Digital Commons Network^™

A Practicum In Financial Planning, Erika L. Klosterman

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

A Practicum in Financial Planning explains the six stage process of creating a comprehensive financial plan, and in doing so provides an example of a financial plan for the Jackson family to clarify the process. The six stage process consists of: establishing and defining the client-planner relationship, gathering client data, analyzing and evaluating the client’s current financial status, developing and presenting recommendations and/or alternatives, implementing the recommendations, and monitoring the recommendations. The importance of a financial plan for all individuals is also discussed.

Comparing Public And Private Schools, Emily Scheper

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

School is an experience shared by most Americans, but each individual’s experience with school is very different. Many people assume that the biggest determinant of an individual’s success in life stems from choosing the right school. Many parents take this choice very seriously, trying to determine the best environment for their child. In most cases, the choice is between a public/city school and a private/religious school that charges tuition. The question is, though, why do parents decide to spend extra money to send their children to a private school when the same education is offered for free at any local …

Commencement Convocation Program, Usf, Baccalaureates, December 14, 2013, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

President's Global Leadership Award - Marlene M. Johnson; Outstanding Graduate - Lianet Vazquez; King O'Neal Scholars - Jillianne Deal, Alyssa Dupere, Jessica Haggod, Ahad Khan, Rachel Powell, Emilio Ruiz-Linares, Mariam Saifee, Christopher Thomas Story, and Brandon Sweeting

The Murray Ledger And Times, December 14, 2013, The Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

Pre-Service Music Teachers' Perspectives Of Experiences In An Informal Music Learning Group, Veronica Jane Sharpe

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Pre-service music teachers’ undergraduate preparation is often geared towards formal music making (i.e., large conductor-led ensembles). However, recent research suggests that many school-aged students are making music in informal settings (e.g. garage bands) outside of school. Despite a recent influx of research in informal music learning, there is little information on pre-service music teacher’s opinions towards and preparedness in incorporating informal music making into the classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine how pre-service music teachers’ informal music learning experiences shaped their perspectives on the importance of informal music learning and its role in the classroom. For this …

Rebranding And Repositioning: The Kentucky State Parks Restaurants, Jacqueline Byrne

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The restaurants located at the Resort Parks under the Kentucky State Parks group have noticed a distinct lack of revenue over the course of the past five years. Elaine Walker, Commissioner of the Arts and Heritage Committee, approached myself and fellow student Lavella Hall, with intentions of a complete rebrand and redesign of their main distributive information outlets: logos for each of the 17 restaurants, a menu redux, additional print mandatories (table toppers, etc.), and ultimately, the brand image. With the implementation of this project, we intend to see a 20% increase in guest traffic, guest loyalty and revenue for …

Pre-Program Assessment For Fall-Related Hip Fracture Prevention In A Rural Community, Katryn Inga Steenbergen

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In the elderly, hip fractures from falls often result in decreased quality of life, independence, or functional mobility. Such injuries may lead to hospitalizations, skilled nursing facility admissions, and healthcare costs, yet can be minimized by addressing risk factors of falls. Health education models indicate that assessment of the target population is important prior to the development of an effective program. PURPOSE: To determine among rural adults self-identified learning needs, interest and preferences for fall injury prevention. METHODS: A survey was administered to senior citizens in a rural community. RESULTS: One hundred thirty (n= 130) older adults completed this survey. …

The Sentencing Structure Of White-Collar Crime, Catherine Reeves

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Corporate fraud is an all-too-common element in our society today. Unfortunately, many of those convicted of fraud end up with a seemingly light jail sentence. A possible explanation for this is that the judges could have many subconscious reasons to give lighter sentences in these cases than they do with other more violent cases. Since there are no strict guidelines for the sentencing of these “white-collar criminals,” the judge’s personal views can play a significant role. Many of the laws and guidelines for determining the sentence in fraud cases have stemmed from the corporate scandals of the early 2000’s, but …

