Digital Commons Network^™

Enhancing Emergency Response To The Active Shooter With Nims, Edwin A. Vazquez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the following study is to identify components of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) that can be used to improve first responder deployment in critical incidents, such as in the occurrence of an Active Shooter (AS) and Active Deadly Threat (ADT). The Incident Command System (ICS), a component of NIMS, is the on-scene emergency management organization designed to aid in managing resources during planned and unplanned catastrophic events. An AS/ADT incident is typically planned by the perpetrator and unexpected to first responders, leaving them with limited time to respond to and neutralize this type of threat effectively. …

Exploring The Intellectual Leadership Of Women In Higher Education Through Obituaries, Nathaniel John Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined intellectual leadership in higher education and applied it to women, in general, and African and Latin American women, specifically, using obituaries. The researcher provided an explanation of intellectual leadership and how the term is defined in the literature. This study was a replication of Macfarlane and Chan’s (2014) study of intellectual leadership in higher education using obituaries. The researcher looked to provide an answer to the following research question: What are the variables that limit opportunities for women, in general, and African and Latin American women, specifically, to become intellectual leaders in higher education? The researcher used …

Panopticon Farming: The Use Of Satellite Imagery For Supervision In Bulgarian Agricultural Subsidy Management, Desislava Stoycheva Stoeva

Theses and Dissertations

With the widespread availability of affordable satellite imagery on demand and enhanced image analytics, satellite technology has gradually entered various public and private sectors in Eastern Europe. In particular, it has been implemented to streamline some outdated assessment processes in the agriculture sector, largely decreasing the cost, time, and effort associated with in-person compliance checks for subsidy funds. While in theory this substitution is an enhancement, consistent with the ongoing digitalization of farming in this region of Europe, certain aspects of this transition could be problematic for the individuals observed. This form of satellite supervision has granted governing institutions an …

Shaping The Future: Exploring Motivations And Challenges In Asian American Teachers’ Career Choices, Jea Lizz Noonan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations and reasons behind why Asian Americans choose to enter the field of education as professionals. Additionally, this research could help identify any obstacles or challenges that Asian Americans face when choosing to enter the teaching profession. To guide the study, three research questions were developed: (1) What are the personal, cultural, and societal factors that influence Asian Americans’ decision to become teachers?, (2) What are the most significant challenges and barriers, in the eyes of Asian educators in the state of New Jersey, to entering the teaching profession and remaining …

Trust, Self-Efficacy, And Purpose At Work Among Teachers In Vietnam, Thomas J. Minunno

Theses and Dissertations

A sense of purpose and meaning in work among teachers is a vital resource protecting against burnout, reducing anxiety and depression, and enhancing student engagement in the classroom (Boreham & Schutte, 2023; Lavy, 2022). The inherently social nature of schools prompts investigation into social predictors of purpose at work among teachers, including feelings of trust. The specific relationship between trust in one’s colleagues and administration and one’s sense of purpose at work among teachers in Vietnam is unexplored in empirical literature. We examine trust as a predictor of purposefulness at work and self-efficacy as a potential mediator of this relationship …

Lost In The System: Child Sex Trafficking In Foster Care, Jennifer L. Monaghan

Theses and Dissertations

“The true character of society is revealed in how it treats its children.” – Nelson Mandela Human trafficking has always existed. It spans the globe and has always been an epidemic. It is often referred to as a crime hidden in plain sight. The sexual exploitation of children in foster care is a topic within the field of sex trafficking that has not been explored enough in research. This research study focuses on the question, “How can placing a child in foster care make them susceptible to becoming a victim of child sex trafficking?” This research study has 132 female …

The Effect Of Working Memory On Psychological Hardiness: The Moderating Effect Of Stress And Motivation, Sarah Joy Labarbera

Theses and Dissertations

Psychological Hardiness is a resilience personality trait with extensive empirical evidence of its combative effects against stress (Bartone et al., 2008; Oliver, 2009; Johnsen et al., 2013). However, the cognitive processes underlying this skill are not well understood. Understanding the mechanisms of resiliency is imperative for all human persons to succeed, especially those involved in high-stress occupations. This study will investigate the relationship between working memory capacity and psychological hardiness, as well as assess stress and motivation as potential moderating variables. We hypothesized that 1) Higher vs. Lower levels of working memory capacity (WMC) will predict higher levels of Hardiness, …

Opening Pandora’S Black Box In The Nexus Of Media, Consciousness And Ai, Gad Karmi

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the intersection of media, artificial intelligence, and consciousness through an ethnographic analysis spanning 1940-2024. The study introduces the concept of "Darrative" as a framework for understanding how consciousness processes information, challenging traditional rational choice theory while extending beyond Fisher's narrative paradigm. A key contribution is the development of the "Thinking System" model, demonstrating how information processing occurs through darrative frameworks. The methodology employs Latour's actor-network theory to examine how scientific knowledge is constructed and stabilized through networks of human and non-human actors. Using a systematic Boolean search through academic databases, the study initially identified 15 relevant peer-reviewed …

