Digital Commons Network^™

Writing And Witnessing Ourselves Into Being: Testimonios Of A Chicana Educator And Latine Students For Social Justice In A Writing Course At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Amy Montoya

Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative study of first-year writing students at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) sought to understand the extent to which the practice of writing testimonios transformed how students constructed their sense of identity for social justice. Guided by the research question: How does the practice of writing testimonios in a writing course at an HSI shape faculty and student identity for social justice? This qualitative study analyzed the lived experiences of three former Latine female undergraduates and the researcher in a co - participatory testimonio methodology study. Grounded in the conceptual frameworks of decolonization (Mignolo & Walsh, 2018; Paraskeva, 2013) …

The Role Of Pre-K Teachers In Fostering Academic Resilience In Their Students In Preparation For Elementary School, Safa Alkaabi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated Pre-K teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices in fostering academic resilience, defined as the ability to persevere through challenges in early learning. Eight Pre-K teachers in Tennessee participated through interviews, focus groups, and analysis of lesson plans aligned with the Tennessee Early Learning Developmental Standards (TNELDS) and the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. The study aimed to address three research questions related to teachers’ conceptualization of resilience, instructional strategies, and documentation practices.

Findings revealed that teachers conceptualized academic resilience as a developable capacity rather than an innate trait, encompassing perseverance through challenges, emotional regulation, and the …

Perceptions Of Educators To Recognize And Respond To Suicidal Ideation Of Secondary Students, Clary Aaron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how secondary teachers in East Tennessee perceive district-provided suicide prevention training and its role in supporting students experiencing suicidal ideation. Eleven middle and high school teachers who had previously made a crisis referral participated in semi-structured interviews. The study examined teachers’ experiences, perceived strengths and limitations of training, and needed resources. Findings revealed that teachers felt confident recognizing warning signs, especially behavioral changes, when strong student relationships existed. However, training was often described as repetitive, generic, and minimally engaging. Social media and limited support systems were seen as major stressors for students. Teachers emphasized relationship-centered …

The Application Of Natural Language Processing Towards Auditing Of Unstructured Data: A Design Science Approach, Dennis K. Amoatey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Financial auditors must manually review large volumes of unstructured text that may include contracts, internal policies, footnotes, and journal entry descriptions. This time-intensive process introduces risk of human error and inconsistency. Despite advances in automation, no systematic approach exists for applying Natural Language Processing (NLP) to this problem at scale. Using a design science approach, this study develops a framework that demonstrates how NLP techniques can be incorporated across key phases in the audit process, including planning, internal controls evaluation, evidence gathering, and reporting. Initial evaluation through expert feedback had a mix of responses. While some argued difficulty with data …

“The Distance And Time Difference Aren’T Helping”: Family Communication Practices Of African Graduate Students Adapting To A New Country, Hummuh Abubakar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how international graduate students maintained long-distance communication with family members while adapting to life in the United States. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with seven international students, the research explored how participants sustained emotional closeness, manage disclosure, and select communication media across geographic distance. Guided by Communication Privacy Management Theory and Media Richness Theory, the study analyzed how students regulated private information and strategically used video calls, voice calls, and messaging platforms to meet relational and emotional needs. Findings revealed four primary themes: reliance on digital communication technologies; the emotional and psychological functions of family communication; structural …

Resource Allocation Trade-Offs Between Longevity And Reproduction In Daphnia Magna, Amelia Pearson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although trade-offs between longevity and reproduction have been described for a long time, the genetic mechanisms by which organisms modulate allocation of resources between these two essential processes remain poorly understood, due to their complex nature and their modification by existing nutritional states and environmental cues. Daphnia magna represents a valuable model for investigation in this area due to their moderate lifespan and cyclic parthenogenetic mode of reproduction, allowing for the easy study of gene by environment interactions. This dissertation first investigates the change in mortality, reproduction, activity, and gene expression when fully fed Daphnia and calorically restricted Daphnia are …

Branding The Protector And Helper: How The U.S. Army National Guard Presents Itself In Humanitarian Outreach, Aaron Otoo Acromond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how the United States Army National Guard constructs and communicates its humanitarian identity during domestic disaster response through official social media. Addressing limited scholarship on how hybrid military institutions frame their roles in domestic crises, the research applies qualitative content analysis to visual and textual posts from official Facebook and Instagram accounts during three disasters: Hurricane Ian (2022), the Hawaii Wildfires (2023), and Hurricane Helene (2024). The analysis identifies three communication themes: operational preparedness and technical capacity, humanitarian assistance to affected civilians, and collaboration with civilian agencies. These narratives portray the National Guard as a professional and …

