Digital Commons Network^™

'Punishing Death Dealers': Examining Claims To Expand The Death Penalty To People Who Deal Drugs, Joshua H. Stout

Faculty Publications - Criminal Justice Sciences

In 1988, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act authorized the use of the death penalty for individuals who committed murder while involved in certain federal drug crimes. In recent years, as America has grappled with rising opioid overdose deaths, there has been an increase in calls for expanding murder charges and capital punishment for individuals who deliver drugs that result in an overdose death. Utilizing content analysis of news media and presidential speeches, this paper explores the claims-making process surrounding the arguments in favor of sentencing people who deal drugs to death during the 1980s and the contemporary opioid crisis. Findings demonstrate …

They Deserved It!: Discourses Of Schadenfreude And Empathy On Reddit, Ben Durante

Undergraduate Symposium

No abstract provided.

Lettie Stanley Galloway (1915-2007), Claudette Stager

Profiles/Papers for the Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture

No abstract provided.

Zora Neale Hurston’S Sojourns In Tennessee, Glenda Alvin

Profiles/Papers for the Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture

No abstract provided.

Integrating Pilates Into Outpatient Occupational Therapy:A Complementary Approach To Traditional Rehabilitation, Ellie Drechsler

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

INTRODUCTION: Reformer Pilates, originally developed by Joseph Pilates as a holistic method to enhance strength, alignment, and mind–body integration, has gained increasing recognition for its therapeutic potential in rehabilitation settings. Despite evidence supporting its benefits for balance, chronic pain, functional mobility, and mental wellbeing, its use in outpatient occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) remains limited. The purpose of this quality‑improvement project aimed to bridge that gap by developing an accessible, reformer‑based educational resource for clinicians with minimal Pilates experience and by evaluating client and clinician perceptions of its therapeutic value.

METHODS: Using mixed-methods surveys, qualitative and quantitative feedback …

Promoting Caregiver And Staff Education For Motor Development And Feeding Skills On A Pediatric Heart Center, Karina Dharia

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Around the world, congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the leading birth defects in infants and has been known to cause many long-term developmental effects (Scott & Neal, 2021). Given these developmental risks, recent literature suggests that there lack strong and effective resources for parents, caregivers and healthcare professionals about infant development and the application of occupational therapy in the setting of pediatric CHD (Marino et al., 2019). The purpose of this capstone was to promote parent, caregiver, and staff engagement with patients to promote motor development and feeding skills in the in-patient pediatric cardiac setting. Our aims were …

Optimizing The Utilization Of Interpreter Services In A Student Run Clinic, Mallory Vaclav

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

No abstract provided.

Collaboration In Acute Care: Enhancing Occupational Therapy Outcomes Through Canine Therapy Integration​, Deanna Hamke

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

The utilization of animal-assisted therapy has the potential to increase patient participation, motivation, and help simulate real-life experiences to promote a successful discharge from therapy services. The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to: 1) expand collaboration between occupational therapists & canine therapy handlers through use of a communication platform and 2) to create a resource outlining in-session responsibilities to facilitate partnership between occupational therapists and canine therapy handlers. Occupational therapy treatment sessions were completed using canine therapy interventions targeting mobility, engagement, and emotional regulation. The final deliverables included multiple educational resources and a platform for communication. These deliverables …

Bridging Research And Practice In Occupational Therapy: Education On Regulation And Socioemotional Development For Caregivers And Novice Clinicians, Lily Andrews

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Background: New graduates in pediatric occupational therapy are frequently expected to be autonomous but experience poor self-confidence and challenges with clinical decision-making (Moir & Copley, 2025). Concurrently, parents of children receiving occupational therapy to improve regulation and socioemotional development often have limited understanding of these concepts, resulting in frustration and reduced carryover of therapeutic strategies at home. This dual gap highlights a clear need to enhance clinician confidence and caregiver understanding within pediatric occupational therapy practice.