Promoting Student Racial/Ethnic Diversity: An Explanatory Sequential Study Among Higher Education Administrators, Seabelo Chabo John

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods explanatory sequential study explored how administrators can promote student racial/ethnic diversity in higher education. Phase 1 determined quantitatively if schools with diverse full-time faculty have diverse students. Participants were 1,464 four-year degree-granting Carnegie-classified undergraduate institutions from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). These schools employed 557,858 full-time faculty and admitted 12,007,388 students. Phase 2 explored administrators’ perspectives on racial/ethnic diversity in higher education through narrative interviews. Participants were 10 full-time administrators responsible for hiring faculty, recruiting students, and managing campus climate. Quantitative results revealed that schools with diverse faculty have diverse students. Qualitative results indicated that ongoing, …

African American Executive Leaders And Positive Psychology: Exploring The Nexus Of Executive Leadership And African American Literature, Van Havercome

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this narrative study was to explore the experiences that African Americans have in executive leadership positions within higher education. The participants in this study identified as African Americans, with a doctorate, who held an executive leadership position in higher education. The colleges and universities where the participants were employed were predominantly White institutions on the East and West Coast regions of the United States. A narrative research model was utilized to collect stories of the participants’ lived experiences as executive leaders who used positive psychology to overcome barriers within their positions. In addition, the executive leaders made …

Extracurricular Activity Involvement As A Protective Factor For Adolescent Delinquency For Youth Exposed To Parental Alcohol And/Or Drug Dependency, Faith Ippoliti

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated whether extracurricular involvement in adolescence serves as a protective factor against adolescent delinquency for youth exposed to parental alcohol and/or drug dependency in early childhood. While previous research has established parental substance use as a risk factor for adolescent delinquency, less is known about whether extracurricular activities moderate this association. The present study included a subsample of 3,251 youth (n = 1,662 boys, 1,589 girls) from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a probability sample of births in large US cities (> 200,000) between 1998 and 2000. Parental alcohol and/or drug dependency was …

Historical Literacy For Preservice Secondary Social Studies Teachers In The State Of Connecticut: A Phenomenological Study, Vincent J. Gaccione Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Despite a recent shift in focus from content area literacy to disciplinary literacy in preservice teacher (PST) preparation programs, historical literacies training for prospective secondary social studies teachers has remained limited in the State of Connecticut. Historical literacies are defined as the discipline-specific reading and writing skills of historians and other social scientists. In this phenomenological study, I describe the lived experiences of several recent PST program graduates who are currently teaching secondary social studies in the State of Connecticut and report on the essence of this phenomenon. Grounded in communities of practice (CoP) theory, I administered open-ended qualitative surveys …

Beyond The Border: Analyzing The Role Of Unjust U.S Policies In Shaping The Migrant Crisis In New York City., Elvita Bouzy

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how unjust and dysfunctional U.S. immigration laws have shaped the migrant crisis in New York City, particularly during the 2022-2024 influx of migrants, through the lens of Critical Race Theory (CRT). It explores how racialized immigration policies, systemic inequities, and rising nativism have intensified challenges faced by migrants from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and other marginalized regions. The study examines political opposition and media portrayals since the mid-1980s that hindered immigration reform, exposing a flawed system lacking adequate legal pathways. This inadequate framework has fueled discrimination and worsened asylum seekers' hardships. Driven by nativist sentiment and …

Unraveling The Roots: A Historical And Sociocultural Perspective Of Family Literacy Practices And Parent Involvement In Black Communities Through A Critical Lens, Tasean D. Baldwin

Theses and Dissertations

Family literacy plays an essential role in a child's educational journey by laying the foundation for their academic success and shaping their attitudes toward learning. Social and cultural factors influence the value of literacy and education within families and communities. In Black communities, literacy has significant social and cultural influences, acting as a tool for resistance, empowerment, cultural preservation, identity formation, community building, and social and economic mobility while also historically facing obstacles due to systemic and institutional racism, which continues to impact access to education, resources, and opportunities today. This qualitative study explores the relationship between home and school …

Gastronomy At The Heart Of Communication: A Locus Of Human Conviviality, Victoria M. O’Keefe

Theses and Dissertations

The significance of food over time is central to humanity and can aid in making people humane in a myriad of ways. This study seeks to (a) define the role of food in communication across sectors of global society and in the media realm (b) by analyzing a data set of all food related publications of the flagship magazine of UNESCO, The Courier, (c) through ethnographic study and inductive coding, I draw themes and trends that alter food communication from a multinational organization and pass the content through a theoretical lens and Large Language Model tool, to (d) illuminate implications …