An Analysis Of The Application Of Best Management Practices In Collaborative Watershed Management To Community-Based Sustainable Development, Rebecca Holthaus Sappenfield

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This research seeks to determine if BMPs from CWM can inform the broader concept of CBSD. In order to answer this question, I conduct a desk study, which involves an extensive review of the CWM literature in two areas: stakeholder participation and building trust among stakeholders. I then analyze my research to deduce BMPs for these areas of CWM. As part of this analysis, I also explore how effective environmental communication plays a fundamental role in achieving these BMPs. The culmination of this work is the production of guidelines of best practice for stakeholder participation and building trust among stakeholders …

Feasibility Study Of Installing Artificial Bathing Platforms At The Northeast Coast Of Malta, Darren Bianco

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The need to create additional bathing areas at rugged karst rocky shores of the northeast coast of Malta could be met by installing temporary wooden decking platforms, since current sandy beaches are very crowded in the peak summer season. Wooden decking platforms are also an acceptable alternative to beach nourishment projects, where the latter can have permanent negative environmental impacts. The old and eroded concrete platforms which cover large areas of the northeast coast of Malta represent an eyesore to the public. The option of overlaying these concrete platforms with a permanent rock amalgam composed of fiber-reinforced concrete which mimics …

Sustainable Management Of The Main Two Maltese Indigenous Grape Varieties For Winemaking, Jonathan Falzon

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Ġellewża and Girgentina, the main two Maltese indigenous grape varieties that are used for winemaking, are grown in small parcels of land with an average size just over 0.1 ha. Policies and regulations that influence the sector have been set up and this increased the need for studies to understand the current management practices and how can they be more sustainable. Through interviews with 30 growers of the indigenous grape varieties it was found that most vines are trained as bush vines and cane pruned with 2 or 3 canes with about 5 to 10 buds in each. Nutrition is …

Mental Illness, Narrative, And Rhetorics Of Recovery, Anders Rains Bruce

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

No abstract provided.

Commencement Convocation Program, Usf, Graduate, December 14, 2013, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

Honorary Doctorate of Science - Richard N. Zare

Effects Of Wii Fit™ Plus Cardiovascular Exercises On Cognitive Function In Older Adults: Feasibility Study., Ifeanyichukwu Chinedozi

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cognitive decline increasingly plague older adults. Although various studies have correlated aerobic exercises with decreased incidence of the development and progression of cognitive deterioration in older adults, there is no evidence as to whether or not the Wii Fit Plus Rhythm Kung-Fu, Hula-Hoop and the Wii Just Dance can improve the cognitive function of older adults as measured by the Standardized Mini Mental State Examination (SMMSE) instrument. A descriptive study design was used to explore the feasibility of implementing an aerobic exercise program for older adults in an assisted living facility using these Wii games, and evaluating whether or not …

Journal Of Mormon History, Volume 40, Issue 1 (2014)

Journal of Mormon History

LETTER

--Stakes in Canada, Francine Russell Bennion, vi

ARTICLES

--The People Are “Hogaffed or Humbugged”: The 1851–52 National Reaction to Utah’s “Runaway” Officers, Part 2, Ronald W. Walker and Matthew J. Grow, 1

--“Smoot Smites Smut:” Apostle-Senator Reed Smoot’s 1930 Campaign against Obscene Books, Michael Harold Paulos, 53

--“Colegias Chilenes de los Santos de los Últimos Días”: The History of Latter-day Saint Schools in Chile, Casey Paul Griffiths, Scott C. Esplin, Barbara Morgan, and E. Vance Randall, 97

--“Redeemed from the Curse Placed upon Her”: Dialogic Discourse on Eve in the Woman's Exponent, Boyd Jay Petersen, …

Determining A Developmental Window For The Effect Of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (Pcb) On Ultrasonic Vo, Hannah Duffy

