Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Bank Consolidation On Small Business Lending In Mississippi, Matthew R. Johnson

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the effects of bank consolidation on small business lending at the county level in Mississippi. Throughout the last few decades, there have been many mergers and acquisitions within the U.S. banking industry. These mergers and acquisitions have caused concerns over access to credit by small businesses, especially in rural and under-served markets. To analyze these issues, this study constructs a county-year panel database that combines bank merger data provided by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) with small business lending data from the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) disclosures. Using a difference-in-differences framework, this paper analyzes how exposure …

It’S Up To The States: The Role Of State-Based Safety Net Programs In Maternal Health Outcomes, Brooklyn Hall

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between state-based safety net programs and maternal health outcomes in the United States. Using the case studies of five states, namely Mississippi, Alabama, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and California, this research examines how variations in programs such as Medicaid, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Paid Family Leave (PFL) influence maternal mortality rates and overall maternal health outcomes. The analysis shows that states with more generous and comprehensive safety net programs, like California and Minnesota, tend to report lower maternal mortality rates. In contrast, states with less robust programs, such …

From Sacred Harp To Byzantine Chant: Inculturation And Formation Of Orthodox Communion In Alaska, Ava Ortwein

Honors Theses

This thesis will explore how Eastern Orthodoxy has been embraced by some native Appalachians, which has led to a convergence of musical trends as a regional phenomenon. It argues that parts of Appalachia are embracing Orthodoxy, especially as noted through converging musical structures. Through an examination of countries which have accepted Orthodoxy, I emphasize inhabitants’ agency and free acceptance of the Eastern Church, especially through convergence of musical traditions. I also analyze lived experience in Sacred Music within this Appalachian Orthodox Context rather than formal music theory. The research incorporates a diverse range of scholars including ethnomusicologists, historians, Orthodox theologians, …

Transgender Representation In Fictional Media: A Content Analysis, Valerius A. Greenlaw

Honors Theses

Transgender (trans) representation in media continues to be an understudied subject. Most previous studies have focused on analyzing media without including transgender perspectives, making studies with trans participants scarce. In order to determine current perceptions of trans representation in fictional media, this cyber-ethnography collected discussion posts from r/asktransgender on Reddit to determine what trans people perceive as supportive and harmful representations. This study is guided by a novel theoretical integration of transgender theory and labeling theory. Trans theory and labeling theory suggest that the way characters are portrayed may reinforce or subvert current societal norms and impact the way trans …

The Influence Of Fermentation Duration And Secondary Fermentation Conditions On The Bioactive Compound Profile Of Kombucha, Jordan Vereen

Honors Theses

Kombucha is a fermented sweet tea produced using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) and has gained widespread popularity due to its proposed health benefits. Kombucha has been studied to understand these advantages in cardiovascular support, improved metabolism, increased antioxidant effects, enhanced antimicrobial properties, and even potentially slowing the progression of certain diseases. Despite its increasing popularity, the way in which the specific bioactive compounds responsible for these effects and the fermentation conditions that influence their production remain unclear. The present study, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Budner, focuses on quantifying bioactive compounds in kombucha to better understand …

Associations Between Levels Of Physical Activity And Cognitive Health, Gemma Goldenbaum

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between physical activity levels and executive function, specifically focusing on inhibitory control and working memory capacity. Though the benefits of exercise on brain health are well-documented, the extent of cognitive differences between sedentary individuals and elite student-athletes remains misunderstood. Eighty participants (ages 18–35) were categorized via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) into sedentary, low, and advanced activity tiers. Participants completed computational assessments, including the Operation Span (OSPAN) task for working memory and Go/No-Go tasks to measure response inhibition and implicit associations. Preliminary results indicated significant differences in sedentary behavior, …

Hyposense: Multimodal Physiologic And Voc Wearable For Early Hypoglycemia Detection, Nidhi R. Patel

