Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Of Chemistry: For Wind Ensemble, Morgan Duff

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Many musicians have a limited understanding of chemistry, while many chemists aren't familiar with details of music theory or composition. Through the composition of a four-part musical work based entirely on several broad areas of chemistry, certain relationships have been shown between music and chemistry. Because of the overlap between certain scientific concepts and many aspects of music theory, it is possible for members of both fields to use what they already know in order to gain a deeper understanding of the other, very different, subject. Because everyone has learning strengths in differing areas, I believe the use of disciplinary …

Csr Reporting And The University, Corbin Wilson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

There is currently no mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reporting standards for institutions of higher learning (universities) in the U.S. There is also no established governing or regulatory body designated with the responsibility of developing CSR reporting standards for universities. In recent years some universities have prepared and released self-reported CSR reports. However these reports may not be complete, much of the information included in the reports could be outdated, and all of it is subject to bias. Without commonly accepted CSR reporting standards, common reporting format, or metrics, it is difficult to compare the CSR efforts of various universities. …

Predictive Abilities Of Past Performance Versus Self-Efficacy, Across Contexts And Goal Types, Alexandra Oldham

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Self-Efficacy (SE) has long been established as an important predictor of performance in many settings, including academics and athletics. In both of our studies, we were examined the relationship between performance and SE to determine which was more predictive of the other. Participants completed two academic tasks, two athletic tasks, and a SE measure. In the first study participants defined success for efficacy estimates. In the second experiment three different types of goals were utilized to define success as an additional independent variable. In both experiments we found a significant relationship between SE and performance, but past performance was a …

Fluency: A Steady Beat In The Making, Nicole Patton

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This honors thesis explores the literacy component of fluency and its instruction in the intermediate grades through the incorporation of Brain-based learning and the arts. Because reading fluency can affect other areas of reading, such as comprehension, it is important to build fluency skills through meaningful instruction. By exploring the best practices of fluency instruction, by understanding how the brain learns, and by recognizing how the arts can meet the needs of different learners, educators can alter and create instruction that challenges students’ reading ability in a unique way. A series of fluency lessons incorporating brain-based learning and the arts …

An Engineering Approach To Industrial Research And Development Of Pillows, Wesley Patterson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Comfort during sleep, though taken for granted, involves a great amount of research and engineering. Few give it a second thought, but nearly one-third of a person’s life is spent with their head on a pillow, thus making them a point for increased quality. Having been approached by a tier-1 bedding manufacturer, a team of both mechanical and electrical engineers was been tasked with the goal of creating a valid research tool that the customer, Tempur-Sealy, will utilize in the company’s research and development of high-end pillows. The team sought to tackle this project utilizing tools and knowledge gained throughout …

Student Perceptions Of Services For Veterans And Military Personnel, Philip Parsons

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Many Veterans are returning from the War on Terror and making their way to universities. Due to the many aspects of war and military life many maybe, or are experiencing some level of mental health issue/s. As more Veterans make this transition, resources may not be available for them to be successful in the classroom (Whitley, Tschudi, & Gieber, 2013). After reviewing the literature, a suitable instrument to measure these variables was not available. The researcher developed a survey and sampled students of one Midwestern public university. The variables included basic demographic questions and perceptions of Veterans and the services …

27 Floors Of Support: Effectively Advertising Campus Resources To College Students, Amanda Peerce

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

College campuses provide a large variety of resources to college students to help ensure their well-being and success; however, students cannot utilize these resources if they do not know they exist. While there has been extensive research on the importance and efficacy of resources on college campuses, not as much research has been done on how to advertise these services to college students. The goal of this project is to create and assess the efficacy of a campaign educating and encouraging students to seek out campus resources in times of need. This project focuses primarily on promoting resources to first-year …

Benefits Of A Flexitarian Diet: Educating College Students Of Lifestyle Approaches To Reduce The Risk Of Developing Breast And Prostate Cancer, Abbigail Pace

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Practicing the Flexitarian diet, a plant-based diet, in conjunction with physical activity can promote a lifestyle consistent with the American Cancer Society’s recommendations for reducing risks of breast and prostate cancer (American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention, 2015) College students were assessed on knowledge of the relationship between diet and cancer risk prior to and after accessing information on the American Institute of Cancer Research site or the WKU Flexitarian Pinterest Page. Participants were recruited from the National Panhellenic and Interfraternity Council memberships and the International students at Western Kentucky University. Participants completed a …

Gender Role Identification, Sexual Orientation, And Disordered Eating In Young Adults, Natalie Perkins

