Digital Commons Network^™

Have Gun, Will Travel: The Domestic Intelligence Implications Of Travel-To-Target Distances In Domestic Violent Extremist Attacks, Kyle W. Mcdonnell

Theses and Dissertations

Domestic violent extremist (DVE) attacks in the U.S. present a fluid and dynamic threat to national security. While past research has extensively examined the ideological drivers of DVE violence, relatively little focus has been placed on their geographic mobility, particularly how far DVE actors travel from their hometowns to attack sites and what insights this provides for intelligence and law enforcement. This dissertation explores how geographic proximity, ideological motivation, and logistical constraints shape DVE travel patterns. Using a comprehensive dataset covering U.S.-based DVE incidents from 2001 to 2025, this study employs a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative geospatial analysis with qualitative …

An Rebt Intervention To Reduce Stress And Enhance Putting Performance Among Student-Athlete Golfers, Jasmine Bryant

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of a Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) self-talk intervention on golf putting performance, irrational beliefs, and stress in competitive high school golfers. Three participants (ages 14–17) completed a baseline session followed by three weekly REBT intervention sessions at a golf course. Measures included the Irrational Performance Beliefs Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, Sports Anxiety Scale, Self-Talk and Performance Facilitation Likert Scale, and a pressured putting task. Results were mixed: one participant demonstrated a large improvement in putts made (h = 0.82), while performance gains were minimal for others. Sports anxiety showed reliable change for two participants, …

Human Being And Being Human In Frankenstein Through The Lens Of Catholic Social Teaching, Faria S. Sookdeo

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that looking at social issues, such as racism, adverse effects of advancement in and use of science and technology, and environmental concerns, in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein through a Catholic Social Teaching (CST) lens enables an understanding of the nature of humans that brings marginalized and non-marginalized creatures, both human and non-human in a common community and emphasizes and that our behaviors towards such creations are what define our humanity and are vital to the preservation of our environment, subjects that are as relevant today as they were when Shelley first published Frankenstein in 1818 and when the …

Middle Grades English Language Arts Teachers’Experiences Of Care: A Narrative Case Study, Kathleen Rose O’Farrell

Theses and Dissertations

This narrative case study examined how four middle grades English Language Arts (ELA) teachers enacted care in a suburban Northeastern U.S. middle school. Drawing on interviews, classroom observations, instructional artifacts, and notes, the study developed narrative portraits to examine how care was experienced and enacted within daily instructional practices. Guided by Nel Noddings’s (2013) care theory and Geneva Gay’s (2018) culturally responsive care framework, the study explored how teachers sustained meaningful and equitable instruction amid post-pandemic academic, social-emotional, and technological shifts. Findings revealed care as the instructional foundation, making equitable and meaningful literacy learning possible with three interrelated dimensions: trust, …

“America Is For Americans Only”: Journalistic Professionalism, Populism, And Latino Ethnic Media In The 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, Maria Villarroel

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how journalistic professionalism shaped news coverage of Latino-related issues during the 2024 U.S. presidential election across mainstream and Latino ethnic media outlets. In a polarized political environment, immigration and the “Latino vote” were not only central campaign issues but also sites of radicalized rhetoric that frequently targeted Latino communities and journalists. In this context, journalists were tasked with reporting on highly contentious, hostile narratives while adhering to professional norms. This study argues that these norms influenced how journalists selected, framed, and contextualized political rhetoric, and how media coverage further elevated immigration and Latino communities as key electoral …

The Burden Of (Hand)Writing: The Lived Experiences Of Secondary Students With Dysgraphia, Eleesha S. Romasko

Theses and Dissertations

Developmental dysgraphia is a disability that impacts the writing of students and has long-term effects on their education. While past research has primarily focused on clinical aspects, there is scarce qualitative research. The purpose of this study was to give a voice to the experiences of secondary students (grades 6-12) with dysgraphia using a phenomenological approach. The study was grounded in Piaget’s cognitive constructivism and uses a Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenological approach to understand the lived experience of students with dysgraphia. The research utilized purposive sampling to find four participants with dysgraphia who were in grades 6-12. Data was collected through …