Honors Projects

Commercial manufacturing and widespread use of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) in the United States has left lasting negative effects today. These persistent contaminants continue to bioaccumulate in the food web because of their stable structure, long half-life, and high lipophilicity. Adding PCB to the diet of Sprague-Dawley rats during pregnancy and lactation alters the thyroid status of offspring, and the behavior of the dams and pups. To determine a critical period or “window” of development with the greatest impact of PCB exposure of females on offspring fitness, female Sprague-Dawley rats were mated and fed PCB diet (25 ppm PCB 47 and …

164th Commencement, Fall

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

On The Centenary Of Muriel Rukeyser's Birth: The Lives Of A Poet, Catherine Gander

Ruke Blog

No abstract provided.

Transmission Shift Map Optimization For Reduced Electrical Energy Consumption In A Pre-Transmission Parallel Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle, Jonathan Dean Moore

Theses and Dissertations

The use of an automatic transmission in pre-transmission parallel hybrid electric vehicles provides greater potential for powertrain optimization than conventional vehicles. By modifying the shift map, the transmission’s gear selection can be adjusted to reduce the energy consumption of the vehicle. A method for determining the optimal shift map for this hybrid vehicle has been implemented using global optimization and software-in-the-loop vehicle simulation. An analysis of the optimization has been performed using software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop simulation and evaluates two vehicle modes: regenerative braking active and regenerative braking disabled. The results of these two modes illustrate the successful implementation of the …

Model-Based Autonomic Performance Management Of Distributed Enterprise Systems And Applications, Rajat Mehrotra

Theses and Dissertations

Distributed computing systems (DCS) host a wide variety of enterprise applications in dynamic and uncertain operating environments. These applications require stringent reliability, availability, and quality of service (QoS) guarantee to maintain their service level agreements (SLAs). Due to the growing size and complexity of DCS, an autonomic performance management system is required to maintain SLAs of these applications. A model-based autonomic performance management structure is developed in this dissertation for applications hosted in DCS. A systematic application performance modeling approach is introduced in this dissertation to define the dependency relationships among the system parameters, which impact the application performance. The …

Modeling Dendritic Solidification Using Lattice Boltzmann And Cellular Automaton Methods, Mohsen Eshraghi Kakhki

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the development of numerical models based on lattice Boltzmann (LB) and cellular automaton (CA) methods for solving phase change and microstructural evolution problems. First, a new variation of the LB method is discussed for solving the heat conduction problem with phase change. In contrast to previous explicit algorithms, the latent heat source term is treated implicitly in the energy equation, avoiding iteration steps and improving the formulation stability and efficiency. The results showed that the model can deal with phase change problems more accurately and efficiently than explicit LB models. Furthermore, a new numerical technique is introduced …

Drawing Lessons From The U.K. Constitutional Reform Act Of 2005, Terence J. Lau

Management and Marketing Faculty Publications

In this City Square dialogue, Professor Judith Maute provided the initial spark in her important 2007 article on reforms to judicial selection in the United Kingdom.[1] In her article, Professor Maute outlined the breathtaking and daring changes implemented in the U.K. that upended centuries of tradition to modernize and strengthen public confidence in the judiciary. Most significant among these changes were the creation of a Supreme Court and dramatically moving the process of becoming a judge away from a secretive appointment to a professional Judicial Appointments Commission.[2] The reforms eschew direct affirmative action, but place an explicit value on diversity …

A Decision Support System To Design The In-Bound Supply Chain For Biomass Co-Fire In Power Plants, William David Bowen

Theses and Dissertations

This work is focused on designing a hub-and-spoke in-bound supply chain networks for coal plants. Biomass and coal are coired to produce electricity. One of the main reasons for focusing this study on biomass supply to coal plants is that biomass, in the form of forest and agricultural waste, is cleaner to burn as compared to coal. The user, most likely a supply chain manager or production control engineer, would input their supplier locations, costs and biomass availability. The mathematical model which supports this DSS is a mixed-integer program. The model uses this input to identify optimal order quantities which …

