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"I Will Not Hear The Melody Of Thy Viols": Opposition To Instrumental Music In Historic Presbyterian And Puritan Worship, Sean Patrick Michael Mcdonald

Masters Theses

The parallel movements of Presbyterianism in Scotland and Puritanism in England began and developed in the 1500s. Early on, both of these movements established their opposition to musical instruments in the public worship of God. This was not merely incidental to their worship, as though instrumental music could be added without any significant alteration to Presbyterianism or Puritanism as such. Rather, the rejection of musical instruments (usually organs) was essential to their worship, and inseparably tied to key theological principles.

Visualizing Equity: A Design Framework For Global Mental Health Communication For Generation Z, Jose Pena

Masters Theses

There is a lot of information about mental health available today. However, for Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, the information proves both challenging to find and difficult to understand. The World Health Organization and other global groups publish a lot of information about mental health inequality, treatment gaps, and workforce shortages. However, this information is usually presented in dense, technical formats that are not meant for young people who are not experts. Many digital mental health tools, on the other hand, don’t give young people the emotional connection, cultural relevance, and visual clarity they need to deal …

Semiotic Breakdown In Disaster Evacuation Signage For International Tourists, Mario Christopher Fimbrez

Masters Theses

Japan’s disaster evacuation signage systems are highly standardized and widely regarded as effective for the domestic population, who operate within a shared cultural framework shaped by years of earthquake drills, formal disaster education, and a common visual vocabulary for risk and evacuation. In coastal cities like Kamakura, however, the audience composition has changed significantly, with millions of international visitors now navigating these spaces each year without the disaster literacy or cultural familiarity that the existing signage was designed to assume. When those shared assumptions about urgency, symbolism, and environmental threat are absent, the communicative force of the system can be …

Guide To The Shallon Winery Collection, Linfield University Archives

Linfield Archives Finding Aids

This collection contains insight into the life and winery of Paul van der Veldt. The collection partially focuses on his winery Shallon Wine and his achievements. This includes newspaper articles about his endeavors, packaged wine labels for his own wine, and several designs for wine labels. The collection also holds a lot of personal items such as photos of himself and older photos of his mother and her family. There are also multiple items related to wine found in this collection: an assortment of wine glasses, multiple bottles of wine, some of which were Paul’s own creation such as the …

The Lived Experiences Of Custodial Grandparents In Northern Appalachia: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Christina Marie Savage

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Grandparents raising their grandchildren represent a growing demographic in North America. This qualitative transcendental phenomenological research study examined the shared lived experiences of custodial grandparents living in Northern Appalachia. This study was guided by Erikson’s seventh and eighth stages of psychosocial development and Resilience Theory. Fourteen custodial grandparents who reside within a Northern Appalachian county in Pennsylvania participated in semi-structured in-person interviews and data were analyzed using Moustakas' (1994) transcendental phenomenological method. Six themes emerged from the data: returning to parenthood later in life, accepting responsibility to protect grandchildren, changes in family roles and relationships, navigating challenges with limited support, …

School Choice And The Black Family: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study Why Black Christian Parents Choose Public Schools, Rosalyn C. Gatling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A lack of growth in enrollment is noticeable in Faith-based schools, even more so with black student enrollment in Christian schools (NCES, 2024). Black student enrollment continues to remain at a low percentage and has not increased in over 15 years, with leaders striving to discover solutions to elevate growth in the future and avert further enrollment loss, and stagnation (Harsh, 2018). The major reasons why black Christian parents choose public schools over Christian schools vary; therefore, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover the perspective of black Christian parents and what they believe are the major …

The Effect Of Job Enlargement Programs On The Wellbeing Of United States Air Force Personnel, Joseph Earl Stone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between job enlargement programs and overall wellbeing among active-duty United States Air Force personnel using a mixed method, convergent parallel approach. Utilizing a sample of 125 active-duty personnel, these two variables were examined for a predictive relationship while controlling for eight covariates utilizing multiple regression analysis (quantitative) and assessed for contextual purposes using thematic analysis (qualitative), employing survey data from all participants. The study was framed by self-determination theory (SDT), which posits that the wellbeing of individuals is affected by three core needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Quantitatively, no …

When Illness Is Invisible: The Rhetorical Situation Of Internet-Informed Self-Identification In Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Kayla J. Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the rhetorical situation of diagnostic communications for individuals with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) when presenting diagnostic information obtained online to medical providers in healthcare settings. The problem was that little was known about how individuals with hEDS communicatively negotiate internet-informed self-identifications or diagnoses within the rhetorical situation of patient-provider diagnostic interactions. The rationale for this research was that individuals with hEDS frequently experience significant diagnostic delays, symptom dismissal, and provider knowledge gaps that lead many to seek diagnostic information through online health information seeking (OHIS) and self-identification prior to obtaining a …

