Digital Commons Network^™

Interview With Jerry Bransford (Fa 1098), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Oral Histories

Transcript of interview by Brent Bjorkman with Jerry Bransford about his experience as a park ranger at Mammoth Cave National Park. In 2013, Kentucky Folklife Program Director Brent Bjorkman received the Archie Green Fellowship from the Library of Congress to look more intimately at the life stories of the working men and women employed by Mammoth Cave National Park. Part of Folklife Archives Project 1098 titled "Rangerlore: The Occupational Folklife of Parks."

Goodman, Julian, 1922-2012 (Mss 489), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 489. Correspondence, press releases and speeches of Julian Goodman related to his work as a news journalist and later as president of television network NBC (National Broadcasting Corporation). A number of the speeches relate to, or comment on, Goodman’s negative opinion of the “Fairness Doctrine.”

Jones, Drucilla Montgomery (Stovall), 1907-2007 (Mss 493), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 493. Correspondence, chiefly from the Fort and Flowers families of Logan County, Kentucky, which includes prisoners of war correspondence from the Civil War. Also includes cemetery, church, and funeral home records, as well as news clippings about historic sites, people and events in Logan County.

Interview With Henry T. Holman And Pamela Sue Holman (Fa 1098), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Oral Histories

Transcript of interview by Brent Bjorkman with Henry T. Holman and Pamela Sue Holman about their experiences as park rangers at Mammoth Cave National Park. In 2013, Kentucky Folklife Program Director Brent Bjorkman received the Archie Green Fellowship from the Library of Congress to look more intimately at the life stories of the working men and women employed by Mammoth Cave National Park. Part of Folklife Archives Project 1098 titled "Rangerlore: The Occupational Folklife of Parks."

Ua3/9/7 Information Technology, Wku President's Office - Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

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

Lissauer, Mildred Wallis (Potter), 1897-1998 - Collector (Mss 482), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid for Manuscripts Collection 482. Correspondence, scrapbooks, journals, diaries, photographs and miscellaneous papers of Mildred (Potter) Lissauer of Bowling Green and Louisville, Kentucky and of her family, especially her mother, Martha (Woods) Potter and her aunt, Elizabeth Moseley Woods. Includes a World War I scrapbook created for and about Mildred's brother John (Click on "Additional Files" below).

Ua42/3/3 Commencement Program, Wku Owensboro

WKU Administration Documents

Commencement program listing graduates with order of exercises for WKU Owensboro.

Finding A Niche As A Visual Communicator, Megan Tan

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Through a personal narrative, photojournalism student Megan Tan confronts the problems of finding work as a photojournalist in the traditional news industry and seeks to find alternative solutions to sustain herself as a visual communicator. During her search, she begins to focus her storytelling interest toward the Native American and Indigenous niche. To test if her skills as a photojournalist translate to larger non-traditional news markets, such as the non-profit market, she creates an experiment. While Megan is in Ecuador she pitches a short-documentary promotional video to a non-profit organization. After working alongside the organization and creating a product that …

Two Of A Kind: The Death And Life Of Patricia And Joan Miller, Monica Spees

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Twin sisters, Patricia and Joan Miller, create an unusual story that few people know. In their youth, they had fairly successful singing and performing careers, but they became reclusive as they got older and continued their lives only with each other. No one knew much about or heard much from them for about 40 years. Then police found them dead in their South Lake Tahoe, Calif., home in February 2012. Autopsy reports showed they died within hours of each other several weeks before police found them.

I intend to investigate the lives of the two sisters and their devotion to …

Reaching The Otaku's Mecca: The Cultural Growth Of Geeks Journeying In Japan, Amanda Mitchell

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

There is a population of people that refer to themselves as otaku, which has come to mean someone who is a fan—to the point of adoration, in most cases—of Japanese media. For otaku, going to Japan is a journey of zealous force—almost a pilgrimage—to the Mecca of the otaku experience. I have undertaken an autoethnographic study that observed a few American otaku traveling in Japan. I recorded the events of each day and the behaviors that I and the otaku with me exhibited during these events, attempting to pay special attention to the tensions between otaku subjects and specific …

Scada Test Bed - Water Tank System, Allison Linn

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

A SCADA, or Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition, system is a computer-controlled system that monitors and controls industrial processes remotely. Electric grids, water supplies, and pipelines are all significant SCADA systems. These systems can be controlled and monitored remotely and are typically composed of multiple programmable logic controllers (PLCs). However, SCADA systems are inherently vulnerable to cyber attacks.

