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2025 Nsu Graduate Commencement Program, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

May 9, 2025

• Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy
• Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine
• College of Dental Medicine
• College of Optometry
• Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences

May 15, 2025

• Shepard Broad College of Law
• Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

2025 Nsu Undergraduate Commencement Program, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

May 5, 2025

• Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center
• Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice
• College of Psychology
• H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship
• Shepard Broad College of Law

May 6, 2025

• Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences
• Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing

Understanding University-Level Food Recovery Programs’ Approaches To Minimizing Food Waste While Combating Food Insecurity In The United States, Ella F. Flesher

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Food is wasted every day at each level of the food system from production to consumption. This surplus has significant negative impacts on the environment after food is sent to the landfill and allowed to rot. However, some surplus food can be repurposed and diverted from the landfill. This study served as an initial investigation to explore multiple food waste diversion programs and analyze their structure, best practices, and methods to divert leftover food. This study specifically aimed to compare and contrast food recovery programs by interviewing participants from three food recovery programs from different university institutions. With the key …

Tennessee Science Teachers’ Views, Challenges, And Practices Addressing Scientific Misinformation In The Science Classroom, Lauren Wilmoth

Ed.D. Dissertations

Scientific misinformation was a major threat to society in the 2020s because individuals often made ill-informed decisions impacting their well-being and the well-being of others. Because of the unique nature of scientific misinformation, key stakeholders advocated for science education to incorporate skills associated with identifying scientific misinformation into science curricula. Despite the call for action, there was little extant research about how high school science teachers addressed and felt about addressing scientific misinformation. Therefore, the purpose of my interpretive qualitative study was to determine Tennessee high school science teachers’ views, challenges, and practices addressing scientific misinformation in the science classroom. …

Evaluating Registered Dietitians Nutritionists' (Rdn) Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviors And Practices Of Social Media Best Practices And The Role Of The Rdn Social Media Influencer, Ciera Burback

Theses and Dissertations

The growing use of social media has expanded the potential for RDNs to work with brands to promote products, as other health professionals have done for many years. However, scrutiny of the profession of nutrition and dietetics brought RDN influencers under fire due to disclosure practices and the perception of conflicts of interest in the social media sphere. This survey examined the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of current RDNs and social media best practices. With 163 respondents over the age of 18 and currently an RDN, part one of the survey included demographic questions, multiple choice and Likert scale questions …

The Experiences Of Caregivers In Implementing Medical Nutrition Therapy When Raising Children With Type 1 Diabetes, Mallory Reeves

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a complex, chronic endocrine disorder that accounts for roughly 5-10% of the diabetic population globally. Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) is the foundation of diabetes self-management. Since MNT is fundamental for managing and caring for T1DM, medical providers must understand the challenges of implementing recommendations at home. This study sought to identify what experiences caregivers face regarding implementing MNT recommendations when raising children with T1DM. A mixed-methods design collected data through focus groups and a demographic survey. The focus group took place via Zoom. Inclusion criteria were adults over the age of 18 who had …

An Exploratory Study Of Instructional Practices Inventory And School Culture Survey, Morgan Wilhoit

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Much research has allowed for in-depth analyses of student engagement, a growing issue in education, without uncovering a solution. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between school culture and student engagement, a connection not yet studied, by using two valid and reliable instruments, the School Culture Survey and Instructional Practices Inventory among Indiana Principal Leadership Institute elementary schools. Data were gathered quantitatively, as well as qualitatively, to determine that there is no statistically significant relationship between culture and engagement. While the schools varied in culture results and qualitative observations, the engagement levels remained the same, regardless …

Summary Of: Numerous Assets Are Available To Support Rural Nutrition Security In Northern New England, Claire H. Ryan, Caitlin Morgan, Jonathan G. Malacarne, Emily H. Belarmino

Northern New England Clinical & Translational Research

Numerous assets are available to support rural nutrition security in northern New England.

Sketching Moments: Improving Quality Of Life For Individuals With Dementia By Engaging The Senses Through Environmental Modifications, Marie E. Mclaughlin

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

An estimated 1.2 million direct dementia care workers will be needed between 2020-2030 to meet the needs of persons living with dementia (PLWD) (AHCA/NCAL, 2021). The solutions come in the form of creating a site that promotes engagement in meaningful activities without the leadership of a staff member. By creating space for residents to engage in activities safely without staff guidance, a site allows residents to independently engage in a meaningful activity while freeing staff to help with other caregiving tasks. Increasing physical activity for those living with dementia helps to promote continued independence and maintenance of body control (Lam …

