Digital Commons Network^™

Friendship Then And Now, Timothy Madigan

Philosophy and Classical Studies Faculty/Staff Publications

In this paper, I will examine Aristotle’s concept of friendship as found in his famous work The Nichomachean Ethics, and then explore its relevance to the present-day, by comparing it to the work done by social psychologist Stanley Milgram on “familiar strangers.” I will also look at two works of popular culture, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s children’s novel The Little Prince, and the television program “Seinfeld” to show how they support the view that Aristotle’s writings are still good models for understanding how friendships are formed and maintained.

Using Learning Express-Ways In Special Education Teacher Preparation: Developing Student-Faculty Relationships As A Path To Partnership, Heather Haynes Smith, Anthony Sanchez, M. Peterson-Ahmad, C. Woodbury, B. B. Mitchell

Education Faculty Research

This paper explores the effects of implementing Learning Express-Ways as an instructional communication tool between students and faculty in courses that are part of a special education teacher preparation program and apprenticeship. Findings suggest that using Learning Express-Ways contributed to the development of learning relationships with faculty and this instructional communication tool may be helpful in creating a partnership-focused approach in special education teacher preparation program.

Learning-Based Analysis On The Exploitability Of Security Vulnerabilities, Adam Bliss

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to develop a tool that uses machine learning techniques to make predictions about whether or not a given vulnerability will be exploited. Such a tool could help organizations such as electric utilities to prioritize their security patching operations. Three different models, based on a deep neural network, a random forest, and a support vector machine respectively, are designed and implemented. Training data for these models is compiled from a variety of sources, including the National Vulnerability Database published by NIST and the Exploit Database published by Offensive Security. Extensive experiments are conducted, including testing …

Exploring Photo Privacy Protection On Smartphones, David Darling

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The proliferation of modern smartphone camera use in the past decade has resulted in unprecedented numbers of personal photos being taken and stored on popular devices. However, it has also caused privacy concerns. These photos sometimes contain potentially harmful information if they were to be leaked such as the personally identifiable information found on ID cards or in legal documents. With current security measures on iOS and Android phones, it is possible for 3rd party apps downloaded from official app stores or other locations to access the photo libraries on these devices without user knowledge or consent. Additionally, the prevalence …

Financial Media And The Politics Of Difference: Argentine Histories Of The Greek Debt Crisis, 2010-2015, Marcos Mendoza Ph.D., Emily Warner

Journal of International and Global Studies

This article examines financial media discourses and representations of the Greek debt crisis from 2010 to 2015. The analysis is based on financial media texts published by six major news outlets in the United States and the United Kingdom. This paper argues that the AngloAmerican media generated a financial discourse of the Greek debt crisis based on an analogical framework to contemporary Argentina. The discussion highlights three aspects of this media discourse: the classification of the unfolding crisis type (liquidity, solvency, or political), the use of Argentine financial histories to understand the crisis type and predict its possible futures, and …

Functional Mobility For A Patient With Myelodysplastic Syndrome, Chronic Gvhd, And Corticosteroid Use: A Case Report, Alyssa Deardorff

Case Report Papers

Background: The use of corticosteroids to treat chronic graft-versus-host-disease (cGVHD) is common in oncological treatment. However, the long-term complications of cGVHD and prolonged use of corticosteroids have not been reported in terms of the benefits of physical therapy (PT) interventions. The purpose of this case report was to report the impact of PT interventions for an individual with a cancer diagnosis having received an allogenic-stem cell transplant (allo-SCT) with the long-term complications associated with cGVHD, long-term corticosteroid use, and cancer survivorship. Case Description: The patient was a 73-year-old male diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome and received an allo-SCT two years prior …

Relieving Low Back Pain And Improving Mobility For An Adult Patient With Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy: A Case Report, Derek Schwaiger

Case Report Papers

Background and Purpose: Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease affecting patients with compromised immune systems. It attacks the central nervous system through white matter plaques that destroy neurons. Plaques form due to the John Cunningham Virus (JCV). There is no approved JCV treatment and thus, no treatment for PML. The purpose of this case report is to examine the physical therapy interventions administered to a patient with PML to address low back pain and functional mobility deficits. Case Description: The patient chosen was a 51-year-old male referred to outpatient physical therapy services with a medical diagnosis of PML. …

Wellness And Prevention Program Sustainability Design For Clark University Athletics Department, Emily Corbett

Sustainability and Social Justice

The purpose of this work is to design a wellness based prevention program that is tailored to fit the campus community within Clark University, Worcester, MA, called the Peer Athletes Advocating for Wellness (PAAW) initiative. This paper first presents the current research on wellness related issues within a college campus, specifically surrounding sexual violence. It then outlines the current sexual violence prevention programming that takes place yearly for incoming first year students at Clark University, as well as a one-time initiative during which student athletes participated in the sexual violence prevention programming. There is a review of the current most …

