japan in order to customize them, relinquishing creative control in the process.

In response to these challenges, based on observations and interviews conducted among actual CCC enthusiasts, I develop a platform for engagement between these enthusiasts and …

Disparate Flood Outcomes And Social Vulnerability As A Fair Housing Issue In Norfolk, Virginia, Molly Frey

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The purpose of this plan is to explore how social vulnerability and the disparate impacts of floods can be viewed as a fair housing infringement. This plan includes examining the current and past conditions of how flood risk management, housing development, and the natural environment have been operating in favor of or against socially vulnerable populations in Norfolk. These topics have been explored through stakeholder interviews, geographic analysis, and descriptive analysis. This project suggests an understanding of fair housing in which the equitable sharing of environmental risk and the benefits of its management, are integral to equal access in housing, …

Trolley Line Trail Creative Placemaking Plan, Courtland Caldwell

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Trolley Line Trail is a planned multi-use trail along the historic Richmond-to-Ashland Trolley corridor. The purpose of this plan is to identify potential creative placemaking locations and installations to highlight the trolley's unique past and present. This plan sets forth a vision for creative placemaking by gathering community feedback, analyzing properties along the Trolley Line Trail, and making recommendations for placemaking and public art. Ultimately, the recommendations laid out in this plan aim to preserve and acknowledge the community's unique identity while creating a safe, accessible experience for all users.

Preserving Historic African American Cemeteries: Strategies For Richmond, Virginia, William T. Teeples

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Historic cemeteries across the United States are facing a crisis. These culturally and historically significant spaces have faced significant degradation over time without the means of preservation. Historic Black and African American Cemeteries have been particularly impacted by the combined negative impacts of weathering, vandalism, and development pressures alike. These cultural landscapes have the added hindrance of little to no access to the complex resources necessary for preservation and restoration afforded to most White cemeteries. However, many activists, descendants, and volunteers toil on saving these spaces from the onslaught of time and ensure that cultural spaces are preserved for generations …

Doing A Good Search: Basic Rules And Search Tips, Roy E. Brown

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

This handout is an update of a previous handout and should be used as a reference for those learning how to search databases effectively. The handout covers the basic rules of doing a good search in order to search more efficiently and effectively. The revised handout includes information related to Boolean operators, types of questions, and a list of potential databases to be searched for various clinical questions.

Assessing The Perceived Impact Of A Local, Community-Engaged Mural Project On Preservice Art Educators In Foundational Coursework, Caitlin M. Black

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study merged the methodological frameworks of qualitative case study and narrative inquiry (Sonday et. al, 2020) to assess the perceived impact of a local, community-engaged mural art project (Mending Walls) on undergraduate preservice art educators in foundational coursework. The study was grounded in existing research in three areas: community-engaged murals, community-engaged pedagogy, and community-engaged teacher preparation. These concepts were used to frame the study and provide further rationale for the inquiry. The purpose of this case study was to understand how undergraduate preservice art educators perceived the impact of using a local, community-engaged mural project (Mending Walls) in …

Understanding The Role Of A Regional Magnet School In Creative Identity Development Of Ethnically And Culturally Diverse Adolescents: A Case Study, Preeti Kamat

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation exploratory case study was to examine the creativity-supportive practices at an innovative regional magnet school shaping Ethnically & Culturally Diverse (ECD) students’ creative identity development as perceived by different stakeholders including ECD students enrolled in the first three cohorts, teachers, and school administrators of RichTech Regional Magnet High School [RRMHS] (pseudonym). This single qualitative case study employed a small component of a quantitative survey, the results of which guided in part the design of interview protocols and sampling procedures for recruiting qualitative participants. Using a pragmatic research lens, I obtained and analyzed the diverse qualitative …

Trans* Streamers On Twitch.Tv: The Intersections Of Gender And Digital Labor, R. Lawson