Male Birth Trauma Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Mary Rose Mceachern

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The year 2020 was characterized by the sudden onslaught of the COVID-19 virus, which resulted in the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to increased use of healthcare resources and healthcare professionals were overwhelmed with the additional responsibilities and necessary measures to protect themselves and patients. Hospital protocols were restrictive during the pandemic and these restrictions led to changes in patient care, heightened anxiety and fear of contracting this illness, and limited hospital visitation. The pandemic may have led to increased gynecological interventions during pregnancy and birth, leading to birth-related trauma. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to explore …

Exploring Psychological Capital And Perceived Employability In The Career Experiences Of Military Spouses, Sydney Higginbotham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military spouses face distinct employment challenges that stem from the unique demands and disruptions that the military lifestyle can create. These disruptions can create barriers to employment that require military spouses draw on internal and external resources to adapt. Grounded in conservation of resources theory and social cognitive career theory, this study considers how psychological capital and perceived employability, as adaptive responses, contribute to an increase of one’s agency in career management. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed to test hypotheses through regression analyses. Data was collected from an online survey of a convenience sample of 41 military spouses …

Evaluating The Physical, Digital, And Sovereign Risks To U.S. Data Centers, Kevin Chen, Katrina Mcdermott

Reports, Projects, and Research

This report is intended to inform DHS officials, law enforcement, critical infrastructure personnel, and the wider Intelligence Community on the urgent physical and digital threat landscape confronting domestic data center infrastructure.

The growth of technologies that are reliant on data centers, most notably AI, has transformed these facilities from passive data repositories into multi-dimensional platforms that are attractive targets for hostile state and non-state actors.

2026 September 17 - From My Notepads Newsletter, Office Of The President, East Tennessee State University, Brian Noland

From My Notepads: A Newsletter from President Brian Noland

No abstract provided.

Re: Conditional Approval Letter For Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Final Diggings East Dewatering Treatability Study Pre-Design Investigation Work Plan (Pdiwp) (Dated September 8, 2026) And The 2026 Final Diggings East Dewatering Treatability Study Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Dated September 8, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Perceptual Evaluation Of 3d-Printed Typodont Teeth With Comparable Cutting Forces, Alex Cresswell-Boyes, Aylin Baysan, Graham Davis

Peninsula Dental School

AbstractBackground: Pre-clinical training in endodontics relies heavily on typodont teeth to develop operative skills before patient care, but conventional polymer-based typodonts differ from human teeth in their cutting response, requiring greater force and producing an unrealistic cutting experience that often dissatisfies students. Methods: This study evaluated four alternative 3D-printed typodont materials—15 wt.% carbonated hydroxyapatite, 15 wt.% Puraflake® (glass flake filler), 15 wt.% zinc oxide, and a urethane/triethylene glycol dimethacrylate resin composite—based on their cutting force, post-cut surface roughness, and perceived cutting feel relative to extracted enamel, assessed via a five-point Likert scale questionnaire completed by 46 (n = 46) fourth- …

Guide To Automated Surge Irrigation In Utah, Ngoni Mufute, Matt Yost, Burdette Barker, Clay Carter, Jonathan A. Holt, Grant Cardon

All Current Publications

This guide discusses the benefits and drawbacks of automated surge irrigation and the equipment needed for setup to make it beneficial to irrigators.

Methodological Variations In Environmental Justice Screening Tools And Their Impact On Disadvantaged Community Designations, Thomas Robbins, Qingran Li, Stephen Bird

Faculty Publications

Government agencies in the United States have developed environmental justice screening tools (EJSTs) and designations to promote equitable distribution of benefits from environmental policies to disadvantaged communities (DACs). However, the methodological choices embedded in these tools, including the selection, weighting, and aggregation of environmental justice indicators, vary across EJSTs, and their implications for DAC designation outcomes are poorly understood. Here we systematically compare four EJSTs at the federal and state levels and show that these tools produce substantial variation in the DAC census tracts, with some tools emphasizing socioeconomic burdens while others prioritize environmental risks. Using quantitative regression models, we …

Historical Chaos Among Tetrabothriideans (Eucestoda) Of Odontocetes (Artiodactyla)—Revising Generic Taxonomy And Species Diversity For Cestodes Among Oceanic Dolphins, Eric P. Hoberg, Kaylen Marie Soudachanh, Robert L. Rausch

