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Becoming A Social Worker, Sheyanne Marie Herron

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio is a reflective overview of my journey toward becoming a social worker. It highlights how my education, professional experiences, practicum placements, and coursework have shaped my development as a clinician, advocate, and leader. The portfolio demonstrates growth across the core MSW competencies, including ethical practice, assessment, intervention, research, policy, advocacy, cultural humility, and leadership. It also emphasizes my person-centered, strengths-based, and trauma-informed approach to practice and my commitment to social justice and lifelong learning.

Early Immune Dysregulation In Mtb/Siv Co-Infection Resists Cart Treatment At The Single-Cell Level, Riti Sharan, Yi Zou, Zhao Lai, Korri Weldon, Todd Bradley, Xi Luo, Hulin Wu, Shabaana A Khader, Deepak Kaushal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Using single-cell transcriptomics of bronchoalveolar lavage cells from Mtb/SIV co-infected rhesus macaques on cART, we reveal profound immune dysregulation during early SIV co-infection of latent tuberculosis. SIV induces a sharp decline in CD4+ T cells, NK, and NKT cells, with incomplete recovery of Mtb-specific TH1 effector responses despite viral suppression. Instead, a persistent TH17-skewed environment emerges, alongside sustained myeloid inflammation driven by Type I interferon signaling and pro-inflammatory regulators such as KLF6 and NFKB1. Ligand-receptor network analyses demonstrate expanded CD4+ T cell-macrophage crosstalk and loss of immune homeostasis that cART fails to fully restore. These findings expose …

Determinants Of Antenatal Care Utilization: A Community-Based, Cross-Sectional Study In Morang And Sunsari Districts, Eastern Nepal, Sunil Shah, Chandra Jha

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This study examined the factors influencing antenatal care (ANC) utilization in the eastern region of Nepal, focusing on the Morang and Sunsari districts, with the aim of identifying key determinants affecting ANC uptake and assessing the extent of ANC service utilization among mothers. Using lot quality assurance sampling, a community-based, descriptive, cross-sectional design was employed, surveying 164 mothers who had given birth within the previous 12 months; data were collected from June through November 2023. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS, with descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression. Findings revealed that 80.5% of respondents …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Autistic Students As They Navigate Nutrition In Higher Education: A Hermeneutic Study, Amanda Beeman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study is to interpret how adult students with ASD in higher education navigate nutritional choices. This study was guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, which explains the relationship between environmental factors and individual health and well-being. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to examine how students with ASD experienced nutrition within the higher education environment. The central research question asked how adult higher education students with ASD experienced and navigated nutrition in the context of college life. The sample included 10 adult participants with ASD enrolled in a higher education institution. Data were collected …

Spn 313: Advanced Communication Skills, Aleksin Ortega, Aleksín H. Ortega

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus for SPN 313 (Advanced Communication Skills) at the College of Staten Island, CUNY, presents a zero-textbook-cost, OER-based course in advanced academic writing in Spanish designed for a mixed population of heritage speakers and advanced second-language learners. The course follows a genre-based progression through four textual forms — description, narration, exposition, and argumentation — organized around a recursive writing process of drafting, instructor feedback, and revision. Its signature assignment, the Autobiografía lingüística (Linguistic Autobiography), serves as the Spanish program's ACTFL-aligned assessment artifact and is supported by a structured independent-inquiry project on dialectal variation. The syllabus foregrounds the dialectal diversity …

The Experience Of Sleep And Academic Performance Among African American College Students: A Case Study, Jamean Alma Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The transition to college presents significant challenges for African American college students, particularly in developing effective study habits and maintaining healthy sleep behaviors that support academic success. Despite growing evidence linking sleep and academic performance, limited research has explored how African American students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) perceive these experiences. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of African American college students regarding sleep habits, study habits, and academic performance. Guided by three research questions, data were collected through semi structured interviews with 12 African American students attending HBCUs in …

Post-Pandemic Telebehavioral Health: Sustaining And Regulating Remote Mental Health Care As A Core Modality, Weiqiao Dong

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The United States continues to face a persistent mental health crisis after the COVID-19 pandemic, raising a policy question about the long-term role and regulation of telebehavioral health as a core modality of care. This thesis examines that question through a case study of New York State, an early center of the pandemic and a leader in telehealth policy reform.