Theses and Dissertations

Twitch.tv is a live entertainment platform where individuals live stream events, including playing video games, playing board and tabletop games, creating art, and more. Twitch has a diverse base of streamers, but Twitch has just begun. The most common approach has focused on cisgender, heterosexual white men in the cases where it has been studied. Though these streamers should be studied in sociology, this focus leaves out the experiences of both cis women and Trans* streamers. This research proposal tries to situate the relationship of Trans* streamers with both the platform and their audience, seeing if these relationships affect their …

Interiorization And Localization: An Analysis Of Immigration Enforcement In Local Contexts, Manuel N. Leiva

Theses and Dissertations

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal agency that plays a large role in surveilling, apprehending, detaining, incarcerating, and deporting undocumented immigrants in the United States. Due to constraints on the number of ICE’s available personnel and resources, the agency relies on deputizing, or devolving to local law enforcement agencies the authority to enforce federal immigration policies. Prior to the 1990s, the enforcement of policies directed at controlling flows of undocumented immigrants was generally under the purview of federal law enforcement agencies and administrators, not state or local ones. The attacks on September, 11^th 2001 represented a flashpoint, …

Through The Lens Of Glass, Paul J. Van Den Bijgaart

Theses and Dissertations

Glass is a key component of the development of the modern world and within this China has become the leading producer and consumer of the material. Through the dedication to my skilled craft as a glassblower I use my material understanding to explore eastern and western philosophical associations and artistic concepts through painting. As well as investigate the relevance of how craft contributes to the development of culture through consumables. An intuitive expressionist painting style is explored in relation to landscape painting with glass as a practice towards mindful engagement within an age of digitized globalization.

An Arbitrary Aesthetic: Cultural Reproduction And Hegemonic Canonical Formations In The Western Theatrical Academy, Sim C. Rivers

Theses and Dissertations

Theatre as an artistic practice has often been celebrated as an art of and for the people, being a modality that in theory the common person has access to learn, explore and experience. In recent years I have become preoccupied with the growing rarification and privileging of this art form, particularly in how it is cognized and taught in the academic world. As such, I set out to investigate the mechanisms at work at levels structural, artistic, and personal that determine how theatre is taught and understood within the western academy.

This thesis seeks to examine and unpack the perceived …

Wrestling With The One Drop Rule: Exploring Multiraciality In Social Work Education, Britney Pitts

Theses and Dissertations

This three paper dissertation aims to provide a baseline understanding of how multiraciality is understood in social work education. The first paper, a fusion autoethnography, explores how my own perception of my multiracial identity was clarified throughout my social work education. This exploration led to the development of incongruent logic in/validation (ILV), a new aspect of racial identity invalidation (RII). The second paper, a multimethod qualitative case study, explores master of social work (MSW) students’ knowledge, attitudes, and anticipated professional behaviors with multiracial individuals and families. Themes from this study include: never explicitly learned about multiraciality; non-ecological endorsements of multiracial …

The Five Senses: Fundamentals In Acting Training, Landon A. Nagel

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE FIVE SENSES: FUNDAMENTALS IN ACTING TRAINING

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MFA Theatre Pedagogy at Virginia Commonwealth University

by

LANDON NAGEL

Thesis Chair: Aaron Anderson, PH.D.

Theatre Graduate Program Director, Department of Theatre

The following is presented as a tool for new acting teachers, students and potentially parents. It identifies and explores the fundamental lessons that I believe are necessary inside a beginning acting studio, inspired by that which I believe is necessary when raising a young child. Rather than focusing on one particular technique, system or method - I …

The Presentation And Impact Of Compassion Fatigue And Compassion Satisfaction In Occupational And Physical Therapists Working With People Who Have Sustained Burn Injuries, Miranda L. Yelvington

Theses and Dissertations

Therapists who work with burn survivors are frequently exposed to patients who are undergoing or have undergone severe trauma and pain. This exposure places burn therapists at risk for the development of compassion fatigue and diminished professional quality of life. Alternatively, the sense of purpose and altruism experienced by these same therapists have the potential to foster compassion satisfaction. This dissertation explores the prevalence and presentation of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction in burn therapists in the United States. This three-paper design focuses on: 1) a scoping review of current literature, 2) a cross-sectional quantitative survey utilizing the Professional Quality …