Digital Commons Network^™

The Group Interview As A Method Of Efficient Hiring: The Experience Of A Regional Medical School Campus, Matthew Mcmillin, Peter Boedeker, Kammy Contreras, Stephen Charles

Faculty and Staff Publications

Problem: In 2020, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) established a regional campus in Temple, Texas (BCM-T), that required recruitment of multiple foundational sciences faculty members in a limited time frame. Group in-person interviews were used to fill these roles efficiently while promoting interaction between candidates and BCM faculty. This study assesses whether interviewing foundational sciences medical educators in a group setting can efficiently fill faculty positions, reducing time and financial costs while being perceived as fair and acceptable to the candidates.

Approach: Study participants were prospective foundational sciences faculty members who interviewed for a faculty position at BCM-T in a …

Resilience And Mental Health: Unraveling The Interplay Of Depression, Anxiety, And Stress In First-Generation College Students, Indyah Ferrouillet, Bemsimbom Nkuo, Patrick J. Cooper

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

Research suggests a moderate incidence of depression, anxiety, and especially stress among college students (Ramon-Arbues et al., 2020). It is reasonable to believe that these mental health outcomes might be inversely correlated with resilience, the ability to adapt to new challenges. In this study, we hypothesize an inverse correlation between resilience stress, anxiety, and depression. In other words, college students who feel resilient will experience greater mental health and wellness. Building on previous research that suggests these effects in women only (Ahmed & Julius, 2015), gender differences will be examined. Few studies have attempted to see whether these correlations are …

Evaluating Current Practices In Operative Nontechnical Skills Training And Feedback In General Surgery Residency: A Mixed Methods Approach, Madeline Cloonan

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Non-technical skills (NTS) are the interpersonal and cognitive abilities that are critical to accomplishing high-risk tasks. Deficiencies in NTS, including communication, teamwork, leadership, and decision-making, are linked to errors in the operating room. Structured training and feedback in NTS remain inconsistent and have not been integrated into daily training. This dissertation addresses this gap by evaluating current NTS training and feedback practices and developing a rubric to enhance the effectiveness of NTS feedback.

Methods: We conducted five complementary studies to assess current NTS training and feedback. The first was a systematic review aimed at identifying intraoperative NTS training interventions …

Navigating Tumultuous Waters: The Role Of Faculty In A Politically Charged Higher Education Landscape, Will Miller

International Journal of Transformative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This article critically examines the increasingly complex role of faculty in today’s politically charged higher education landscape. It begins by emphasizing the significance of academic freedom as a fundamental pillar in preserving the integrity and purpose of higher education. Amidst heightened external pressures and societal polarizations, it delves into the challenges faculty face, including navigating biases and stakeholder pressures while maintaining impartial scholarship. The article presents strategies for faculty to safeguard their institutions against undue political influence and ensure their academic pursuits remain true to critical inquiry and intellectual freedom. Moreover, it highlights the crucial role that accreditation professionals play …

Quality Improvement Project Integrating Educational Program For School Faculty In Childhood Diabetes, Sharon Anna-Marie Hill

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

In the United States, diabetes affects approximately 38.4 million individuals, including over 304,000 children and adolescents diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. As the most common chronic condition in children, diabetes management in school settings is critical to ensure health, safety, and academic success. However, a lack of standardized training for school faculty often results in inadequate knowledge and confidence in managing diabetes, exacerbating student health risks. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement (QI) project aimed to develop and implement an educational program for school faculty, focusing on managing and treating childhood diabetes. A paired sample t-test was used …

Addressing The Occupational Therapy Faculty Shortage: A Capstone Experience In Academic Administration At Nova Southeastern University, Tiesha N. Henley

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The project aimed to address the critical shortage of occupational therapy faculty by understanding and mitigating factors that contribute to this shortage, ultimately strengthening recruitment pipelines and supporting long-term faculty development within a graduate-level occupational therapy program. I developed a pamphlet outlining concrete resources and strategies to attract and retain qualified educators. Additionally, I engaged in the daily responsibilities of a full-time OT faculty member by contributing to course instruction and creating graduate-level learning materials.

'Managed Hearts’ In Helper-Education: Gender Non-Binary Helper-Educators’ Experiences Of Emotional Labor, Jordan Pearce

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The unique experiences of people who identify with a gender beyond the binary paradigm dominant in the Global West are not well understood. The literature provides little insight into the experiences and perspectives of these individuals in a variety of contexts, including in their workplaces. As various social movements collide, they bring amplified attention to the mental health of marginalized communities and to workers, as well as the dynamics of modern work environments, and the specific needs of certain individuals doing certain types of work. The current study explored the experiences of gender non-binary individuals (GNI) working as helper-educators engaged …

Fsu Vip List 2025- Chancellor Medallion, Laura Mehaffey

Fayetteville State University- Speakers, Honorees, & Faculty Emeritus

This list catalogues recipients of the Chancellor's Medallion, the highest honor that the current Chancellor of Fayetteville State University can bestow. The list begins in 1983 and is usually awarded during Commencement Ceremonies for the University.