Guided by the Health Policy Triangle framework, this thesis integrates longitudinal data from all 62 New York counties for 2010-2025 with a 2025 cross-sectional dataset covering 61 counties. Seventeen standardized indicators are organized into four dimensions: geographic, economic, demographic, and …

Clinical Practice Guideline For Sepsis In Skilled Nursing Facility, Chinyere Okoroh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can rapidly lead to organ dysfunction, septic shock, and death if not recognized and treated early. Older adults in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are especially vulnerable because of age-related physiological changes, chronic conditions, weakened immunity, and increased exposure to infections. Consequently, sepsis remains a major cause of hospital readmissions, mortality, and healthcare utilization among SNF residents. The SNF serving as the site for this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project experienced increased hospital readmissions associated with recurrent sepsis, highlighting the need for a standardized, evidence-based approach to sepsis recognition and management. The practice-focused question …

Comparative Analysis Of Metabolic Vulnerability In The Standard American And Carnivore Diets Using The Mvx Plus Biomarker Panel, Susan E. Fitzgerald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Poor diet is a leading cause of mortality, contributing to an estimated one million deaths in the United States and eleven million deaths annually worldwide, with diet-related chronic disease accounting for approximately 85% of U.S. healthcare spending. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is widely recognized as causing systemic inflammation, while the carnivore diet is under-researched with unknown long-term effects. The purpose of this cross-sectional secondary analysis was to examine the impact of these two dietary patterns on metabolic vulnerability using the Metabolic Vulnerability Index Plus (MVX Plus), a multidimensional biomarker panel that quantifies systemic inflammation, metabolic malnutrition, and metabolic resilience …

“It’S Not Just A Story”: A Phenomenological Study Of Evangelical Christian Women Who Have Disclosed Childhood Sexual Abuse To An Evangelical Pastor, Erin M. Collins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe Evangelical Christian women's experiences disclosing childhood sexual abuse to their pastor in the southeastern region of the United States. Childhood sexual abuse has been a globally studied public health and human rights concern. Over the past few decades, the knowledge of childhood sexual abuse has accumulated in a substantial amount of empirical research, through state and federal legislations, as well as with media coverage. This research has shed light on the gaps in the study regarding disclosure of childhood sexual abuse to an evangelical pastor. Most available research discussed the physiological …

The Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities Of Certified Anduncertified Medical Assistants In Medical Clinics: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology Study, Shannon Waller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore how supervising clinicians, including medical doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, described the knowledge, skills, and abilities of certified and uncertified medical assistants in healthcare clinics in the United States. The problem was that it was unknown how supervising clinicians described the knowledge, skills, and abilities of certified and uncertified medical assistants. Becker’s human capital theory served as the theoretical framework for this study. Participants were recruited through professional social media platforms and clinician-specific online communities. Data collection included semi-structured interviews, a focus group, andwritten responses to a writing …

The Posture Of Recovery; A Quantitative Analysis Of Post-Exercise Heart Rate Restorateion In College Athletes, Matthew Scott Ferriter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Heart rate recovery (HRR) has been frequently used as a noninvasive indicator of autonomic reactivity following high-intensity exercise. However, limited research has explored the effects of post-exercise body posture (PEBP) on HRR following acute bouts of high-intensity exercise in collegiate athletes. The purpose of this quantitative repeated-measures experimental study was to investigate if recovery posture (supine [SUP]; tripod [TRI]; standing upright [SU]) affected HRR during the first five minutes following a standardized high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session. Thirty-seven collegiate athletes completed three total testing sessions. Participants completed all three recovery posture conditions in a randomized order. Heart rate (HR) was …

Grace, Reciprocity Norms, Adverse Life Events, Religious Struggle, Salience Of Religion, Relationship To God As Modifiers, Calvin Jay Slot

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether adverse life events, reciprocity norms, relationship to God, salience of religion, religious struggle and/or grace moderate the frequency of church attendance-physical health relationship or if the psychospiritual variables interact with adverse life events (ALE). 1,000 participants were recruited through Prolific to produce a sample representative of the United States population. An additional 20 participants were recruited through pastors of three churches in Illinois. Multiple linear regression revealed relationship to God, religious struggle, reciprocity norms, and ALE were moderators. Additionally, religious struggle and negative reciprocity norms interacted with adverse life events, …

Navigating The Maternal Health Crisis: Enhancing Maternal Health Outcomes In New Jersey, Nyrobi Barnes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the study was to better understand the implications of race and ethnicity on perinatal health experiences and maternal health outcomes in non-Hispanic Black women (nHBw) in New Jersey and mitigate the maternal health crisis. A secondary outcome was to propose an evidence-based initiative to elicit equitable care in New Jersey via grant-funded programs at the New Jersey Department of Health. Although New Jersey has made progress in improving maternal and infant health outcomes, racial disparities continue to persist. The research aims to further understand implications of race and ethnicity on adverse perinatal health experiences and maternal health …

Implementation Of Staff Education To Reduce Or Prevent Pressure Injury, Beverley A. Moses

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pressure injuries (PIs) present a significant clinical challenge in healthcare settings, particularly among patients with limited mobility, comorbidities, and complex musculoskeletal injuries. These injuries lead to adverse patient outcomes, such as increased morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and an increase in healthcare costs. Despite advancements in clinical practice, PI prevention remains a critical area for quality improvement, necessitating a standardized, patient-centered approach to care. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to improve patient outcomes by implementing a standardized educational initiative for nursing staff in a bone and joint unit at a private hospital in Upstate New York. The project …