Teacher And Administrator Perspectives On Participation In Professional Learning Communities And Their Impact On Collective Teacher Efficacy: A Multi Case Study, Maria Kambourakis

Theses and Dissertations

Urban educators face ongoing challenges in establishing collaborative cultures that effectively maximize student achievement. To address this research problem, this qualitative case study investigates how teachers and administrators perceive their participation in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and how these perceptions shape Collective Teacher Efficacy (CTE). Grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory of collective efficacy and DuFour’s PLC framework, the research explores how structured collaboration enhances educators' shared beliefs in their ability to positively impact student learning. The researcher employed a qualitative case study design involving eight teachers and two administrators across two non-public, urban K-8 schools in Brooklyn, New York. …

Embracing Pluralism In Catholic Schools: Administrative And Faculty Perspectives On Multiculturalism In Education, Gerard J. Buckley

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative, nonexperimental study examined faculty and administrative perspectives on multiculturalism in Catholic schools across New York State. Archived New York State Education Department (NYSED) data were analyzed to identify student race/ethnicity enrollment trends in Catholic schools from 2013 to 2025, alongside survey data measuring Catholic school educators’ perceptions of multiculturalism. Survey participants included faculty and administrators from seven dioceses across New York State. Data were analyzed using ANOVAs and multiple regression. The study addressed two primary areas: changes in racial/ethnic enrollment over time and differences in educator perceptions on multiculturalism based on demographic and professional factors. Findings showed a …

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Higher Education Enrollment, Shonna L. Jones-Washington

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of AI-driven chatbot technology on the progression through the undergraduate admissions funnel, including application, admission, and enrollment, and to explore how AI outreach intensity predicts these outcomes while addressing potential disparities across student subgroups. The study involved 24,141 data records, including both domestic and international undergraduate applicants to St. John’s University for the Fall 2025 semester. The study found that AI interaction was associated with higher admission rates (83.0% vs. 75.7%) but revealed no significant relationship between AI usage and final enrollment rates. Quantitative analyses, including chi-square tests, binary logistic …

Mentoring Matters: A Phenomenological Study Of How Principals Support New Teacher Development And Retention In Inner-City Catholic Schools, Helena Castilla-Byrne

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the lived experiences surrounding the phenomenon of being a new teacher in an inner-city Catholic school by looking at teachers’ professional learning and development to facilitate the new teacher’s retention, growth, well-being, and success in inner-city Catholic schools through the lens of the school principal leading them. According to the National Education Association, 55 percent of educators are thinking about leaving the profession earlier than they had planned (Walker, 2022). With many new teachers leaving the profession within the first few years, schools must find ways to support and retain them. …

An Application Of Molecular Dynamics To Hed Plasma Physics: Point And Group Defect Diffusion In Coulomb Crystals, Levi Webb

Theses and Dissertations

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are used to explore the microscopic behaviors of complex systems that cannot be easily studied experimentally. In particular, the microphysics of high energy density (HED) astrophysical plasma environments remain inaccessible by modern experiment---even in laser facilities, these plasmas exist only on short timescales that do not lend easily to investigation. The diffusion of point and group defects through crystallized plasmas in the cores of white dwarfs and neutron star crusts, called Coulomb crystals, has potentially macroscopic implications for the evolution of these bodies. Thus, I employ the widely-used MD code LAMMPS to simulate small Coulomb crystal …

The Impact Of Sports Betting Legalization On Marital Status, Hosea Gitonga Njogu

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the causal Impact of sports gambling legalization on marital stability in the United States using data from the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS-ASEC) and the American Community Survey (ACS) from 2013 to 2024. The analysis leverages variation in the staggered adoption of state-level sports gambling laws and applies two-way fixed effects, event-study, and the Callaway and Sant’Anna (2021) difference-in-differences estimators, controlling for geographic and individual characteristics. Legalization increases divorce rates by 0.42 percentage points in the CPS and 0.51 percentage points in the ACS, corresponding to increases of 2.4% and 2.6%, or approximately …