Breath, Body, And The Blank Page: An Autoethnographic Approach To Embodied Writing Practices In First-Year Writing, Kristen Garramone Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores how somatic awareness and trauma-informed pedagogies can be integrated into the teaching of writing. Drawing from autoethnography and pedagogical theory, it proposes that writing is not a purely cognitive act but a deeply embodied process, one shaped by the physiological and psychological dimensions of lived experience. Using autoethnography as both method and praxis, the study centers the author’s experiences of trauma, grief, and healing to investigate how body-based practices such as breathwork, visualization, and mindfulness can support writing, particularly for students navigating stress, anxiety, or disconnection from their academic identities. Chapter One situates the research within literature …

Tate Speech: Radicalizing Rhetoric And Multi-Level Marketing Recruitment Strategies In The Manosphere, Carey J. Priebe

Theses and Dissertations

My study aims to uncover the discursive elements behind the gendered recruitment strategies that influencers in the manosphere use to pipeline men and boys into their multi-level marketing (MLM) companies. In the manosphere, male supremacy is presented as desirable and subversive, and MLMs take advantage of emotional and economic instability. My study examines the Twitter (X) account of the popular manosphere influencer Andrew Tate as I trace his rhetoric along a three-pronged gendered recruitment framework, a framework originally developed around women selling essential oils online and funneling their followers into radical alt-right politics. What are the similarities and differences in …

Women Of Color In K-12 Educational Leadership Pursuing Higher-Level District Advancement In Public Education, Telicia R. Leonard

Theses and Dissertations

This paper focuses on the inequities in leadership along with gender and racial intersections that may contribute to barriers for Women of Color who have already acquired mid-level leadership positions and are seeking opportunities to acquire positions deemed as senior district-level positions. This qualitative case study was explored through the lens of feminist poststructuralist and equity theories. The objective was to research the participants and ascertain participant perspectives on the role that race, and gender constructs have played in their ability to attain their current positions and how any barriers encountered impact their attempts at new levels of career advancement …

Lived Experiences Of School Counselors’ Facilitation Of Small Group Counseling In Public High Schools, Joshua D. Hurley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of school counselors’ facilitation of small group counseling in public high schools. Prior research has shown that high school counselors utilize small group counseling at a lower rate than their elementary school counterparts. Researchers have identified two primary barriers that school counselors face in the implementation of small group counseling in schools to include time and internal fear and anxiety. This study investigated the lived experiences of 11 school counselors in their facilitation of small group counseling in the public high school setting. Through data analysis, three …

Housing Quality For Whom? Housing Quality As A Form Of Housing Insecurity And Housing Inequality For Black Women Renters, Jenee Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Housing quality is an often overlooked but critical aspect of housing insecurity that often impacts one’s well-being physically, mentally, and socially. As a compromise for affordable housing, some individuals reside in substandard conditions, often lacking essential safety measures and amenities needed for a comfortable and secure living environment. Consistent with broader patterns of housing disparities, Black women renters are disproportionately affected by housing insecurity and more likely to live in substandard housing. Although previous literature has explored the impact of poor-quality housing and its characteristics, there is a gap in understanding how Black women renters uniquely perceive and experience housing …

Mutual Realm, Tyna Ontko

Theses and Dissertations

mutual realm is a container for my many meandering thoughts on speculative futures, present-day-truth-telling, and the everyday construction of histories. Informed by systems of belief and power that humans have created to grapple with the unknown, the writing illustrates how storytelling builds worlds, assigning value to things by inscribing them with desire. In parts fact and fantasy, sculpture is considered as a form of sorting, making known the ways in which my experience of living between publics whose methods for demarcating boundaries, communally agreed upon superstitions, and algorithms for assigning meaning have marked my unconscious and affect my daily trajectories. …

Civic Conservation Workshop: A User Manual For Creating A Makerspace Dedicated To Historic Preservation, Building Repair, And Civic Engagement, Madeleine Bean

Theses and Dissertations

Research Abstract:

Democracy depends on citizens’ participation at all levels, from local to national; moreover, engagement in one’s community is directly correlated with greater reported feelings of happiness and trust (Cox et al., 2021). This research examines how makerspaces can act as civic hubs that promote inclusive community interaction, facilitate the exchange of cultural and skills-based knowledge, encourage civic discourse, and serve as sites for political engagement through the provision of tools and resources that focus on historic home repair/preservation and craft-based trades. Specifically, this study proposes the development and design of a preservation-focused makerspace in Jackson Ward, a historically …

Rethinking Pilot Retention In The United States: An Analysis Of Key Factors, Michael James Hickey