Learner Persistence In English For Speakers Of Other Languages (Esol) Programs, Elyse Waksman

Sustainability and Social Justice

Persistence – or continued, intense study – is a common challenge for adults in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs because of various institutional, situational, and dispositional factors. The current state and federal funding standards for adult ESOL programs are driven by human capital theory, and therefore most funders require demonstrated employment outcomes for students. These top-down objectives do not always align with English learners’ own motivations and goals. ESOL organizations must consider the complexities of these interacting forces to develop effective persistence strategies for their constituents. This case study of an ESOL organization in central Massachusetts is …

Drosophila Suzukii Fight Performance Reduced By Starvation But Not Affected By Humidity, Jessica S. Wong, Adam C. Cave, Danielle M. Lightle, Walter F. Mahaffee, Steve E. Naranjo, Nick G. Wilman, J. Megan Woltz, Jana C. Lee

Faculty Scholarship

Drosophila suzukii is widely studied because of its status as a global pest of berries and soft fruits. Environmental conditions and access to food resources impact the physiology and ftness of D. suzukii; these factors could also affect dispersal. Flight mills are a convenient tool for measuring and comparing the fight performance of insects. In this study, two experiments examined the efects of diet and humidity on D. suzukii fight performance using custom-built fight mills, and a third experiment compared the energy reserves of D. suzukii flown or not flown on fight mills. Over all fight assays, the median fight …

The Red Wilderness: Mark And Modern Western Storytelling, Nathan Kent Jowers

Honors College

Many adaptations of “the Gospel” have been made in recent years, but few of these are sustained engagements with one of the four gospels in particular. Modern biblical scholarship is increasingly realizing, however, the narrative integrity of each gospel taken on its own terms. Though four-gospel canonical adaptations are legitimate, this thesis hopes to lay some groundwork for the adaptation of one gospel in particular, the Gospel of Mark, showing that such a project is both feasible and desirable. It will do so by 1) briefly exploring adaptation theory to clarify the goals and challenges such an adaptation would face, …

Preparation Matters: A Quantitative Examination Of Faculty Active Shooter Preparedness, Latisha Pitts

Dissertations

In recent years, the occurrence of active shooter incidents has become more prevalent within the United States. Since the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007, there has been an increase in active shooter incidents at institutions of higher learning (IHLs). Educational settings have been identified by the FBI as the second most common place for active shooter incidents to occur. As a result, there has become an increased need for administrators at IHLs to create and maintain cultures of preparedness that include effective active shooter training. In this research study, Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory was used as a framework to …

Mechanism For Leadership Development And Effectiveness: The Relationship Between Followership, Leadership, And Psychological Capital, Saurabh Gupta

Dissertations

Research supports the strategic role of a leader in improving individual and organizational performance (Day et al., 2009; Kaiser & Curphy, 2013). Developing leadership and enhancing leadership effectiveness remains at the forefront of organizational strategic plans (Day et al., 2009; Kaiser & Curphy, 2013). However, a majority of leadership development efforts fail in their purpose, which causes a leadership crisis in many organizations (Fernández-Aráoz, Roscoe, & Aramaki, 2017; Gurdjian, Halbeisen, & Lane, 2014; Kaiser & Curphy, 2013; Madanchian, Hussein, Noordin, & Taherdoost, 2017; Pfeffer, 2015; Wakefield, Abbatiello, Agarwal, Pastakia, & van Berkel, 2016). Neglecting the role of followership and using …

A New Keynesian, Neo-Institutional Synthesis: Connecting And Explaining Under-Evaluated Risks In Consumption, Trade, And Finance, Todd Barry

Dissertations

The overall research questions addressed in this dissertation are twofold. First, what are the largest, under-evaluated (or unorthodox) factors that cause growth volatility in both the short and long terms? Second, how can one best determine how much risk is being taken across both of these periods, and how can states increase and/or diversify their risks? The principle hypotheses are that finicky consumerism and structural economic changes, undiversified trade, and under-financed investment contribute significantly to growth volatility. Above all, risk taking actions and policies in countries cause economies to fluctuate. Further, the dissertation suggests that the short-term risk characteristics of …

Technique For The Developing Dramatic Soprano, Amber James

Dissertations

This dissertation was inspired by a Facebook post by David L. Jones regarding common pedagogical problems in the dramatic soprano Fach. I am a dramatic soprano, who has dealt with many of the technical problems listed in his post. David L. Jones is an internationally recognized teacher and coach and has worked with some of the most well-known professional dramatic sopranos. After considering these pedagogical challenges, it was decided the best course of action was to interview professional singers, teachers, and coaches in the dramatic soprano Fach. After conducting a state of research, it was found that there …

Characteristics And Motivations Of Mississippi Community College Donors, Fred Young

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to identify characteristics and motivations of Mississippi community college donors. The researcher interviewed the lead administrator in charge of fundraising at 11 of the 15 participating Mississippi community colleges and asked them what they believed were characteristics and motivations of community college donors in Mississippi. The findings of the study suggest that the majority of Mississippi community college donors are white males, over 60 years of age, that live within the community college’s district.

