Digital Commons Network^™

Using Creative Arts In Occupational Therapy To Address Motor And Nonmotor Symptoms Of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Elizabeth L. Batista, Kristin Domville, Pam Kasyan-Howe

Summer 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

Neurodegenerative disorders (NDD), including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, significantly impact motor function, cognition, self-esteem, and occupational engagement. Although creative arts interventions have demonstrated psychosocial benefits, there is limited research examining visual arts as an occupational therapy-led modality addressing both motor and nonmotor symptoms through meaningful occupation (Gros et al., 2024; Li et al., 2024; Chancellor et al., 2014).
This capstone project developed and implemented an OT-led creative arts program utilizing painting as the primary intervention for individuals with NDD residing in an assisted living facility and/or attending an adult day center. Guided by MOHO, …

Advocacy For Inclusive Play In South Dallas: Expanding Access For Children In Underserved Areas, Aryanna Fellows, Mary Jan Greer

Summer 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project aimed to advocate for more inclusive and accessible playgrounds for children of all abilities in underserved communities in South Dallas. Guided by the Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance (PEOP) Model, the project evaluated playground accessibility and identified environmental barriers that limit participation for children with disabilities. Methods included a community needs assessment, playground observations using a standardized accessibility assessment tool, surveys, and stakeholder collaboration. Participants included community members, caregivers, organizational stakeholders, and children who utilize local playgrounds. Findings were synthesized to develop evidence-based recommendations and educational resources to support future playground improvements. The expected outcomes included increased awareness of inclusive playground …

Calm, Confident, Capable: An Educational Manual To Support Effective Oral Care For Children With Autism, Jared D. Morgan, Leah I. Stein Duker, Carrie Alvarado, Angela Labrie Blackwell

Summer 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

Dental health professionals report limited confidence, perceived competence, and preparedness when providing oral health care to autistic children, which can significantly impact patient participation, quality of care, and overall dental experience. Autistic children are more likely to have dental conditions compared to their neurotypical peers. The methods of this project consisted of four phases being development, preview, revision, and dissemination. The purpose of this project was to develop an educational manual that provides dental health professionals with practical knowledge, skills, and abilities to address the needs of autistic children, to ensure effective oral health care. The expected outcomes of this …

Navigating Concussion Recovery: An Educational Module-Based Approach To Strengthening Occupational Therapist Confidence And Effectiveness In Concussion Rehabilitation, Alejandra Abella, Wendy Tremaine

Summer 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), commonly known as concussion, presents with complex physical, cognitive, visual, vestibular, and emotional symptoms that can significantly affect an individual's ability to participate in meaningful daily occupations. Although occupational therapists play an essential role in concussion rehabilitation, many clinicians report that confidence in evaluating and treating this population develops primarily through years of clinical experience rather than structured education. Inconsistent exposure to concussion cases and limited access to current evidence-based resources contribute to variations in clinical confidence and practice.

Purpose: The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to develop and implement a comprehensive …

Occupational Therapy Education In A Changing Climate, Elizabeth Ballenger, Amy Lyons-Brown, Elizabeth Richardson

Summer 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

This doctoral capstone explored how occupational therapy can strengthen its response to climate change and planetary health through education, collaboration, and organizational development. In partnership with SOTER and Project PrOTect, the project used literature review, needs assessment, stakeholder engagement, and interdisciplinary learning to develop strategic frameworks, educational resources, and digital dissemination tools. The project emphasized building organizational capacity, expanding occupational therapy’s role in planetary health, and leveraging international collaboration to support sustainable, occupation-centered action.

Supporting Participation Through Sensory Inclusion, Karla Bonilla, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga

Summer 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project focused on promoting sensory-inclusive environments to support play and social participation among autistic children. The project was conducted in partnership with Straight From The Heart, a foster care organization in San Diego County. A community profile, literature review, and needs assessment were completed using caregiver and social worker surveys and semi-structured interviews with community organization professionals to identify environmental barriers, caregiver education needs, and resource priorities. The findings informed the development of sensory-inclusive educational resources and educational workshop. Stakeholder feedback was used to refine the resources and evaluate their perceived relevance and usefulness. The project highlights the …

Beyond The Athlete: An Autoethnographic Exploration Of Occupational Identity, Sofia Paniagua-Bauer, Karen Park

