Digital Commons Network^™

Developing A Creative Community Workshop For Educators During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Community Engagement Project, Alexa Licata

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

A community engagement project was created and implemented, comprised of a one-time workshop utilizing expressive arts therapies to address the impact of covid-19 on educators. In this thesis, there is a review of the literature regarding collective healing within communities and addressing the needs of educators within the changing education system, with a particular focus on expressive arts therapies. The workshop engaged educators in a creative process to identify where they find meaning and purpose in their lives and how they identify themselves within their community of educators. Results suggest that community engagement using the arts can be an effective …

The Effect Of Intercollegiate Athletic Departments Switching Conferences, Austin Fischer

Master of Science in Kinesiology

College conference realignment has been and will be an imposing threat to universities and colleges across all division levels. With significant money to be had in intercollegiate athletics, Athletic Directors (ADs) are looking to position themselves and their university in the most optimal position to elevate their schools’ athletic brands. The literature review for this study utilized Concordia’s online research library platform, as well as recent news articles regarding conference realignment. With college athletics media valuation continuing to increase, one can draw the conclusion that conference realignment is here to stay. This project was designed to ask Athletic Directors and …

Assessing The Release Of Microplastics And Nanoplastics From Plastic Containers And Reusable Food Pouches: Implications For Human Health, Kazi Albab Hussain, Svetlana Romanova, Ilhami Okur, Dong Zhang, Jesse Kuebler, Xi Huang, Bing Wang, Lucia Fernandez-Ballester, Yongfeng Lu, Mathias Schubert, Yusong Li

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study investigated the release of microplastics and nanoplastics from plastic containers and reusable food pouches under different usage scenarios, using DI water and 3% acetic acid as food simulants for aqueous foods and acidic foods. The results indicated that microwave heating caused the highest release of microplastics and nanoplastics into food compared to other usage scenarios, such as refrigeration or room-temperature storage. It was found that some containers could release as many as 4.22 million microplastic and 2.11 billion nanoplastic particles from only one square centimeter of plastic area within 3 min of microwave heating. Refrigeration and room-temperature storage …

Enhance Collaborative Online Learning And Skill Building With Learning Activities Using Shared Templates, Heather Thomson

Teaching Online Pedagogical Repository

At the start of the semester, students begin by identifying a problem of interest and then work through a series of shared templates to develop a solution. Learning activities are collated into a final group presentation.

The Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility And Organizational Citizenship Behaviors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, E. Paisley Shultz

Student Theses and Dissertations

COVID-19 has brought dramatic changes to how organizations operate and employees behave, prompting both parties to engage in additional efforts and cope with these stark adjustments. Organizations, for example, might engage in more COVID-specific corporate social responsibility (CSR), while employees might engage in more COVID-related organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). However, it is unclear whether and how employees’ COVID-related OCBs can be triggered by their organizations’ COVID-specific CSR. Building on existing research on the relationship between CSR and OCBs, this study examined the effects of internal and external COVID-specific CSR on employees’ COVID-related OCBs toward their coworkers (OCB-Is) and organizations (OCB-Os). …

Application Of Social Media In Marketing Library Resources And Services At Kyambogo University Library, Uganda, Eric Keziron Oloo, David Luyombya

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study examined the application of social media (SM) in marketing library resources and services at Kyambogo University Library (KYUL). The study adopted a mixed method utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The study revealed that: KYUL uses WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to market its resources and services. Other channels were Websites, emails, displays of new information resources, flyers, newsletters, user orientations, posters, and exhibitions. SM is considered a vital library marketing platform. However, the respondents raised various impediments to successful SM at KYUL. Based on the findings the study made conclusions and recommendations.

Utilizing New Technologies To Measure Therapy Effectiveness For Mental And Physical Health, Jonathan Ossie

Dissertations

Mental health is quickly becoming a major policy concern, with recent data reporting increasing and disproportionately worse mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, increased substance abuse, and elevated suicidal ideation. One specific population that is especially high risk for these issues is the military community because military conflict, deployment stressors, and combat exposure contribute to the risk of mental health problems.

Although several pharmacological approaches have been employed to combat this epidemic, their efficacy is mixed at best, which has led to novel nonpharmacological approaches. One such approach is Operation Surf, a nonprofit that provides nature-based programs advocating the restorative …

Audacious Corazón: A Nuanced Art Of Care, Dianne Bermudez Torres

Dissertations

Historically, the concept of care in higher education has focused on academic achievements, neglecting the significance of building meaningful relationships between faculty and students that engage both affective and cognitive dimensions (Noddings, 1994). Teaching with the heart, or corazón, embodies care in teaching. Employed in this study was a mixed-methods, exploratory case study approach that explored the intricate art of care and how faculty foster bilingual authorization credential teacher candidates to evolve into culturally responsive educators. Pearson et al.’s (2021) cariño pedagogy serves as a model that empowers faculty’s humanizing agency. Additionally, the study also reflected on the concept of …

Three St. Norbert College Students Receive Gilman Scholarships, St. Norbert College

Press Releases 2023

No abstract provided.

