Digital Commons Network^™

Multimedia Reporting: Creating Unique Content That Spans Multiple Platforms, Joshua Carl Holland

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

With the continued ease of access to the internet, it has become a vital medium to distribute news and sports information. This study documents the process of starting from a relatively absent online product to developing daily web content. Trial and error of different original content ideas for online as well as experimentations with translating broadcast content into a web product are coupled with interviews from professionals to create a framework of how to go about establishing an internet presence in an age of instant news. The case is generally focused on sports media due to the nature of my …

Seeing The Sacred, Emily Potter

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Seeing the Sacred is a multidisciplinary arts project exploring the purposes of sacred art and its relationship with community identity. The project highlights three common purposes of sacred art: to represent a worldview, to express identities as members of a community, and to connect with something bigger than ourselves. This Capstone Experience/Thesis Project developed through an intersection of three primary interests: visual art, community engagement, and religious studies. This project includes an overview of the CE/T’s origins and evolution, a written analysis of research goals and experiences, a review of relevant literature, a series of related artwork, and a collaborative …

The Assignment: How The Videographer's Role Is Shaped By The Job Assignment, Ian J. Dowty

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

I am a videographer. Yes, my degree will qualify me as a reporter, someone familiar with the inner workings of a news station. However, I posit that the School of Journalism and Broadcasting does not give you a career, but rather a skillset that prepares you for a range of jobs. My discipline taught me how to articulate my thoughts in a clear, concise manner, which translates well to script or track writing. In addition, I have technical abilities that enable me to handle video and audio equipment proficiently. Combining these capabilities with soft skills I honed over the past …

They're Watching Us: Conspiracy Theorists In Popular Media, Parker A. Hanna

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The term “conspiracy theorist” is often used in discussions as a rhetorical device to discredit a speaker on the basis of their opinions. The effect of this has been to turn attention away from the speaker’s stated opinions towards the speaker himself and his character as a “conspiracy theorist.” These negative connotations are recognized and understood by many thanks to archetypes of the “conspiracy theorist” character found in popular media, making the accusation an effective tool for muting the “conspiracy theorist’s” opinion in mainstream public forums, whether that forum is the news, politics, or real life. This paper examines stereotypical …

Ua12/2/1 Graduation Guide, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special graduation edition of the College Heights Herald:

• Ransdell, Gary. Letter to Class of 2015
• Taylor, Nicki. Letter to Class of 2015 – Student Government Association
• Rogers, Shelby. College Heights Herald News Editor
• Havel, Catherine. Spirit Masters
• Patel, Dharmesh. International Student Diplomat
• Beal, Josh. Talisman

From Public Good To Public Disgrace: Eugenics In North Carolina, Meghan M. Mcguirk

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This CE/T project explores the sterilization program in North Carolina in the twentieth century. From 1929 to 1974, over 7,600 men, women, and children were sterilized by the Eugenics Board of North Carolina, a department of the state government of North Carolina. The North Carolina legislature enacted legislation that allowed for the forced sterilization of persons considered “feeble-minded” or a threat to the public good of society. The perceived threat to society changed over the course of the program from patients in mental institutions to low socio-economic women seen as a burden to the public. The mechanism for selection and …

Where The Rocks Bleed Ink: Images Of Self In Palestinian Political Cartoons, Jonathon P. Wurth

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This graphic novel looks at symbols used by three prominent Palestinian political cartoonists—Naji al Ali, Baha Boukhari, and Khalil Abu Arafeh—that represent the Palestinian people. The goal, assuming that political cartoons accurately reflect the opinions of the common people, is to discern what Palestinians think about themselves. This study finds that while the cartoonists use a number of cultural and religious symbols to represent Palestinians, the most regularly used images—and hypothetically the most insightful—are representations of common Palestinian people themselves. They are depicted as humble yet strong and pious. Al Ali’s cartoons are taken from handala.org, a website dedicated to …

Ua61/16 White Coat Ceremony Program, Wku Physical Therapy

WKU Administration Documents

White coat ceremony program for WKU Physical Therapy class of 2015.

Ua12/2/1 Stress Busters, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special finals week addition of the College Heights Herald.

Ua42/3/2 Commencement Program, Wku Glasgow

WKU Administration Documents

Commencement program for WKU Glasgow Graduand Ceremony.

Blood From Blood And Earth From Earth: Examining Cultural Identity In Second And Third Generation Hispanic Americans, Caroline E. Culbreth

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

To what extent does a Mexican American identify with Mexico? With the U.S.? How are these identities formed? Through a series of semi-structured interviews with second- and third-generation descendants of migrants emigrating from seven Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, I explore what it means to be Hispanic American. I begin by examining the informants’ perceptions of boundaries between the broad Hispanic and American ethnic groups and their self-defined positions relative to those boundaries. Having established this position, I then analyze the impact of external conceptions of authenticity and access to “ethnic raw materials” in their construction of this ethnic identity. Findings …