Honors Theses

Hypoglycemia remains a significant safety concern for insulin-dependent individuals, especially when blood glucose declines rapidly during exercise, sleep, or periods of impaired hypoglycemia awareness. Current continuous glucose monitors and automated insulin delivery systems have helped to improve diabetes management, but these technologies primarily respond to glucose trends after they have already started and may not actually provide sufficient warning before symptoms occur. This thesis describes the development of HypoSense, a noninvasive wrist worn wearable concept that is designed to support earlier hypoglycemia risk detection through multimodal physiologic and volatile organic compound emission sensing. HypoSense combines volatile organic compounds/gas sensing with …

What Do We Owe A Drowning Coast? Examining Louisiana's Coastal Crisis Through The Lens Of Environmental Justice, Owen M. Plaisance

Honors Theses

This thesis argues that human contributions to Louisiana’s coastal land loss constitute a form of environmental injustice that cannot be adequately addressed through frameworks focused solely on aggregate welfare or distributive fairness. While utilitarian and Rawlsian approaches offer important insights, both are limited in capturing the full scope of harm caused by environmental degradation. In coastal Louisiana, land loss undermines not only economic resources and physical security but also the substantive freedoms required for individuals and communities to live meaningful and culturally rooted lives, while disrupting ecological systems and non-human flourishing. To address these limitations, the thesis develops the Capabilities …

A Survey Of Lichen Native To Three Of Mississippi’S National Forests, William S. Granberry Iii

Honors Theses

Lichens are a major part of the environment for telling the air quality and the impact humans have on the environment. These signs go into how many species of lichen are present in a general area, and there has been a lack of a list of lichens that call Mississippi their home. The goal of this research is to help create this list through a survey of lichen in three of Mississippi’s National Forests: DeSoto, Homochitto, and Holly Springs. These three forests are ideal because they cover differing ecosystems and are in different parts of the state, heightening the chance …

Identity, Masculinity, And Stigma: Understanding Barriers To Mental Health Care Among African American Men, Landon H. Jones

Honors Theses

African American men are documented to underutilize health care services. Although the reasons for this pattern are complex, research suggests that both historical mistrust of the medical system and sociocultural expectations of strength, rooted in intersecting racial and masculine identities, might play key roles. These same factors may also influence attitudes toward mental health care. In the study, 267 African American men were randomly assigned to listen to a brief pro-health message delivered by either an in-group community member, a religious figure, or a neutral control speaker. Participants completed measures of racial identity importance, conformity to masculine norms, anticipated stigma, …

Soil Conditions Impacting Geothermal Plant Communities In Yellowstone National Park, Karina Nordwald

Honors Theses

Soil acts as the foundation for a productive and functioning environment, by supporting plant life. Abiotic factors drive soil health and consequently influence vegetation. Geothermal activity affects vegetation through strong environmental filters from harsh conditions. Hydrothermal features in Yellowstone National Park represent a variety of naturally occurring extreme environments, where each hot spring ranges in temperature, pH, and overall chemical composition. This study investigates how these environmental drivers dictate vegetation communities, by focusing on the transition zones between geothermal activity and distance from the feature that moves toward increasingly “favorable” environments. By observing a variety of features throughout Yellowstone, we …

Waste Wood Biochar As A Potential Agricultural Soil Amendment, Gavin Rahl

Honors Theses

Biochar, as a technology, has and continues to be evaluated for a wide variety of purposes including drinking water treatment of heavy metals and air filtration for harmful contaminants. When evaluating the logging industry, a problem has emerged around residual wood waste (slash piles) in the field that biochar production may be able to address. Additionally, agriculture has begun to look for alternatives to nitrate heavy fertilizers that can cause eutrophication in waterways that biochar has the potential to address. In this study, the effect of biochar addition was assessed in agricultural fields with tight margin alfalfa/grass hay crops to …

Geochemistry And Occurrence Of Rare Earth Elements In Mine-Impacted And Natural Waters Of Montana, Matthew Vitale