Access And Use Of Agricultural Information Services For Sustainable Irish Potato Production And Socioeconomic Development Among Farmers In Plateau State, Nigeria, Olunusi Patience Abosede Mrs, Fwenshimwa Goyol Yarima Mrs, Oyetunde Adeduntan Olajumoke Adedokun, Olusola Funmilayo Babalola, Segilola Victoria Omowumi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Investigating The Effects Of Urbanization On Winter Avian Diversity In Tennessee: A Community Science And Gis Approach, Caryn D. Ross, David A. Aborn, Mark S. Schorr, Azad Hossain

Cities and the Environment (CATE)

As the human population increases, habitat transformation due to urban expansion is inevitable, affecting many wildlife species. Birds are frequently used as model species to study the effects of urbanization on wildlife populations due to their environmental sensitivity and ease of observation. While previous studies have investigated changes in species richness and abundance related to urbanization, there is a need for broader-scale, geographically explicit studies associating changes in bird diversity with urban expansion. Using extensive bird census data and high-resolution digitized land use data, this study revealed that species richness, diversity, and evenness within count areas all showed significant positive …

Promoting Scientific Impact At The Nih, Fred D. Ledley M.D.

CISI Publication

We are honored to offer our comments on Promoting Scientific Impact at the NIH in response to NOT-OD-26-087: Request for Information on Measuring and Rewarding Scientific Impact.

These comments are informed by my professional experience as the founding director of the Center for Integration of Science and Industry at Bentley University, which has a mission to “advance the translation of scientific discoveries for public value by engaging science, business, and policy in transdisciplinary dialogue, scholarship, and education.” Our approach is to bring together the perspectives of natural science, business, analytics, economics, law, and policy to better understand, and advance, the …

Can The Safety Net Support Families Through Childbirth?, Hyojeong Kim, Colleen Heflin, Taryn Morrissey

Center for Policy Research

Childbirth is a life event that often disrupts maternal employment and household earnings just as family expenses increase. In the United States, families do not have access to a national paid parental leave program and must rely on a patchwork of safety net programs that were not designed specifically to support households during pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period. This brief uses linked administrative data from the Virginia Longitudinal Data System (2016–2021) to describe changes in household earnings and social welfare benefits before and after childbirth among low-income mothers receiving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for …

The Invisible Crop: Harnessing Root System Architecture In Heirloom Collards For Climate-Resilient Urban Agriculture, Vincent Antonio Brazelton

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Growing food in urban spaces often means working within variable, resource-limited environments, creating a need for crops that can withstand heterogeneous growing conditions. Heirloom collards (Brassica oleracea var. viridis) are known for their aboveground diversity and cultural importance, but much less is known about the variation that exists belowground. This dissertation examines root system architecture (RSA) diversity across 19 historically underutilized heirloom collard accessions using a multi-scale phenotyping approach that includes controlled gel-based imaging of seedlings and 2D imaging of mature field-grown root systems. Across both seedling and mature stages, heirloom collards showed substantial variation in RSA. These differences revealed …

Examination Of The Bureau Of Indian Affairs Public Policy Implementation In Support Of Sovereign Tribal Nations, Erna Mae Faber

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social and economic disparities in the Midwestern Reservation Community have persisted for more than five decades despite the enactment of federal Indian policy designed to address them. Based on the existing research, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA’s) failure to effectively administer programs addressing health care, housing, and economic opportunity has perpetuated systemic inequities that disproportionately affect tribal nation members. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore how members of the Midwestern Reservation Community viewed the implementation of BIA public policies intended to support tribal nations through the lens of the resource dependence theory, the narrative policy …

Food Insecurity Among Freshman Male Collegiate Athletes At A Historically Black University In Maryland, Petita Cue Rentz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Food insecurity is an emerging public health issue impacting collegiate student-athletes enrolled at Historically Black Universities (HBUs). Recent research revealed that 63% of football players have reported some form of food insecurity which disproportionately impacts Black athletes at higher rates. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences and dietary behaviors of freshman male collegiate student-athletes who lacked access to food despite receiving athletic scholarships in a publicly funded HBU in Maryland. The research questions for this qualitative study focused on exploring the lived experiencing of Black male athletes who were experiencing food insecurity at an …

Implementing A Structured Lifestyle Counseling Program To Improve Weight Management In Obese Adults Ages 18–65 Within The Private Primary Care Setting, Ntoge Sone Penda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is a major public health concern that affects millions of adults. As a chronic, progressive disease, obesity increases the risk of developing several medical conditions. Although evidence-based clinical practice guidelines recommend comprehensive lifestyle modification as a first-line treatment, implementation of structured lifestyle counseling in primary care remains inconsistent. The practice-focused question guiding this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project was: Among obese adults aged 18–65 years in a private primary care setting, does implementing a structured lifestyle counseling program improve body weight and body mass index (BMI) outcomes over an 11-week period? An organizational change process guided …