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Young adults are at a significantly high risk for eating disorders. Existing research is lacking in what factors can contribute to this disorder; however, there is some that suggests that self-identification with masculine and feminine gender roles can contribute to an individual’s risk for disordered eating. Research investigating disordered eating in sexual minorities is particularly slim. The current study sought to examine the relationship between gender role identification, sexual orientation, and disordered eating, as well as the roles that anxiety and depression have in disordered eating development. In our sample (n = 437, 73.6% female, 76.7% white, 87.6% heterosexual), participants …

Dependency Theory Reloaded: Exploring Baseball In The Dominican Republic, Sarah Nass

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Latin America’s presence in Major League Baseball has grown rapidly in recent years. The increase of players from the Dominican Republic can no longer be ignored. But why is Major League Baseball in the Dominican Republic? What has been the impact of Major League Baseball’s player development strategies and tactics on the people and culture of the Dominican Republic? Does the Dominican Republic need Major League Baseball to be successful? An ethnographic study was conducted in an attempt to answer these questions. This study examines the relationship between Major League Baseball and the Dominican Republic. Examining this relationship using the …

Steps In Time: An Exploration Of Tap Dance Education, Sara Pecina

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Tap dance is an indigenous American art form that not only holds a valuable presence in the world of entertainment but also boasts an important historical background. From the slave quarters on plantations to Hollywood’s silver screen, the development of tap dance mirrors the story of American history. Tap dance must be preserved because of its cultural significance in American history; likewise, it is imperative for dancers to understand its development in order to appreciate the art and for today’s artists to continue the growth and presence of tap dance in America. However, many dance educators today focus solely on …

More Than Cookies: A Study Of Trends And Promising Practices In Programming For Older Girl Scouts, Jennifer Ottersbach

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This study examine rates of 'older girl' (ages 15-17) retention in Girl Scouts of the USA. Enrollment numbers and troop activity/participation are examined from the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana Council to assess the reflection of this regional council to the nationwide organization. Benefits such as character building, developing leadership skills, international and domestic travel opportunities, democratic opportunities, and public work or service projects for older girls are described as promising practices for older girl retention. This qualitative study lead to the development of “The Five Keys of Effective Older Girl Programming” as follows: designing specialized experiences, building relationships with adults …

The Preservation Of Identity: A Narrative Examination Of National Parks In Kentucky, Abigail Ponder

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

National parks are symbols of national identity. They tell the history of places—personal legacies and natural phenomena. My Capstone Experience/Thesis (CE/T) project for the Honors College at WKU features two stories that fuse fiction and non-fiction conventions to share the experiences of national parks in Kentucky. Currently, the National Park Service is celebrating its centennial anniversary at parks across the nation. First established in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson, the national parks have become symbols of the quintessential American experience: serving as memorials to nature, to history, and to culture. As such, these stories that take place at Mammoth Cave …

To Cheat Or Not To Cheat: Impacts Of Learning Disability Status And Impulsivity On Cheating, Mckenzie Perdew

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Impulsivity is associated with academic dishonesty and deficits/disorders related to learning disabilities (LD). Despite separate connections made between impulsivity and academic cheating and between impulsivity and LD, there is little information in the literature regarding whether the impulsivity feature of some LD is related to higher rates of academic dishonesty among students with LD. We measured history of academic dishonesty, tolerance of academic dishonesty, and impulsivity in 83 Amazon Mechanical Turk participants. An independent samples t-test revealed that participants with LD exhibited higher levels of dysfunctional impulsivity compared to neurotypical (NT) peers. Dysfunctional impulsivity was associated with increased cheating tolerance. …

Owens, Nellie, 1912-2007 (Sc 3051), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and full text scan (click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3051. W.P.A. (Works Progress Administration) sewing notebook of Nellie Owens, Louisville, Kentucky, containing fabric swatches and sewing samples.

Menefee, Richard Hickman, 1809-1841 (Sc 3052), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and typescript (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3052. Letter, 16 December 1837, of Congressman Richard Hickman Menefee to attorney W. Rochester Beatty, Greenupsburg, Kentucky. Writing from Washington, D.C., Menefee asks Beatty to assume conduct of a lawsuit for a client in Salvisa, Kentucky. Referring perhaps to the Rebellions of 1837 in Upper and Lower Canada, he also declares the administration of President Martin Van Buren to be “astounded by the events of last month” and predicts its presentation of measures to the new session of Congress “timidly and irresolutely” in the face of strong …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 92, No. 2, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

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

• Sullivan, Tommy. Campus Police Chief Search Ongoing
• Kast, Monica. Under the Sea – Royhan Gani, Geology & Geography
• Kast, Monica. Governor Matt Beavin Appoints Two New Board Regents – Jason McKinney, Julie Hinson
• Five Projects Student Government Association Plans to Tackle This Year
• Carlson, Kylie. Freshens Replaces Two Tower Restaurants – Dining Services
• Carlson, Kylie. Bookstore Introduces Self-Service System
• Kaetzel, Kylee. A New Journey: Talisman Builds On Its Legacy in New Form
• Ronkainen, Millie. Rediscovering My Authenticity During Camp
• Ares, Nicole. Five Ways to Cheat the Hill
• Ares, Nicole. …

Meeting Minutes, Wku Graduate Council

Graduate School

Meeting minutes.