Honors Theses

The occurrence and geochemical behavior of rare earth elements (REEs) in mine-impacted and natural waters of Montana are evaluated across a range of environments, including hard rock mining-impacted systems, coal-associated waters, and naturally occurring acid rock drainage (NARD). Understanding the abundance of REEs in secondary sources such as mine-impacted waters is critical for both environmental assessment and resource recovery. A comprehensive dataset of dissolved and total recoverable REE concentrations was analyzed to assess the influence of pH, total dissolved solids, and geologic setting on REE mobility and distribution. Results demonstrate a strong inverse relationship between pH and REE concentrations, with …

Analysis Of Rare Earth Element Enrichment In The Phosphoria Formation, Southwest Montana, Nicholas Risedorf

Honors Theses

The Phosphoria Formation is a world-class phosphate-producing paleobasin in the Rocky Mountains. It has produced over 230 Mt of commercial phosphate since the 1920s. Rare earth element (REE) mineralization in phosphorite was observed historically, but commercial recovery of REEs has not been reported. Increasing demand for domestic REE supply has made resource characterization a priority. This study investigates the distribution of REEs within the Phosphoria Formation across southwest Montana. Five sections of Retort Member from the Phosphoria were exposed to measure stratigraphy and collect samples for geochemical analysis. Historic mine sites and prospects were also visited to collect and analyze …

Autism In Real Life: Performance As Pedagogy And Advocacy, Paula Horton

Honors Theses

This thesis examines how autoethnographic performance can function simultaneously as public pedagogy and disability advocacy through the analysis of Autism in Real Life, a solo performance created and staged at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Drawing from performance studies, psychology, sociology, and disability studies, the project explores how embodied storytelling communicates autistic lived experience to audiences unfamiliar with autism. The performance combines narrative, humor, direct audience address, visual media, and accessibility-centered theatrical design to move beyond clinical representations of autism and toward a relational understanding grounded in neurodiversity and the social model of disability.

Using an autoethnographic performance methodology, this thesis …

The Missing Half: Gender-Based Gaps In Holocaust Remembrance, Lyndsey Gilbert

Honors Theses

This study examines the multi-modal methods of memorialization of female Holocaust victims as well as women's absences in Holocaust memorialization. It identifies patterns of representation and omission, examines which histories are preserved, and evaluates gaps in gender-based Holocaust memorials. For this study, memorialization encompasses not only honoring victims but also shaping historical narratives through data and artistic expression. Because the Holocaust targeted men, women, and children within certain categories of Nazi-identified enemies, its memorialization presents a complex dynamic; however, existing narratives and memory practices often prioritize male experiences.

This study examines key methods of memorializing female victims that play a …

Identifying The Cultural Significance Behind Local Study Sites Used By Marine Scientists, Mackenzie Anonick

Honors Theses

This project brings awareness to the cultural significance of places that scientists (specifically marine scientists associated with CCU) study and do field work at. It is important to be respectful of places you work in and understand what environment and land you are working with. It is also important to know your privilege when working in areas of less privilege. For example, CCU students travel to Bucksport on field trips, and the majority of them are not aware of the fact that Bucksport is a largely Black and lower income town that has extreme flooding issues that impact the residents …

Impacts Of Salinity On Microbial Enzyme Activity In Coastal Waters, Natali Ariyoshi

Honors Theses

Microbial extracellular enzymes are critical for the breakdown of organic matter and nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems. Extracellular enzyme activity serves as an indicator of nutrient turnover rates, metabolic states, and nutrient limitations within an ecosystem. Coastal ecosystems are especially dynamic as the influx of freshwater from inland runoff or seawater intrusion from storm surges can lead to fluctuations in salinity which can restructure microbial communities and alter enzymatic activity. Despite the ecological significance of these changes, few studies have explored the effects of short-term salinity shifts on microbial extracellular enzyme activity in coastal waters. This study investigated the effects …