Aim: This capstone project aimed to develop resources synthesizing key principles of pediatric practice and intervention to improve student clinician and new graduate confidence …

Creating An Effective Video Case-Based Teaching Tool To Enhance Undergraduate Clinical Skills, Tyler Kam

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Occupational Therapy Education In Cancer Rehabilitation​, Elizabeth A. Dorn

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

This doctoral capstone project aimed to enhance entry-level occupational therapy (OT) education by developing and evaluating evidence-based instructional materials addressing musculoskeletal and oncology rehabilitation within a doctorate curriculum. Designed as an oncology-focused experience, the project involved a two-phase approach: (1) testing educational techniques by implementation and evaluation of an elbow pathology lecture and lab, and (2) development of an asynchronous oncology rehabilitation unit informed by outcomes from the initial phase. The project was guided by the ASSURE instructional design model and emphasized active, visual, and case-based learning strategies to support clinical reasoning.

Student outcomes were assessed using pre- and post-lecture …

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Resilience In Women’S Lacrosse: An Ecological Dynamics Approach, Annika Wozney

Undergraduate Symposium

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in women’s lacrosse arise from complex interactions involving biomechanical, anatomical, and neuromuscular factors. The aim of this project was to review current literature on ACL injury and traditional prevention strategies in women’s lacrosse. Recent perspectives highlight limitations of traditional approaches that often fail to simulate the unpredictability of game environments. An ecological dynamics approach is proposed that considers elements of the athlete, playing environment, and game tasks to guide future research and practice in reducing the incidence of ACL injury.

Annual Report Of The Officers, Trustees, Boards, Committees And Agents For The Town Of Nottingham, New Hampshire For The Year Ending December 31, 2025, Nottingham Town Reports

Nottingham, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Francestown, Nh, Annual Reports Of The Officials, Departments And Committees Of The Town Of Francestown For The Calendar Year Ending December 31, 2025, Francestown Town Representatives

Francestown, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

The Relationship Between Helicopter Parenting And Child Depression And Anxiety: A Literature Review, Leah Wong

Modern Psychological Studies

Child and adolescent mental health have been a subject of increasing concern. Likewise, an emerging pattern of childrearing, known as helicopter parenting, has been gaining attention for its association with negative outcomes. This literature review investigates the relationship between helicopter parenting and children’s depressive and anxious symptoms. The review applies various theories, including parenting styles and self-determination, alongside considerations of early childhood experiences and cultural differences in childrearing. It draws on the current body of research regarding the impacts of such concepts to examine connections between helicopter parenting and child psychopathology. Overall, this literature review found that helicopter parenting impedes …

Digitization Of The Switching Stroop Task, Keagan Duster, Delia Mozqueda-Fuhrmeister, Kesten Anderson, Molly Conway, John Piaszynski, Aaron Winder, Conor Courtney, Kanchna Ramchandran

Modern Psychological Studies

The Switching Stroop (SS) task is a modification of the neuropsychological assessment, the Color Word Interference (CWI) task, which measures inhibition of pre-potent response. Both tests measure the ability to select and match appropriate responses to a cued dimension (instruction) of a stimulus. However, the SS additionally incorporates the ability to adapt to consecutive conflicting stimuli (the construct of dynamic adjustments of control). By integrating with existing commercial software for administering remote neuropsychological tests, we were able to digitize a previously published version of the SS, enhancing user friendliness and functionality. This electronic version of the SS provides a plethora …

Development And Validation Of A Music Teacher Candidate Assessment, Phillip Hash

Faculty Publications - Music

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Music Teacher Candidate Assessment (MTCA), a rubric-based tool for evaluating student teachers in music classrooms. Factor analyses of scores issued by university supervisors (USs), cooperating teachers (CTs), and student teachers (STs) supported construct validity, explained 53.5% of the variance, and revealed two subscales: Pedagogy (I) and Professionalism (II). Concurrent validity resulted from a strong correlation (r_s = .83) between evaluators’ rubric averages and holistic ratings of performance. Inter-factor correlation (r = .65) confirmed discriminant validity. All groups exceeded the α ≥ .80 threshold for acceptable internal …

