Digital Commons Network^™

It’S Not Me, It’S U(Niversity): A Longitudinal Study Of The First-Generation Graduate Student Experience Navigating Privacy And Identity During Socialization, Melissa L. Mccormick

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This longitudinal study examines the experiences of first-generation graduate students (FGGS; students whose parent(s) do not hold a 4-year undergraduate degree). Specifically, it considers how FGGS manage their private information throughout the first year of their graduate program, and how the intersection of their FGGS status with other aspects of their identity may shape those experiences (e.g. the overlapping of FGGS status, race, and socioeconomic status). While there is substantial research on the first-generation student experience at an undergraduate level, FGGS have largely been left out of the conversation (exception: Levin, 2022). Guided by theories of organizational socialization (Jablin, 1985), …

Mentoring Mentalities Made Manifest: Toward A Better Understanding Of Secondary Teacher Mentor Professional Learning, Practice, And Self-Efficacy, Maggie L. Wilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teacher shortages are becoming increasingly problematic nationwide. Teacher mentoring has been found to be an effective method of curbing teacher attrition, but little attention has been addressed to ensuring that teacher mentors are receiving the most relevant professional learning experiences to bolster their self-efficacy and mentoring practice. This qualitative study, drawing on research traditions such as grounded theory and case study, seeks to illuminate the mentor self-efficacy and practice of secondary teacher mentors and to understand the role their professional learning plays in how and how well they enact their mentor roles. Through qualitative interviews, including artifact-based interviews, this study …

Secure Machine Learning In Networking Systems, Wenwei Zhao

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid integration of Machine Learning (ML) into networking systems, ensuring the security and trustworthiness of these intelligent frameworks has become a paramount concern. While ML offers unprecedented capabilities in spectrum management and collaborative learning, it also introduces novel vulnerabilities that can be exploited by sophisticated adversaries. This dissertation investigates and addresses critical security challenges across three key dimensions of ML-driven networking: adversarial spectrum sensing, the security of privacy-preserving unlearning processes, and efficient post-attack model recovery.

First, we address the threat of adversarial spectrum attacks in cognitive radio networks, where malicious nodes manipulate sensing reports to disrupt spectrum access. …

Critical Discourse Analysis Of Turnaround Leadership Competencies Using A Transformative Leadership Framework, Kevin D. Mcdonald

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

School turnaround leadership has become a leading strategy to address school underperformance emphasizing rapid and dramatic improvement in a school within the bottom five percent of schools as measured by gains in both mathematics and English Language Arts. However, prevailing turnaround leadership discourse largely centers technical and managerial competencies, often marginalizing leadership practices oriented toward equity, advocacy, and social transformation. This narrowing of leadership is particularly consequential for Black male principals, who are disproportionately assigned to low-performing and turnaround schools and whose leadership practice frequently reflects core elements of transformative leadership.

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore current …

Teachers' Perspectives On The Inclusion Of Children With Autism In Preschool And Kindergarten Programs Within Inclusive Classrooms In Saudi Arabia, Budur Alsalamah

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has witnessed a significant increase in the number of students with autism being integrated into mainstream classrooms. This is thanks to laws and regulations enacted to provide appropriate education for students with special needs, particularly those with autism, in less restrictive environments. This is a positive step towards providing equal educational opportunities for students with special needs. However, teachers' views on integrating children with autism into mainstream education remain varied. Studies have shown that teachers with positive attitudes towards inclusion are more likely to provide inclusive education in the classroom (Dev & Hayes, 2015). This …

Housing Affordability Analysis Of Hillsborough County, Fl, Usa – Quantitative And Geographical Analysis Using Spatiotemporal Data, Bomin Koh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Housing affordability assessments rely on the 30 percent income method and generalized linear regression (GLR)-based hedonic price modeling. Both provide broad insights but fail to capture spatial heterogeneity in affordability challenges. This study upgrades housing affordability assessment approaches by incorporating the residual income method and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). The primary objective of this study is to determine whether methodological improvements, residual income method and GWR, yield significantly different results and provide a more accurate and spatially adaptive understanding of affordability dynamics in Hillsborough County, Florida.