More Than A Seat At The Table: Examining How Psychological Safety, Identity Representation, And Leadership Accountability Impact African American Women In Global Workplace Environments, Shelbi Chandler

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of African American women working in corporate technology environments, with particular attention to psychological safety, representation, and systemic barriers to advancement. Despite increased organizational commitments to equity and inclusion, research continues to demonstrate that Black women encounter persistent intersectional barriers shaped by race and gender within professional settings (Erskine et al., 2021; Field et al., 2023; Roberson, 2019). Guided by Du Bois’s (2008) theory of double consciousness, Goosby Smith’s (2014a) Ubuntic inclusion framework, and appreciative inquiry (AI; Cooperrider & Whitney, 2005), this study explored how African American women interpret, navigate, and respond …

Timing And Stability Of Uav Operations In Smart City Environments: Experimental Analysis And Design Implications, Rabia Ipek Yasar

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the deployment and performance of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within the Virginia Commonwealth University Open Cyber City (OCC) testbed. The study focuses on evaluating real-time indoor positioning performance using the Crazyflie drone platform. High-precision position measurements are obtained using the Vicon motion capture system, enabling analysis of the latency between the drone’s actual position and the system-reported position. In a closed-loop control system, the time difference between the position measurement and the application of the control command is called the system delay. Both stationary (hovering) and trajectory-following experiments are conducted to evaluate system performance. Communication delays in …

Ontological Runtime Monitoring For Mission Engineering, Alexander R. Will

Theses and Dissertations

The advent of the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) concept will bring low-altitude aviation to civilians through passenger and cargo transport. However, the prospective vehicles in UAM studies are predominantly autonomous, raising questions about their efficacy and stability in densely populated urban areas. At the same time, extensive work has been performed to define a new branch of systems engineering that focuses on runtime behavior, synchronization, communication, and task allocation.This field is known as "mission engineering". Mission engineering has been deployed in military scenarios to model human-autonomy cooperation. By applying the concepts from this field to UAM, full systems-of-systems can be …

Metamorphosis, Allegra Codamon

Theses and Dissertations

Relevance to Interior Design Research

In Richard Sennett’s The Craftsman, he starts from the premise that thinking and feeling are contained in the process of making. This thesis builds on that premise, arguing that through the embodied process of glassworking, making constitutes a form of interior knowledge—where perception, memory, and bodily awareness are formed through material resistance and responsiveness. Drawing on Sennett and Juhani Pallasmaa, this work positions glassmaking as a mode of thinking-through-doing, in which interiority is produced through sustained material engagement.

Research Question

What does interiority embodied through the making process look like? This question will be investigated …

What Is School For? Interpreting Purpose And Practice In A Microschool Case Study, Cammie D. Justus-Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how one microschool interprets and enacts the purposes of schooling through a qualitative case study of Summit School, an Acton Academy affiliate in a mid-sized Southern city. Situated within broader debates about school choice and alternative education, the study explores how Summit’s vision, structures, and participant experiences illuminate enduring tensions in schooling: civic versus economic aims, public good versus private benefit, and innovation versus institutional continuity. Drawing on interviews, focus groups, observations, and school documents, the study treats Summit not as representative of microschools broadly, but as a bounded case through which larger questions about educational purpose …

Characterization Of Growth, Motility And C-Di-Gmp In Selenomonas Sputigena Atcc 35185, Margaret E J Stiker

Theses and Dissertations

Selenomonas sputigena is an obligate anaerobic, Gram-negative pathobiont that transitions from a low-abundance commensal bacteria to a structural component in dysbiotic oral biofilms associated with early childhood caries and periodontitis. Analysis of S. sputigena ATCC 35185 cultures optimized in TYGVS media revealed robust growth, characteristic crescent morphology with flagellar tuft motility, and strong monospecies biofilm formation comparable to Streptococcus mutans via crystal violet assays.

