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Problems And Possibilities Of Namelessness In Late Antiquity And The Early Middle Ages, Jamie Wood, Hope Williard, Máirín Maccarron, Julia Hillner, James R. Burns

Medieval People

No abstract provided.

61st International Congress On Medieval Studies, Medieval Institute, Western Michigan University

International Congress on Medieval Studies Archive

The printed program of the 61st International Congress on Medieval Studies (May 14–16, 2026), together with the Corrigenda.

Complete Issue, Christopher Tremblay, Patrick J. O'Connor Phd, Laura Owen, Diana Camilo, Moya Malcolm

Journal of College Access

No abstract provided.

Artificial Intelligence Adoption Among Future Journalism And Mass Communications Professionals: A Tam-Based Approach To Students’ Generative Ai Adoption Intent, Chinwendu P. Akalonu

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries, journalism and mass communications professions are slowly adapting to these technologies. This study employs the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and AI-TAM frameworks to examine predictors of AI adoption intent among college students preparing for careers in the field. Survey results reveal that perceived usefulness, trust in AI output quality, organizational requirement, ethical awareness, and certain sociodemographic factors such as race predict AI adoption intent. Additionally, the study highlights differences in adoption intent among students in different subfields of mass communication, including journalism, advertising, and public relations. It underscores the importance of expanding traditional TAM-based …

The Limits Of Daca: Affordability- And Access-Related Barriers To Health Professions Education, Nicole Perez, Laura Hirshfield

Journal of College Access

The U.S. is currently facing a shortage of health professionals from underrepresented backgrounds. One potential pathway to decrease this shortage is through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, a policy that provides temporary relief from deportation for individuals who migrated to the U.S. before age 16. This study, using 15 life-history narrative interviews, investigates the experiences of Latinx young adults who were pursuing health professions education or working as health professionals. Nine of the participants were DACA recipients, while the remaining six were second-generation (i.e., children of immigrants). An iterative, inductive approach to data analysis was used to …

Making Their Community Proud: First-Generation Latinx Students' Participation In Clep, Michelle Van Beek, Abby Holland

Journal of College Access

This study explores the impact of earning Spanish CLEP credit on first-generation Latinx students' levels of self-efficacy, college-going mindset toward earning a post-secondary degree, and their perceptions of bilingualism. Study participants (n=47) were all enrolled or previously enrolled in a college access program in high school. All participants received the opportunity to take the Spanish CLEP exam. Participants (n=33) completed a pre/post survey, and a paired sample t-test showed self-efficacy, college-going mindset, and language perceptions remained neutral for participants. Five semi-structured group interviews (n=26) were conducted after the post-survey. Participants showed that earning Spanish CLEP credit impacted their way of …

Designing A Scalable Recruitment & Partnership System For The Leadership And Business Strategy (Lbs) Program Through Strategic Marketing And Brand Development, Daniela Padilla

Honors Theses

The Leadership and Business Strategy (LBS) program at Western Michigan University delivers a highly immersive experience that allows students to learn business by doing business. Students engage directly with executives, including CEOs, working alongside them on complex consulting projects with real companies. The program takes place at Sleeping Giant Capital, a Michigan-based private equity firm, where students operate in a real business environment and gain exposure to high-level strategy and decision-making. Yet despite its impact, many students only discover LBS after enrolling at the university. Student data reinforces this gap, showing that while most students know their intended major before …

An Exploratory Evaluation Of The Kalamazoo River Watershed Council: Assessing Organizational Impact And Value, Alexander Mendez

Honors Theses

The Kalamazoo River Watershed Council (KRWC) plays a central role in protecting, restoring, and promoting the long-term health of the Kalamazoo River watershed, a geographically expansive and ecologically complex system facing persistent challenges from legacy contamination, nonpoint source pollution, land-use pressures, and inequitable access to watershed resources. This honors thesis presents an exploratory organizational evaluation of the KRWC, assessing its role and relevance within the watershed, the effectiveness of its programs and partnerships, the strengths and limitations of its governance structure, and opportunities to strengthen its long-term sustainability and impact.