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

Explorations over the past 150 years that have defined the diversity and structure of the tetrabothriidean cestode fauna among Odontocete cetaceans (Artiodactyla) are summarized and reviewed. Persistent errors in interpretation of comparative morphological characters, inconsistent taxonomic decisions, and an understanding of generic-level and species diversity are addressed. We outline a revision of the Tetrabothriidea, which now encompasses 8 genera. Prosthecocotyle is resurrected from synonymy with Tetrabothrius, and Cetaceobothridius n. gen is proposed. A clear basis is outlined for differentiation of generic and species diversity among Cetaceobothridius, Priapocephalus, Prosthecocotyle, Strobilocephalus, Tetrabothrius, and Trigonocotyle that constitute the tetrabothriidean fauna of odontocetes; species …

Colorado Mental Health Professionals’ Personal And Professional Perspectives Of Nutrition: A Phenomenological Study, Tanya M. Tyrrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Growing evidence supports the relationship between nutrition and mental health. However, little is known about how mental health professionals (MHPs) experience nutrition, perceive its role in relation to mental health, or integrate nutrition into psychotherapy. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore Colorado MHPs’ lived experiences with nutrition and examine how those experiences informed their professional perspectives of nutrition. Guided by constructivist epistemology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 MHPs practicing in Colorado, and data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Analysis generated eight themes. Findings revealed that 1) MHPs experienced nutrition as a lifelong developmental process …

The Social Construction Of Firearm Meaning In 2022 Hollywood Films: A Qualitative Content Analysis, Anthony L. Paduano

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study investigated how meaning was socially constructed around firearms in mainstream American cinema. The study used Berger and Luckmann’s (1966) social construction of reality as the primary framework, with semiotic analysis and Bandura’s (1977, 1986) social learning theory as supporting lenses, treating firearms as culturally loaded signs whose meanings were encoded and stabilized through narrative convention. A qualitative content analysis of 50 films, 2022 Hollywood films in which firearms were prominent enough to meet the study’s inclusion criteria, was conducted using a two-pool design that combined purposive selection with random selection from a bounded pool of commercially prominent …

Novice Nurses’ Perceptions Of Caring With Empathy In An Acute Care Hospital In The Northeastern United States: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Haley Zurcher

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the essence of the experience of empathy among novice nurses in an acute care facility in the Northeast United States. The Central Research Question (CRQ) for this study was: What was the perceived experience/understanding of empathy by novice nurses working in acute care settings in northeastern Pennsylvania, United States? The study was guided by Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory to examine how confidence, environmental influences, and personal beliefs shaped the development and expression of empathy in early nursing practice. The study was conducted at a large acute care hospital. The sample …

Dynamic Domain Score Changes As Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Evidence From Washington State's Pact, David Wayne Sattler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Juvenile probation agencies routinely administer risk-need assessments. However, evidence remains limited regarding the association between changes in scores from repeated risk-need assessments and recidivism among justice-involved youth. Grounded in general personality and cognitive social learning theory and the risk-need-responsivity model, this quantitative study examined whether changes in dynamic scores on the Positive Achievement Change Tool were associated with recidivism among youth on juvenile community supervision in Washington State. Using 24,929 paired initial and final Positive Achievement Change Tool assessments, the study analyzed total and domain-level dynamic score changes with recidivism measured during the 24 months following the final assessment. Logistic …

The Correlation Of Information-Seeking Traits With Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence Output To Ill-Defined Problems, Joel Bouchard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a new class of technological tool whose innovation exists in its ability to engage in reciprocal, socially fluent, undetermined response generation. How individuals come to trust such responses, especially as it regards classes of problems previously unavailable to programmed computational responses, is a question of importance. Prior research has addressed motivational dispositions towards epistemic decision-making, but work examining the relationship between these traits and perceptions of AI output in epistemically ambiguous circumstances is limited. The current study aimed to address this gap by exploring how trait curiosity and need for cognitive closure (NFCC) relate …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring How Leaders At Acsi-Accredited Christian Schools In North And South Carolina Implement And Integrate A Biblical Worldview, Terry A. Richards Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how leaders at ACSI-accredited Christian schools in North and South Carolina experienced integrating a biblical worldview. The study examined the strategies leaders considered effective, the challenges they encountered, and the approaches they used to foster collaboration among school leaders, faculty, and families. Using in-depth interviews to explore and illuminate the experiences of nine Christian school leaders, this study analyzed participants’ accounts to identify recurring themes. The findings indicated that participants understood biblical worldview integration as an intentional, schoolwide process rather than isolated religious tasks assigned to key activities, Bible classes, or chapel services. Participants also …