Mealtime Mastery: A Quality Improvement Project For Pediatric Feeding Therapy, Jada D. Cunningham

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Among the pediatric population, feeding problems are common. Feeding challenges can be addressed by several professions including occupational therapists. The purpose of this capstone is to conduct a quality improvement project of feeding evaluation forms while also gaining clinical practice skills at Piller Child Development in Phoenix, Arizona. A needs assessment determined the feeding evaluation form, feeding parent questionnaire, and feeding report template would benefit from being updated. A thorough literature review was completed to analyze current feeding assessments being used across multiple fields of healthcare. To determine the validity of the feeding evaluation, interviews were conducted with practitioners employed …

The Feast And The Furious? The Effects Of Diet On Opioid Tolerance, Withdrawal, And Stress, Nina Marie Beltran

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Opioid drugs (e.g., morphine) are used medicinally for pain relief but can also lead to opioid use disorder (OUD). These medications are prescribed at a higher rate among individuals with obesity (who might consume high fat diets) than the general population. Further, previous work from our lab and others has demonstrated that eating a high fat diet enhances sensitivity of rats to other addictive substances, including stimulants. However, it is not known if dietary manipulations impact individual sensitivity to the effects of opioids. This dissertation systematically explored the effects of dietary manipulation on sensitivity to the effects of morphine. …

Sustainable Agriculture Through Data-Driven Land And Soil Management For Rural Farming Communities, Peggy Clareece Discenza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis aims to investigate sustainable farming practices by utilizing a database containing soil, weather, and water data. Additionally, it evaluates cropping strategies using a system that incorporates nutrient dynamics and environmental values. The objective is to monitor, develop predictive models, and assess the impact of both controlled and uncontrolled nutrient variables. This is achieved through the development of an algorithm that provides information on soil health based on datasets and land use, with a particular focus on residual values after harvesting for deeper analytical insights and interpretation. This study focuses on key nutrients, including pH levels, water availability, and …

Navigating The Challenges Of Coccidioides Surveillance: Insights From The Environment Of El Paso County, Texas, Tanzir Hossain

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever, is a fungal infection resulting from the inhalation of spores from the Coccidioides species (C. immitis and C. posadasii), native to arid areas of the Western Hemisphere. Coccidioidomycosis presents considerable health hazards and can be fatal. It affects between 206,000 and 360,000 individuals annually, leading to 700 to 1,100 fatalities in the United States alone. In response to these issues, extensive research has concentrated on therapeutic goals for this infectious disease. Nonetheless, more limited research has focused on the environmental detection of its causative fungi, which is crucial for forecasting treatment needs and formulating preventive strategies. …

Drinking Out Of The Fire Hydrant: Educators’ Perceptions Of Well-Being In A Teacher Preparation Program, Corey P. Wolfe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The process of becoming a teacher is complex, multi-layered, and often high-stakes. Teacher preparation programs are designed to equip prospective teachers with the foundational skills and knowledge needed for a successful teaching career. In addition to pursuing the academic degree in education, future teachers must meet credentialing and licensure expectations. Because of these expectations, novice teachers are often met with profound feelings of stress and anxiety. The purpose of this research exploration was designed to investigate elementary educators’ perceptions of well-being during their senior year in a pre-service teacher preparation program. Using a qualitative research design, six educators were interviewed …

Investigation Into Mycorrhizae Associated With Native Venus' Flytrap Root Tissue, Anna Carnaggio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dionaea muscipula, a plant commonly known as the Venus' flytrap, is found native to the southeast corner of North Carolina and the northeast corner of South Carolina. Several populations of native Venus' flytraps are known to exist in the nutrient-poor peat bog conditions in and around Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve (LOBHP) in Northeastern South Carolina. Anthropogenic pressures in Horry County, specifically surrounding LOBHP, have resulted in a loss of habitat for several native and endangered species. As a result, conservation efforts are focused on relocating native Venus' flytraps into adjacent habitats to ensure survival. This is only a temporary …

A Randomized Clinical Trial Exploring Two Doses Of Cannabidiol Daily For Eight Weeks On Health And Stress, Ryland Emery Townsend

Dissertations

This study’s purpose was to explore whether a 60 or 30 mg dose of cannabidiol (CBD) consumed in a beverage further supplemented with L-theanine, vitamin E, and vitamin C would alter various measures on subjective measures of stress, health and fitness related outcomes, and objective measures of stress. This double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial recruited healthy, college-aged subjects for randomization into one of four treatment groups where they consumed daily a single 12 ounce beverage for eight weeks containing 1) 60 mg CBD (CBD60) plus L-theanine; 2) 30 mg CBD (CBD30) plus L-theanine; 3) no CBD (CBD0), L-theanine alone, and 4) …