Town Of Bath, New Hampshire Annual Report Of The Town Officers Year Ending December 31, 2025, Bath Town Representatives

Bath, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Investigating The Relationship Between Drug Overdose Deaths, Excessive Alcohol Drinking, And Adult Smoking In Urban And Rural Ohio Counties In 2025, Sumin Byoun, Anne Griffin

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Deaths from drug overdoses have been increasing each year. Ohio ranks among states with the highest number of drug overdose deaths per year. There is a gap in the literature regarding discussions of how excessive alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking rates may predict drug overdose death rates in a community. First, this study investigates differences in excessive drinking, adult smoking, and drug overdose deaths between urban and rural counties in Ohio. Second, this study explores whether excessive drinking and smoking behaviors can predict drug overdose death rates in urban and rural Ohio counties. Data exclusive to Ohio counties was obtained …

Understanding The Impacts Of Food Insecurity On Education Outcomes In Ohio, Maria El Biri, Sreya Tummalapalli

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Background: Food insecurity has been a growing concern in the United States, and prior research has shown how food insecurity in youth can correspond to negative psychosocial outcomes. Additionally, there are known disparities with access to food based on living in rural or urban counties. Objective: The goal of this study was to determine how differences in food security can impact youth educational outcomes in Ohio. Methods: Data from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps were obtained on variables such as access to healthy foods, food insecurity, high school graduation rates, average grade performance, and percentage of the population living in …

Infant Mortality In Ohio, Isabella Bacon, Alexis Jackson

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Introduction: Infant mortality continues to occur at alarming rates that differ among various groups and states. Despite this, there has been a lack of intersectional examination of risk- and protective-factors. Methods: We examine how smoking status, education level, primary care to population ratio, teen birth rates, and urban vs rural status impact infant mortality rates in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and Indiana using County Health Rankings data. Results: Ohio was shown to have no significant difference between urban and rural infant mortality rates; however,  risk-and-protective factors did differ. In urban counties, high school completion, teen birth rates, and primary care ratios …

Rumney, New Hampshire Annual Report Of The Town Offices For Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2025, Rumney Town Representatives

Rumney, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Healthcare Administration And Ai: Enhancing Personalized Care And Workforce Sustainability, Arlene J. Nicholas Dr.

Faculty and Staff - Articles & Papers

Healthcare systems face growing strain from rising demand, administrative complexity, and workforce burnout. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in administrative functions, offers a promising solution. This paper examines AI-enabled tools such as electronic health record optimization, natural language processing, ambient AI scribes, inbox management systems, chatbots, and clinical decision support systems. Drawing on recent literature (2024–2026), evidence shows these tools can reduce documentation burden, improve workflow efficiency, and support workforce sustainability while enhancing patient care. Successful outcomes depend on transparent governance, staff engagement, and human-centered design, enabling AI to strengthen care delivery and build a more resilient healthcare workforce.

Voice Your Choice, Sarah Olson, Mercy Bustamante-Vizarretea, Hannah Bauman, Sally Hall

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Our proposal seeks to develop and implement a standardized Charge Nurse Interest Survey which will create a structured process for identifying those most interested and best suited for the position of charge for all registered nurses on a local med-surg unit. Nurses on this unit are appointed and eligible to serve in the charge nurse role after six months of experience on the unit. Research shows that charge nurses who demonstrate emotional stability, composure under pressure, strong organizational skills, and proactive planning contribute to improved team functioning and decreased workplace strain (Gottlieb & Gøtzsche-Astrup, 2018).