Parent Engagement And Advocacy In Individualized Education Programs In Rural Appalachian School Districts, Mollie Rutledge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore parent engagement and parent advocacy in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) development and implementation in rural Appalachian school districts. Parent engagement and parent advocacy in Individualized Education Program (IEP) development and implementation are persistent challenges in special education. By intentionally grounding this research in rural Appalachia, the researcher responded to calls for education research that is attentive to the complexity and diversity of rural communities. Parents in rural areas face unique challenges related to poverty, isolation, and limited resources that can influence their engagement and advocacy in the IEP process. The …

Building Services Engineering March/April 2026

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Political Legacies Of Malcolm X, Sumair Ahluwalia

Theses

This study explores the ways in which Malcolm X’s legacy has been co-opted by various institutions and actors, including, but not limited to, politicians, historians, the general public, the federal government, and other commentators. As a result of this co-optation, Malcolm’s revolutionary ideals have been diluted or sanitized in the years since his assassination in 1965. Different approaches have been utilized to reframe Malcolm’s legacy, which include associating him with American liberalism, framing his arguments at the end of his life as markedly less radical, and external interference with popular works about Malcolm, including The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Additionally, …

Perceptions On The Moral And Ethical Applications Of Generative Ai In Creative Game Development, Isabella Maccera

Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity

As AI tools become increasingly embedded in creative industries, they introduce both opportunities for efficiency and concerns regarding authorship, intellectual property, job displacement, and professional identity. Guided by three research questions focused on creativity, ethics, and workflow adaptation, this research employs a qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews to capture participant experiences and interpretations. This study frames GenAI not as an isolated tool, but as part of a broader system that reshapes creative labor, collaboration, and organizational structure. Inductive coding and thematic analysis reveal five central themes: perceptions of AI in creative workflows, ethical and intellectual property concerns, employment and identity …

American Industry And Soviet Blood: U.S.-U.S.S.R. Collaborations During The Interwar And Wartime Years, Evan Banaszewski

History

This project will examine the connections between American corporations and the Soviet state from the late 1920’s through WWII. In particular, this project will focus on ventures undertaken by said corporations towards the modernization of Soviet industrial might, including, but not limited to, Ford-built automotive plants, Albert Kahn-designed factories, and General Electric-built hydroelectric grids. These ventures not only helped the Soviets transform a historically agricultural society into an industrial one but also enabled the rapid conversion of peacetime infrastructure into hubs of wartime production. The project then situates these private indirect contributions alongside the direct aid provided by the American …

Recommendations For Sharing Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Data With Patients Based On Clinician Interviews, Carly Daley, Jonathan Shirazi, Tina Allmandinger, Mindy Flanagan, Stephanie Pruitt, Hung-Yeh Lin, Victor P. Cornet, Jeanne Carroll, Yi Rong Tan, Tammy Toscos, Michael Mirro

Health Services and Informatics Research

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) capture an abundance of data that requires specific medical knowledge to interpret. Currently, there are no clear recommenda tions for sharing clinically meaningful CIED data with patients from the abundance of data in CIED remote monitoring reports.

OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study were to explore clinicians’ perceptions of clinical care gaps related to CIED data that could be improved through patient access to data and to generate recom mendations for sharing CIED data with patients.

METHODS In this institutional review board-exempt, 2-phase sequential qualitative study, 42 semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with 32 …

Journal Of Roleplaying Studies And Steam (Jrpssteam) Vol. 5 [2026], Número 1 (Issue 1), Romano Ponce-Díaz Phd, Cristo Leon, Ivan Avila, Sarah Lynne Bowman, Kjell Hedgard Hugaas, Alexandra Schreiber Ma, Jaime Eduardo García Maya, Víctor Emmanuel Quintana Villarreal Vic Emma, Francisco Gonzalez Ing., Daniel Romero Benguigui, Antonio Roda-Martínez

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

El presente número del Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM examina la convergencia entre las prácticas lúdicas, el diseño narrativo y los procesos de mediación sociocultural en la investigación contemporánea. Las contribuciones reunidas en este número abordan el juego de rol como un dispositivo de producción de conocimiento, intervención psicoeducativa y reelaboración de representaciones culturales. Nos podemos atrever a señalar que la educación es la convergencia entre la ludología, las ciencias sociales, los estudios visuales y el análisis cultural; entendiendo a la educación como la actividad consciente e intencionada de transmitir información y conocimientos a las siguientes generaciones.

Martin Heidegger …

Front Matter: Proceedings Of The 2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference At West Virginia University, Teaching And Learning Center

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

No abstract provided.

