Digital Commons Network^™

The Laureate, Nicole Burchette

Honors Theses

The Laureate’s mission is to provide undergraduate students at Western Michigan University a place in which to publish their works of fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and other creative works. The Laureate strives to be a professional and engaging journal that appeals to all. The opportunity to serve as Editor-in-Chief for the thirteenth edition of the The Laureate has been an honor and a privilege. Along the way I have worked with a variety of team members to select and build the collection. Working close with my fellow editors, this edition of The Laureate came together as the result of much hard …

Framing Identity & Change In The Experience Of Interns, Bryleigh Loughlin

Honors Theses

The definition and framing of identity in scholarly work often focuses how an individual conducts identity work in response to identity regulation in order to construct a coherent self. This study expands upon this framework by illuminating the ways that undergraduate interns frame what identity is and the consequences of their framing for their resulting identity construction (identity work). Based on in-depth qualitative interviews, this study demonstrates how participants either framed identity as a stable entity or fluid construct. This study encourages the exploration and discovery of the colloquial ways workers define and discuss identity, so that scholars can understand …

Effectiveness Of Tsa Regulations In General Aviation, Samantha Somers

Honors Theses

General aviation (GA) security is one the industry’s most prominent topics. With a direct and indirect economic impact of over a billion dollars annually and many lives at stake, concerns of this matter cannot be ignored or taken lightly. It is difficult to reconcile the opinions of all parties involved to create a safe, affordable way to conveniently fly. The resolution process must begin by examining the sector as a whole, identifying its weaknesses, and determining its current security state. What improvements need to be made by the pilots, corporate flight departments, and general aviation businesses, if any? Are current …

The Effectiveness Internal Auditing Has To Help Improving Companies, Kelsey Miller

Honors Theses

Internal auditing is an independent consulting activity done within the company to insure and improve a company’s operation. The thesis is going to look at, if internal auditing has good effectiveness and efficiency in helping improve companies. Can internal auditing help a company stay on the right track? In the past, there has been much fraud, lies, scandals made by big companies, like Enron and Worldcom. These upsets have cost investors billions of dollars when the share prices of affected companies collapsed. Internal auditing should be able to know what is going on in the company and create ways to …

Taboo Topics: Depression, Anxiety, Sexual Assault, And Ptsd; The Influence Of Stigma On Help Seeking, Kaitlyn Cichocki-Goss

Honors Theses

This review analyzes investigations into the stigma associated with depression, anxiety, sexual assault, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how stigma affects patients seeking treatment. The three disorders and the experience of sexual assault are examined for; prevalence, past and present stigma, and the history of the diagnosis. Each of the three disorders and sexual assault carry social stigma. Stigma can be described as a negative belief towards one group of people and in this case, stigma likely prevents people from seeking help. Researchers have found that one way to reduce stigma and the barrier that it has on help …

From Foster Care To Becoming A Family Member, Zachary Henderson

Honors Theses

This exploration examines different aspects of the transition from a foster care placement into an adoptive home. This project was completed using the qualitative research approach will allowed for semi-structured interviews w ith single individuals. Both participants experienced foster care during their youth. The interviewees were drawn from a convenience sample. The interviews were then then transcribed. The transcripts where then examined to search for common themes which may improve the transition for child going from foster care to adoption. Although the sample is small, the insight is great. It seems that the professionals were competent but not humble regarding …

Environmental Systems And Patterns Applied To Design, Aaron Cooper

Honors Theses

Looking at the variety of organic form in a natural setting is always an eye opening experience. Seeing how those forms are based on a common system in the environment is even more amazing. Applying the concept of form driven by ratios in the environment to design layout seems like a common sense approach to functional design, yet this is not a common solution in modern design.