Effectiveness Of Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance Administered To Newly Received, High-Risk Stocker Calves, Elle Johnston

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Stocker cattle purchased at auction can be susceptible to disease due to the stressors associated with the auction process. These cattle are labeled “high-risk” due to their compromised immune system during transportation, handling, and vaccination processes. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of a maternal bovine appeasing substance, FerAppease, on growth performance and behavior of stocker cattle. Male beef calves (n=80) were purchased at auction and transported to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Savoy Research Complex Beef Stocker Unit. Steers and bulls were of varying age, breed, and temperament. Upon arrival to the facility …

Rhetorics Of Vigilance: Refracting Discourses In Technologies Of Self-Managed Health & Wellness, Haley Swartz

All Dissertations

Rhetorics of Vigilance explores the limits of feminist health rhetorics by examining technologies that promote women’s self-managed health and wellness practices. By establishing a corpus of personal health technologies and associated texts including mobile health applications, pelvic floor training devices, and perimenopause information shared on social media, this dissertation analyzes how discourses refract––redirected and often distorted––to implicate women in persistent self-monitoring. Drawing from interdisciplinary scholarship on women’s health from feminist rhetorical studies, rhetorics of health and medicine, science and technology studies, and digital studies, I theorize rhetorics of vigilance as a framework through which women understand and interpret issues …

The Effect Of Storyline Units On The Self-Efficacy And Science Identity Of High School Multilingual Learners, Kristin Ambrose

All Dissertations

Science can be a complex subject for multilingual learners (MLLs) because it requires investigating science concepts through modeling and analysis in addition to reading and writing skills. This complexity often leaves teachers unsure of how to support the MLLs, leading to MLLs missing out on grade-appropriate content and science experiences. Storyline instruction uses 3D instruction to teach science content necessary to explain a real-world anchoring phenomenon. Storyline instruction grounds learning in real-world contexts through anchoring phenomena and provides coherence for students throughout the lessons. This mixed methods study aimed to discover the impact of storyline units on the self-efficacy (SE) …

The Quest For Kindergarten Readiness: A Study Of One District’S Early Implementation Of The Pyramid Model For Promoting Social-Emotional Competence, Ginny L. Gast

All Dissertations

Participation in high-quality preschool programs can help prepare young children for Kindergarten, and children demonstrating Kindergarten readiness are more likely to achieve positive outcomes later in life. With this in mind, Oakwood School District (OSD) set a strategic goal to improve the Kindergarten readiness levels of students participating in its 4K programs from 18% in 2021 to 70% by 2025. With research suggesting that school readiness outcomes are dependent on preschool program quality variables such as student-teacher relationships and emotional competencies, the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social-Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children was implemented in OSD’s 4K program sites …

The Administrators’ Role In Teacher Retention And Their Role On Teachers’ Perceptions Of School Climate At An Exemplar Title I School: A Qualitative Study, Stephen W. Brown Iii

All Dissertations

This study looks at how principals affect teacher perception of school climate and teacher retention at Title I schools. While teacher retention and school climate have historically been issues at Title I schools, the issue has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study explored an elementary school in South Carolina through the lens of Critical Systems Theory. According to publicly available data, this school was an anomaly among Title I schools regarding the climate and teacher retention, with both measures being extremely high. To explore these phenomena, semi-structured interviews were conducted with both the teachers and administrators at …

Investigate The Use Of Nucleic Acids As Pesticides To Manage Major Pests And Pathogens Of Crops In South Carolina, Prasanna Valavanur Shekar

All Dissertations

The sugarcane aphid (SCA, Melanaphis sorghi), first discovered on grain sorghum in late 2013, has gradually become a major insect pest of sorghum. It inflicts significant damage to the crop year after year, causing millions of dollars in losses throughout the sorghum-producing regions of the United States. Similarly, Armillaria root rot—also referred to as oak root rot—is a major cause of decline in peach (Prunus persica) production in the southeastern United States. This disease is caused by Armillaria mellea and Armillaria tabescens. Current management practices for controlling M. sorghi include the use of synthetic pesticides, resistant varieties, and regular scouting. …

The Role Of Responsive Feeding In Childhood Development And Clinical Implications: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Alexander Burbach

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Responsive feeding refers to caregiver-infant feeding interactions that encourage healthy eating behaviors and support the child’s autonomy by responding to their hunger and satiety cues. Responsive feeding supports healthy early childhood development, influencing self-regulation in eating behaviors and long-term health outcomes, particularly in obesity prevention. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine the impact of responsive feeding practices on childhood development in the United States and its clinical implications. The objectives were to explore the role of parental feeding practices in shaping childhood eating behaviors, understand the relationship between responsive feeding and obesity, and determine literature daps. Articles for …