The 30 percent income method is widely used and classifies households as cost-burdened if …

Coat Of Many Crises: Dolly Parton's Brand Storytelling Through Compassion And Consistency, Riley M. Hunt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined Dolly Parton’s crisis communication across four major crisiscontexts: the 2016 Gatlinburg wildfires, the 2021 Middle Tennessee flooding, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2025 Hurricane Helene floods. Using a qualitative multiple case study approach, the research analyzed media coverage, public statements, institutional communications, foundation announcements, and philanthropic records to identify recurring patterns in how ethical leadership and stakeholder responsibility were communicated during these crises. Guided by ethical communication theory, ethics of care, stakeholder theory, Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT), and values-driven reputation management, the study explored how values were enacted through both communication and material action.

Findings indicated …

The Power Of A Princess: Rebranding For A New Generation, Victoria A. Heath

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The lyric “Well, that sounds an awful lot like princess problems” from Snow White (2025) reflects Disney’s evolving portrayal of its princesses as more self-aware and independent. This shift is echoed in earlier live-action adaptations, such as Beauty and the Beast (2017), where Belle’s longing for “adventure in the great wide somewhere” signals her rejection of a limited, traditional role. Guided by Feminist Film Theory and media framing, this study examines how Disney’s rebranding of princess characters in Beauty and the Beast (2017), The Little Mermaid (2023), and Snow White (2025) reflects contemporary ideals of empowerment. Through narrative content and …

How Do Water Utilities Meet Growing Demand And Maintain Resilience Through Water Reuse? A Systems Thinking Approach, Elizabeth F. Vicario

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water and wastewater utility management is becoming increasingly complex due to factors like urbanization, climate change, new regulations, and rising costs. Utility leaders must balance competing political and financial pressures while managing aging infrastructure, rising demand, climate resilience planning, and customer concerns about affordability. Reuse of treated wastewater has emerged as a promising solution to address scarcity, declining source water quality, and new regulations on wastewater discharge in the United States. However, water reuse is not one-size-fits-all, and bespoke solutions are needed to optimize economic, environmental, and social returns from this finite resource. Despite growing interest, little is known about …

Making Sense Of The Body: Cognitive Science, Disability, And Embodiment, Cheyne L. Joslin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project is to analyze different methodological approaches in the philosophy of cognitive science, with the goal of determining their usefulness for explaining and understanding bodily awareness and skill-acquisition over time. The examples of skill-acquisition are limited to motor control, impaired by various kinds of disability—but then acquired over time, via technological or rehabilitative means. These phenomena of motor learning are then viewed through the lens of two competing theoretical approaches in cognitive science: neuromechanical cognitive science, and radical enactivist cognitive science.

The strengths of the neuromechanical framework are found in its historical pedigree, and in the …

Semiotics Of Difference: Language, The Body, And Haitian Personhood In The Dominican Republic, Benjamin Puterbaugh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present dissertation is an ethnographic and multimodal semiotic analysis of the role of signs in the daily life of Haitians in the Dominican Republic (DR). I investigate how language and other embodiments of Haitian alterity are perceived and ascribed value by hegemonic social orders. I center the analysis on the popular perceptions of the Haitian person-type or characterological figure (Agha, 2003) as (over)determiners of actual Haitian subjectivity. I investigate the ways that Haitian personhood is translated, that is, perceived and assigned value, in the Dominican context, and the implications this has on realities of Haitian immigrants. In addition to …

The Theatrics Of Political Representation: Homestyle, Boundary Work, And Emotional Labor Among Florida Legislators, Donald E. Mullins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how political representation is performed and sustained in the Florida Legislature. Rather than treating representation primarily as votes, bills, or policy outcomes, it approaches it as interactional work through which legislators remain believable, accessible, and authoritative across overlapping audiences. Grounded in an interpretivist epistemology and Goffman’s dramaturgy, the study develops an ethnographic account of representation through three analytic anchors: Fenno’s homestyle, Lamont’s boundary work, and Hochschild’s emotional labor. Methodologically, the project draws on ~100 days of participant observation during the 2025 legislative season, hundreds of pages of fieldnotes, and semi-structured interviews with ten Florida legislators. The findings …

“Makes Me Wanna Holler”: Psychological Safety In Program Development Under Anti-Dei Legislation, Derrick B. Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This evocative autoethnographic study explores the professional and emotional experiences of a Black male higher education administrator who developed a college success program for Black male students at a mostly White institution in Northeast Florida. The research took place as new state laws against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) were introduced, showing how these changes disrupt DEI efforts. By using narrative inquiry, the study emphasizes how laws, campus culture, and racial expectations directly affect the emotional intelligence and professional identity needed to support Black male student success.