Organic form looks organic because it is a product of the environment it is from. If a page is the originating environment for content with a specific function, the content should look like …

Investigating Adolescent Bullying Programs: Bridging The Gap Between Theory And Practice, Amanda Waligora

Honors Theses

Recently, substantial research has been conducted towards the widespread concern of adolescent bullying. Definitions and qualifications of bullying incidents have changed as studies and factors relating to bullying have evolved. Extensive amounts of resources can be found and made available for schools, parents, and adolescents in relation to bullying, but the question stands if these theories and resources are being used in the schools, and if so, how. This study focuses to examine current bullying program implementations within school districts of the Southwest Michigan area. Qualitative analyses on interpretive interviews were conducted to determine what school districts are actually doing …

A Qualtitative Comparison Examining How The Educational Needs Of Students With Disabilities Are Met In West Africa Vs. The United States, Katherine Sniegowski

Honors Theses

The focus of this qualitative study was to examine the differences in services for students with disabilities In United States vs Dakar, Senegal.The strengths, weaknesses, and presenting needs of each system were addressed . The research questions addressed were: How is a disability defined?, (2) What support services are available for children with disabilities?, (3) What is the level of family support for children with disabilities?, Ind (4) How are teachers prepared 10 work with children with disabilities? The qualitative methodology used to examine the research questions include: personal interviews with school personnel in a self-contained school for children with …

Neuroplasticity And Mindfulness Meditation, Richard Widdett

Honors Theses

My thesis topic of choice was how mindfulness meditation is linked to neuroplasticity in the brain. The brain is an incredibly complex and powerful organ. Each area of the brain serves a specific purpose and is interconnected. Neuroplasticity is the term used to describe the molding and shaping of the brain based on our experiences from the moment we are born. Mindfulness is defined as the “ability to pay total attention to the present moment with a nonjudgmental awareness of the inner and/or outer experiences.” Many studies have been conducted researching the brain and meditation. The findings from these studies …

The Business Of Human Trafficking, Elizabeth Kaczmarek

Honors Theses

Human trafficking has been a social justice issue that has been addressed in the past by many scholars in the social sciences fields and has recently started to be acknowledged by academics in business fields. Exploited labor assisted in building almost all civilizations and while is no longer as blatant as it once was, it is just as prevalent and the market is becoming more aware of the issue. As with profit performance and environmental sustainability, consumers are starting to demand that the third pillar of sustainability – people – be addressed by organizations. In this paper, the current status …

Free Trade As Neocolonialism: Cafta, The United States, And Guatemala, Margret Reuter

Honors Theses

In today’s world, free trade is seen as a forgone conclusion in the march towards economic development. The origin of free trade agreements rests in the neoliberalist surge of the twentieth century based upon finding a middle ground between central planning and laissez-faire capitalism. As the twentieth century progressed, neoliberalism and the ideas associated with it fell more to the side of laissez-faire capitalism. Free trade agreements between developed and developing countries demonstrate a play of power on behalf of the developed countries that seems unfair. There are stories that are not told about free trade agreements. Economic data analysis …

Synthetic Cannabinoids: Law Vs. Science, Melissa R. Sterling

Honors Theses

Synthetic cannabinoids are designer drugs which have been made to mimic the effects experiences by tetra-hydro-cannabinol (THC). These substances are sprayed on herbal blends and ingested through smoking. There are many different structures of synthetic cannabinoids because the Controlled Substance Act has outlawed certain structures. A chemist can alter an already known structure by changing a minor detail creating a new legal drug. The problem with these drugs is that they cause many adverse effects and are bad for public health. In order to decrease the use of these synthetic substances the legalization of marijuana is being considered. The issue …

Turn And Face The Strange: Science-Fiction, Fantasy, And Horror In The Work Of David Bowie, Victoria L. Dershem

Honors Theses

David Bowie, one of the most recognizable names in the history of modern music, is primarily famous due to his constantly reinvented public image and often flamboyant alter-egos. However, throughout all his distinct stylistic eras, the presence of science-fiction, fantasy, and horror themes has remained a constant characteristic of his work. It is found on stage and in the studio as a singer and musician, as well as on-screen in his theatrical and television career. This thesis explores how his personal fascination with these genres has influenced his career, through the inclusion of specific references to works of fiction in …

Centering The Right: Mapping The Queer Discourse Of The Family Research Council And Focus On The Family, Stephen C. Brown

Honors Theses

Religious Right organizations like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council have been known for their vitriolic discourse when it comes to the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) community. The ways in which they have discussed queer rights have characterized the LGB community as especially sinful and a threat to American society. Specifically targeting Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council, this paper looks at rhetorical strategies they have used when discussing gay rights. The paper identifies a significant shift in their discursive practices such that recently the LGB community is portrayed in a more sympathetic …

Identifying The Dna Sequence Requirements For A Synergistic Interaction Between Two Cis-Regulatory Elements, Kaitlyn R. Francis