Summer 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

Adolescent student-athletes experience unique demands as they navigate the expectations of competitive sport alongside academic, social, and developmental responsibilities. These demands may influence mental health, executive functioning, occupational balance, and the development of occupational identity. The purpose of this Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) capstone project was to explore the development of occupational identity through the lived experience of growing up as a competitive athlete and to examine how participation in sport influenced mental health, self-regulation, executive functioning, and engagement in meaningful occupations. An autoethnographic approach was used to reflect on my personal experiences while completing a capstone experience at …

Supporting Firefighter Families: Addressing Occupational Disruptions Through An Occupation-Centered Approach, Tiana M. Gomez, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga, Karen Park

Summer 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

Firefighting involves long shifts, unpredictable schedules, sleep disruption, and repeated exposure to occupational stressors that may affect not only firefighters but also their families. This doctoral capstone examined how the occupational demands of firefighting influence family roles, routines, habits, participation, and overall well-being. A convergent mixed-methods study included active or retired firefighters (n = 18) and adult firefighter family members (n = 10), with three participants also completing optional semi-structured interviews. Quantitative survey data were analyzed descriptively, while interview transcripts and open-ended responses were analyzed thematically using the Model of Human Occupation as a guiding framework. Findings demonstrated disruptions in …

Msw Portfolio: Through Courage And Heart, Meghan N. Conklin

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio discusses my journey through the MSW program highlighting anti-oppressive frameworks, ethics, trauma informed care, and indigenous practice. This portfolio displays how I met the core competencies of advanced integrative practice with a focus on practice with youth in and out of institutional setting.

Alumni Journal - Volume 97, Number 2, Loma Linda University School Of Medicine

Alumni Journal, School of Medicine

Editorials
2 | From the Editor
4 | From the President
6 | From the Dean

News
8 | School of Medicine News
10 | Alumni News
14 | Students: AI-HEAL
15 | Paying It Forward Scholarship
16 | This & That
18 | Department Report: Cardiothoracic Surgery
20 | AIMS Report: Gleaning Missions Blessings at Hôpital Adventiste d’Haïti
22 | AIMS News

Graduation 2026
24 | Graduation Feature: A celebration of the class of 2026

Features
42 | By the Graduates: Stories and reflections
48 | Richard H. Hart '70, DrPH: Reflections on Hart's Legacy Upon Retirement
53 | …

Public Perceptions Regarding Fire And Fuel Mitigation, Jennifer Schmidt, Kathryn Davis, Nicholas Link, Joseph Little

ISER Reports

In fall 2025, UAA researchers held focus groups to talk to Anchorage municipality residents about their attitudes towards a wildfire mitigation technique called fuel treatments. Findings indicated residents support fuel treatments, but had questions about aesthetic and environmental implications, financial barriers, and the policy process.

Light & Faith: July 2026, Taylor University

Light & Faith

No abstract provided.

Trattato Dell’Alcibra Amuchabile (Anonimo): A Guided Translation, Gary Towsley, Olympia Nicodemi

Geneseo Authors

The Trattato dell’Alcibra Amuchabile is a pre-modern algebra text from c. 1365. It is written in a Tuscan dialect of Italian and is situated in the abbacus school tradition, schools that taught the mathematics needed for a mercantile society. Like all the algebra written in Italy at the time, it was inherited from al-Khwarizmi and, like his, written with no symbols—no x’s, y’s, plus signs, etc. It was what is sometimes called “rhetorical algebra.”  There is very little source  material available in English from this important era in the history of algebra. This book helps fill that gap. …

Designing System Coherence For Content- Based English Language Development, Jeimee Estrada-Miller, Aline Matias, Raquel Gonzalez, Magaly Lavadenz, Elvira G. Armas

Center on English Language Proficiency Implementation Briefs

Advancing Comprehensive English Language Development: Designing System Coherence for Content-Based English Language Development is the second in a four-part implementation series focused on advancing high-quality English language development (ELD) systems. Drawing on research on educational change, organizational coherence, and instructional improvement, the brief recognizes that while effective classroom practices are essential, their impact depends on the organizational conditions that support consistent implementation. This brief examines the "how" of implementation by emphasizing system coherence—the intentional alignment of policies, leadership, organizational structures, and resources around a shared vision for language and content learning. It introduces seven foundational practices that support the coherent …

