Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Exercise And Neuromuscular Stimulation On Neuroplasticity And Inflammation In Those With Dementia Risk, Kaitlyn J. Tanner, Collis D. Grace, Morgan A. Gragg, Lisa B. Niles-Meunier, Nicholas J. Siekirk

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

BACKGROUND: Cognitive decline, prevalent in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD), heightens fall risk. Exercise interventions can reduce fall risk by slowing or delaying cognitive decline. Use of multi-waveform neuromuscular electrical stimulation (MWF-NMES) as an exercise adjunct may enhance neuroplasticity in areas associated with postural control. Whether NMES can improve postural control outcomes is not well-documented. Therefore, we will examine the effect of multi-waveform NMES on postural control in adults at risk for ADRD. METHODS: Participants will be recruited from an assisted living community in Southeast Georgia. Interested participants who meet the inclusion criterion will be stratified by sex …

Legal Internship Experience, Abigail Jalso

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This presentation summarizes my internship experience at Grcic Law LLC focused on applied legal and policy research within municipal government contexts. During this internship, I completed two primary projects involving comparative legal analysis and regulatory evaluation. The first project examined firearm sales regulations in the Village of Niles, Illinois, analyzing local ordinances alongside Illinois and federal law to assess how firearm sales are structured, restricted, and enforced across different levels of government. The second project evaluated a proposed Niles ordinance regulating e-bikes and e-scooters by comparing it with existing municipal policies in Elk Grove Village, Schaumburg, and Deerfield.

Across both …

Flex Lab Noise Minimization, Zyanne Fulcher, Nathan Carandang, Maddux Chan

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This presentation describes the process of minimizing noise in the Flex Lab. Built in 2018, the Flex Lab is a large open space divided into three classrooms with two study areas in between. Its open design allows noise to travel easily, often distracting students and educators. During the Fall 2026 semester, our group of five collected data on noise levels and developed and tested solutions. Based on our findings, we designed a two-way AV system to reduce noise disruption and support student learning. This project strengthened our teamwork and enhanced our problem-solving skills.

Gamification As A Strategy For Interprofessional Learning, Chisom S. Enebechi, Aislinn M. Dorko

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Background: A Community-based, student-led clinic provides free health services to underserved areas, bringing together students from allied health disciplines to promote interprofessional collaboration and health promotion. Previous orientation sessions were lecture-based with a team-building activity providing limited opportunities for active learning. To address this, a gamified orientation activity was developed using realistic, scenario-based cases designed to exemplify common community health situations. Purpose: This quality improvement project aims to evaluate whether gamification improves students' perceived ability to communicate, collaborate, and understand roles and responsibilities when delivering team-based care. Methods: The project was guided by Bandura's Social Learning Theory and implemented using …

Does Positive Or Negative Informal Social Media Impact Internalized Stigma Around Mental Health In College Aged Adults, Katrina G. Wicker

Research & Creative Achievement Day

The purpose of this research study was to look at how positive and negative informal social media impacts internalized stigma towards mental health in college aged adults. I hope to find some relation showing that the more positive a social media video is the less it negatively impacts someone's internalized stigma around mental health. Internalized stigma is how someone thinks and feels about mental health that ends up influencing how they behave when it comes to mental health. I want this research to show that social media is having an impact on those internalized stigmas, and that if we want …

The Evolution Of Accounting: Historical Bookkeeping And Double Entry, Linda N. Moua

Research & Creative Achievement Day

In present-day accounting, technology  has transformed the efficiency and effectiveness of transaction recording.  Microsoft Excel has become a standard tool since its launch in the 1980s and has  quickly replaced handwritten work. This research aims to analyze the origins  of accounting, specifically in bookkeeping and double-entry, and how it has  proven to be the language of business from the beginning. This research will  initially look at stone tablets from the Mesopotamian Era and into the  development of double entry, with how its evolved origins are still similar  and different today. Other than the history of bookkeeping and double entry,  there …