Be Loved, Be Bold And Other Resources For Student Content Creators, Mary Patton Murphy

Honors Theses

The following thesis records the development of the student-produced podcast Be Loved, Be Bold, which ran intermittently from August 2020 to March 2023. Initially a hobby, the podcast became a project for investigating story-telling and marketing among college students, with the transition to project occurring in August 2022. This effort sparked a question, “What is the best way to produce, market, and maintain a faith-based podcast geared towards college students?”

The project was guided by two overarching goals: 1) Maintain the production and marketing techniques of the already existing podcast. 2) Explore other production and marketing techniques to improve …

Don’T Close The Book On Print: Mid-Term Return On Investment Of Print Books Purchased Under Different Acquisition Modes, Maria Savova, Candace Lebel

Library Staff Publications and Research

Five years ago we conducted a study on short-term return on investment in print books purchased under different acquisition modes. Unsurprisingly, the demand-driven purchases - and course readings in particular - showed the highest level of engagement and return on investment within the first year after purchase. Approximately a third of all titles purchased on approval and as firm orders also saw at least one use in the first year, and the titles that were used experienced an average of 2.5 circulations.

These results triggered some follow-up questions which we can now address with five years of additional data. Do …

The First Transcriptomic Atlas Of The Adult Lacrimal Gland Reveals Epithelial Complexity And Identifies Novel Progenitor Cells In Mice, Vanessa Delcroix, Olivier Mauduit, Hyun Soo Lee, Anastasiia Ivanova, Takeshi Umazume, Sarah M Knox, Cintia S De Paiva, Darlene A Dartt, Helen P Makarenkova

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The lacrimal gland (LG) secretes aqueous tears. Previous studies have provided insights into the cell lineage relationships during tissue morphogenesis. However, little is known about the cell types composing the adult LG and their progenitors. Using scRNAseq, we established the first comprehensive cell atlas of the adult mouse LG to investigate the cell hierarchy, its secretory repertoire, and the sex differences. Our analysis uncovered the complexity of the stromal landscape. Epithelium subclustering revealed myoepithelial cells, acinar subsets, and two novel acinar subpopulations: Tfrc^hi and Car6^hi cells. The ductal compartment contained Wfdc2+ multilayered ducts and an Ltf+ cluster formed …

How Exemplary Chief Nurse Executives Utilize The Six Domains Of Conflict Transformational Strategies To Establish Common Ground And Produce Breakthrough Results, Michael Thompson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological method study was to identify and describe strategies that exemplary chief nurse executive leaders use to identify and establish common grounds to produce breakthrough results in healthcare by using the six domains of transformational conflict strategies: collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethical behaviors, problem solving, and shared interest.

Methodology: As a part of the thematic phenomenological study, the research identified and described the lived experiences of eight exemplary chief nurse executive leaders in health care who used conflict transformational strategies to find common ground to produce breakthrough results. The target population for the study included …

How Exemplary Elementary School Principals Establish Common Ground And Produce Breakthrough Results By Using The Six Domains Of Conflict Transformational Strategies, Monica Berro

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological conceptual replication study was to discover and describe how exemplary elementary school principals establish common ground and produce breakthrough results by using the six domains of conflict transformational strategies: collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethical behavior, problem solving, and shared interest.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological conceptual replication study discovered and described the lived experiences of eight exemplary elementary school principals on how they used the six domains of conflict transformational strategies with their stakeholders to produce breakthrough results. Participants led public elementary schools in Los Angeles and Orange counties in California. Data were collected using …

Definition And Characteristic Features Of A ‘Cultural Flashpoint’: A Case Study Of Exploring Masculinities, A Controversial Gender And Education Programme In Ireland, Joan Hanafin, Paul Conway, Cormac O Beaglaoich, Jack Hanafin

Articles

The concept ‘cultural flashpoint’ (CF) has not been fully defined or described. The authors test this concept through the prism of a controversial gender-focused Irish school programme, Exploring Masculinities (EM). Adopting an instrumental case study methodology, they use media content analysis to develop a temporal trajectory of the CF, describe its shape, explicit and implied contentious themes, and its process. They identify characteristic features of a cultural flashpoint: (i) a focal issue, event and/or object; (ii) conflict; (iii) bounded time period; (iv) the involvement of exo- and multi-sectoral individuals and groups; (v) randomness, opaqueness and conflation among its expressions; and …

Commencement 2023, Taylor University

Commencement

The program of the 2023 Annual Commencement of Taylor University, May 20, 2023.