Impacts Of Organic Matter On Laser Particle-Size Analysis Of Marsh Sediments, Alexander Powell

Honors Theses

Grain size analysis (GSA) is widely used in sedimentology and paleoenvironmental reconstruction; however, its utility can be constrained by the presence of organic matter. This study assesses the impact of organic matter through the analysis and comparison of untreated and hydrogen peroxide-treated samples. Organic-rich samples from the Thousand Acre marsh in Georgetown, SC, were subjected to three treatments: untreated, standard, and enhanced. Grain size distribution was measured for each of these treatments using a CILAS 1190 laser diffraction particle analyzer, and organic matter was quantified by loss-on-ignition (LOI). Results show that untreated samples are significantly coarser than treated samples, demonstrating …

Prematurity And Special Education: Raising Awareness Of The Connections Between Preterm Births And Special Education, Nadia R. Corder

Honors Theses

In this thesis, the goal was to find the link, if any, between prematurity and special education, with regards to probability of special education and outcomes, and to create a means of professional development for not only special education teachers about prematurity risks and effects on students but also parental education about the possible procedures of their child’s education. This is accomplished through the organization of infographic pamphlets for parents and an online professional development presentation. Both these formats are compliant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility parameters. A literature review was conducted to achieve this goal using …

Development Of A Putting Green Manufacturing Process, Jose Andres Cepeda Santiago

Honors Theses

Our Capstone project investigates the end-to-end design, development, and production of a 6‑foot long portable putting green marketed for individuals seeking a high quality, competitively priced golf product for home or office use. The capstone project examines the full lifecycle of product creation applying manufacturing principles learned through the center of manufacturing’s coursework. From the initial concept through engineering design, market research, prototyping, manufacturing optimization, and final production the project emphasizes cross‑functional collaboration across engineering, business, and accountancy majors. Methods used to gather data included marketing surveys, CAD drawings, time studies during production runs, value stream mapping, and controlled documentation …

Development Of A Putting Green Manufacturing Process, Avalon R. Madden

Honors Theses

Our Capstone project investigates the end to end design, development, and production of a 6‑foot long portable putting green marketed for individuals seeking a high quality, competitively priced golf product for home or office use. The capstone project examines the full lifecycle of product creation applying manufacturing principles learned through the center of manufacturing’s coursework. From the initial concept through engineering design, market research, prototyping, manufacturing optimization, and final production the project emphasizes cross‑functional collaboration across engineering, business, and accountancy majors. Methods used to gather data included marketing surveys, CAD drawings, time studies during production runs, value stream mapping, and …

The Design And Manufacturing Process Of The Concealed Shelf, Emma R. Freeman

Honors Theses

The Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence (CME) at the University of Mississippi challenges students to manufacture a product and put forth a balanced manufacturing line in a senior capstone project. The chosen product was a concealed shelf, or a shelf with a hidden compartment. The team aimed to design a product, formulate a project plan, analyze the market, conduct financial analysis, develop a prototype, establish a manufacturing process, and demonstrate that process in two production runs. The team used tools such as Computer Aided Design (CAD), market surveys, jig creation, and line balancing to accomplish these tasks. After two …

"En Papel,” Not In Practice: Indigenous Autonomy And The Structural Barriers To Land And Resource Control In Bolivia, Andrew F. Purcell

Honors Theses

This thesis examines why Bolivia’s 2009 plurinational constitution—despite its strong recognition of Indigenous autonomy, collective territory, and prior consultation—often produces rights that remain “en papel” rather than in practice. Based on one month of fieldwork in Tumupasa, Chojasivi, La Paz, El Alto, and Santa Cruz, the study draws on interviews, participant observation, and NGO documents to analyze the structural barriers that prevent constitutional guarantees from becoming enforceable governance tools. This gap between recognition and implementation structures the central research question: why do Bolivia’s constitutional and legal protections for indigenous land and resource rights function as symbolic guarantees rather than enforceable …

Stridevision: Automated Detection Of Running Form Deviations From 2d Pose Estimation And Machine Learning, Paulina Eguibar Ortega

Honors Theses

Running gait analysis plays a critical role in injury prevention and performance optimization, however, existing approaches often rely on specialized laboratory equipment or wearable sensors with limited interpretability. Recent advances in computer vision, particularly 2D human pose estimation, enable markerless motion analysis from standard video. However, progress remains constrained by the lack of publicly available datasets designed for running form analysis.