Optimizing Case Management Manuals: A Ryan White Quality Improvement Project For Northwest Missouri, Megan Mcbane

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Act, established in 1990, has played a critical role in providing essential services for individuals living with HIV, including medication access, adherence support, health coverage, housing, and transportation. In rural Missouri, particularly in the northwest region, HIV case management under the Ryan White program is guided by four separate manuals, creating inefficiencies and burdens for case managers. This paper presents a process evaluation plan utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework to address these challenges and improve service delivery. The aim of this quality improvement project is to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of HIV case management in …

A Research Report: What Are The Challenges That Refugee Women Experience When Seeking Healthcare Related To Pregnancy In The United States?, Manuela Krieger-Adi

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background

Refugees in the United States, including African refugee women, face many challenges in seeking healthcare after moving to the United States to resettle. It is urgent and essential to look into some of the health challenges the refugee community faces here in Omaha, Nebraska, that prevent them from seeking healthcare, especially when pregnant. This Capstone research project aims to focus on African refugee women, specifically in Omaha, Nebraska, and the challenges they face seeking healthcare related to pregnancy.

Methods

This research report involved five in-depth interviews conducted over Zoom. The target population was refugee mothers who had given …

Assessing The Association Between Total Cholesterol And Hospitalized Myocardial Infarction In Women Ages 32-70: An Analysis Of The Framingham Heart Study, Jolene L. Stapleton Duree

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Objective

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women that may go undiagnosed due to unexpected symptoms. The purpose of this analysis was to assess the effect of total cholesterol on the odds of hospitalized myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods

This analysis used a sample of 2,445 women from the Framingham Heart Study, an observational prospective cohort study. The exposure was total cholesterol, and the outcome was hospitalized MI. Logistic regression was used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR). The adjusted models controlled for age, blood pressure, and diabetes. Effect modification by diabetes status was evaluated in …

Examining The Effects Of Quercetin On Phenotypic Characteristics Of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Thomas M. Needy

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction A significant obstacle to mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) potency and therapeutic utility is in vitro senescence, an irreversible cessation of replication associated with age-related complications. Senolytic drugs, such as quercetin, may be helpful in selectively culling senescent cells while leaving non-senescent cells unaffected, thereby increasing potency of high-passage MSCs.

Methods The phenotypic, genotypic, and immunomodulatory effects of quercetin were assessed using in vitro models. Senescent cells, created through repeated subculturing of MSCs in vitro, and non-senescent cells were treated with 10 μM quercetin, differentiated into osteocytes, adipocytes, and chondrocytes, and analyzed to observe the effect of quercetin.

Results Quercetin …

Optimizing Growth Conditions Of Chlorella Algae For Enhanced Biomass And Oxygen Production, Supreme Ogheneovo Oghenerhoro

Master's Theses

Increasing Earth's carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels contribute immensely to global warming. At the same time, future Mars colonization requires innovative systems for oxygen production. This study explores how Chlorella algae can help control environmental challenges on Earth, support life on Mars, and produce biomass as an alternative to renewable energy. Chlorella is known for its high photosynthetic efficiency in capturing CO2 for growth, producing O2 and biomass used for biofuel production. It was studied under varying CO₂ concentrations and pressure conditions. Each experiment was performed using a photobioreactor setup and optimized algae growth conditions. These were assessed to understand its …

Association Between Food Insecurity And Chronic Eye Disease In The National Institutes Of Health's All Of Us Research Program, Ramin Talebi, Fei Yu, Victoria L. Tseng, Anne L. Coleman

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

Purpose

Design

Participants

Methods

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Registration Of High Yield Conventional Soybean 'S17-2193' With Resistance To Multiple Diseases, Francia Seconde Ravelombola, Yi-Chen Lee, Donghun Lee, Caio C. Vieira, Alemu Mengistu, Lin Feng, Grover Shannon

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

'S17-2193' (Reg. no. CV-565, PI 707954) is a high-yielding late maturity group IV (relative maturity of 4.7), conventional soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivar developed and released in 2022 by the University of Missouri Fisher Delta Research, Extension, and Education Center. S17-2193 was tested in over 88 environments (40 environments for preliminary, advanced, cooperative and uniform tests; and 48 environments for soybean state variety tests) from 2018 to 2021 in 10 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Results showed that S17-2193 was well adapted across the mid-South United States. This soybean cultivar has …