Digital Commons Network^™

The Implementation Of The Therapeutic Alliance In Aphasia Rehabilitation Research: A Narrative Review, Shelby Swiercz

Honors Theses

Background: The therapeutic alliance (TA), defined as the collaborative relationship between clinician and client, is widely recognized as a key factor influencing rehabilitation outcomes. However, within aphasia rehabilitation, its role remains underexplored and inconsistently measured

Methods: This narrative review examined peer-reviewed studies published between 1990 and 2025 that focused on adult aphasia rehabilitation and addressed the client-clinician relationship. Studies were identified through database searches, including PubMed, CINAHL, ComDisDome, EBSCO, and Google Scholar, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Most of the studies employed qualitative methodologies, particularly thematic analysis and semi-structured interviews, to explore patient and clinician perspectives. The therapeutic alliance …

Development Of A Preclinical Model That Can Be Used To Test Novel Therapeutics For The Treatment Of Mild And Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury, Hayden Anderson

Honors Theses

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs when a foreign object induces damage to the skull and brain through a forceful blow or whiplash. It is one of the most frequent injuries in the United States, with approximately 250,000 cases of different levels occurring annually. It is well known that severe TBIs can result in persistent physical, cognitive, and socioeconomic consequences and the timing of treatment following this injury can play a critical role in the ultimate outcome. It would be beneficial to develop a safe therapeutic that could be administered rapidly after impact and improve the recovery of the patient. However, …

How Additive Manufacturing Is Changing The Automotive Industry, Gavin B. Schumacher

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Repurposing An Old Pc Into A Self-Hosted Cloud And Media Server, Riley Biggins

Honors Theses

Commercial cloud platforms rely heavily on subscription models, so everyday users fall into a "cloud trap" summarized by perpetual fees, forfeited privacy, and a lack of true asset ownership. At the same time, functioning consumer electronics get discarded as e-waste when they fail to meet the hardware requirements of modern operating systems. This project presents a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to both issues by repurposing a 2017 HP Pavilion laptop into a personal cloud and media server.

Despite severe hardware constraints, my software architecture rivals the utility of paid services. By replacing Windows with a headless installation of Ubuntu Server, …

Cultivating The Future: The Similarities Between Thomas Jefferson And Voltaire's Candide, Natalie Craft

Honors Theses

Thomas Jefferson and Voltaire’s character Candide (the main character in his 1759 novella, Candide), possessed striking similarities in both their lives and their characters, and the understanding of one man is ultimately enhanced by studying the other. This thesis analyzes three of these similarities in three separate sections, which includes internal conflict, utopia, and gardening.

Jefferson and Candide both battled an internal conflict, represented by the head and the heart for Jefferson and pessimism and optimism for Candide, but their responses in the midst of it were the same as well, most notably when they both acted impulsively in their …

Navigating Study Abroad: Improving Western Michigan University Students' Understanding Of University-Approved Provider Programs Through A Website Redesign, Gillian Gold

Honors Theses

Study abroad is a valuable opportunity for students' personal and professional development and is offered in various study abroad models and frameworks, including university-run or externally-run. Western Michigan University offers various options, including Faculty-Led Programs, WMU Exchange Programs, Partner Study Abroad Programs, University-Approved Provider Programs, International Internships, and Independent Study Abroad Opportunities. The University-Approved Provider Programs option at WMU allows students to study abroad through a provider that could more directly meet their interests and goals due to the personalized options available. Despite the benefits of the University-Approved Provider Programs, participation in these programs is low. The information about this …

How Mindfulness And Yoga Practices Are Implemented In Occupational Therapy, Madeline Roberts

Honors Theses

The application of yoga and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in occupational therapy (OT) and their effects on occupational, cognitive, emotional, and physical outcomes are examined in this literature review. Occupational therapy is a comprehensive, client-based field that helps people engage in everyday activities to improve overall well-being, health, and independence. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in using mindfulness-based interventions in occupational therapy, as they align with OT's focus on well-being and quality of life. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, WMU Library Search, and ScienceDirect to identify peer-reviewed research on mindfulness-based interventions, yoga, and occupational …

Nonprofit Foodbank Social Media Marketing, Grace Mulock

Honors Theses

This social media marketing plan was developed for Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes (KLF), a nonprofit food bank in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The purpose of this plan is to strengthen the organization’s social media presence and utilization through strategic integration, expanded organizational reach, and consistent branding. The plan includes a situation analysis, SWOT analysis, social media audit, audience analysis, evaluation of KLF’s current social media presence via Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, analysis of audience demographics, and the development of a Social Media Big Idea that outlines strategic changes. Although established with strong community partnerships and positive reputation, opportunities exist to increase awareness …