By focusing on the author's personal experiences, this evocative autoethnography shows the emotional, …

Encouraging A United Response: A Systematic Review And Mixed-Methods Collaborative Evaluation Of Co-Responder Model Effectiveness In Florida, Kelsey Greenfield

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Even before the deinstitutionalization movement caused the influx of state hospital patients into communities ill-prepared to navigate their needs, law enforcement has been responsible for responding to persons in crisis (PIC) due to mental illness. In response to the high rates of incarceration for persons with mental illness (PMI), a growing number of law enforcement agencies have adopted diversion strategies referred to as police-mental health collaboration (PMHC) models to divert PMI away from the criminal justice system and towards community mental health services. Despite nearly forty years of research, there are still considerable knowledge gaps regarding who benefits from PMHCs …

Master’S Students: Experiences, Transitions, And Needs In The College Of Education, Brandi L. Sanchez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores the experiences, transitions, and needs of first-year master’s students in education. Guided by Schlossberg’s Transition Model, the study examines how students perceive shifts in academic rigor, workload, and the increased self-direction required in graduate education. The case study used three data collection methods: semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and observations that provided insights into the student perception of master’s students studying education’s experience, transition, and needs. Additionally, this case study enabled exploration of the research questions across six types of master’s programs within the College of Education. By focusing on the first year of graduate study, …

The Dynamic Nature Of Comprehensibility During Itas’ Oral Language Performances, Tania Ferronato

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In U.S. academic settings, everyday oral multilingual interactions can pose communicative challenges (Gass & Varonis, 1984), which can be understood and addressed by looking into communicative dynamics. Exploring the construct of comprehensibility, the perceived ease or difficulty in understanding self and others’ speech (Munro & Derwing, 1995a), through a dynamic lens (Nagle et al., 2019; Trofimovich et al., 2022) helps gaining insights into interlocutors’ subjective experiences to better understand the more social nature of successful real-time communication. This is fundamental in linguistically diverse classroom settings where L2 English speakers can be employed as International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) to teach undergraduate …

Beyond Alumni Dollars: Developing Engagement With Graduate Alumni, Kyra J. Snyder

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alumni engagement plays an increasingly important role in supporting graduate program mission, reputation, and long-term sustainability. Despite its recognized value, limited research examines alumni engagement within graduate level programs from a practitioner perspective. The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of alumni engagement among alumni, faculty, and staff within the University of South Florida (USF) Physician Assistant Program and to identify any needs or gaps in current engagement opportunities. This study employed a survey-based research design to gather data from two stakeholder groups from the USF PA Program: alumni and faculty/staff. A review of program records provided data …

Transport And Aging Pathways Of Microplastics In Urban Aquatic Systems, Jessica J. Boyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microplastics are pervasive in urban aquatic systems, which serve as both conduits of particle flow and incubators of microplastics. These aquatic systems transport microplastic particles while simultaneously altering their physical, chemical, and biological properties. Despite their growing environmental relevance, constructed wetlands and riverine systems remain underrepresented in studies of microplastic fate and transport. This dissertation aims to assess the patterns influencing microplastic transport and aging across urban aquatic environments through a combination of field experiments and mechanistic modeling.