Launching And Maintaining A Wedding Photography Business, Shelley D. Owens

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

With the popularity of the wedding industry in America perpetuated by social media, blogs, and other networking sites, thousands of self-employed photographers have set out to make a living documenting the most important day of some people’s lives. Digital photography appeals to many for its convenience, but having a camera does not make one a professional photographer. What separates the hobbyists from the professionals is the development of skills and creative vision and the proper legal and business licensing to make a profit off of their wedding photography. Shelley Owens provides her own experiences as a professional wedding photographer as …

Trypanosoma Cruzi Prevalence In The Domestic Canine Population In Central And Eastern Kentucky, Katelyn Cox

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Domestic canines are regarded as natural sentinelsfor the transmission of vector-borne pathogens since infection in an owner’s dog suggests the presence of the vector in or around the household. In collaboration with the University of Kentucky’s Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Lexington, Kentucky, we have investigated the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi (the causative agent of Chagas disease) in canines from central and eastern Kentucky via a serological test, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and DNA sequencing. In addition, Canine SNAP 4Dx plus tests (Idexx Laboratories, Inc.) were used to determine the prevalence of four other vector-borne pathogens: Ehrlichia canis/ewingii, Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 90, No. 53, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Rogers, Shelby. Administrators Start Filling $7.7 Million Gap – Budget
• Rogers, Shelby. New Building for College of Business on Horizon
• Ponder, Abby. Students Unwind at Valleypalooza – Housing & Residence Life
• Ponder, Abby. WKU Owensboro Campus Becomes Small-Scale Main Campus
• Pettway, Shantel. Building Maintenance Headline Summer Construction Projects – Facilities Management
• Marsupial Awards
• Profumo, Morgan. Finals Are Finally Here But Stay Calm
• Wagner, Nick. Tobacco Worker Struggles to Support Family – Santiago Garcia, Migrant Workers
• Henderson, Andrew & Trey Crumbie. Paper Cranes to Wish Good Luck on Finals – …

The Influence Of Emotional Intelligence On Leadership Emergence And Leadership Styles, Grace E. Mccullough

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The aim of the current study was to determine the relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership emergence and transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant leadership styles. Prior research has indicated that emotional intelligence is positively correlated with leader effectiveness. However, the relationship between emotional intelligence and additional aspects of leadership and leadership styles has not been thoroughly investigated. The current study hypothesized that emotional intelligence would be positively correlated with leadership emergence, and transformational and transactional leadership styles, and negatively correlated with a passive-avoidant leadership style. Additionally, it was hypothesized that leadership emergence would be positively correlated with transformational and transactional leadership …

Is Younger Really Better? Age Differences In Emotion Perception, Kaitlyn Snyder

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Previous research suggests that younger adults outperform older adults on emotion-matching tasks because emotion recognition ability declines with age. These studies involved tasks in which participants identified a target emotion by selecting from multiple verbal labels. The use of multiple verbal labels placed great cognitive demand on participants, influencing the results that were found in such studies. In the present study, a computer emotion-matching task was used to determine differences between younger and older adults when presented with a target stimulus expressing one of five emotions (anger, fear, disgust, happiness, and sadness) and asked to match the target emotion to …

Flaher For Wind Ensemble, Benjamin W. Lee

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Music compositions are vehicles of communication. Organized music ensembles in schools allow for students to share in the process of music-making and extramusical expression within the curriculum. As of late, school districts have made a push in mental health awareness and suicide prevention within professional development seminars. This project views the music classroom as an important, open environment for such pressing social subjects. In such, my composition—Flaher (pronounced “flare”)—pays homage to a friend, Anthony Flaherty, who committed suicide (keeping his namesake in the work’s title). Flaher is an accessible piece for high school or college band that directors can …

Architectural Bridge Consequence, Jennifer Gaiko

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The architectural significance of bridges is indisputable. Often bridges are accredited to engineers for their transportation and functional needs; however, bridges are so much more than fundamental. The cultural significance and identity of bridges, iconic historic perspectives, influences of composition and function, style and architectural relevance and so much more are all elements that begin to shift the perspective and purpose of architectural bridges to that of a meaningful architectural symbol. Bridges impact the world, the countries they represent and the communities they inhabit. The relationship between bridges and architectural consequence is proven by the idea of iconography and practical …

Barriers To Care And Buyer Behavior In Relation To Oral Hygiene, Allison E. Mccutchen

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

How much of an impact do advertising, brand loyalty, and socioeconomic status have on the overall oral-health knowledge and dental care product purchases of consumers? A survey was distributed to collect data on consumers’ background, oral hygiene purchasing habits, and decision making rationales. It was assumed that those with minimal access to care and minimal oral-health knowledge would be purchasing products based on sale prices, or the promise of improved esthetics, whereas consumers with increased access to care would likely make their purchasing decisions based on the recommendations of a dental professional and be potentially more interested in trying new …

The Importance Of Educating Dental And Dental Hygiene Students On The Correlation Between Vitamin D Deficiency And Dental Caries, Sara Brown