Honors Theses

My thesis research studies the genetic material that is the blue print to make animal life. In animals, a key type of genetic material is sequences collectively referred to as cis-regulatory elements (CREs). These sequences control the expression of genes; more specifically they instruct when to turn “ON” or “OFF” the production of a gene’s functional product. My research investigates the interaction between the two CREs, the Anterior Element and the Dimorphic Element of the fruit fly species Drosophila melanogaster. These two CREs act synergistically to produce a pattern of expression for the bab1 and bab2 genes that differs …

Novel Neuroprotective Function Of Apical-Basal Polarity Gene Crumbs In Amyloid Beta 42 (Aβ42) Mediated Neurodegeneration, Andrew Steffensmeier

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s disease (AD, OMIM: 104300), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with no cure to date, is caused by the generation of amyloid-beta-42 (Aβ42) aggregates that trigger neuronal cell death by unknown mechanism(s). We have developed a transgenic Drosophila eye model where misexpression of human Aβ42 results in AD like neuropathology in the neural retina. We have identified an apical-basal polarity gene crumbs (crb) as a genetic modifier of Aβ42-mediated-neuropathology. Misexpression of Aβ42 caused upregulation of Crb expression, whereas, downregulation of Crb either by RNAi or null allele approach rescued the Aβ42-mediated-neurodegeneration. Co-expression of full length Crb with Aβ42 increased severity …

The Disney Evolution: Princesses As Positive Role Models, Alexandria Irene Lueke

Honors Theses

The Disney Corporation has strategically captivated the attention of audiences worldwide with their iconic animated motion pictures and, as a result, has an impact on children in most nations. Due to their iconic popularity, these works have been discussed and analyzed in great detail by many scholars. Many have criticized the films for their seemingly sexist and oppressive gender messages and find fault with the princesses serving as role models for young girls; they argue that oppressive characteristics and ideas are presented. However, when one closely examines the films and compares the characteristics of the princesses to the progressive female …

The Dayton Food System: Current Access To Food In Dayton And Future Possibilities, Katherine A. Liutkus

Honors Theses

Downtown Dayton and its surrounding areas are considered to be a food desert by the USDA, which means there is limited access to healthy foods within a .5 mile radius. The implications of this include driving further for groceries or turning to convenience stores for highly processed foods. This has created health concerns for the residents of Dayton, including obesity and diabetes. The purpose of this study was to understand the food system issues, their complexity and implications, and to understand what groups are currently doing to support the food system, and what is necessary to push the issues forward …

Developing Social Consciousness Through Multicultural Young Adult Literature, Megan R. Abbate

Honors Theses

In this study, the novels We Were Here and Mexican Whiteboy by Matt de la Pena and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, works which feature male protagonists struggling tolocate their multicultural identities, will be analyzed. This research will legitimize the use of multicultural young adult literature, specifically these three texts, in the classroom, despite the presence of controversial themes. This research will demonstrate the value of these texts due to their potential to foster social consciousness and aid the establishment of identity within a global context. This thesis will demonstrate ways in which young …

Story Telling: A Comparative Analysis Of Three Works By Michael Colgrass, Joseph Schwantner And Ross Lee Finney, Erick C. Von Sas

Honors Theses

This research project examines music by twentieth-century American composers Michael Colgrass, Joseph Schwantner, and Ross Lee Finney in order to compare how different composers present an aural conception to their audience through the wind ensemble medium. An aural conception is the subject upon which the music is commenting; sight (subject) through sound. The study includes an analysis of soundscapes- collections of sounds that form an acoustic representation of an action or objectin works created by Colgrass, Schwantner, and Finney. The project involves analyses of form, orchestration, and of the text, or story, about which the composer is writing. The works …

Resettled: A Portrait Of Bhutanese Refugees In Dayton, Ohio, Molly R. Winslow

Honors Theses

75 Bhutanese refugees have been resettled in Dayton, Ohio. Through an intensive case study with one Bhutanese refugee family and interviews with local refugee service providers the topics of English language acquisition, issues surrounding the job search and religion as both a community builder and insulator are examined.

Tissi, Anna Demmitt

Honors Theses

Tissi is a series of short stories depicting the lives of children living in Sudan through the genocide. There are three stories of pain and suffering that depict the lives of Yaya, Abit, and Tahir. Each child is forced to deal with the ill effects of the genocide. The stories conclude with a story of hope of one child who was able to get help in a refugee camp located in Tissi.