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - The Importance Of Consciousness And The Art Of Noticing, Vidhya M. Biju

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

This documentary follows my journey through Spain, which unexpectedly becomes a reflection on consciousness and what it means to live with intention. Through encounters with art, culture, and human connection, I examine how modern life, shaped by social media, automation, optimization, and routine, has weakened our capacity to think critically, reflect deeply, and remain present. The film argues that this loss of consciousness not only affects our personal lives but also influences how we respond to larger issues such as inequality, suffering, and social responsibility. Drawing on the philosophy of René Descartes and the poetry of Pablo Neruda, I explore …

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - The Moments In Between: What We Notice, What We Keep, Giselle Guzman

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

This documentary began as a way of capturing my experience in Spain, but it ultimately became about much more than the places I visited.

Before the trip, I imagined I would remember the cities, museums, and landmarks most clearly. Looking back, what stayed with me most were the moments I almost overlooked. In between all the major moments, the conversations, the music, the people, and the everyday interactions quietly became some of the most meaningful parts of the experience.

Through video footage, voiceovers, music, and artwork, this project explores themes of connection, perspective, attention, and the ways everyday experiences take …

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - La Experiencia Humana En Tres Partes: La Vida, El Cambio, Y La Muerte, Aislin Ramirez

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

This documentary talks about the human experience in three parts: life, change, and death. It explores this concept through the lens of the medical humanities to discover how, through cultivating self-awareness, dialectic logic, creative thought, and emotional intelligence, we may shift our perspective on each of these respective concepts, realizing how these are a part of the world’s natural progression and thus coming to a peaceful acceptance that these dominate us, not the other way around.

This documentary explores the ideas of life, change, and death by analyzing the works of Latin American artists and poets, serving as a comprehensive …

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - What Remains: Medical Humanities Perspectives From Madrid And Toledo, Spain, Samantha N. Lara

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

What Remains is a documentary inspired by a Medical/Health Humanities study abroad experience in Madrid and Toledo, Spain. Through museums, historic architecture, poetry, and everyday life, the film examines how human beings leave traces of themselves long after they are gone. Drawing on course themes including Plural Truths, Reason and its Discontents, The Renaissance Self, and Fragmented Modernity, the documentary explores how art and literature preserve experiences of suffering, identity, memory, and human connection. Works by Antonio Machado, Francisco de Quevedo, Francisco Goya, El Greco, and Diego Velázquez serve as lenses through which to examine the enduring nature of human …

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - Tiempo: Lo Que Dejamos Atrás, Hannah E. Martinez

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

Tiempo. Es una de las pocas cosas que todos tenemos en común. Hay quienes sienten que les sobra el tiempo, mientras que otros creen que veinticuatro horas nunca son suficientes. Otros se sienten atrapados en el pasado, y algunos sienten que el tiempo se ha detenido por completo. Pero aquí está lo que rara vez nos detenemos a preguntar: ¿qué hacemos con él? No cómo lo organizamos, o lo programamos, o deseamos tener más. Sino qué construimos a partir de él, y qué dejamos atrás cuando se acaba. Estas son las preguntas que España respondió para mí. A través de …

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - Madrid: La Enseñanza Del Poder, Karla I. Jimenez-Valencia

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

El documental Madrid: La Enseñanza del Poder es una reflexión sobre el poder, incluyendo el abuso de poder, la opresión, la desigualdad y el sufrimiento de las personas causado por quienes actúan con avaricia y buscan mantener su autoridad.

En el documental hablo del poder de la monarquía española y cómo el Palacio Real de Madrid representa un símbolo de esta inmensa autoridad. Igualmente, tocó el tema de cómo esta riqueza no está distribuida de manera equitativa y como se ve esta distribución en la sociedad actual.

También, discuto la dictadura de Francisco Franco y la Guerra Civil Española y …

The Vision-Enhanced Occupational Engagement Program, Zakoria Q Fox Mcelroy, Rebecca King

Summer 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Low vision is a significant concern among older adults and can affect independence, mobility, safety, social participation, and overall quality of life. As the aging population continues to grow, understanding the challenges experienced by older adults with low vision is increasingly important for improving supportive services and promoting healthy aging.