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Recent studies from the U.S. National Library of Medicine have shown that vitamin D deficiency is rapidly increasing among the adult population. Vitamin D deficiency has many effects on the body, such as bone pain and muscle weakness. A strong correlation has been noticed in humans with vitamin D deficiency and decreased exposure to natural sunlight, which is vital to absorb the vitamin D they have ingested. Those suffering from milk allergies or are following a strict vegan diet may also have some implication of a vitamin D deficiency. Recent studies (Hujoel, 2012) have also shown that there is a …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 90, No. 52, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Crumbie, Trey. WKU 2016 Fiscal Budget to Be Reallocated
• Voorhees, Jessica. Full Stocked: Food Pantry Helps Advance Food Security
• Wright, Samantha. New Director Coming to Gender & Women’s Studies – Kristi Branham
• Harney, Lashana. President-Elect Hopes to Continue Successes in Student Government Association – Jay Richey
• Editorial Cartoon The Paw Print Makes the Master
• Together for a Better Future: Semester Accomplishments Positively Reflect on University – Parking, Insurance, Confucius Center, Racism
• French, Jackson. Avengers: Age of Ultron Is Boundless & Relentlessly Fun – Movie Review
• Pace Setter Photo Spread …

The Development And Implementation Of A Student Rewards System, Jon E. Warren

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The purpose of this project was to learn of the inner workings of an intercollegiate athletics department and the process for creating a successful marketing plan. Gaining these experiences as a young sport management professional is crucial to job placement and advancement in the sport industry. From the initial idea generation through the first season of operation, I served as creator and the primary administrator of the WKU Red Wave: The Official Student Group of WKU Athletics. The duties for this project included marketing plan development and implementation through the facets of social media marketing, personal selling, and other intercollegiate …

Ua3/9/7 Budget Summary, Wku President's Office - Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Email from WKU president Gary Ransdell to faculty & staff regarding budget.

Incorporating Democratic Pedagogy Into A Traditional Classroom And The University Experience: Benefitting The Community And Country, Phillip Pearson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This paper focuses on the importance of civic engagement in higher education and democratic pedagogy, in order to help students become active citizens, who know their rights as well as responsibilities, which ultimately benefits both the community and this nation. In addition, it also looks at a set of skills, called 21^st century skills, which are necessary for students to excel in the modern professional world, and which coincide with being an active citizen. This paper first looks into leading scholars’ views on the civic engagement in higher education, the current situation, and what the future holds. This paper …

Ua51 Library Staff Council Meeting Minutes May 1, 2015

Library Annual Reports, Reports, and Statistics

Discussion included:

-Reduction of library hours during May term

-Open House event

-25 year certificates

Ua68/11/1 Philosophy & Religion News, Vol. 7, No. 3, Wku Philosophy & Religion

WKU Administration Documents

WKU Philosophy & Religion newsletter regarding activities of faculty, staff, students and alumni.

The Effects Of Problem-Based Learning On Mathematics Achievement Of Elementary Students Across Time, Brittany Marie Crowley

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The present study specifically evaluated the long-term effects of problem-based learning (PBL) instruction on the mathematics achievement of students who demonstrated higher ability in the subject area than their comparable peers. Subjects included 65 students from six south-central Kentucky elementary schools who participated in Project Gifted Education in Math and Science (Project GEMS), a grant partially funded through the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program. The students were assigned to one of three conditions – PBL-Plus, PBL, or Control – based upon school of attendance. The participants were then administered baseline testing in the fall of the …

A Case Study Of Multiple-Use Finish Electrodes For Die-Sinking Edm, Troy A. Robertson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examines the use of one finishing electrode to finish multiple dies without remachining the electrode. The multiple-use electrode finishing experiment in this study addresses technology in the die-forging industry. Methods of manufacturing spherical straight bevel forge gear dies have relied on die-sinking Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) practices that showed great potential for advancement. The focus of this study is solely on the improvements of electrode use in EDM finishing-processes. The surface finish quality itself is not an area of concern other than maintaining that it does not diminish. The focused concern is maximizing the process by using one …

Facets Of Narcissism In Relation To Muscle Dysmorphia And Eating Disorder Symptomotology, Chanceton K. Littrell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Previous research exploring the relationship between muscle dysmorphia, drive for muscularity, and disordered eating behaviors in relation to personality characteristics, particularly narcissism, has yielded interesting, though often conflictual, results. The current study attempts to further explore these relationships through assessing muscle dysmorphia, drive for muscularity, and disordered eating in relation different facets of narcissism: grandiose and hypersensitive. Participants for the current study included 173 male students that were recruited via departmental Study Board. Participants completed demographic information, the Narcissistic Personality Inventory-40, the Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale, the Muscle Dysmorphia Questionnaire, the Drive for Muscularity Scale, and the Eating Attitudes Test-26. Results …

College Basketball In Kentucky, Religion, And Distinguishing Between The Two: Concerns And Cautions For The Conversation On The Religiosity Of Sports, Matthew A. Sheffield

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Academic analysis of sport and religion is still in an early and formative phase. Only in the past fifty years has the conversation of sport and religion substantially been revealed as subject matter for serious academic work. This thesis includes literature from various scholars interested in religion and sport, contemplation on the religious nature of college basketball in the state of Kentucky, and challenges for leading scholars arguing over the notion of sport as a form of religion. The first half of the thesis presents the narrative of the increasingly growing academic debate over considering sport a religious phenomenon. The …