Hearing Northern New Mexico's Silenced Voices: Exploring Intersectionality And Allyship., Cheri Loggains

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

Hearing Northern New Mexico’s Silenced Voices: Exploring Intersectionality & Allyship Cheri Loggains, MSW, LCSW March 27, 2026 Oversimplified social constructs of identity and power were intentionally used in Northern New Mexico (NNM) by White settlers to perpetuate oppression. This oversimplification contributes to a false narrative of New Mexico centering White experiences and creating a hegemonic system of power. The repercussions of such acts are under new scrutiny, which calls out performative allyship. However, performative allyship is scarcely studied in current literature, even though it is a natural microcosm for examining the relational dynamics of power. The current literature also implies …

Attitudes, Behaviors, And Co-Workers Influence Of Those Who Provide Mental Health Support Services To Refugees And Immigrants., Irene Boamah

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

ABSTRACT

ATTITUDES, BEHAVIORS, AND CO-WORKERS INFLUENCE OF THOSE WHO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT SERVICES TO REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS

Irene A. Boamah

April 3, 2026

Refugees and immigrants face a variety of mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Despite these mental health issues, there is limited research examining the attitudes, behaviors and coworkers’ influence on those who provide mental health support services to this population. This study examines the relationships between the demographic and professional characteristics of mental health support service providers in Kentucky and the stigmas they may have toward refugees and immigrants.

A cross-sectional …

Increasing Food Resource Awareness Among College Students In Monterey County, Lesley Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Food insecurity is a growing concern in Monterey County, particularly impacting underserved communities, including college students. This capstone project aims to address the need for food resource awareness among college students at Hartnell College, while providing a nutritional cultural tailored plant-based meal. College students have an overwhelming amount of pressure balancing school work and their own personal lives. Outside barriers, such as food insecurity, have an adverse influence on their well-being, which can impact their academic performance in their studies. El Mercado is a basic needs resource center located at Hartnell College, supporting students with free basic need supplies located …

Improving Follow-Up After School-Based Dental Screenings Using Koha Data In Monterey County, Andre N. Edmond

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Limited follow-up after school-based oral health screenings is a major issue for young children in Monterey County, especially for those who do not have a regular source of dental care. This project focused on improving how screening data is used to connect students to needed services. The internship was completed with the Monterey County Oral Health Program and aimed to develop a better system for tracking KOHA (Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment) data and improving follow-up care for students identified with dental needs. Key activities included analyzing screening data, entering into a tracking system, and comparing results from different schools. The …

Systemic Barriers To Behavioral Health Treatment Access For Undocumented Immigrants And Implications For Recidivism In California, Devina I. Aparicio

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Undocumented individuals face significant barriers to accessing mental health and substance use treatment, contributing to increased recidivism rates in Monterey County, California. The purpose of this capstone project was to identify the specific barriers undocumented immigrants encounter when seeking these services and to inform strategies that improve access and reduce recidivism. This project focused on clients served by the Monterey County Public Defender’s Office of Holistic Defense. A qualitative approach was used, incorporating research and interviews with community providers, including the Monterey County Public Defender’s Office of Holistic Defense, Sun Street Centers, Monterey County Behavioral Health, and the County of …

Integrating Organizational Theory In Student Employee Development Across Dispersed Workplaces, Anica C. Chesnut

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Managing and developing staff at university residential desks presents unique challenges. One challenge is the complexity of supervising student employees while allowing them the opportunity to grow as well. Another challenge is the dispersed nature of residential desks across a university campus. Satellite desks present a difficulty to maintain community, a positive work culture, continuity of expectations, and procedures. Several organizational theory frameworks can be directly applied to the organization in order to reduce challenges. This capstone paper utilizes literature review and examination of current practices, to provide context of current inefficiencies while also critically analyzing pain points within the …

Improving And Maintaining Public Trust In Law Enforcement: A Qualitative Case Study Of The Northville Township Police Department, Christopher Bachand

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Public trust is a key component of effective law enforcement. While historically cyclical, trust in American law enforcement agencies has trended downward in recent years following several high-profile use of force incidents. In response, many agencies have begun incorporating new theories and models into their policies and procedures aimed at increasing public trust. This capstone paper draws upon the relevant literature surrounding these theories and conducts a qualitative case study of the Northville Township Police Department. This agency consistently achieved above-average levels of confidence from its community members by incorporating these theories using a hybrid-synthesis policy implementation approach. This paper …

Public Safety Policy In Michigan’S Rural Upper Peninsula: Collective Efficacy, Youth Engagement, And Prevention, Christopher J. Reynolds

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Rural communities in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula face unique public safety concerns due to resource limitations and geographic isolation. Small townships and cities lack sufficient funding and personnel to respond effectively to emergencies across large land areas. By building stronger families and communities, rural areas can prevent public safety concerns through preventative strategies, rather than reactive strategies that focus on incarceration. Through strengthening social networks and providing programs for youth to build leadership skills and good character, public safety will become a part of daily life in rural areas and not just a reaction to negative situations.