Fsu Vip List 2025- Faculty Emeritus, Laura Mehaffey

Fayetteville State University- Speakers, Honorees, & Faculty Emeritus

This list catalogues those faculty and administration members who were named as Faculty Emeritus for Fayetteville State University.

Understanding The Experiences And Perceptions Of Faculty Supporting Undergraduate Students With Mental Health Challenges, Jenna Ranee Parbati Jamieson

Dissertations

College is a big adjustment for students, and it doesn't come without its challenges, including being in a new place with new responsibilities. This is a stressful time that presents new obstacles and frustrations that can lead to increased stress, anxiety, depression, and mental health challenges that may cause faculty to engage and support undergraduate students with mental health challenges. As students adjust and transition to college, it is vital for university faculty to feel confident and comfortable supporting students from diverse backgrounds with varying levels of distress. By interviewing faculty, a better understanding of their lived experiences and perceptions …

Do Gender-Related Characteristics Impact Female Faculty Career Progression In Academic Doctor Of Physical Therapy Programs?, Bridget Eubanks

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: This study explored the experiences of female faculty in academic Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs in the US and if gender, or more specifically any gender-related characteristics such as pregnancy or motherhood, impacts female faculty career progression. Evidence has demonstrated that several challenges disproportionately affect women in academia, but there is currently no research available related to female faculty experiences in academic DPT programs. Methods: This study used a qualitative research design with a descriptive statistics component. It utilized a descriptive, cross-sectional design with a nonexperimental survey methodology. The Culture Conducive to Women’s Academic Success instrument was used …

Evolving Trends: A Bibliometric Analysis Of Academic Librarians’ Publications At Twelve Aau Member Universities, Pete E. Pascuzzi, Jason B. Reed, Greenley Goedde Creech

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

The goal of this bibliometric study was to explore the broader publication patterns of academic librarians in both information and library science (ISLS) and interdisciplinary research for the years 2009 - 2023. Web of Science data were collected for twelve academic libraries. The results showed that while the number of ISLS publications has dropped, interdisciplinary publications have increased dramatically with a broad range of disciplines represented, and collaborations in the medical sciences were a major contributor to this increase. The study suggests that some academic libraries have shifted their priorities over the past fifteen years and that the assessment of …

Mentoring Under The Light Of Ignatian Spirituality, Llorenç Puig Puig Sj, Rosa Nomen, Luis A. Martínez

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

This article proposes Ignatian Mentoring as a framework for enriching academic mentoring with insights from Ignatian spirituality. While mentoring traditionally supports professional and personal development, especially for early-career faculty, the Jesuit tradition offers a deeper, holistic perspective inspired by spiritual accompaniment practices such as those found in the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus and the Spiritual Exercises. The framework is based on the mentoring program launched in 2021 by the International Association of Jesuit Engineering and Sciences Schools (IAJES), which connects faculty across a global network of more than 60 Schools. Based on two years of practical experience involving …

“There Is Just A Sense Of Joy In This Work”: Drivers Of Faculty Engagement With Community, David C. Ensminger, Mitchell A. Hendrickson, Jon J. Schmidt

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

American universities have been engaged with their communities as long as there have been universities in America. The nature, purpose, and motivation behind that engagement have evolved. This article explores the motivation behind faculty engagement with their communities. We wanted to better understand what compels faculty to participate in and work in the community despite the many and varied barriers that might stand in their way. We explored the why and how of participation with a significant emphasis on the why. This study builds on the work of Wade and Demb[i] and their Faculty Engagement Framework (FEM) described in …

Perception Of Teaching Faculty About Medical Council Of India-Mandated Foundation Course, Sujata Sethi, Piyush Verma, Vivek Srivastava, Prashant Kumar, Kundan Mittal, Rakesh Mittal

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Apropos of the initiative by the Medical Council of India (MCI), a month-long Foundation Course was implemented in our institute for the Phase 1 MBBS batch (2019). The index study was carried out to assess the perceptions of faculty members teaching Phase 1 MBBS students about the usefulness and effectiveness of this course, and their suggestions for further improvement.

METHODOLOGY:

The study was conducted online using a predesigned, pretested questionnaire in the form of Google Forms. A total of 41 faculty members were invited to participate in the study.