Price Dispersion In Online Markets Increases During Periods Of Higher Demand As Firms Use Dynamic Pricing Strategies To Maximize Revenue Under Demand Uncertainty., Brooke Stewart

Honors Theses

This study investigates the phenomenon of price dispersion in online retail markets during high-demand periods, focusing on the role of dynamic pricing under conditions of demand uncertainty. Although online markets operate in a transparent way, and consumers find it cheap to search them, the price dispersion phenomenon, when the same product is sold at varying prices by various vendors, persists. The study discusses the case of higher dispersion of prices in high-demand times like holidays, sales events, or shortages of goods when there is uncertainty about the future demand, causing dynamic pricing models. In analyzing the price of 25 the …

Disparities In Policing Through The Lens Of Indigenous Communities In Michigan: A Research Proposal, Abigail Ruddle

Honors Theses

This study examines the historical and contemporary factors shaping relationships between Indigenous communities and law enforcement in the United States, with a specific focus on tribal nations in Michigan. Using a historical framework that includes treaty-making, forced removal, and evolving legal decisions, this research examines the use of treaties and diplomacy to initiate new socio-political structures in Native American communities. Similarly, the emergence of policing in the United States impacted the relationship between law enforcement and Indigenous communities by creating hostility and distrust. The existing literature highlights themes of police violence and the paradoxical nature of over-policing and under-policing in …

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (Acl) Injuries In Female Athletes: Implications For Prevention And Rehabilitation, Natalie Amm

Honors Theses

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common lower limb injuries and pose significant physical, psychological, and long-term functional challenges for athletes. Additionally, research has suggested that females are up to eight times more likely to experience an ACL injury than their male counterparts. This increased risk is multifactorial with risks including anatomical structure, neuromuscular control, strength deficits, and hormonal fluctuations. However, the elevated risk of ACL injuries in female athletes may not solely be caused by biological differences, but also due to training programs and sports being designed around male athletes. This pushes us to change the …

“As Though You Could Never Sink”: Gender Euphoria Through Aquatic Embodiment In The Sun Also Rises, Devan Edwards

Honors Theses

Recent scholarship in disability studies and queer theory (2007-2024) reveals that Jake Barnes's war wound in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises functions as something more complex than tragic loss. This paper argues that Jake's swimming and fishing scenes constitute moments of gender euphoria, a term borrowed from contemporary transgender studies, enabled specifically by aquatic embodiment. In these scenes, water functions as the physical and symbolic medium through which Jake's war-wounded body transcends the performative demands of 1920s heteronormative masculinity. Building on Michael Anesko's provocative reading of Jake as "accidentally transgendered" (Literature and Medicine, 2015) and Martina Kübler's argument that impotence …

Modulating Acute Stress Reactivity: Behavioral Interventions And Caffeine-Linked Stress Physiology In College Students, Kaitlyn Smith

Honors Theses

College students frequently rely on caffeine to manage academic demands, yet its physiological and psychological effects on acute stress remain poorly understood. Although caffeine is known to increase cardiovascular arousal and self‑reported anxiety, little research has compared different caffeine sources within the same individuals or examined whether brief behavioral interventions can buffer these effects. Self‑affirmation, a short writing exercise centered on personal values, has been shown to reduce stress reactivity, but its interaction with caffeine‑induced arousal has not been tested. This within‑subjects study examines how coffee, energy drinks, and a no‑caffeine control influence acute cardiovascular and self‑reported stress responses, and …

Experimental Investigation Of Mode-Ii Interlaminar Fatigue Damage In Stitched And Unstitched End-Notched Flexure Carbon Fiber Composites, Madelyn Sloan Berry

Honors Theses

Composite materials are increasingly used in aerospace structures due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, but their susceptibility to interlaminar fatigue damage remains a critical concern, particularly under mode-II shear loading. This study investigates the fatigue behavior of stitched and unstitched quasi-isotropic carbon fiber composite specimens made of SAERTEX Class-75 non-crimp fabrics and Hexcel 1078-1 epoxy via vacuum assisted resin transfer molding. Global fatigue behavior was analyzed using displacement and crack length cycle relationships derived from compliance calibration methods (CCM), while local behavior was examined using digital image correlation (DIC). Unstitched specimens exhibited a single rapid crack growth associated with unstable …

Rationale Behind Subtitle Usage In Non-Deaf Individuals Across Various Platforms, Jenna E. Kasselman

Honors Theses

Subtitles have a long history with the medium of audiovisual communication. Options for viewing media with added text have only increased with technology, and in the age of the internet, more accessible material is available than ever before. While numerous studies have been conducted on the beneficial effects of subtitles for both the deaf and the hearing, little academic publication has been done on the rates of subtitle usage, reasons for usage, and how that usage differs based on what media is being viewed. The current study examines subtitle usage, frequency of subtitle usage, and reasoning for that usage divided …