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined pilot retention challenges in U.S. regional and low-cost carriers (LCCs), focusing on nonfinancial incentives such as quality of life, career stability, and work-life balance, which may have a greater influence on retention than traditional financial incentives. This quantitative, survey-based approach assesses how pilots rank the factors that influence their retention. Using a sample of U.S.-based pilots, the study examines six key areas adapted from a European pilot retention framework. Statistical analyses, including the Friedman test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test, identified correlations between demographic variables and retention priorities. The inherent financial constraints of regional …

Birthing While Black: The Color Of Care And Black Women’S Lived Experiences Giving Birth In The United States, Portia Cowlings

Theses and Dissertations

Black women in the United States face disproportionate maternal health outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Despite advancements in healthcare, the United States continues to report the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income developed nations, with Black women experiencing rates up to three times higher than their White counterparts. This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of Black women in the United States to understand how they navigate the continuum of maternal healthcare, from preconception through postpartum. Guided by the social determinants of health (SDOH) theoretical framework, childbirth was examined through four interconnected …

Using The College Choice Model To Examine Why Hbcu Graduates Choose To Attend Pwis For Advanced Studies, Kendall Forde

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine why African American students choose to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for undergraduate and Predominately White Institutions (PWI) for graduate studies. Many college students have extenuating circumstances that influence their decision to seek higher education, specifically, HBCU’s. The study will investigate student influences and objectives of the college decision. Also, understanding institutions influences recruitment, retention, and college choice. The study will explore comprehensive and understanding of African American students of various backgrounds, also, understanding the experience for African American students excelling in their academic, social, and personal lives during their …

An Evaluation Of Frank Brown's Free Market, Leigh Ann Mccormick

Theses and Dissertations

Background: This study aimed to conduct an in-depth evaluation of Frank Brown Hall, Free-Market (Food Pantry), within the grant timeframe from January to April 2024. The central objective was to examine the distinct resource demands of students limited to selecting three items each day. By employing careful observation, effective communication, and active listening, we successfully obtained essential student feedback that enhanced our understanding of their needs and preferences, improving the support provided during that semester. Methods: Throughout the grant, data were systematically classified according to the chosen items, the students’ academic majors, and the cumulative number of visits to the …

Understanding Women’S Attitudes Toward Midwifery Practices For Maternal Care In Middle Georgia, Kristen M. Simpson

Theses and Dissertations

Compared to other high-income countries, women in the United States are more likely to die from problems related to pregnancy and childbirth. In Georgia, maternal mortality is particularly acute. Midwifery models of maternal care have been shown to produce positive pregnancy and childbirth outcomes for patients, but these services are underutilized in Georgia. This study sought to identify women’s attitudes toward midwifery, what contributed to those attitudes, and what influenced women in Middle Georgia to seek midwifery services using a qualitative, Grounded Theory approach. Three participants who self-identified as having used a midwife before were interviewed using a semi-structured protocol. …

An Analysis Of Coal Ash Pollution In The State Of Georgia, Mick W. Etchison

Theses and Dissertations

This social science paper will explore the factors contributing to the prevalence of coal ash in specific regions of Georgia and its impact on local ecosystems and human health. It provides an analysis of the current environmental and political issues surrounding the containment and spread of coal ash throughout the State. Coal ash is primarily found in the central, southwestern, and northeastern regions where coal-fired power plants and coal ash storage sites are located. The paper will then discuss the political, economic, and legal reasons behind the lack of effective regulation and mitigation of coal ash spread. Coal ash illustrates …

Psychopathology, Symptomology, And Treatment In Offspring Of Holocaust Survivors: An Integrative Systematic Review, Lauren Grace Escobar

Theses and Dissertations

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the symptomatology, psychopathology, and treatment of offspring of Holocaust survivors (OHS). A comprehensive search was conducted in PsycINFO, PILOTS/PTSD, and Scopus for studies published between 1990 and 2024. Inclusion criteria required peer-reviewed studies, reports, books, literature reviews, and meta-analyses written or translated into English that reported on symptomatology and treatment for OHS. From an initial yield of 2,532 articles, 119 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings suggest that OHS demonstrate significantly higher levels of symptomatology and psychopathology reported in nine clinical classifications. Psychodynamic treatment was the most commonly found treatment modality for OHS, …

Negotiating Gender: A Qualitative Analysis Of Trans-Parasocial Relationships With Gen Z Social Media Users, Hannah Grace Scheffer-Wentz

Theses and Dissertations

The growth of social media and its functions as an online, international forum has been a growing topic of interest for researchers and the public alike. With the rise of native influencing and the incorporation of “organic” advertising, Social Media Influencers have grown in not just following and publicity with affiliate marketing and brand partnerships, but they have grown in social interest, as well. With the rise in technology and the introduction of Gen Z, who are digital natives, this has challenged previous understanding of online relationships, specifically with the expansion of Parasocial Relationship Theory to the online application of …