Covid-19 Pandemic: Lived Experiences Of Teachers Supporting Students’ Socialemotional Learning Needs Upon Returning To Face-To-Face Instruction, Valerie Cover

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of San Bernardino County elementary school teachers in supporting students' social-emotional learning needs upon returning to face-to-face instruction after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology: This phenomenological study identified and described San Bernardino County elementary school teachers' experiences supporting students' social-emotional needs upon returning to face-to-face instruction after the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were purposively chosen based on specific criteria of working in a public kindergarten through sixth grade setting within San Bernardino County. The participants answered 15 semi-structured questions. The transcribed data collected by the researcher during the …

2023 Dearfield Conference Program, Robert H. Brunswig

2023 Dearfield Conference

No abstract provided.

Nursing Education In Complementary Alternative Modalities: A Case Study, Deborah Bird

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this embedded case study was to describe the preparation for and utilization of complimentary alternative modality (CAM) interventions by an experienced Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) prepared nurse practitioner (NP) working in an outpatient setting.

Background: Given the widespread use of CAM by the American public and the potential complications involved in combining CAM and standard medical care, a lack of educational preparation in CAM interventions by NPs delivering primary care in outpatient health care settings represents both a potential risk and a missed opportunity to provide holistic patient care. Such a lack of knowledge also …

Addressing Funding Disparities In Women Of Color-Led Organizations, Christy J. Thomas

Master's Projects and Capstones

Women of color who are founders and/or leaders of nonprofit organizations typically come from the communities they serve. While their experience within their communities gives them an edge on service delivery and impact, these leaders face funding disparities compared to other organizations. This report highlights the stories and experiences of three women of color founders and nonprofit leaders to provide insight into the funding barriers and how to mitigate these barriers. Suggestions for improvement include Trust based philanthropy, listening sessions, and Women of color-leader development circles.

Biomodd: The Integration Of Art Into Transdisciplinary Research Practices, Ulrike Kuchner, Mona Nasser, Pieter Steyaert, Diego S. Maranan, Zeynep Birsel, Agatha Haines, Ann Peeters, Angelo C.J. Vermeulen

More Faculty of Health Research

Biomodd is an artistic project with the potential for supporting transdisciplinary practices in blended virtual and in-person environments. After describing the project components, we discuss the collaborative process of idea generation and participant engagement. In this paper, we argue for the integration of collaborative art practice in transdisciplinary (TD) research to generate ideas and engage researchers and non-academic stakeholders. We draw on the virtual and in-person (hybrid) participation of members of the TD collective Space Ecologies Art and Design (SEADS) during Biomodd, an art installation that addresses global challenges in ecology, humanity, technology, and technological waste. Using survey responses, diaries, …

Membrane Compression By Synaptic Vesicle Exocytosis Triggers Ultrafast Endocytosis, Tyler H Ogunmowo, Haoyuan Jing, Sumana Raychaudhuri, Grant F Kusick, Yuuta Imoto, Shuo Li, Kie Itoh, Ye Ma, Haani Jafri, Matthew B. Dalva, Edwin R Chapman, Taekjip Ha, Shigeki Watanabe, Jian Liu

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Compensatory endocytosis keeps the membrane surface area of secretory cells constant following exocytosis. At chemical synapses, clathrin-independent ultrafast endocytosis maintains such homeostasis. This endocytic pathway is temporally and spatially coupled to exocytosis; it initiates within 50 ms at the region immediately next to the active zone where vesicles fuse. However, the coupling mechanism is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that filamentous actin is organized as a ring, surrounding the active zone at mouse hippocampal synapses. Assuming the membrane area conservation is due to this actin ring, our theoretical model suggests that flattening of fused vesicles exerts lateral compression in the plasma …

Facilitators And Barriers To Effective Scale-Up Of Evidence-Based Nonprofit-Level Hiv Prevention And Treatment Interventions Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (Msm), Ugochukwu C. Uzoeghelu

Master's Projects and Capstones

Since the scale-up of HIV/AIDS prevention evidence-based interventions (EBIs) has not been simple in nonprofit settings, it is crucial to examine processes that occur in the translation of the EBIs into practice that affect successful implementation through the lens of nonprofit principles and practices. This paper examines the facilitators and barriers to effective scale-up of evidence-based HIV prevention and treatment services for nonprofit health organizations that serve Black men who have sex with men (MSM). I interviewed nonprofit health organizations (n = 4) engaged in the global response to end the HIV epidemic, specifically those who provide HIV prevention and …