During the previous academic year, an electrical engineering senior project team was assigned the task of designing and constructing a SCADA test bed for WKU’s Engineering-Manufacturing-Commercialization Center (EMCC). The test bed was to have three systems simulating SCADA systems: a traffic light …

Corporate Social Responsibility: A Case Study On Carlsberg, Anne Sofie Brusendorff

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In today’s business environment corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability are extremely influential in a firm’s competitiveness. A literature review will provide an analysis of past cases illustrating the importance of CSR, considering both positive and negative impacts CSR strategy can have on business success. Furthermore, important definitions and terminology critical to understanding CSR will be highlighted. This paper explores the evolution of CSR and provides a general overview of the effects CSR can have on a company’s reputation. The way a company can effectively utilize a CSR-strategy as a competitive advantage is also examined, along with scholarly views both …

The Reaction Of Platinum Triamine Complex With Different Dna And Protein Complexes, Morgan Gruner

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The platinum compound Cl [Chloro[N,N-diethyldiethylenetriamine] Platinum(II) Chloride] was synthesized and reacted with N-acetylmethionine (N-AcMet) and guanosine 5’-monophosphate (5’-GMP). Previous experiments show that N-AcMet reacts kinetically faster with the central platinum atom and that 5’-GMP bonds slower yet stronger. When Cl was reacted with N-AcMet the N-AcMet displaced the chloride ion as expected. When Cl was reacted with 5’-GMP the 5’-GMP binds to the chloride ion and the reaction is finished. Yet, when 5’-GMP was added in the solution already containing N-AcMet, the N-AcMet was not displaced as predicted. Through ­¹­H NMR Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry we observed that …

Correlation Of Environmental Risks With The Prevalence Of Essential Hypertension And Chronic Cardiac Disease In Kasigau, Kenya, Addie Dodson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a chronic non-communicable disease (NCD) that is the leading cause of death across the world. In developing nations, like Kenya, the prevalence of NCDs like CVD are on the rise. Hypertension is the major risk factor for CVD and can be influenced by various environmental risk factors, like physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, tobacco use, and alcohol use. Though these are known factors that can affect blood pressure in developed nations, research over the prevalence of essential hypertension (EH) in developing countries is low. In an area in southeast Kenya known as Kasigau, there is a high …

The Umoja Curriculum: Linking The African American Experience With Relationship Skills Building, Jamye Hardy

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Literature on premarital counseling groups and five factors of the African American experience were researched to design a six-week premarital counseling group curriculum specifically for African American couples. The five researched factors of the African American experience were history, economics, education, structure of American society, and social life within the African American community. This program responds to the falling marriage rates within the African American community and the absence of services available to address the issue. The Umoja Curriculum was designed to equip participants of African descent with the skills necessary to build and sustain a healthy marriage utilizing psycho-educational …

Make 'Em Laugh: Examining The Role Of Humor In Dance, Jordan Jones

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

As a dancer, choreographer, and naturally sarcastic person, humor has always been a tool that I recognize and appreciate. I was specifically drawn to the role of humor in dance choreography and performance when I was responsible for creating my own dance works, and I realized the complexity behind making even the simplest joke in dance. This thesis explores humor, from its biological and psychological origins in our brains, to an evaluation of what constitutes “humor” (in past and present American society), to a discussion on how to create humor within dance using the traditionally defined elements of choreography. Contained …

The Wizarding Words Of J. K. Rowling: Literary Merit In The Harry Potter Series, Brenna Sherrill