ELISA quantification demonstrated significantly elevated c-di-GMP levels in sessile biofilm fractions relative to motile planktonic cells (p=0.0009), establishing the secondary messenger’s correlation with the motile-sessile lifestyle switch. Recombinant expression and purification yielded PilZ-domain effector proteins, Selsp_1666 …

Proof Of Recovery: A Model To Enhance Data Integrity In Data Management Systems, Gustaf Barkstrom

Theses and Dissertations

Businesses lose millions of dollars every year when they can’t restore data from backups. Research shows that Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) testing is not conducted frequently enough, nor are records maintained that demonstrate full data recovery from backups. This work introduces a design science artifact called PRTOK that aims to increase DRP testing. The design science artifact is a software solution that integrates with Data Management Systems (DMS)

such as iRODS and DSpace, and can work with formats such as HDF5 and BagIt. Proof-of- recovery records, or tokens, are recorded in a replicated, resilient, and indelible proof-of- authority blockchain data …

In Search Of The Soul Of Creativity: Authorship, Agency, And Meaning In Refractive Collaboration With Generative Ai, Fatima Nazir

Theses and Dissertations

When images can be generated in seconds, what remains uniquely human in the act of creation? In Search of the Soul of Creativity: Authorship, Agency, and Meaning in Refractive Collaboration with Generative AI investigates where authorship, agency, and meaning reside within design practices mediated by generative AI. Rather than using AI to produce predictable results, this research deliberately relinquishes control to observe how generative systems interpret language through their own learned associations. Through a practice-led investigation across four generative models within the Higgsfield platform, user prompts were progressively shortened from full sentences to single words, revealing recurring patterns and cultural …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Teacher-Report Modifications Of A Tier 2 Evidence-Based Program In Elementary Schools After Implementation Supports Are Withdrawn, Navneet Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

Growing literature emphasizes the importance of examining modifications (i.e., responses to unforeseen challenges and deliberate changes to a program) made by implementers to understand the long-term outcomes of evidence-based programs (EBPs), particularly after formal implementation supports, such as training and coaching, are withdrawn. Although prior research has documented that they occur during implementation, less is known about whether modifications occur once external supports are no longer available, and if so, what types of modifications are made, and the rationale for them. This gap is especially salient in school settings for teacher-delivered interventions. To address this gap, this study used semi-structured …

Examining The Impact Of Trauma-Informed Mindfulness Meditation On Posttraumatic Growth Following Interpersonal Trauma: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Margaret Poandl

Theses and Dissertations

Research on interventions designed to increase posttraumatic growth (PTG) among interpersonal trauma survivors is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a six-week trauma-informed mindfulness meditation intervention on PTG. Additionally, I examined outcomes of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and loneliness, as well as analyzed the variables of dispositional mindfulness, hope, spirituality, and self-compassion to understand their potential role as mechanisms of change within the intervention on PTG. To answer these research questions, I conducted a randomized controlled trial study with 113 adults from a community sample who reported experiencing interpersonal trauma. Utilizing linear mixed modeling and …

Pingbongbilladingdong: Abjection And Comedy In Art, Leroy A. Winter

Theses and Dissertations

As of late, my work has dealt with themes of collapse and comedy, pertaining specifically to faded ideals of individualism in art. My thesis installation, titled Pingbongbilladingdong, is a testament to this tension, portraying a reconstruction of the disheveled chaos of the artist’s studio. In this paper, I use this installation as a means to further explore the ways that abjection and comedy intersect in art, and how myself and others repurpose the faded glamor of Ab-Ex as a means to probe this overlap. Serving as an allegory for my experience with the studio, Pingbongbilladingdong presents an image of the …

Fused Filament Fabrication Additive Manufacturing Of 17-4 Ph Stainless Steel: Process–Structure–Property Relationships In Magnetic Materials, Maanav Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing (AM) enables the fabrication of complex metallic components through layer-by-layer processing directly from digital models. Among AM techniques, material extrusion–based processes such as fused filament fabrication (FFF) provide an accessible method for producing metal parts using filament feedstocks composed of metal powders and polymer binders. When applied to precipitation-hardening stainless steels such as 17-4 PH, the processing route and heat treatments can influence the resulting microstructure and functional properties. This work investigates the magnetic behavior of 17-4 PH stainless steel fabricated using FFF and evaluates how heat treatment conditions influence measured magnetic properties. Samples were produced and analyzed …