Four interconnected studies were conducted to address this objective. The first investigated the horizontal and vertical transport of microplastics within the Se7en …

Representations Of Motherhood In 19th And 20th Century American Literature, Zabrina L. Shkurti

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how American women writers of the 19th and early 20th centuries constructed, contested, and reimagined motherhood as both a lived experience and a powerful social institution. Drawing on feminist theory and motherhood studies—particularly Adrienne Rich’s distinction between motherhood as experience and motherhood as institution and Shari Thurer’s definition of the “good mother”—it argues that this institution and ideology were never stable or universally attainable. Instead, it functioned as a shifting, exclusionary construct shaped by race, class, industrial capitalism, and patriarchal authority. Through close readings of domestic literature, poetry, fiction, and reformist texts by writers including Elizabeth Oakes …

Understanding The User Approach In Introductory Accounting: Insights From Practice, Leigh C. Moon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The accounting profession faces an insufficient supply of accounting majors to meet the demands of industry. While the number of accounting majors has historically been cyclical, professional accounting organizations and educational institutions have continually sought ways to increase the number of accounting majors. One area that has received continuous attention has been introductory accounting courses because of their ability to both attract and deter possible accounting majors. Discussions and studies around the approaches of teaching introductory accounting have mostly focused on quantitative outcomes, with researchers demonstrating that the user approach does not negatively impact students. However, the user approach has …

Understanding And Defending Large-Scale Networked Systems: From Wi-Fi Localization To Provenance- Based Intrusion Detection, Xiao Han

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modern networked systems increasingly depend on wireless sensing and large-scale telemetry to provide critical services and maintain security. However, many of these systems function as black boxes or encounter significant scalability limitations, which leave them vulnerable to sophisticated adversaries. In this dissertation, I present my research on enhancing the security and efficiency of networked systems through measurement-driven vulnerability analysis and the design of scalable defense mechanisms.

First, I present my research on the security and privacy risks of Wi-Fi–based localization services. Although location spoofing attacks against Wi-Fi positioning systems have been studied for over a decade, constructing practical attacks in …

Human First: How Journalists Employ Ethics Of Care And Empathy When Covering School Shootings, Grace M. Ficara

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

School shootings have become a regular part of the news media cycle in the 21st century. Now, more than ever, journalists are needing to find innovative, yet empathetic, ways to deal with such crises as they navigate their own professional boundaries. Using the Ethics of Care model, this research intends to showcase how journalists have, willingly or unwillingly, utilized an empathetic approach when covering school shootings and how they use these tools to comfort their sources and themselves. Through semi - structured interviews of 9 participants, this study seeks to connect the practice of journalism with the one thing journalists …

Mismatched Music And Meams: Short-Form Social Media Videos And Social Attitude Messaging, Kaitlyn M. Serafin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

“If the formative power in the media are the media themselves, that raises a host of large matters” (McLuhan, 1964, p. 10). Famed communications theorist Marshall McLuhan stated this all the way back in the 60s to explain how technology can act as a formative force in the messaging of media. This is because the medium in which they communicate the messaging can act as its own force, shaping the message like clay. The dominant media at the time of this theory was television; however, in the past decade social media and short-form social media videos have become dominant forms …

Is There No Such Thing As Bad Pr? A Case Study Analysis Of Influencer Pseudo-Events, Authentic Crises, And Crises As Opportunity, And Paracrisis, Sofia Aparicio-Gallagher

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There's no such thing as bad PR, and any publicity is good publicity are phrases coined by 19th-century P.T. Barnum, a showman and businessman known for his circus hoaxes (Hiergesell, 2025). The idea implies that all media attention, whether negative or positive, is beneficial to the organization or individual. The purpose of this study is to evaluate three brands; Tarte, Poppi, and Shein during a brand event to determine whether it was a pseudo-event created to gain awareness, or a genuine, unplanned crisis. Another purpose of the study was to determine if the event was used as an opportunity for …

Framing Power: The “Deep State” In Georgian Populist And Conspiratorial Rhetoric Introduction, Salome Tsetskhladze

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how the concept of the “deep state” is used in contemporary Georgian political communication. The term traditionally refers to hidden networks of power that function within state institutions. However, in Georgia, it has become a political narrative that interprets international criticism, delegitimizes domestic opposition, and derails political accountability. The study analyzes how this concept is constructed and mobilized in the political discourse.