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Since hitting bookshelves in 1997, the Harry Potter series has taken the popular culture world by storm in an unprecedented way, breaking sales records for both books and films, and dramatically increasing readership among young readers. Despite its immense and unique success, this series, like many other examples of pop culture, doesn’t often receive the credit it deserves with respect to its literary merits. However, it is undeniable that the Potter books reflect many of the traits found in all great works of literature, including complex character development and abundant literary devices that elevate the intellectual level of the series. …

Allelic Variability In The Cyp11b2 C344t Single Nucleotide Polymorphism From A Cohort Of East Africans, Spencer Wright

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Non-communicable disease (NCD), in particular cardiovascular disease, is a significant problem in developing countries. Essential hypertensions (EH) is a leading risk factor for vascular disease and while managing EH in developing countries is considered a high global priority, few studies exist from third world populations. From a cohort of Kenyans living in the Kasigau region, we have investigated the allele frequency of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) previously reported to correlate with salt-sensitive EH. The SNP being investigated is aldosterone synthase CYP11B2 C344T (rs1799998), a polymorphism in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). The C344T polymorphism is located in the promoter region …

Through The Hermit's Shell - The Regulation Of Ngos In North Korea, Jeffrey Walker

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

North Korea gained the moniker “Hermit Kingdom” as the country largely withdrew from interactions with the West during the Cold War. However, NGOs have quietly worked within the country since a famine in the mid-1990s pressured the North Korean government to request international aid. How did these NGOs begin operations in North Korea? How are the rules and regulations governing these NGOs decided? This research attempts to answer these questions through interviews with individuals who have worked or are currently working in North Korea, as well as, through related literature, both academic and non-academic. The findings are as follows: the …

Better Emergency Care For The Deaf Population Through Improved Communication, Noelle Anderson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This piece outlines the elements that were involved in my project designed to improve communication between the Deaf population of Bowling Green, KY and the Fire Department, Police Department, and Medical Center. This was done by placing the burden of facilitating communication on the emergency response teams through creating training for them in essential American Sign Language (ASL) signs as specified by the Deaf community. These ASL signs were collected from the Deaf Community through standardized interviews and then utilized to create a training video, poster charts, and brochures.

A Qualitative Examination Of Player Perspectives On Corruption In Indian Cricket, Shareen Mann

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In a nation of 1.2 billion people, divided by 29 states, 18 languages and various different religions; the sport of Cricket seems to be the only love the country shares. So intense is the power of Cricket that India’s political inclination towards other countries can be assessed from its Cricket schedule. It is a source of pride, economic benefit and political power; however the sport is currently facing numerous corruption scandals. The purpose of this study is to examine the popularity of Cricket related to the corruption issues currently facing the administrators, coaches and players. Specifically, this qualitative study examined …

White Space: An Overlooked Element Of Design, Samantha Coates

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

There are many different elements used to enhance visual appeal in Advertising and Graphic design. While all elements of design are important, arranging all of these components effectively, affects the overall visual appeal to viewers. The use of space may be thought of as the single, most important element of design. How things are arranged contributes to how effective an advertisement is to its audience. While space is important, it is also vastly taken for granted, specifically in the form of “white space.” Whitespace is important to visual appeal in many ways. This includes readability, viewer perception of brand image, …

Hispanic Health Initiative: Creating A Sustainable Health Fair For An Immigrant Community, Chaz Arnold

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Previous demographic and social interest research conducted in Bowling Green, Kentucky has prompted concern for access to quality healthcare for immigrant populations, specifically for the Hispanic community. The missions of the preliminary investigation and subsequent implementation of a sustainable health fair for the Spanish-speaking community were to assess the primary health concerns that many Hispanics face and offer long-term solutions to collectively resolve these health issues. Preliminary investigation involved researching population-specific health statistics in order to quantify prevalence of certain conditions which were, in turn, prioritized in terms of necessity to address. Further research reflected personal concern from the target …