Purpose: This capstone project examined the experiences and needs of older adults living with low vision, with a focus on how vision loss and environmental factors may influence daily functioning, independence, and participation in meaningful occupations.

Methods: A multi-method needs assessment was completed to identify the needs of residents …

The Guardian The Month Of July 2026, Wright State Student Body

The Guardian Student Newspaper

News articles from The Guardian for the Month of July 2026. The Guardian is the official student-run newspaper for Wright State University. It has been published regularly since March of 1965.

Pharmed. System Manual: Hololens Application, Eden Woldeselassie

Systems Manuals - 2026

This document provides the full life cycle of PharmEd HoloLens. PharmEd stands for Pharmacy Education. The overall document will go through the complete system manual by going over requirements, followed by design, how to install the application, how to upload the application to Microsoft store, troubleshooting and source code. The first section will explain the background, the existing problems and why the need to develop PharmEd.  Here techniques of requirement gathering and some statistics will elaborated. The following section discusses about functional requirements. The requirement section includes subtopics: functional and nonfunctional requirements for both -programmer and end user- and the …

Robot Remote Control Utility, Jeremy Cantu, Paul Uhlig

Systems Manuals - 2026

The purpose of this document is to describe the Robot Control Management Utility developed in the course of this graduate project. Information included in this document will include the background of the developed product, as well as the functional requirements, data structures, software modules, interface design, installation guide, and sample and troubleshooting guides.

E Classroom+, Ami B. Jariwala

Systems Manuals - 2026

A software platform that enhances many processes correlated with learning is called a learning management system (LMS). It is also known as a management software package that enables the delivery of learning content, resources and activities and also that handles the correlated administration operations. In classrooms, today, teachers, are being commenced with convenience to remodel learning from a traditional transmission model to a student-centered model where students are mostly responsible for their learning. The research conveys that in order to remodel learning, schools require to support a student-centered approach where students can be supported in finding, analyzing, organizing, evaluating, internalizing, …

Kta System Manual, Cayden Garcia

Systems Manuals - 2026

The purpose of this document is to explain the ins and outs of KTA. This includes but not limited to:

- The problem that colleges face when it comes to data analysis and collection

- The history of data analytics at a collegiate level

- Software and hardware requirements for KTA – Developer and User

- The overall design of KTA, how the software is structured and how the stack interacts with one another

- How to install KTA on your machine

- Sample Sessions – including issues that the user may run into and how to fix them

Smart Atm, Majid Hakeem

Systems Manuals - 2026

The Smart ATM is a new system that goal is to create a new experience for ATMs users by creating a different way of using the ATM. It would protect users from germs and bacteria. Instead of using buttons and touch screens, the main input for this system will be the motion sensor. To specify, the system uses Microsoft Kinect, which is the motion sensor for the Xbox One.

This document is a user guide, which is intended to give assistance to users for using the Smart ATM. This document contains an application overview, list of user requirements, the design …

Idioma Tutor, Oralia Mijares

Systems Manuals - 2026

The Idioma Tutor was developed specifically for individuals who desire to learn English through a non-traditional approach, eLearning. Idioma Tutor is an interactive game designed to strengthen individual’s English language adaptation, using an individual-learner approach. The game uses immediate feedback to provide self-analysis for learners. It captivates users and applies best-practices in eLearning and game development to retain and fully engage learners. This system manual outlines provides detailed information for using the Idioma Tutor. This system will be used as a catalyst to support the success of individuals who desire to learn the English language in a fun and interactive …

Solving Rubik's Cube By Using Artificial Intelligence, Polat Coban, Seth Reed

Systems Manuals - 2026

This document will detail a proposal to build a Rubik’s cube simulator, and a Rubik’s cube solver. It is broken into several sections which in turn are broken into subsections.

July 2026, Swosu Bulldog Wellness Committee

SWOSU BULLDOG WELLNESS

Community & Connection Month

July is Community & Connection Month, a time to focus on building relationships, strengthening connections, and supporting one another. Whether it’s with friends, family, coworkers, or your campus community, meaningful connections play an important role in overall wellness. Strong social connections can improve mood, reduce stress, and help you feel more supported in everyday life.