Invisible Transitions: A Phenomenological Study On The Lived Experiences Of Christian Working Women Navigating Perimenopause, Rebekah S. Willis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Perimenopause is a significant life transition that can affect how women experience their bodies, relationships, work, and sense of self. However, the experiences of working women during this transition, specifically women of faith, remain underrepresented in existing literature. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of Christian working women navigating perimenopause, with attention to how they understood changes in daily life, professional identity, personal coping, workplace experiences, and faith. Eight women participated in semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Five major themes emerged from the findings: the disruption of a previously …

Are We Prepared? A Qualitative Multiple Case Study On Multijurisdictional Readiness And Response Capabilities For Atypical Complex Coordinated Incidents Involving Mass-Casualty Cbrne Threats In The State Of Washington, Christopher J. Gard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Complex coordinated terrorist attacks involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) elements, along with active shooter threats, pose significant challenges for first-responding law enforcement officers. Responding to active threats where civilian lives are at immediate risk of serious injury or death requires an immediate, decisive response from the initial officers on the scene. When responders learn that perpetrators have dispersed one or more CBRNE-related weapons during an ongoing violent spree, on-site law enforcement personnel must be appropriately trained and adequately equipped to quickly and decisively confront and neutralize the attacker(s). Because prolonged federal CBRNE response assets can be delayed …

A Phenomenological Hermeneutic Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Pre-Licensure Nursing Students’ First Semester Clinical Rotations Following Simulation Learning, Ogochukwu Vera Nnakwe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological hermeneutic study aims to understand the lived experiences of pre-licensure nursing students during their clinical rotation semester following simulation learning at Southeastern University. The guiding theory for this study is Kolb’s experiential learning theory (Kolb, 1984). Simulation learning in nursing education is a teaching approach that lets learners practice practical nursing skills in a safe environment without risking patient safety, thus bridging the gap between theory and practice (Mishra et al., 2023). It offers students opportunities to improve their knowledge of clinical skills and enhance their abilities (Koukourikos et al., 2021). The study involved a sample of 12 …

Making Sense Of Organizational Culture Through Internal Communication: A Qualitative Descriptive Study Of University Staff Experiences, Candida A. Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Guided by Craig’s sociocultural communication tradition, organizational culture theory, and Barnlund’s transactional model of communication, this qualitative study sought to understand how internal communication practices at a large public university are interpreted by staff as central to meaning-making, trust, and engagement among staff. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews representing multiple divisions, roles, and campus locations at the institution. Thematic analysis revealed: 1) authentic and effective communication, 2) information flow and access, 3) institutional belonging and commitment, and 4) crisis communication breakdowns. Findings revealed that while the institution employs multiple internal communication channels, staff frequently perceived institutional-level communication as delayed, …

Strength Of No-Cash Bail Policies And Jail Population Outcomes: A Quantitative Study, Charles Lincoln Tucker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study assessed the impact of no-cash bail reforms on local jail populations in various U.S. states. The no-cash bail policies, also known as "cashless bail," are criminal justice reforms that reduce or eliminate the need for defendants to pay money to secure release from jail while awaiting trial. The goal is to base pretrial detention on safety risks, not financial status. These systems use non-monetary conditions to ensure court appearances instead of wealth-based detention. This study aimed to address a critical gap in scholarly understanding of statewide implementation policies carried out at the local level. The data were …

In Myth And Memory: The Efficacy Of New England Civil War Chaplains, Kevin L. Hostettler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Private William Kennedy of the Fifty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry damned chaplains as “the most gigantic nuisance in the Army,” then praised his own. The distance between abstract condemnation and named, concrete appreciation has shaped the historiography of the Union chaplaincy, with historians largely accepting nameless class censure at face value and treating competence as the exception. This dissertation argues that no single standard of efficacy can be applied to Union chaplains, because they answered to seven competing horizons of expectation (governmental, military command, regimental, soldiery, denominational, civilian, and personal), leaving chaplains to fill undefined duties Congress never clarified or reconciled. …

From Broken To Becoming: A Phenomenological Study Of Life Purpose Among Christian Adult Survivors Of Childhood Trauma, Chenel M. Stewart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood trauma often disrupts an individual’s sense of meaning, identity, and direction, leaving lasting effects that extend beyond psychological symptoms into how life’s purpose is understood and lived. While existing research has examined trauma, coping, and meaning in life, less is known about how survivors themselves experience and construct life purpose following traumatic experiences. This qualitative phenomenological study explored how Christian adult survivors of childhood trauma describe their lived experiences of trauma and healing, and the development of life purpose in adulthood. Semistructured interviews were conducted with seven Christian adults who self-identified as having experienced childhood trauma and healing and …