Efficacy Of Motivational Interviewing And Centering To Increase Physical Activity And Dietary Adherence In African Americans With Pre-Hypertension And Hypertension, Chioma U. Okereke

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Abstract Title: Efficacy of Motivational Interviewing and Centering to Increase Physical Activity and Dietary Adherence in African Americans with Pre-hypertension and Hypertension.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and self-care behaviors of African Americans necessary to prevent the development of hypertension or to improve the control of all ready existing hypertension. Motivational interviewing was used to identify and address barriers to lifestyle modifications. The feasibility of using a Centering Care Model to deliver interactive educational sessions to empower individuals to take an active role in their health care was evaluated.

Significance of the Problem: African …

Commencement Convocation Exercises - December 2013, Prairie View A&M University

Commencement and Convocation Exercises

No abstract provided.

2013 Fall Commencement, Harding University

Commencement Programs

Program for the Harding University Commencement on December 14.

Commencement Speaker: Steve W. Reeves

Determination Of Beta-Carotene Content And Consumer Acceptability Of Sweet Potato Cookies By Adults And Preschool Children, Aja Marie Stokes

Theses and Dissertations

Vitamin A deficiency is recognized as a major health concern worldwide, especially in developing countries. Sweet potatoes are a cash crop that is abundantly grown and available, providing an excellent source of the carotenoid, beta-carotene. Carotenoids are precursors to vitamin A (retinol). Three sweet potato cookie products were developed: glutenree, wheat-containing, and glutenree with extra sweet potato. Products were evaluated by adults and pre-school aged children based on appearance, aroma, texture, flavor, and overall acceptability. Results showed that overall the children liked both the glutenree and wheat-containing cookies (p<0.05). Adults preferred (p<0.05) the glutenree with extra sweet potato and the wheat-containing products. The glutenree cookie contained 10.1 parts per million of beta-carotene as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Conventional Pavements And Perpetual Pavements: A Rational And Empirical Approach, Wenqi Wang

Theses and Dissertations

A study has been conducted to compare conventional pavements and perpetual pavements with a particular emphasis on perpetual pavements. One of the main drawbacks of conventional pavements and motivations for this work is the maintenance required for hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavements with sub-drainage systems. Perpetual pavements, as the name suggests, are designed with a long life. However, this is a relatively new concept and there are still many unknowns concerning their performance. This dissertation was written to answer some of the questions. The study examines structural response and performance of perpetual pavements. Also, deterioration and performance of perpetual pavements …

Differentiation Of Fungal Phytopathogens By Ft-Ir And Maldi-Tof Ms, Curtis Muldrow Atkinson

Theses and Dissertations

The use of matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-oflight mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and other analytical means of identifying and differentiating microorganisms hold much promise. These analytical tools have been extensively assessed for their ability to differentiate bacteria and fungi. Most of this research has been coordinated in medically relevant microorganisms, but the technology can work just as well with agriculturally important microorganisms. In this thesis, these technologies were reviewed and then subsequently studied for their ability to differentiate Aspergillus species (that devastate corn and other crops yearly with aflatoxin contamination), as well as Macrophomina phaseolina and Thielaviopsis …

A Comparison Of Participant Gains In Attitude And Behavior After Experiencing A Food Safety Curriculum In Traditional And Computer Delivered Environments, Jennifer Knowles Schilling

Theses and Dissertations

Child care providers in Mississippi are required by the Mississippi Health Department to obtain food manager’s training and certification. The TummySafe© program satisfies this requirement and is offered in a self-paced computer delivered version and a traditional classroom version. This research explores participant changes in attitude and self-reported behaviors in the two methods of curriculum delivery as well as the correlation of knowledge change with attitude and self-reported behavior change. A quasi-experimental, pre-test/post-test design was used. Attitude change was not significantly different in the two methods. Traditional participants reported a higher change in self-reported behaviors than computer delivered participants. Both …