Blockchain Technology In Supply Chain, Travis Thorhaug

Honors Theses

The global supply chain has become increasingly complex and important in recent years. As businesses try to make more money, they are searching every aspect to save costs. This study aims to evaluate whether blockchain technology such as the XRP Ledger (DLT) paired with RippleNet can improve cross-border payments within a company’s supply chain. Using a qualitative research approach of analyzing current systems like SWIFT and the correspondent banking network, new technology, and present-day case studies, we can see that businesses have been experiencing an old system that is costly, slow, and inefficient. Additionally, the findings show the significant advantages …

Currents Of Culture: Exchange And Interaction In Early Cycladic Greece, Megan Garrett

Honors Theses

In this paper, trade networks and cultural exchange during the Greek Late Neolithic, Final Neolithic, and the Early Bronze Age will be tracked to better understand cultural interaction, seen through material parallels and synchronicities. Dating between the 5th and 3rd millennia BC, cultural practices will be traced geographically and through material cultures around the Cycladic islands, mainland Greece, and into the Aegean, specifically the exchange networks that include Euboea across each of these periods. Euboea is the second largest island in the Cyclades and is directly east of mainland Attica. Based on previous research, the Early Bronze Age material in …

An Examination Of The Value Of Study Abroad When Learning A Foreign Language: A Study Of Differing Student Outcomes. To What Extent Does Studying Abroad Enhance A Language Learning Experience?, Julie Syler

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to articulate the importance of learning a foreign language and examine the value of studying abroad when learning a foreign language, by conducting qualitative research on different study abroad experiences. There is an ongoing discussion of the importance of foreign language learning and whether or not it is a beneficial endeavor. This literature review explores the benefits of foreign language learning to demonstrate their impact and how they occur when studying abroad. Furthermore, this investigation examines how and why study abroad experiences promote language acquisition. The improvements in communication and understanding in a foreign …

Disbanded Brand Identity Expansion, Gabriel Stacey

Honors Theses

This senior thesis explores and expands the visual

identity of my clothing brand, Disbanded, into a cohesive, end-to-end customer experience. My thesis focuses on premium packaging for custom-ordered clothing, a redesigned e-commerce website, and an aspirational retail space that translates my brand values into a physical space.

Right now, many small clothing brands lack expressive mailers, templated websites, and booth setups, which makes the brand feel less distinct and less “premium,” even when product quality is high. My thesis addresses how a consistent visual identity across packaging, digital, and spatial design can build trust, communicate value, and create a more …

The Lost Reader: Temptation, Free Will, And Morality In Paradise Lost And Undertale, Serena Hope Labello

Honors Theses

This paper demonstrates that video games expand on a reader’s literary experience and should be characterized as literary artifacts. My thesis research project explores free will and temptation as originally reflected in John Milton’s epic, Paradise Lost, and in Undertale, a 2015 video game where players change the trajectory of the game with their use of free will. Critics of both texts have commented on how the structure of the epic poem and the game place the reader or player in a position to make moral choices. Stanley Fish’s critique of Paradise Lost claims that the reader will fall to …

Real Horror: The Supernatural And Its Connection To Abuse In Late 20th Century Horror, John Sebastian

Honors Theses

Horror authors from the late 20th century explain the turmoil of domestic and childhood abuse through supernatural elements to represent the loss of autonomy of victims. Several horror authors from the late 20th century showcase abuse through the supernatural not to exploit the experiences of victims of abuse but allow for spaces for readers to encounter truly horrifying stories and process them. Works explored include Stephen King’s The Shining and Carrie, as well as Ira Levin’s Rosemary's Baby and William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist.

The Evolution And Impact Of Fashion Marketing In The Age Of Social Media, Lillie L. Warrington

Honors Theses

This research paper aims to analyze the effect of social media on consumer behavior in fashion marketing by investigating how fashion brands have adapted their strategies to leverage social media platforms effectively and exploring the role of social media influencers in shaping brand perception and consumer loyalty. By addressing these objectives, this research seeks to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on digital marketing in the fashion industry, offering valuable insights.