Guided by principles of Practical Participatory Evaluation (PP-E) and Fourth …

Wmu Board Of Trustee Board Meeting, Thursday December 4, 2025, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Approval of the Minutes (October 30, 2025)
• Remarks by the Chair of the Board
• Remarks by the President
• Updates by the Faculty Senate President
• Updates by the Western Student Association President
• Updates by the Graduate Student Association President
• Presentation: The Voice of Bronco Success
• Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

Student Housing and Meal Rates 2026/27

Consent Items

Curriculum Proposals

Personnel Report

• General Public Comments

A Harmonious Equation: How To Facilitate The Interdisciplinary Nature Of The Arts In A High School Math Classroom, Myah Medendorp

Honors Theses

The education system is constantly evolving and advancing, and the teaching methods should advance along with it. Musical involvement has long been cited as having a positive effect on mathematical proficiency and being an easy way to boost mathematical performance but is most often used in an elementary school setting and the early learning years. Are there ways to use this scientific relationship to boost performance and engagement in a secondary school environment?

This literature review functionalization takes a closer look at this relationship and how it can be implemented effectively in a high school math classroom beyond the young …

Teachers’ Perspectives On Text Selection In A Time Of Book Bans And Censorship, Natalie Sue Svrcek, Kathleen Colantonio-Yurko, Henry "Cody" Miller

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The last 4 years of headlines describing the various book bans and curricular gag orders happening in the United States serve as an important context for P–12 teachers’ daily work. This article describes the findings from a qualitative survey that sought to understand what influences P–12 teachers’ text selection for teaching and for inclusion in their classroom library in the aforementioned context. Teachers reported stakeholders who held decision-making power as well as which stakeholders were influential in their text selection. Three overarching themes emerged from teachers’ most influential factors in their text selection: social and communal influences, literary content and …

Beyond The Red Pen: Investigating The Formation Of Reader And Writer Identity Development In Preservice Teachers, Sarah Rutt Williams, Pengtong Qu, Lydia Denning

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The influence of identifying as a reader and writer in being a literacy teacher has been emphasized in the literature (Graves, 1983). However, few studies have explored how teacher education programs develop these identities in preservice teachers (PSTs). Grounded in Demerath’s (2006) epistemological identity theory, this study explored the fluid process of teacher identity formation, focusing on nurturing PSTs’ identities as readers and writers. The study took place over one semester in an English Education course. The researchers analyzed three PST participants’ weekly reflections about their beliefs regarding teaching and learning literacy. These statements revolved around topics that aligned with …

University Athletic Subsidies Connections To Various Campus-Wide Outcomes, Daniel Vainner

Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between university athletic subsidies and outcomes for the broader undergraduate student population. The athletic subsidy, referred to as an athletic tax, is defined as institutional and student fees used to support athletics. Although athletics are often viewed as enhancing institutional prestige and recruitment, most universities depend heavily on subsidies to sustain their programs. In 2019, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) institutions spent over $18.8 billion on athletics, with $8.3 billion, or 44 percent, coming from institutional and student sources rather than athletic revenue (NCAA, 2019a). This research explores whether such subsidization predicts measurable differences in …

Finding Utopia: An Examination Of Pedagogical Approaches To Teaching Utopianism In U.S. College Classrooms, Brittany Page Brake

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how, and if, utopianism is being taught in college classrooms across the United States. Long considered impractical, overly idealistic, and/or politically dangerous, utopianism has been largely marginalized in political science and American culture. However, this project finds that there are instructors teaching utopianism and they are using the concept to challenge students to think differently about governance, justice, and institutional design. Drawing from political theory literature, course syllabi submitted by faculty from different U.S. universities, interviews with instructors, and personal case studies of my own courses at Central State University and Manchester University, I explore how utopian …

Three Funny Things: A Multicultural Validation, Jon Hook

Dissertations

This dissertation evaluated the efficacy of Three Funny Things, a humor-based positive psychology intervention (PPI) designed to enhance subjective well-being (SWB) and reduce depressive symptoms. Subjective well-being was operationalized through self-reported happiness, measured by the Authentic Happiness Inventory (AHI), and depressive symptomatology, measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). A repeated-measures design was employed across three time points: baseline (Time 1), post-intervention (Time 2), and one-month follow-up (Time 3). Participants (N = 126) represented a racially diverse community sample, including individuals identifying as White (61%), Black or African American (18%), Hispanic or Latino/a (11%), Asian (6%), and …

Evaluating Psychosocial Stressors And Mental Well-Being Of Construction Professionals From The Management Standpoint: An Exploratory Study, Md Tauhidul Karim

Masters Theses

Construction professionals face persistent workplace stressors that undermine their mental well-being outcomes. Despite progress in general job-related stressors, social and interpersonal aspects of psychosocial stressors traditionally remain underexplored in the construction management research. The present study examines how social and interpersonal factors influence construction workers’ mental well-being and how management’s awareness, responsiveness, and strategic roles evolved in the transition of the COVID-19 pandemic at the organizational level. An integrative mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a systematic literature review, a bibliometric analysis, and an exploratory case study to capture the current landscape of mental well-being and management standpoints in the US …