Furthermore, this study revealed that relationships, donor recognition, participation in extracurricular activities, and belief in the community are …

Nurse Expectations As Compared To Perceived Reality, Kathryn Mckelvy

Dissertations

Burnout and turnover in nursing have been well documented in nursing literature, but little is known about a nurse’s expectations of the profession compared to their perceived reality of the profession. Do these expectations meet the reality of the workplace, and does this cause the nurse to make a career change? What factors influence a nurse to leave the profession, job-hop, or return to school to further their education? The rate of nurse turnover is an ongoing issue with a lack of research regarding the foundation of nurse expectations compared to the realities of the profession.

The purpose of this …

Factors For Influencing Intervention For Dyslexia, Michele Schraeder

Dissertations

Although instructional leadership and transformational leadership styles of elementary school principals have been found to be effective variables in increasing academic progress for students, the integration of instructional and transformational leadership behaviors has proved to be the most effective form of leadership. However, many students in elementary schools have difficulty learning to read despite good leadership by the principal, with 5-20% of students being diagnosed with dyslexia. While these students need phonetic, multisensory intervention to build necessary reading skills, many principals report lack of knowledge of this specialized instruction. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to explore variables that …

The Baritone To Tenor Transition, John White

Dissertations

Many notable opera singers have been virtuosic tenors; Franco Corelli, Plácido Domingo, James King, José Carreras, Ramón Vinay, Jon Vickers, and Carlo Bergonzi. Besides being great tenors, each of these singers share the fact that they transitioned from baritone to tenor.

Perhaps nothing is more destructive to the confidence of a singer than to have his vocal identity or voice type challenged. Many singers have experienced this, and not always by way of advice or as a gentle suggestion, but rather, as a solution to a fundamental deficiency regarding the singer’s voice. Though undergoing a transition to another vocal fach …

The Challenges And Limitations Of Adapting Mozart's Così Fan Tutte For A Small University Setting, Christopher Lovely

Dissertations

In this dissertation, challenges and limitations related to presenting Così fan tutte within a small university setting are conveyed, as well as offering innovative ideas to create a manageable presentation. I recall my personal experience as Korepititor/Vocal Coach for The University of Southern Mississippi’s 2014 production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte. This document presents topics on the various workings of an opera production: pre-rehearsal preparation, language issues, rehearsal preparation, selection of singers, and production issues. It offers practical solutions to overcome various challenges a small university may encounter. Smaller university opera programs were surveyed regarding their adaptations of …

Tribal Governance In The United States: Adaptation And Change, Michelle Watts

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to the body of knowledge on indigenous governance, specifically that of Native Americans and Alaska Natives. This project examined how differing circumstances of Native Nations influence how Native Nations leaders perceive their ability to govern and their relationships with non-indigenous entities. It sought a greater understanding of the cultural adaptations of Native Nations, and how these adaptations influence governance and relationships with state and federal government entities. To gather information, surveys were sent out to all leaders of Native Nations in the United States, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) …

Male Nurse Practitioners' Views On Nursing Education As A Career Option: An Inductive Qualitative Content Analysis, James Mcdavid

Dissertations

As the nursing shortage continues, the demand for new nurses will increase. In 2015, nursing schools in the United States turned away 62,361 qualified applicants in the baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs (Fang, Li, Arietti, & Trautman, 2016). The number of funded, vacant nursing faculty positions increased from 6.9% in 2014 to 7.1% in 2015 (Fang et al., 2016). One idea to help with the nursing faculty shortage is to recruit male RNs into nurse faculty positions. Males count for 10.6% of nurses in the United States (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). However, men only count for 5.5% of …

A Pedagogical Guide To Selected Intermediate And Early-Advanced Piano Works By Sergei Prokofiev: Developing Technical Skills To Master His Advanced Repertoire, Kaleb Davis

Dissertations

This dissertation provides the piano instructor and performer with a pedagogical guide to selected pieces by Prokofiev ranging in difficulty from intermediate to early-advanced. The pieces chosen for this guide help to address a variety of technical challenges that are essential to studying and performing Prokofiev’s more advanced works.