A New Pipeline: Building A Transformative Leadership Pipeline For Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Jackie Aguilar

Master's Projects and Capstones

While developing leadership roles for employers is critical to running an effective organization, building a bridge for those who have directly lived experiences regarding its mission is critical. Bringing back community members you have served to your organization is highly recommended and essential. This capstone research report will focus on building a leadership pipeline for formerly incarcerated individuals within the nonprofit sector. Returning community members can often be tokenized and are never given the tools and resources to develop as a leader. This report will outline the barriers formerly incarcerated individuals face while providing a foundation on the importance of …

Retrospective Assessment Of A Collaborative Digital Asthma Program For Medicaid-Enrolled Children In Southwest Detroit: Reductions In Short-Acting Beta-Agonist (Saba) Medication Use, Meredith Barrett, Rahul Gondalia, Vy Vuong, Leanne Kaye, Alex B. Hill, Elliot Attisha, Teresa Holtrop

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

Background
Real-world evidence for digitally-supported asthma programs among Medicaid-enrolled children remains limited. Using data from a collaborative quality improvement program, we evaluated the impact of a digital intervention on asthma inhaler use among children in southwest Detroit.

Methods
Children (6–13 years) enrolled with Kids Health Connection (KHC), a program involving home visits with an asthma educator, were invited to participate in a digital self-management asthma program (Propeller Health). Patients were provided with a sensor to capture short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) medication use, and given access to a paired mobile app to track usage. Patients’ healthcare providers and caregivers (“followers”) were invited …

Expressive Art Group Therapy To Improve Children With Autism's Social And Expressive Skills And Facilitate Parent-Child, Yueyun Tang

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper discusses an approach to expressive arts therapy that involves joint participation by parents and children to utilize expressive arts therapy to enhance parents' comprehension of their children's communication styles and to help children with Autism Spectrum Disorder acquire practical communication skills. The study included children between the ages of 6 and 9 diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and one of their parents. The author gathered information and concluded by process notes, conversations with co-leaders, and final participant interviews. Most children and parents reported experiencing a sense of support and ease within the group. This paper demonstrates that when …

Identifying The Temporal N-Linked Glycosylation Changes During Liver Disease Progression: From Liver Injury To End-Stage Liver Disease, Shaaron Ochoa-Rios

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The high mortality rates of liver diseases and primary liver cancers can be attributed to the lack of screening and diagnostic strategies currently available for early detection. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an early stage of liver disease known to progress to a variety of pre-malignant and malignant conditions, like advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Based on the wide variety of diseases that NAFLD can progress to, strategies to understand and detect the progression of NAFLD are of great value. Core fucosylation of N-linked glycans has been demonstrated to be useful for the clinical diagnosis …

Animal-Assisted Therapy: A Program Evaluation Of One Substance Abuse Treatment Center, Erin Poore

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has the possibility of enhancing health outcomes for those living with substance abuse disorders. Previous research primarily focused on individuals with a diagnosis of dementia and other cognitive related disorders. Prior research that did look at individuals with substance abuse focused on the use of horses rather than canines and were limited to small sample sizes. We used an electronic medical record system to identify eligible patients to volunteer to participate in two weeks of animal-assisted therapy at one substance abuse treatment center in southeastern United States. Volunteers completed pre and post survey questions measuring overall satisfaction …

Recovering Vitality After Trauma Through The Use Of Body-Oriented Expressive Arts Therapy: A Literature Review, Kate Hall

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This capstone thesis examines how to use body-oriented expressive arts therapy to address dissociative symptoms of trauma in adults. Dissociation can arise during or after trauma has occurred and creates a state of disconnection in the body, inhibiting one’s sense of vitality. In this literature review, I provide a basis for why to look to the expressive arts and the body as effective resources for restoring vitality. I present relevant research on trauma, dissociation, and body-oriented expressive arts therapy; I also explore how concepts embedded in sensuality, pleasure, and eroticism may help inform how to use expressive arts therapy as …

A Comparative Study On The Design Typology Of Dense, High-Rise Housing, Nikita Mansinghani

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The three case studies are multi-unit residential buildings located in three vastly different European cities and designed in different times periods of architectural transformations and technology help us understand the value and development of these units and the significance of them in the future design typologies. The understanding of housing complex has been occupied with the exercise of control as a design tool for demarcating variation to further the purpose of housing and shift in approaches from typical architecture to non-standard creative practices, this article focuses on three precedents: the Unite de habitation, VM houses and The Whale. The three …