Exploring, Understanding, And Supporting Academic Help-Seeking In Context, Molly L. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Conceptualized as a self-regulated learning (SRL) strategy, academic help-seeking is a fascinating behavior because it is self-directed while also reliant on social interactions with help-givers (Karabenick, 2004). What is known about help-seeking in academic settings largely revolves around individual traits, strategies, motivations, beliefs, and identities, and how each of these constructs influence help-seeking outcomes (Bornschlegl et al., 2020; Fong et al., 2023; Karabenick & Gonida, 2018). What is underexplored in these areas, however, is how features of the learning context interact with student-level factors to shape academic help-seeking behaviors and beliefs. This dissertation attempts to address some of these gaps …

Representation In Black Media And How It Affects Generational Mental Health, Amiya Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This article examines how negative media portrayals of Black Americans have harmed their mental health. It traces the impact of persistent stereotypes and the lack of recognition for Black achievements in the media. Each chapter explores how media—from social media to movies—reinforces outdated stereotypes originating in the antebellum era and discusses how Black Americans have challenged these narratives to assert their identity. The article also highlights positive shifts in representation within the media industry, as well as research on how racial discrimination and media depictions influence the mental health and self-esteem of Black adolescents.

Reframing Sexual Assault And Intimate Partner Violence Through A Maternal And Child Health Lens: Implications For Integrated Prevention, Policy, And Practice, Daija C. Gibson

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual assault and intimate partner violence remain persistent public health concerns in the United States, with significant consequences for individual health, family stability, and population well-being. Although these forms of violence are frequently addressed through criminal justice and behavioral health frameworks, less attention has been given to their implications within maternal and child health, where relational dynamics, life course development, and intergenerational outcomes are central. This study reframed SA and IPV as core MCH issues to examine how integrated, systems-based approaches can strengthen prevention efforts. A structured literature review and systematic synthesis of peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2026 …

An Analysis Of Factors At A Private Liberal Arts College That Affect Student-Athlete Sense Of Belonging, Tamija Shrell Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the factors affecting student-athletes sense of belonging at a private liberal arts college using Strayhorn’s Sense of Belonging Framework. The research used a mixed method approach and combined quantitative survey data from 112 undergraduate students with qualitative interviews from seven faculty members to analyze variations in academic readiness, institutional support and a sense of belonging. Despite that fact that non-athletes reported being significantly more academically prepared, quantitative data indicated that there was no statically significant difference in the overall sense of belonging between student-athletes and non-athletes. There was also a negative correlation between a sense of belonging …

The Effects Of Anxiety On Adult Athletes And Approaches To Improving Performance And Well-Being, Taylor Glaspie-Walton

Theses and Dissertations

This systematic review examined the complex relationship between anxiety and sports performance in adult athletes, along with exploring effective approaches for enhancing both performance and psychological well-being. Through analysis of 18 studies spanning diverse sports and competitive levels, this research identifies key factors that influence anxiety responses and performance outcomes. Findings revealed that competition level, performance-goal discrepancies, and injury recovery significantly impact anxiety levels, with athletes' interpretations of anxiety symptoms proving more influential than symptom intensity alone. The research demonstrates that mental toughness and self-efficacy function as fundamental psychological resources, though their impact appears to plateau at elite competitive levels. …

A Qualitative Study Of Teacher Perceptions Of Reading Proficiency, Latia Tyler

Theses and Dissertations

This applied qualitative dissertation was constructed to provide insight into the experiences of teachers who provide reading instruction for third grade students at the target school. Seven teachers engaged in semi structured interviews that sought to examine their perceptions on their abilities in teaching reading instruction, their perception on school supports, their perceptions on reading proficiency and factors that contribute to it. Additionally, comprehensive reading plans, published by the state of Florida, were examined to further understand the perceptions of teachers alongside district intended approach for reading instruction.

Thematic analysis of data revealed eight key themes including gaps in foundational …