Chemical Effects Of Microplastics On Photochemistry In A Coral-Associated Zooxanthella, Meghan A. Hennings, Matz Indergard, John E. Parkinson

OneUSF Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

Coral bleaching is the process by which corals lose their symbiotic microalgae in response to stressful conditions. These photosymbionts, known as zooxanthellae, give corals their color and sustain host growth through mutualistic nutritional exchange. Bleaching events are becoming more common and severe, driving research into coral conservation and the resilience of each partner in the symbiosis. Yet it is unknown how certain pollutants, such as microplastics, may affect bleaching outcomes. Previous research in our laboratory has demonstrated that the presence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics inhibits bleaching recovery in sea anemones (a coral model), but it remains unclear whether the …

Extremophile-Inspired Biomimetics Potential Analysis, Xavier Pillet

Defensive Publications Series

This document, produced with the assistance of ChatGPT o3, GPT-5 Thinking, Gemini and Grok, is released under the Apache License 2.0. It is a voluntary defensive publication (prior art) and therefore enters the prior art upon release under the applicable patent statutes: EPC Art. 54(2) (European Patent Convention), French IPC Art. L 611-11 (French Intellectual Property Code), 35 U.S.C. §102(a) (United States Patent Act), Chinese Patent Law Art. 22(5) (両匡丢氡儡吡嘡丣刡氢), and Japanese Patent Act Art. 29(1) (闘旧避). This defensive disclosure provides enabling embodiments that translate extremophile mechanisms (thermostability, cryo-activity, anhydrobiosis, halotolerance, radiotolerance, barophily) into materials, devices, processes, control algorithms, interoperable …

The Challenges Of Romantic Relationships In Contemporary Societies, Xavier Pillet

Defensive Publications Series

This document, produced with the assistance of ChatGPT o3, GPT-5 Thinking and Grok, is released under the Apache License 2.0. It is a voluntary defensive publication (prior art) and therefore enters the prior art upon release under the applicable patent statutes : EPC Art. 54(2) (European Patent Convention), French IPC Art. L 611-11 (French Intellectual Property Code), 35 U.S.C. §102(a) (United States Patent Act), Chinese Patent Law Art. 22(5) (両匡丢氡儡吡嘡丣刡氢), and Japanese Patent Act Art. 29(1) (闘旧避). This disclosure details technical systems, methods, and architectures spanning ethical matching, socio-ecological scoring, closed-loop UX, a!ective VR, safety/consent, intergenerational models, community optimization, data …

Immigration Stress And Inequities Driving Diabetes Distress In Hispanic Adults: A Scoping Review, Rachell Nguyen

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Hispanic adults in the United States experience disproportionately high rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and co-occurring mental health conditions. These disparities are intensified by immigration-related stress, acculturation challenges, and minority stress, all of which contribute to heightened diabetes distress and reduced self-management capacity.

Purpose: This scoping review examined how immigration stressors, acculturation processes, and minority stress influence diabetes distress and mental health outcomes among Hispanic adults with T2DM.

Methods: Using Arksey and O’Malley’s six-step scoping review framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive search of PubMed, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE (OVID), and ScienceDirect identified studies published between 2015 and …

August 18, 2026 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Using Posters To Increase Vegan Entrées Chosen At Classics In Wmu’S Student Dining Center, Sarah Schneider

Honors Theses

The following experiment tested the use of specifically designed posters to see the effect on eating habits of those who ate entrées from WMU’s food counter called Classics in the Student Dining Center. The independent variable was a poster with humorous and factual elements displayed at the point of choice in the dining center. The primary dependent variable was the percentage of vegan entrees chosen out of the total number of vegan and meat entrees served. The secondary dependent variables were the number of vegan entrees prepped and served, and the percentage of each entree that was served out of …

Mindful Parenting And Toddlers' Food Responsiveness: The Role Of Controlling Feeding Practices, Qingyu Jiang, Holly Wilhite, Natalie A. Williams, Dipti A. Dev, Caron A. C. Clark, Pearl Avari, Sarah B. Ladd

Journal of Extension

Controlling feeding practices may negatively impact children's eating behaviors. Mindful parenting may offer a promising way to reduce the use of these practices. This study examined the mediating role of pressuring children to eat and using food as a reward in the association between mindful parenting and toddlers' food responsiveness. Results indicated that higher levels of mindful parenting were associated with lower pressuring to eat, which was related to lower food responsiveness in toddlers. The results may inform Extension professionals providing mindfulness strategies for mothers of young children to improve feeding practices, ultimately reducing children's unhealthful eating behaviors.