Environmental Beliefs Among Evangelical Leadership, Jeffrey Stark

Dissertations

There has been consensus among climate scientists for over a decade about the reality of human caused climate change. Even with this consensus, the public understanding of this issue remains divided based on factors generally unrelated to the science. Evangelical Protestants are one group which consistently polls as more skeptical of climate change. This is true not only when compared to the general population but also when compared to other religious demographics. Most large-scale surveys of evangelicals assume the demographic to be a monolith and do not attempt to break the demographic down further. In this mixed methods study, we …

Who Was It Truly For?: Bernard Bragg, David Hays, And National Theatre Of The Deaf, Eni Buckhanan

Honors Theses

National Theatre of the Deaf is known for being the first professional sign language theatre company in the United States; however, the complexities of its origins and founders are rarely examined. This thesis explores the relationship between Deaf performer and educator Bernard Bragg and hearing set designer David Hays, along with what was prioritized in the creation of the company, and the aftereffects of these choices on the National Theatre of the Deaf and their Deaf and hearing audiences.

Bragg and Hays began correspondence in 1966, as they developed plans for what would become the National Theatre of the Deaf. …

Sync, Lauren Brown

Honors Theses

The goal of my thesis is to develop an efficient way for dance professionals to network with each other. The dance industry is saturated with talent; therefore, relationships are key to booking jobs. Relationships connect mentors and collaborative spaces that lead to consistent and long-term growth. Dancers enter the professional industry with limited experience. The financial pressure to afford the living costs in dance hub cities like New York and Los Angeles often requires dancers to work multiple jobs. Balancing multiple jobs causes dancers to struggle to find time and opportunities to network meaningfully. Thus, the core problem is when, …

Becoming Her, Paris Meller

Honors Theses

This dance-for-camera project explores the age-old question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Using a mix of interviews, choreography, and 70s-inspired sound, the project highlights women stepping into male-dominated spaces and reclaiming their power, creativity, and confidence on and off the stage. Ultimately, it serves as a celebration of self-expression and a reminder that identity is something we define for ourselves, not something the world decides for us.

The work is approximately five minutes in length and combines contemporary dance, pedestrian movement, and multimedia editing to create a layered performance for the camera. The project features …

Evaluating The Use Of Statewide Summative Assessments In College Admissions: Insights From A Case Study, Yen Vo, Stephen Dunbar, Catherine Welch, Jeongmin Ji, Xiaoting Zhong

Journal of College Access

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing discussions around social inequality have significantly reshaped traditional college admission practices. This study explores the potential of using statewide assessments that are accessible to all students and aligned with curriculum standards as an alternative to college admission tests. Hierarchical linear modeling further revealed that statewide assessment scores contributed an additional 9% of the variance in admission scores above and beyond high school GPA and core coursework. Logistic regression and random forest analyses indicated that high school GPA and statewide assessment scores were the most contributing factors to admissions decisions, followed by core coursework. …

The Practice Of Perfect Mistakes, Kelly Allen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Cheryl VanderMolen Neway, a fashion designer and textile artist residing in Fairfax, Virginia, provided the cover art for the Fall 2025 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). The photograph features a flowing, floor-length duster jacket entitled, The Free Spirit, 2024, made from an upcycled denim jacket with lace and hand-dyed linen, using shibori and indigo-dyeing techniques, modeled by Shamola Crosbie. Cheryl’s designs serve to express emotion, meet her need for creative exploration, and empower her community through fashion. Using resist-dyeing techniques paired with upcycled textiles and salvaged materials, she creates vibrantly unique clothing and mixed-media artwork …

An Authentic Leader Never Dies: Lessons Learned From The Seminal Work Of Elizabeth Yerxa, Daniel Cezar Da Cruz

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This Opinion in the Profession is based on the enduring legacy of Elizabeth June Yerxa, a pioneering leader in occupational therapy and occupational science, following her passing in December 2024. Rather than a traditional "in memoriam," the author uses the present tense to emphasize Yerxa's ongoing influence. The paper highlights four key themes from Yerxa’s work: the commitment of occupational therapy to social change, the importance of an occupation-centered education, the term “engaging in occupation”, and the establishment of occupational science as a foundational discipline. Yerxa’s advocacy for critical thinking, holistic perspectives, and the integration of diverse fields …

Implicit Bias Training Standards In Health Care: Did Michigan Get It Right? A Policy And Ethical Framework Analysis, Megan Gailliard, Kieran Fogarty, Mary Lagerwey

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

In 2022, Michigan joined a handful of states requiring implicit bias training for its health care professionals. In its ideal application, implicit bias training of health care professionals will result in a reduction of the implicit biases held by health care providers. This bias reduction will, in theory, contribute to improved equity in the delivery of health care services. Ultimately, the less biased health professional, now delivering health care services with a more equitable hand, will help reduce health disparities in the State of Michigan.