RESULTS:

Thirty-six faculty members responded, i.e. a response …

Affirmation And Aspiration: Black Women Enrolled In Doctoral Programs At A Pwi Striving For The Tenure-Track, Anayah Alicia Walker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black women remain vastly underrepresented in tenure-track positions at research universities in the United States, facing systemic barriers that hinder their academic progression. This study examines the experiences and strategies that contribute to Black women’s preparation for tenure-track positions while enrolled in doctoral programs at a predominantly white institution. Grounded in Black feminist thought coupled with an appreciative inquiry lens, this study utilized the sista circle methodology to capture the narratives of seven Black women from various academic disciplines. Findings revealed three experiences that contribute to Black women’s preparation for tenure track positions: intrinsic motivation, funding and institutional resources, and …

"Opting Out Of Ai”: Exploring Perceptions, Reasons, And Concerns Behind Faculty Resistance To Generative Ai, Aya Shata

Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies Faculty Research

Research on Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) in higher education primarily focuses on faculty use and experiences, with limited attention given to why some abstain from using it. Drawing from Innovation Resistance Theory, this study aims to address this gap by exploring the perceptions of both faculty users and non-users of GAI, identifying the reasons and concerns why they avoid GAI. A survey of 294 full-time higher education faculty from two mid-size U.S. public universities was conducted. Using qualitative and quantitative analysis, results show that over one-third of the faculty members opted out of using GAI for five primary reasons: not …

The Lived Experiences Of Neurodivergent Students In A Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program: A Qualitative Study, Tracy Lynn Meyer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As postsecondary institutions strive to become more inclusive for students with disabilities, increasing numbers of neurodivergent students are enrolling in higher education. However, retention rates for neurodivergent students remain significantly lower compared to their neurotypical peers. This disparity presents challenges for institutions where there is a lack of awareness of and understanding how to effectively support the needs of neurodivergent students, particularly in clinical mental health counseling programs. This qualitative study analyzed the experiences of neurodivergent students diagnosed with autism, ADHD, traumatic brain injury, or related conditions in a clinical mental health counseling program. Through a Semistructured interview, the study …

2025 Spring Commencement Program: Winona State University, Winona State University

WSU Commencement Programs

This is the Winona State University Spring 2025 commencement program. Commencement was on Friday, May 9, 2025.

Nursing Faculty Experiences Of Teaching Dementia Care: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jeannie Simpson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of nursing faculty teaching dementia care to nursing students in Texas. The theory guiding this study was Kolb’s experiential learning theory as it offers a structured framework for examining how experiences lead to learning. This theory also introduced the concept of the Experiential Educator profile, specifically delineating the role of educators in facilitating knowledge acquisition (Kolb, 2014). This study bridged the gap in existing literature regarding the experiences of nursing faculty in teaching dementia care to nursing students and provided a comprehensive look at dementia education in nursing schools. …

Using Exercise To Counteract The Effects Of Social Media, Brandy Whitford, Pelo Zinyana, Patrick J. Cooper

Student Publications and Presentations

Over 90% of young adults use social media, and excessive use correlates with lower self-esteem, while exercise enhances it (McAuley et al., 1997; Twenge et al., 2018). This study examines how social media use and exercise influence self-esteem. We hypothesized that social media use would negatively predict self-esteem while exercise would have a positive association. Participants (N = 583; 395 females; M age = 24.87, SD = 11.08) completed demographic surveys, time-use assessments, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. We measured social media use by summing daily minutes across platforms and recorded exercise frequency as weekly days of 15+ minutes of …

Bisphenol A Effects On Stress Behaviors, Alexis Galindez, Kevin Sosa, Emily Pintilie, Cassandra S. Korte

Student Publications and Presentations

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used polycarbonate plastic found in everyday items like water bottles, food containers, and children's toys, and is known to act as an endocrine disruptor. Due to its presence in consumer goods, human exposure to BPA is common, raising concerns about its impact on reproductive and neurological health. We aim to investigate whether BPA affects aquatic flatworms' neurological behaviors, specifically Girardia dorotocephala's phototaxis behavior to light. Using this model, we exposed planaria to varying BPA concentrations of 0.125 ppm through 2 ppm. The aim is to determine the lethal dose of BPA and assess its …

Motives Matter: Exploring Psychological Predictors Of Student Drinking Behavior, Emily Kemp, Melissa Lehman, Patrick J. Cooper

Student Publications and Presentations

Alcohol use among college students remains a critical area of research, particularly regarding its implications for mental health. Prior studies have established connections between alcohol dependence and mental health disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD), with evidence suggesting that these issues often begin early, around age 14 (Schneier et al., 2010). Specific student populations, including student-athletes and members of Greek-letter organizations, may be at increased risk for alcohol-related problems (Turrisi et al., 2006). Building on this knowledge, this study examines whether resilience—an individual’s capacity to adapt to and recover from stressful situations—moderates the relationship …