A Feminist Analysis Of Greta Gerwig’S Little Women And Lady Bird, Tamara J. Hughes

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Following recent attention being given to gender values seen within popular culture, more scholars are taking the time to consider the role that films play in communicating these values. Given this attention, this analysis hopes to look at feminist themes within two films written and produced by Greta Gerwig (Little Women and Lady Bird). I propose to use a communication analysis using perspectives of both feminist criticism and fantasy theme analysis to uncover and understand the use of themes throughout the two films. This analysis hopes to gain understanding of the communication methods that Greta Gerwig imposes in her films …

Do You Have A Dog?: Investigating How Teacher Self-Disclosures Affect Student Perceptions, Kylie B. Nelson

Research & Creative Achievement Day

One of the most common questions a student might ask a professor is, do you have a dog? Self-disclosures from college professors have become commonplace in a classroom, but as perceptions and norms shift, teacher self-disclosure has yet to be understood in a modern context. The purpose of this study is to understand how teacher self-disclosure affects students’ perceptions. Using a survey research design, this study aims to test associations between appropriate self-disclosure and student satisfaction. Effects of frequency, negativity, and relevance of self-disclosure aim to be correlated with student affect for the class and professor. Results are expected to …

The Living History Project: Documenting Winona State's Legacy, Holly A. Foss, Kenneth Goroztieta, Aubree G. Hansen

Research & Creative Achievement Day

This table will showcase the work of the Living History Project at Winona State University which preserves the history of WSU by documenting the careers of people who have impacted the university for the better.  The table will display three short documentary films produced by students during the Fall 2025 semester, running on a monitor with headphones on a continuous loop. The films feature Tom Sawyer (former football coach), Jo Stejskal (former Dean of Nursing), and Jim Bromeland (former Professor of Political Science).  Alongside the films, the table will include a display of photography from premieres over the past 20 …

Psychology Internship 2026; Rise Family And Children's Center, Star D. Brown

Research & Creative Achievement Day

This will be a posterboard presentation on a completed internship though Winona State University. The internship was with the RISE program at The Family and Children's Center in Winona. The posterboard will cover curriculum made and lessons taught. The lessons will be there for guests to view and ask questions about. The posterboard will also cover changes brought to the program and the impact those changes had.

Family Is Forever: A Qualitative Study Of The Impacts Of Adoption On Adoptees, Rebekah Hedlund

Liberty University Research Week

This study explores the lived experiences of adoptees and the ways in which adoption has impacted them. Grounded in communication theory of identity (CTI), this research examines how adoptees express their identities throughout their lives via communication. Using a qualitative approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with adoptees over the age of 18 from diverse backgrounds. The findings revealed three key themes from adoptees: identity, education, and opportunity. Participants described identity to be an ongoing and evolving process throughout life, often influenced by biological origins and family dynamics. The theme of education emerged through participants’ desire for educating potential adoptive …

Bridging The Gap In Adolescent And Young Adult Sexual Health Education, Michael Ago Tetteh, Anjali Jacob, Cassidy Harris, Claire Rau

Liberty University Research Week

Background: Risky sexual behavior among adolescents is a significant public health concern in the United States and locally in Lynchburg, Virginia. In 2024, Virginia reported elevated rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including 851 new HIV cases (21.4% occurring in ages 15–24), as well as high rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, which heavily burden youth. In Lynchburg specifically, 43.5% of high school seniors report having had sexual intercourse, and the teen birth rate is 12 per 1,000 for females aged 15–19. Beyond physical health, these behaviors reflect poor spiritual health and a departure from a biblical sexual ethic, as …

Gospel Reception And Response In Students With Profound Cognitive Disabilities, Reagan Lewis

Liberty University Research Week

This study attempts to build a bridge over a gap in research regarding how to measure children with cognitive disabilities’ understanding of the gospel, also incorporating information about ministry structure, caregiver responsibility, and methods for presenting the gospel. While there is a plethora of research surrounding the design of disability ministries, very little research has been done in the area of gospel reception, particularly in children with cognitive disabilities. This study utilized a qualitative research design to collect data for analysis and discussion. Specifically, this study included individual interviews, one focus group discussion with all participants at the conclusion of …