This analysis of Mich. Admin. Code R.338.7004 - Implicit bias training standards for licensed and …

Promoting Sense Of Belonging Among First-Generation Students In Occupational Therapy, Pola Ham

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

First-generation students in occupational therapy programs face unique challenges that can impact their sense of belonging and academic success, potentially hindering efforts to diversify the profession. There is limited data on occupational therapy students who identify as first-generation students. However, the literature has noted improved efforts toward a sense of belonging in higher education among students leads to feeling a sense of connectedness with their peers and faculty, aiding in overall well-being, academic performance and retention. In contrast, a lack of these efforts can lead students to experience a diminished sense of belonging to the institution. This article examines the …

Occupational Balance Of Occupational Therapy Students Before And After Occupational Disruption Caused By Covid-19, Juan Pablo Saa, Georgia King, Kylee Lockwood, Tamara Tse

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing restrictions have caused occupational disruption, yet little is known about their relationship with occupational balance, student satisfaction, and stress. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the occupational balance of occupational therapy students in the state of Victoria, Australia, and its association with measures of life satisfaction and distress.

Method: Participants completed the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ-11) twice (once rating their occupational balance before COVID-19 social distancing restrictions and again during the time these restrictions were in place); the Global Life Satisfaction Questionnaire; and the Depression, Anxiety and …

The Perception Of Occupational Therapists And Their Use Of Therapeutic Use Of Self When Interacting With Clients And Fieldwork Students, Maria T. Zock, Barbara Nadeau

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The therapeutic use of self is an essential instrument in every occupational therapists' toolbox. Fieldwork is vital to a student’s transition to clinician and the student and fieldwork educator relationship is a critical component of the fieldwork experience. The researchers employed a phenomenological design to explore perceptions of 12 fieldwork educators regarding the similarities and differences in the way they use the therapeutic use of self with clients and students. How one develops their therapeutic use of self begins and evolves throughout fieldwork, impacting a clinician’s practice long-term. Results indicated that while the therapeutic use of self is readily used …

Improving Relationship-Based Feeding Of Infants And Young Children With Disabilities: Developing A Guideline For Practice, Patricia Henton, Tsu-Hsin Howe

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Feeding is a significant co-occupation of young children and their caregivers, unfolding in a social context. While addressing feeding challenges comprehensively because multiple contributing factors, the social-emotional dimension is often overlooked. This paper proposes a relationship-based feeding guideline to help occupational therapists incorporate this critical component. Centered on the child-caregiver dyad, the guideline prioritizes supporting the developmental, social-emotional, and environmental needs of the child. The guideline employs a biopsycho-ecological framework and family-centered approach, emphasizing caregiver training for promoting positive interaction. Actively involving caregivers and employing caregiver-child coaching facilitates the learning of developmentally appropriate feeding strategies that are then applied at …

Integrative Neural Networks Frame Of Reference: Application In Practice, Glenda E. Hux, Sarah Schoen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The INN Frame of Reference supports occupational engagement in caregivers of children and youth with complex health care needs. It guides the occupational therapist from evaluation to intervention providing a structure to identify challenges in occupational engagement. It describes the process of selecting evidence-based interventions to mitigate the impact of prolonged stress on the “whole” parent across contexts. The theoretical base outlines the mechanisms of action that support physiological, affective/cognitive, and social/spiritual health, and the concepts related to intervention. The completion of an occupational profile and the INN Evaluation Checklist sets the stage for data-driven decision making. The occupational therapist …

Idlewild Documentary, Arise Rock

Honors Theses

This honors thesis and documentary, “I Can Breathe, the story of how Idlewild changed my life,” explores my personal journey to Idlewild with the Lee Honors College Study in the States Program. Over the past three years, I have attended every trip to Idlewild, and captured footage showcasing the enduring legacy and spirit of Idlewild, Michigan. This place was a once-thriving African American resort community during the Jim Crow era, and now is home to year-round locals who seek hope and restoration for the community. Through a deeply personal lens, this project seeks to honor Idlewild’s past and also envision …