The study will be conducted through a comprehensive review of existing research and primary research, including a survey of 143 participants, to better understand how social media affects …

Influence Of Sigb And Environmental Food Conditions On The Susceptibility Of Listeria Monocytogenes To Eugenol And Clove Oil, Ariana Perram

Honors Theses

Reports of Listeria monocytogenes foodborne infections continue to persist throughout the general population despite regulatory cleaning, disinfection, and recall efforts. Recently, there has been a noticeable consumer shift toward a preference for natural preservatives, disinfectants, and produce washes which utilize plant-based essential oils (EOs) as their antimicrobial agent. Clove oil and its primary component, eugenol, have been widely used in these household products and have been shown to exhibit antimicrobial activity against various pathogens, including L. monocytogenes. However, there is still much unknown about how bacterial stress responses and environmental storage conditions affect the susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes to …

A Study Exploring Negative Outcomes Associated With Adolescent Adhd And Parenting Excluding Co-Occurring Conduct Problems, Kaitlyn Lancia

Honors Theses

Previous research has suggested a link between ADHD and experiencing negative outcomes in adolescence. These include mental health issues, substance use problems, and especially social dysfunction. Additionally, prior research has discovered high comorbidity rates of certain behavioral disorders, like Conduct Disorder (CD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), with ADHD. Furthermore, other research has focused on the transactional influences between ADHD and parenting. Existing research has been limited by conduct problems being a possible confounding variable and the lack of longitudinal studies. The current study attempts to combat these limitations by separating conduct problems from ADHD symptoms and using a longitudinal …

Does The Existence Of Multiple Color Variants Aid In Predator Avoidance For A Common Frog In Southwestern Ohio?, Adelyn Elizabeth Hughes

Honors Theses

Cryptic coloration allows animals to blend in effectively to their backgrounds, reducing the probability of predator detection. Blanchard’s Cricket Frog (Acris blanchardi), is a small, diurnally active frog that can be found across the Midwestern United States. This species exhibits a color polymorphism, with some individuals entirely brown in dorsal coloration, while others have a dorsal stripe that is typically green in coloration. Whether these different colors influence this species ability to blend in better across natural background types, remains unknown. In this study, I investigated whether these different color patterns aid in camouflage and predator avoidance. To …

The Effect Of The Environment On Perceived Distance, Elijah Turner

Honors Theses

Despite our certainty that we experience the world as it really is, humans' perception of the world is not accurate in its entirety. People’s biases play a significant role in their perception of their environments. Researchers have sought to determine exactly how and why human biases impact perceptions, focusing on how biases related to a target (person, animal, object, etc.) impact people’s perception of said target, more specifically, the perceived distance to that target. This is important in understanding situations where, in order to interact with (or avoid) a target person, one must perceive the physical distance between oneself and …

Nazi Germany And Humanities Education As Propaganda, Sam Marie Smith

Honors Theses

One of the Third Reich’s most significant actions in their pursuit of the consolidation of power was the Gleichschaltung, in which all cultural, social, political, and economic goals were subordinated to that of the goals of the Nazi party. One of the most dramatic shifts to take place in the process of Gleichschaltung was in the realm of academia, where legitimate pedagogical and educational imperatives were overshadowed by an emphasis on perpetuating the Nazi regime’s agenda, especially racial ideology, even with the youngest students. While educators in the Third Reich carried this out in all subject areas, this project focuses …

Crossing Borders: Ways To Address Oral Health Disparities In Guatemala And U.S. Latinx Communities, Yeimi Bartolon Perez

Honors Theses

Oral health disparities remain a significant global public health concern, particularly among economically and socially marginalized populations. This study investigates the structural, socioeconomic, and cultural determinants that influence access to dental care across these two populations. Guatemala represents a context where poverty, limited healthcare infrastructure, and geographic isolation restrict access to preventive dental services, often resulting in treatment-seeking only during advanced stages of disease. In contrast, Hispanic/Latinx communities in the United States encounter barriers shaped by language differences, lack of dental insurance, immigration-related concerns, and systemic inequities within the healthcare system. This research employs a mixed-methods approach that integrates secondary …

Em-Vrp: Energy-Minimizing Vehicle Routing Planning For Maneuver-Aware Uav Routing, Ryan Kuederle

Honors Theses

Advanced UAV missions, such as infrastructure inspection and disaster-zone sensing, are fundamentally constrained by limited onboard battery capacity. Conventional flight planners typically optimize for shortest distance, despite the fact that maneuver-dependent energy costs vary substantially and make distance a poor proxy for power consumption. This thesis develops an energy-centric routing framework that applies an action-weighted energy heuristic to formulate and solve an Energy-Minimized Vehicle Routing Problem (EM-VRP). In addition, it examines the joint optimization of vehicle energy expenditure and data freshness to ensure timely revisitation of spatial nodes. The framework is implemented through custom mission-planning software and validated on physical …

The Impact Of Photo-Id Laws On The Youth Electorate, Jakob A. Burdick

Honors Theses

Voting access among young adults has become an increasingly important issue in recent U.S. elections, particularly as turnout among voters aged 18–24 has risen in several recent election cycles. However, this age group faces unique challenges to the voting system, many of which are overlooked or intentionally written in a way to limit their participation. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study will analyze both quantitative data, such as voter turnout statistics, and qualitative data, including survey responses from college students at the University of Dayton. The survey will employ both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, allowing for the analysis …