Literacy Instruction In Early Childhood Education: Ohio’S Third Grade Reading Guarantee, Jamie L. Dell

Honors Theses

This qualitative study’s purpose was to research effective literacy instruction in three separate primary classrooms. Three teachers were observed and interviewed as to how they are delivering best instruction in their respective classrooms. These observations were then compared with Gail Tompkins’ (2011) effective literacy educator statements as well as other best practice techniques. Once all of the data was collected, the primary investigator traced similarities throughout the three teachers and made five new additions to the collection of effective literacy educator statements by Gail Tompkins. Implications of this study include the impending Ohio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee which is an …

Job Design: A Human Approach Through Catholic Social Teaching And Job Design Theories, Thomas Decastra

Honors Theses

“Job Design: A Human Approach through Catholic Social Teaching and Job Design Theories” is a thesis that looks at the stories of job design theories and catholic social teaching in the last 150 years. Both stories are told and analyzed independently. The story of job design theories begins with Fredrick Taylor, moves to applied psychology, and finishes with contemporary practices that include lean production. The story of Catholic Social Teaching starts with Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, includes one document from Second Vatican Council, and three other papal encyclicals ending with Pope Benedict XVI’s Caritas in Veritate. Then …

Discrimination Against Disabled Persons In Malawi And The United States: A Comparative Study, Stephen Crum

Honors Theses

Physically disabled individuals experience hardships that are more severe than the general public in both Malawi, African and in the United States. Disabled Malawians and Americans experience lower employment rates and lower annual incomes than the general public. Additionally, there is a lower educational attendance rate among disabled individuals in each country. This study sought to determine what factors contributed to these educational and employment deficiencies in both countries. Possible factors for the deficit may include discrimination, poor infrastructure, or the severity of the physical disability. A survey was administered to students (N = 52) at the University of Dayton …

Transit As An Alternative Mode Of Transportation: A Case Study Of Its Usage, Availability, Patterns And Value For Non-Commuter Trips, Sara Hardman

Honors Theses

The mode of transportation a user picks impacts the environment, the social environment, and the user himself/herself. While research on alternative modes of transportation is prevalent in both the engineering and sociology fields, little attention has been given to the choices people make concerning how they run errands and other social trips, focusing instead on commuter trips. This case study examines three different shopping malls and the surrounding bus stops in order to determine the role distance plays in bus usage and the value that shopping centers place on access to local bus routes. Determination of the value and potential …

Upper Grade Level Literacy: Instructional Strategies For Struggling Readers, Claire M. Shaw

Honors Theses

Education research has shown that a quarter of eighth-grade students perform below basic reading proficiency. Despite this, reading instruction often ceases after eighth grade while text structure and content area language become more difficult. This research project focuses on studying strategies used for struggling readers in seventh through twelfth grade and includes a case study of a struggling reader in order to identify some of the characteristics and needs of struggling readers. This research synthesizes ideas from previous studies, analyzes teacher interviews for literacy instruction strategies and, in the case study, uses observation, primary source study, and reading assessments.

As Stable As The Dollar Stretches: The Impact Of Us Foreign Aid On Social Stability In Jordan, Jasmine Renee Jordan

Honors Theses

After the fall out of the Arab Spring in 2010, most of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa region suffered from extreme political, social, and economical instability. Usually, the citizens of these counties were revolting against the authoritarian regimes that have held power for decades. Jordan stands as the only obvious exception. How has Jordan maintained relative economic stability where others have failed? I have found that it is hard to judge the economic or social stability of Jordan without recognizing the large amounts of foreign aid Jordan has received from the US. This thesis asks what …

Power In Numbers? The Impact Of Female Formed Police Units On Women’S Empowerment, Laura Huber

Honors Theses

Advocates hailed the deployment of female formed police units (FFPUs), or all-female units, as part of UN peacekeeping missions as a groundbreaking achievement for women's empowerment. Three FFPUs have been deployed to Liberia, Timor-Leste, and Haiti. Supporters of FFPUs claim that female police are better peacekeepers, less prone to violence, and more responsive to sexual and gender based-violence. Furthermore, FFPUs are expected to act as role models, challenge gender stereotypes, and encourage local women to participate in the security sector. However, little systematic research has been conducted to evaluate these proposed beneficial impacts of FFPUs. Using feminist discourse analysis and …