Beyond Exposure: Predicting Ai Adoption Based On Comparative Advantage, Ilse Lindenlaub, Ryungha Oh, Maria Alejandra Rodriguez, Laura Veldkamp

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

We document and explain the gap between measures of AI exposure and measures of AI adoption in the workplace. This leads us to propose a new AI adoption index based on comparative advantage. Using the representative German DiWaBe employee survey linked to worker and establishment information, we compare worker-reported AI use to prominent exposure measures and find that the relationship is weak. Motivated by this gap, we develop a framework in which adoption depends not only on technical feasibility—AI’s absolute advantage measured by exposure—but on profitability—AI’s comparative (dis)advantage relative to a specific worker—balancing AI productivity against AI user costs and …

Invoking The Senior Partner, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

For faculty who hold religious faith, the relationship between scholarly work and divine communion is not a private afterthought but a potential cognitive and motivational resource of the first order. This article draws on ten converging theoretical frameworks in organizational psychology, positive psychology, and learning science to argue that actively seeking divine guidance through prayer — treating Heavenly Father as a Senior Partner in the research enterprise — is not a retreat from rigorous scholarship but an extension of it. We examine how practices of spiritual seeking interact with flow states, resilience, intellectual humility, and prospective thinking to produce measurable …

Advanced Integrated Practice: Holding Complexity With Integrity, Brittany Heather Mattfeld

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This professional portfolio presents an integrated approach to social work practice that holds systems-level analysis alongside relational, client-centered engagement. Drawing from graduate coursework, residential youth work, and applied program development, it examines how policy, power, and institutional structures shape lived experience within child welfare and juvenile justice systems. This work challenges the assumption that systems operate neutrally, highlighting how practices such as “voluntary” services may be experienced as coercive in application. Across core competencies—ethical practice, trauma-informed engagement, assessment and intervention, policy practice, research-informed practice, and interdisciplinary collaboration—the portfolio emphasizes that meaningful change occurs not only through structural reform, but through …

Beyond The Straight Road: A Narrative Of Growth Toward Integrated Social Work Practice, Samantha Bymaster

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Building Collaborative Capacity For Coexistence With The Montana Beaver Working Group, Shane Randle

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Despite beavers’ recent surge in popularity, prevailing negative attitudes and the persistence of beaver removal practices remain obstacles for those advocating living with beavers. The Montana Beaver Working Group (BWG) advances beavers’ role in ecological and community resilience through members’ collaborative efforts, including beaver-related restoration and conflict resolution projects. Bringing together people with diverse values and perspectives, the BWG builds collective understanding, develops a holistic vision for beavers in Montana, and supports members in pursuing it. As the group’s impacts and membership have grown, so too has their need to adapt. For my Civic Engagement Project, I strengthened the BWG’s …

Msw Portfolio: Advancing Social Work Practice In International And Marginalized Communities, Emily L. Curtis

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

My portfolio presents an integrated reflection of advanced social work practice developed through my academic training and immersive field experiences across the United States, Germany, and New Zealand. Grounded in trauma-informed care, cultural humility, and strengths-based approaches, it demonstrates my application of the ten core social work competencies and five elements of advanced integrated practice within diverse and marginalized communities.

Drawing on my work with Māori and Pasifika women, refugee populations, and rural communities, this portfolio explains the importance of understanding individuals within broader cultural, historical, and systemic contexts. It emphasizes the need for socially just, culturally responsive, and relationship-centered …

An Exploration Of Personal Grievances And Susceptibility To Terrorist Recruitment Among Aggrieved U.S. Military Members: A Scenario-Based Qualitative Study, Jose R. Munoz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how personal, relational, and institutional experiences influenced susceptibility to terrorist recruitment among aggrieved U.S. military members. Using a scenario-based interview design grounded in the Terrorist Radicalization Assessment Protocol-18 (TRAP-18), twenty current and former service members participated in standardized, one-on-one interviews. The study aimed to identify patterns of vulnerability and resilience that emerge from experiences of marginalization, isolation, emotional distress, and moral conflict within military contexts. A deductive analytic approach combined TRAP-18 indicators with Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis to interpret how participants conceptualized grievance, belonging, and institutional trust.

Findings revealed that radicalization susceptibility does not emerge …