Ua80/4 Treasurer's Report, W Club

University Organizations

Treasurer's report for August 2016 meeting of the W Club Board of Directors.

Ua80/1 Meeting Minutes, W Club

University Organizations

Meeting minutes for August 2016 meeting of the W Club Board of Directors.

Election Districts - Warren County, Kentucky (Sc 3050), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3050. Class action complaint filed by five voters in U.S. District Court, Bowling Green, Kentucky, alleging malapportionment of election districts. The complaint seeks declarative and injunctive relief against the current apportionment and against holding a primary election for justices of the peace and constables. Details of the previous and current apportionments are included.

Ray Family - Bible Records (Sc 3048), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3048. Three pages from a family Bible with genealogical data on members of the Ray and associated families.

Griffin, Basil W., Jr., 1923-1997 (Sc 3049), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3049. Receipts, cancelled checks and lists showing contributions to and disbursements of the election campaign of Basil Griffin, Jr. for the office of Judge-Executive of Warren County, Kentucky.

Meeting Minutes, Wku Council On Academic Deans

Council of Academic Deans

Meeting regarding awards, Dugas Community Park, faculty overload, WKYU Radio advertising, distance education funds, awards and Study Soup.

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 92, No. 1, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

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

• Dick, Jacob. Debate & Questions Surface After Medical Center Decision
• Kast, Monica. Alive Center & Institute for Citizenship and Responsibility Consolidate
• Carlson, Kylie. Hypnosis, Hip-Hop Featured at MASTER Plan
• Ares, Nicole. New Alpha Xi Delta House Under Construction
• Ares, Nicole. Counseling & Testing Center to Offer Lunch-n-Learn Sessions
• Carlson, Kylie. Journalism Professors, Spouses Co-Author Book – Benjamin LaPoe, Victoria LaPoe
• Taylor, Brooks. Editorial Cartoon re: Medical Center
• Medical Center Deal a Bitter Pill to Swallow
• Henderson, Andrew. A Hello from the College Heights Herald
• Winstead, John. Socialist Convergence Was …

Todd, William Rogers, 1837-1924 (Sc 3047), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3047. Letter of William Rogers Todd to Thomas F. Mason, 8 March 1866, written from Tompkinsville, Kentucky. Todd describes his efforts to drill for oil there and asks about available positions “on Lake Sup[erio]r” in the event such efforts are not successful.

Ua3/9/7 Med Center Health Partnership, Wku President's Office - Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Email from WKU president Gary Ransdell to faculty & staff regarding agreements with the Medical Center of Bowling Green and University of Kentucky to create a sports medicine complex and medical school.

Special Meeting, Wku Board Of Regents

Board of Regents Documents

Called meeting to discuss partnership with The Medical Center to provide health care, physical therapy program and lease of WKU property.

The Effect Of Prescribed Fires On Vernal Herbs, Janis Lemaster

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The effects of fire on vernal herbs are little known. David Kem attempted to assess the influences of spring and winter prescribed fires on vernal herbs by collecting abundance data on three sets of research plots located at the WKU Green River Preserve in Hart County, KY, on April 9-10, 2010. On April 10 he conducted spring burns, and on February 22, 2011, he conducted winter burns. He then collected post-fire data on the abundance of the herbs on the 12-19 of March, 2011. He found little influence of fire on overall species richness and the density of common species. …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Hugelkultur And Its Potential Application On Karst Rocky Desertified Areas In China, Megan Laffoon

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

A type of environmental degradation, karst rocky desertification (KRD) refers to areas where the soil loss exposes the bedrock and reduces the land’s ability to sustain life and is particularly widespread through the vast karst area of rural southwest China. Hugelkultur is a permaculture method that harnesses the wood decomposition process by burying logs beneath soil. We proposed that hugel beds will demonstrate a higher water holding capacity and enhance soil development, in a way that may show promise as a potential method to help alleviate problems of KRD. Soil samples were taken from hugel plots, non-hugel plots, and KRD-like …