Chapter I offers an overview of Prokofiev’s musical style and addresses prominent technical challenges from his advanced piano repertoire. Chapter II is a pedagogical guide to the selected pieces, arranged into three levels of difficulty. For ease of reference, tables outlining the pieces with their technical challenges are placed at the …

Hydrogen Bond Mediated Water Structuring, Diffusion, And Elastic Properties In Acrylamide Copolymer Glycohydrogels, April Levu Fogel

Dissertations

Glycohydrogels have recently gained considerable interest as biocompatible and high water content hydrogels that have similar physicochemical nature to the cell membrane, making them ideal materials for targeted biomedical and personal care applications (e.g., drug delivery systems, biosensors, and contact lenses). Regardless of the specific application, water-polymer and water-water hydrogen bonding interactions have been shown to dictate hydration stability and diffusional properties in traditional hydrogel architectures (e.g., crosslinked HEMA). However, due to the development of glycohydrogel materials within the past two decades, most literature focuses on synthetic techniques and general hydration characteristics. Furthermore, scant literature examines the effect of hydrophobically …

Assessing Readmission Risks In Adolescent Psychiatric Patients, Keyamo Omokuru

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Purpose: Assess risk of readmission of adolescent patients to an inpatient psychiatric unit within 30-days post-discharge by using a clinician-rated behavioral health outcome assessment measure to rate psychiatric patient. Background: In the United States, approximately four million adolescents suffer from mental disorders. When admitted for inpatient psychiatric care, approximately 13% of adolescent mental health patients are readmitted within 30-days, 25% within one year, and 81% within 90-days, of inpatient psychiatric admission. Methods: An evidence-based quality improvement project that utilized the clinician-rated behavioral health outcome assessment tool called the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale for Children and Adolescent (HoNOSCA). The …

Lessons From The State Of Nature: A Hobbesian Contribution To The Critical Debate On Liberal Peacebuilding, Maximilian Lakitsch Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Liberal Peacebuilding has failed to realize the ambitious agenda set after the end of the Cold War. This paper contributes to the critical debate about liberal peacebuilding by introducing some fundamental ideas from Thomas Hobbes’ state of nature. Within the state of nature, Hobbes’s state of fear resembles the deep-rooted mistrust that haunts most post-conflict societies. The paper describes human desires as the foundation of political power. As such, political authority must necessarily reflect social dynamics in order to be of relevance for its subjects and, ultimately, effective. In the volatile and rapidly changing environments of postconflict states, human desires …

Functional Mobility For An Elderly Patient With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case Report, Gianna G. Pezzano

Case Report Papers

Background and Purpose: This case report provides a detailed description of how balance training was incorporated into physical therapy (PT) treatment to reduce fall risk and maintain functional mobility in an elderly patient diagnosed with ALS. Due to lack of research on ALS, and the terminal nature of the disease, clinicians and researchers may benefit from a palliative care PT plan to maintain functional mobility for patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Case Description: An 82-year old female presented to outpatient PT with the diagnosis of ALS, with decreased functional mobility, high fall risk, and left hip/knee pain due to arthritis. She …

A New Normal For Streamflow In California In A Warming Climate: Wetter Wet Seasons And Drier Dry Seasons, Iman Mallakpour, Mojtaba Sadegh, Amir Aghakouchak

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this study, we investigate changes in future streamflows in California using bias-corrected and routed streamflows derived from global climate model (GCM) simulations under representative concentration pathways (RCPs): RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Unlike previous studies that have focused mainly on the mean streamflow, annual maxima or seasonality, we focus on projected changes across the distribution of streamflow and the underlying causes. We report opposing trends in the two tails of the future streamflow simulations: lower low flows and higher high flows with no change in the overall mean of future flows relative to the historical baseline (statistically significant at 0.05 level). …

Optimization And Validation Of Efficient Models For Predicting Polythiophene Self-Assembly, Evan D. Miller, Matthew L. Jones, Michael M. Henry, Paul Chery, Kyle Miller, Eric Jankowski

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We develop an optimized force-field for poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and demonstrate its utility for predicting thermodynamic self-assembly. In particular, we consider short oligomer chains, model electrostatics and solvent implicitly, and coarsely model solvent evaporation. We quantify the performance of our model to determine what the optimal system sizes are for exploring self-assembly at combinations of state variables. We perform molecular dynamics simulations to predict the self-assembly of P3HT at ~350 combinations of temperature and solvent quality. Our structural calculations predict that the highest degrees of order are obtained with good solvents just below the melting temperature. We find our model produces …

Is India Becoming More Liberal? Globalization, Economic Liberalization, And Social Values, Tinaz Pavri

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

India has undergone tremendous change in its economy and polity since its economic liberalization starting in the early 1990s. Globalization and liberalization have, in addition to coinciding with a dramatically increased GDP, increased the presence of global entities and the number of foreign nationals in India, and accelerated the spread of social media. The period has also been marked by a significant increase in xenophobic violence against women, religious minorities and LGBTQ individuals. In light of this sea-change in the country, I examine available survey data on social values of Indians (including young Indians) over the last decade, to see …