Migration, Culture, And Healthcare In Chicago’S Pakistani Community, Sultan Cheema

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

How does Chicago’s Pakistani community understand and access the US healthcare system? This ethnographic study will draw on 10 semi-structured interviews and five in-depth interviews to investigate how first and second-generation Pakistanis interact with healthcare in the United States. By exploring factors such as religion, length of stay, socioeconomic status, non-Western medical practices, household configuration, and education, this study will examine the relationship between cultural adaptation and healthcare decision-making among Pakistani immigrant communities.

The Relation Of Museum Visitors' Idea Framing Approaches And Engineering Engagement During A Community Design Puppet-Making Activity​, Adeline Sauer

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Engaging in early informal learning opportunities for children provides a unique setting for fostering their engineering learning. Specifically, collaboration (e.g., sharing ideas and helping one another) can support children's learning during tinkering activities. We explore how 39 4- to 10-year-old children (Mean age = 6.63; 19 girls) and their caregivers define and engage in the engineering design process (EDP) during a hands-on puppet making activity at a children’s museum. It is hypothesized that children and caregivers who frame, or communicate, their ideas as group-centered will have the highest engagement in the EDP process over framing ideas as individual-centered and other-centered.

Evaluating Mental Health Providers’ Knowledge And Attitudes Towards Stigma Among Teenagers Aged 13 To 19 Years With Mental Illness, Fredrica Murray Johnson

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Limited knowledge and poor attitudes among mental health providers contribute to stigma towards individuals with mental illness, adversely affecting treatment experience and outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an educational intervention in improving mental health providers’ knowledge and attitudes toward stigma-based practices. The clinical question stated: Among mental health providers, does an educational intervention, compared to standard practice, improve knowledge and attitudes of stigma and promote evidence-based care delivery to adolescents aged 13 to 19 with mental illness within six weeks? The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) was the framework used to implement the quasi-experimental study. The two …

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Diet And Contributing Factors: A Narrative Literature Review, Rachel Joseph, Ashley Tharpe, Sherri Ann Walker

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Objectives: The purpose of this narrative literature review is to explore the relationship between Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and dietary habits, and identify factors that contribute to the development, progression, and potential management of NAFLD.

Methods: Search terms such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), diet, and nutrition, including plant-based and vegetarian diets, were used to identify 45 peer-reviewed publications published within the last five years.

Results: Dietary factors, biological, environmental, obesity, mental health, and genetic factors can contribute to the development of NAFLD. This multisystem problem can have economic, social, and psychological consequences that affect a person’s quality …

Resilience In Nursing Education: A Literature Review Examining The Experiences Of Ukrainian Nursing Students In The United States, Katherine Ferrell, Rachel Joseph

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

The purpose of this literature review is to examine the experiences of international students who originate from war-torn areas, who live in the United States (US). Drawing from peer-reviewed sources, the review examines the academic, psychological, and social challenges these students face, including trauma, cultural adjustment, and gaps in institutional support. It highlights the resilience and coping strategies employed by students, as well as the role of universities in fostering inclusive environments. The review also identifies critical gaps in current research, particularly regarding long-term mental health outcomes and culturally responsive support services. This paper aims to synthesize existing literature on …

Navigating Life And Death: A Moral Critique Of Euthanasia Practices Worldwide, Brooke Fuzie, Rachel Joseph

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Euthanasia and physician-assisted death remain deeply debated ethical issues shaped by history, law, and cultural values. This narrative review explores how diverse ethical frameworks, shifting global legislation, and cultural perspectives inform current discourse, with special attention to the role of nurses guided by the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies, legal documents, and recent case analyses published between 2013 and 2025, the review identifies three key insights. Ethical frameworks influence whether society accepts or opposes euthanasia; robust legal safeguards are needed to protect autonomy and prevent misuse; and palliative care and advance care planning, including …

Perceived Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, And Barriers Of Jordanian Nursing Faculty To Integrate Genomic Concepts In The Curriculum: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study, Rachel Joseph

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

Background: Rapid advances in genomics knowledge and the expansion of precision medicine have amplified expectations for nurses to integrate genomic concepts into education and clinical practice. Evidence regarding genomic knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers among nursing faculty in the Middle East is limited. To equip practicing and emerging nurses, faculty must be equipped. Faculty preparedness is critical to successful curriculum integration and to preparing future nurses for genomic-informed care.