Visual Tension In Graphic Design, Raven Heinstein

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

My thesis explores the use of visual tension in various graphic design areas and works. It delves into the purposes of creating visual tension and in which instances it can be most effective, as well as most ineffective. It discusses the use and creation of visual tension with design hierarchy, rhythm and dynamics, symmetry and asymmetry, negative and positive space, color relationships, and typographical design. I will define visual tension, discuss its relevance and significance, and show informative examples. I'm using mainly secondary research in the form of textbooks and examples by other designers, but I have also included a …

Self-Referencing Effects Of Social Networking On Judgments In An Employment Context, Abigail Lewis

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This study examined how various components of a social networking website (SNW) as well as rater characteristics can impact employee evaluations. Participants were presented with a job description, an applicant résumé, an applicant SNW profile, and a survey to measure rater characteristics. Professionally-oriented Facebook profiles received higher ratings than their counterparts, evaluations differed based on rater characteristics (e.g., personality), and raters varied in their perceptions of the relative value of SNW profiles. As these findings demonstrate that SNW profiles influence employer judgments to varying degrees based on rater characteristics and perceptions, organizations should use caution when viewing SNW profiles until …

Rebranding The Wku Office Of Sustainability, Mary Boothe

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Since its inception in 2008, the WKU Office of Sustainability has struggled with general program and initiative awareness as well as student engagement in university sponsored sustainability activities. Attempts to target and capture an audience have been inconsistent due to lack of budget and staff, resulting in varying levels of success. The purpose of this project is to identify, through a population survey, a student market that is interested but unaware of the information, services, and initiatives provided by the WKU Office of Sustainability. Once identified, the market was assessed using statistical data and focus groups to determine the most …

Transatlantic Cooperation On Cyber Security: Data Privacy And Cybercrime, Allison Feikes

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The Internet is a vital part of the global economy considering an estimated 8 trillion United States dollars flow through global e-commerce each year. However, this new, innovative tool is not only used to benefit the people; the Internet has become a place for criminal activity as well. With over one million victims of crimes globally every day, the United States works closely with the EU to ally against this Lernaean Hydra. This thesis explores how Transatlantic cooperation can be improved through formalized regulation especially in regards to organized research in tracking child exploitation, Safe Harbor Privacy Principles, and reducing …

A Native Cyanobacteria, Nostoc, As A Biofertilizer, Clarice Esch

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The native cyanobacteria, Nostoc, is found throughout much of the US and has a cosmopolitan distribution. It is a found in free-living colonies on the surface of the ground, growing symbiotically with fungi to form lichen species, and grows symbiotically in the rhizomes of the angiosperm, Gunnera (Gunneraceae). Nostoc fixes atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which may then be used or converted to a form suitable for plant growth. The free-living forms we investigated desiccate during times of dry weather and rehydrate to photosynthesize and fix nitrogen. Nostoc colonies were collected locally and allowed to desiccate to a uniform moisture …

Les Villes Jumelées: Finding Bowling Green A Francophone Sister City, Sarah Kinnicutt

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The Villes Jumelées Project seeks to encourage the study of French language and culture in Bowling Green by creating a relationship with a francophone country. To do this, we have paired with a French-speaking high school in Porrentruy, Switzerland. WKU students of French are participating in virtual exchanges via a class webpage. Eventually, a cultural exchange of regional products and perhaps historical documents will take place. Ultimately, this project could serve as the groundwork for a new sister city relationship between Bowling Green and Porrentruy. As Western Kentucky University strives to become a university with international reach, it is important …

Adding Vision To A Quadrotor: A Design-Build-Test Adventure, Darren Tinker

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Quadrotors are small and exceptionally agile vehicles with maneuverability that permits both indoor and outdoor flight. The vast majority of quadrotors are flown autonomously as drones or remotely by a human-operator. Applications of quadrotors range from commercial deliveries, to military and law reconnaissance as well as research tools for various fields. Our lab at Western Kentucky University built a quadrotor in 2013, and we have been exploring various modifications to refine its performance and various applications in which it could be productively employed. Recently, research has focused on the addition of a camera to add capabilities for first person view …