Perceptions Of Employability With Ai Skills, Brandy Whitford, Patrick J. Cooper

Student Publications and Presentations

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making AI proficiency a key factor in hiring and career advancement. By late 2023, 75% of knowledge workers integrated AI into their workflows, with 92% reporting increased productivity and creativity (Kimbrough, 2024). Employers are adapting—66% prefer candidates with AI expertise, and 77% consider AI skills essential for career growth (Microsoft & LinkedIn, 2024). However, hiring biases related to AI-skilled applicants remain underexplored, particularly concerning gender disparities in employability perceptions. This study examines how AI-related skills influence perceived employability and whether these perceptions vary based on applicant gender. Specifically, it explores whether AI-skilled female applicants receive higher …

Educational Disparities And Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Insights From The Framingham Study, Tashoy Campbell, Félix E. Rivera-Mariani

Student Publications and Presentations

Education influences decisions that impact the overall well-being, including cardiovascular health. However, the extent to which educational disparities affect cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk remains insufficiently explored. This study re-analyzed sample data (n=11,626) from the Framingham Study, a landmark epidemiological cohort initiated in 1948 that has provided extensive longitudinal data on cardiovascular health. A sizable proportion of participants reported low educational attainment (~30% with 0–11 years of schooling), with men slightly more likely than women to have lower education levels. Hypertension was the most prevalent CVD condition (~70%), followed by coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. Logistic regression analyses revealed that …

Academic Entitlement Is Associated With Lower Self-Efficacy And More Course Withdrawals, Alessia Zedde, Patrick J. Cooper

Student Publications and Presentations

Academic entitlement is characterized by students' belief that they deserve favorable treatment in academic settings, often without regard to their effort or engagement. This entitlement often manifests in two ways: Externalizing Responsibility (ER), where students deflect accountability for their academic success onto others, and Entitled Expectations (EE), where students expect special accommodations from instructors. This study explores two psychological constructs, ER and EE, and the association with college students' academic outcomes. A sample of 251 college students completed the academic entitlement scale (AES), which included 15-items examining ER (10-items) and EE (five-items). Three academic outcomes were measured: (1) course failures …

Comparative Analysis Of Human And Drosophila Melanogaster Circadian Rhythms Using Dam Software, Maria Eduarda Couto Dourado, Alessia Zedde, Melissa Lehman, Kimberly D. Rowland

Student Publications and Presentations

This study aims to analyze human sleep patterns and compare them to Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) circadian rhythms using Drosophila Activity Monitoring (DAM) software. The primary objective is to determine the similarities between human and Drosophila sleep-wake cycles under controlled conditions. Human subject data will be collected through an anonymous survey assessing sleep duration, bedtime, wake-up time, mood variations, and lifestyle factors such as work schedule and caffeine intake. The collected data will be processed using DAM software to analyze human sleep-wake cycle patterns. To compare circadian rhythms, human-derived sleep patterns will be integrated into the DAM system to regulate …

Hidden Risks: Quantifying Sources Of Phthalate Exposure From Cleansers, Vivika Arocho, Tanya Pach, Erika L. Doctor

Student Publications and Presentations

To what extent does using skincare products contribute to human exposure to phthalates? Phthalates are commonly used in personal care products as fragrance stabilizers but have been linked to endocrine disruption and other health concerns. These compounds can also leach from the plastic containers into the products inside. With increased consumer awareness, it is vital to investigate the presence of phthalates in everyday consumer products, such as cleansers, which are used in daily hygiene routines. This study determines whether phthalates are present in multiple brands of cleanser products and compares their levels across different formulations. Liquid-liquid extraction followed by high-pressure …

Colorimetric Assay For Detecting Forever Chemicals, Sara Miller, Erika L. Doctor

Student Publications and Presentations

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals added to products like paper cups and teflon pans to make them water-resistant and durable. Exposure to PFAS have been a growing concern for the health of humans because of the migration of PFAS into foods we consume. PFAS have been linked to various health issues such as cancer, immunotoxicity, and thyroid disturbances. This research project examines a colorimetric assay for detection of PFAS in aqueous samples. Looking at the three most common PFAS, it will be determined if different concentration levels of the three PFAS affect data results. We performed the …

Barriers To Dental Care Access In Minority Communities, Sebastian Leslie, Daniel Ceccoli

Student Publications and Presentations

This poster presentation examines the persistent oral health disparities affecting African American children in the United States. Drawing from four key sources, including CDC reports and cohort studies, the paper analyzes the prevalence of these disparities, explores contributing factors, and discusses strategies for addressing this public health issue. Findings indicate that African American children consistently experience higher rates of untreated dental caries and tooth decay compared to their white counterparts, with disparities persisting across different age groups. The research identifies structural, sociocultural, and familial factors contributing to these disparities and emphasizes the significant role of social determinants of health. Proposed …