To clarify the charge nurse …

Accuracy Of The Nestlé Mini Nutritional Assessment® (Mna®) Screen In Identifying Prealbumin–Defined Malnutrition Amongst Spine Surgery Patients, Stylianos Mysirlidis, Luke Fischbach, Matthew Giammanco, Alex Zhang, Phillip Alexeev, Ryan Snowden

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Abstract:

Background:

Malnutrition is a significant risk factor for patients undergoing surgery, including those receiving spine surgery. These patients are at greater risk of adverse postoperative outcomes, impaired wound healing, and spinal fusion failure. Therefore, it is essential to identify at-risk, malnourished patients prior to intervention to mitigate any complications such as surgical site infections, unplanned readmissions, and reoperations. The primary focus of this study was to assess the accuracy of the Nestlé Mini Nutritional Assessment® (MNA®) on identifying true malnutrition amongst those patients undergoing spine surgery.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 674 consecutive …

Music Therapy For Sensory Goals In Autism: Existing Evidence And Next Steps, Faith Cordle, Nicole Richard Williams, Dorothy Briggs, Brooke Irvin

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Background: As music therapists, we often assert that our field is evidence-based. Yet as in any health-care field, there is much opportunity to investigate the efficacy of certain techniques. Improving sensory integration and addressing hyper- and hypo-sensitivities are common music therapy goals when working with autistic individuals. Though music-based interventions for sensory goals are often theoretically coherent and anecdotally efficacious, concrete evidence for their efficacy is lacking. The aim of the current study was to a) identify existing research on music-based interventions for sensory outcomes in autistic individuals and b) identify concrete next steps and questions for researchers to investigate, …

The Relationship Between Phone Usage, Activity Participation, And Hand Strength, Debra Gibbs, Will Best, Raegan Adams, Amanda Finke, Rachel Pierce, Salem Swallows, Alisha Yoo

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Smartphone use among university students in the United States is steadily increasing. Longer duration of smartphone use has been associated with increased risk of smartphone addiction, reduced musculoskeletal strength, and engagement in meaningful activities. While prior research has examined these variables separately, limited evidence exists on the associations between smartphone use, hand grip and pinch strength, and extracurricular and leisure activities among U.S. university students. To address this gap, a correlational study was conducted using the Spearman rank correlation to analyze the relationship between phone use, activity participation, and hand strength. A Qualtrics survey including demographic information, phone usage, and …

How Interest Rates Influence Entry Level Employment Growth For Undergraduate Economics Students, Stiles B. Logan, Marc Joseph, Dylan Hilburn, Hayden Baker, Krisha Patel

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The United States job market has become a growing concern for graduating college students over the last decade. With rising unemployment, increased competition, and the rise of generative AI technology over the last five years, more students than ever are genuinely concerned that they will be unable to find long-term employment after graduation. In this paper, we will analyze the correlation between United States interest rates and entry-level employment growth, with the goal of contributing new and actionable information to help graduating college students plan for the future. We will be using data from IPUMS and FRED, spanning January 2009–December …

Rna-Sequence-Driven Identification Of Differentially Expressed Genes In Α-Crystallin-Deficient Zebrafish, Kehlie Hopper

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a condition that develops in infants when exposed to alcohol in utero, leading to physical impairments such as reduced eye size and disrupted retinal function. Alpha-crystallin A is a key structural protein required for proper lens development and maintenance of transparency, while Alpha-crystallin B plays a protective role against cellular stress during eye development. In this study, I compared AB wild-type (ABWT), αA-crystallin knockout (cryaa), and αB-crystallin knockout (cryaba) zebrafish to investigate how the loss of these proteins influences eye development under ethanol exposure. The cryaa mutants exhibited reduced eye size even under control conditions, …

Slow Your Pace; Do I-Trace!, Meghan Delaney, Mckenna Geary, Kacie Knary, Chloe Minnich

SPARK Symposium Presentations

SPARK Final Summary

Slow your pace; do I-TRACE! The purpose of this project is the addition of the I-TRACE method to strengthen the current strategies and practices with a long-term goal of reducing central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) events. CLABSI remains an ICU concern, with an estimated 15,000 cases annually in the U.S. (NHSN, 2026). In 2025, a local ICU reported seven CLABSI events, an unusually high number for one hospital (LeapFrog, 2016). To combat CLABSIs, we will implement the I-TRACE method during every hand-off. The oncoming nurse will assess all central lines and dressings, and both nurses will …