In this work, we introduce a preliminary dataset and benchmark for stride-level running gait analysis. The dataset consists of 73 treadmill running videos from 15 participants with varying experience levels, annotated with over 4,600 stride-level labels across multiple biomechanical …

Windows Of Developmental Susceptibility To Tetrahydrocannabivarin (Thcv) Reveal Stage-Dependent Morphological And Biological Effects, Mirielle Clayton

Honors Theses

Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), a minor cannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa, is gaining attention for its potential therapeutic applications, yet its effects on early development remain poorly understood. This study investigated how the timing of THCV exposure influences morphological, behavioral, and bioaccumulation outcomes in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Embryos were exposed to 2 μM THCV during discrete developmental windows (6–30, 30–54, 54–78, 78–102) and continuous 6–102 hours post-fertilization (hpf), designed to model early stages of human gestation. Behavioral analysis using a larval photomotor response assay revealed significant reductions in locomotor activity during dark phases, with the strongest hypoactivity observed …

Consumer Reaction To Olympic Sponsorships, Bailey R. Wood

Honors Theses

The Olympic Games are the world’s premier sporting event, hosting athletes from 206 countries every four years. The Ancient Games date back over 3,000 years in what is now modern-day Greece. The “Classical Games” consisted of a single foot race, the “stade,” and eventually grew to include long-distance running, wrestling, long jump, javelin throw, and discus throw (Abrahams, n.d.). Now, the Games are split into summer and winter sports, with the Summer Olympic hosting 329 medal events and the Winter Olympics 116. Due to the size and magnitude of this event, the Olympic Games are broadcast all over the world, …

Analyzing Best Practices In Large-Scale Digital Archaeological Databases, Chloe M. Vizier

Honors Theses

Archaeological databases, the foundation of archaeological analyses, have changed drastically alongside the rise of new digital tools in the twenty-first century. Digital databases, alongside other digital tools, must therefore be evaluated for their efficiency and effectiveness within the field. This thesis seeks to determine a set of best practices within large-scale digital archaeological databases through analyzing an existing example: The Paleoindian Database of the Americas (PIDBA). PIDBA is composed of multiple state-level datasets, a trait that both invited collaboration and creates discrepancies in data entry. Though examining both PIDBA's user-facing website and one of its most robust state-level datasets, the …

Perception Of Asset Price Bubbles In Graphical Data, Cooper P. Vining

Honors Theses

This thesis studies how individuals judge asset price paths and bubbles from graphical data. It primarily investigates whether individuals can differentiate simulated asset price paths that are generated from pure random walks, and graphs that have a bubble element. This question is important because inventors and ordinary people often interpret price paths visually.

To test this, the project creates simulated asset price paths using random walks and bubble multipliers. The survey has four types of graphs: pure random walks, random walks with a 25% bubble, random walks with a 50% bubble, and random walks with a 75% bubble. The graphs …

Honors Accounting Thesis, John Cordia

Honors Theses

This thesis includes a variety of topics related to public accounting. I completed a series of six case studies completed during the Accountancy Honors Professional Development course at the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. In this course, Dr. Victoria Dickinson often challenged her students to “think like an auditor.” The variety of cases coupled with the auditor mindset allowed me to gain a brief understanding of financial reporting and public accounting before I had any practical experience. In the group cases revolved around Home Depot and General Mills, we analyzed their 10-ks, pulled relevant information from reliable sources, and developed …