The research employs a qualitative inductive-deductive thematic analysis. It examines 125 statements made by Georgian public officials between August 2024 and February 2025 referring to the “deep state.” The analysis integrates framing theory, populist communication …

Examining The Effect Of Household Socioeconomic Status And Maternal Characteristics On Child Developmental Delay In The United States, Samuel Ilori

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Child developmental delay remains a pressing public health issue with lifelong implications. This study examines the association between household socioeconomic status, maternal characteristics, and child developmental delay using data from the 2023 National Survey of Children's Health (N = 35,399 female respondents). Bivariate analyses using Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression with sequential modeling were conducted. Results revealed that economic hardship, employment status, maternal mental health, maternal physical health, marital status, and race were significantly associated with child developmental delay (p<0.001). Educational level and poverty level showed no significant associations. Among mothers reporting poor mental health, 90.0% had a child with a delay, compared to 6.6% among those with good mental health. Every mother reporting poor physical health had a child with a delay, while virtually none with good or better physical health did. In the fully adjusted regression model, maternal mental and physical health remained the most powerful predictors, while economic hardship and employment status became non-significant once health was introduced, suggesting mediation. Maternal mental and physical health are the factors most strongly correlated with child developmental delay. Economic hardship matters primarily because it undermines maternal well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic likely intensified these dynamics by disrupting healthcare access and increasing economic instability. Supporting maternal health must be recognized as a fundamental strategy for promoting child development. Universal screening for maternal depression and physical health problems, integrated into pediatric and obstetric care, can identify at-risk mothers early. Policies that reduce economic hardship alleviate the chronic stress that undermines maternal health. Children thrive when their mothers are healthy.

Quantification Of Interfacial Defects In Frp-Strengthened Rc Member Using Non-Destructive Testing Methods, Yuliya Tyrak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are widely used to strengthen reinforced concrete (RC) structures. However, the long-term performance of these systems depends on the integrity of the FRP–concrete bond. Interfacial defects such as debonding, delamination, cracking, and voids may reduce structural capacity and are often difficult to detect using conventional inspection techniques. This study investigates the effectiveness of nondestructive testing (NDT) methods for detecting interfacial defects in FRP-strengthened RC members. It explores the potential for automated defect identification using thermal imaging and machine learning.

Laboratory specimens with predefined defects were fabricated and tested using visual inspection (VI), tap testing …

Remotely Training Applied Behavior Analysis Practitioners To Conduct A Repeated Latency Functional Analysis, W. Daniel Oliver-Wong

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has established functional analyses (Iwata et al., 1982/1994) as valuable tools for ABA practitioners. Despite previous findings, behavior analysts often default to other methods when identifying the maintaining variables of problem behavior. Several studies have examined training methods and variations of traditional functional analyses to increase clinical applications. The Repeated Latency Functional Analysis (RLFA) is a newly developed adaptation to the functional analysis (Han et. al., 2023). This study used video modeling to train three ABA practitioners in RLFA procedures through online role-play scenarios. The findings suggested that online video modeling is a promising training modality for ABA …

The Role Of Teacher-Student Identity-Matching In Multi-Informant Universal Screening For Social, Academic, And Emotional Behavior Risk Among Middle School Students, Melissa L. Brown

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Multi-informant universal screening tools leverage insights from multiple perspectives to paint a comprehensive picture of student risk across a variety of domains. However, many barriers exist to the appropriate and effective implementation of multi-informant universal screening within the school. When such screening tools are utilized without intentional consideration of students’ unique backgrounds and lived experiences, harmful outcomes may disproportionally impact marginalized and minoritized students. To address this, context-sensitive, identity-conscious approaches may improve the accuracy and equity of identifying students in need of support. This study investigated the role of identity concordance (i.e., alignment of teacher and student gender and race/ethnicity) …

Genetic Testing Motivations Among Men With A History Of Prostate Cancer: A Judgment-Based Analysis, Maximilian Junge

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Identifying individuals at increased hereditary cancer risk through genetic testing can improve early detection, inform treatment decisions, and enhance outcomes for patients and their families. While prior research has largely focused on women, less is known about factors that motivate men with prostate cancer to pursue genetic testing. This study examined components of visual messaging that may influence motivation to undergo genetic testing among men with a self-reported history of prostate cancer. Participants completed a survey in which they viewed eight visual messages that systematically varied across three components: image type (family-focused vs. individualized treatment-focused), written content (familial risk-focused vs. …