Purpose: This study examined the perceived knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers related to integrating genomic concepts in the nursing curriculum among nursing faculty in Jordan.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was …

Volume 3, Issue 2 - Complete Issue

Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Mentorship In Reducing Burnout In New Nurses And Nursing Students, Omari Andry

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Burnout among new nurses and nursing students is a consistent issue affecting the healthcare system by adding to early career turnover, emotional exhaustion, and decreased quality of patient care. Structured mentorship programs have emerged as a promising intervention to alleviate burnout by giving emotional support, professional development, and coping strategies. This proposal explores the role of mentorship in reducing burnout symptoms, improving job satisfaction, and promoting emotional resilience among new nurses and nursing students alike. Based on existing scholarly articles, the project will investigate how structured versus informal mentorship affects burnout rates, the qualities of effective mentors, and the outcomes …

Bringing Worlds Together: How Social Studies Teachers Make Content Meaningful, Harley A. Payne

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Secondary educators in social studies classes face the challenge of maintaining the attention of twenty to thirty students while they instruct them about content that often seems irrelevant or unimportant. These educators know, however, that the material these students are disinterested in is useful and crucial for developing adolescents who are learning to interact with the world. Research suggests that bridging the gap between the classroom and the real world has been linked to greater classroom engagement (Cooper 2014, Tagliaferro, 2012). Students who are engaged and exert more effort in class derive academic benefits, such as placement in advanced pathways …

The Erosion Of The Imago Dei: A Qualitative Study Of Religious Identity Maintenance Among Affluent Professionals In Secularized Environments, Shawn Hall

Liberty University Research Week

While sociological research has extensively documented the decline of religious affiliation (the "rise of the Nones"), fewer studies examine the erosion of theological anthropology, the fundamental beliefs about the nature of the self among religious adherents who remain active within faith communities. Drawing on twenty years of qualitative participant observation in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, this study investigates how affluent Christians maintain or fail to maintain a "Bipartite" (Soul-Body) worldview while embedded in highly secularized, technocratic professional environments. Utilizing a reflexive ethnographic design and NVivo-supported thematic analysis, the research identifies a phenomenon of "Ontological Dissonance," where adherents profess orthodox …

Prometheus The Trickster: Prophecy, Power, And Deception, Chris Griglack

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

This article interprets Aeschylus’s Prometheus Bound through the lens of trickster mythology, arguing that Prometheus functions as an atypical trickster deity whose primary tool is not deception of appearance but foreknowledge of fate. Rather than opposing Zeus through force, Prometheus manipulates divine power by controlling access to prophecy, transforming knowledge itself into a means of resistance. His gift of fire to humanity and his refusal to disclose the prophecy of Zeus’s downfall are shown to be parts of a single strategy: the calculated use of foreknowledge to constrain a tyrannical ruler. In this reading, prophecy operates less as an immutable …

What Are C.S. Lewis's Eldila And Why Do They Matter?, Joseph Weigel

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

This article explores the eldila from C.S. Lewis’s Ransom Trilogy. Many of the eldila in the trilogy are angelic beings. However, Lewis uses the nine orders of angels in the trilogy and different eldils correspond to different types of angels within the hierarchy. Additionally, eldila, on occasion, can refer to the entirety of the supernatural realm, including the mysterious longaevi. Through the trilogy, Lewis is portraying the rich supernatural worldview presented in the Scriptures that is so often ignored, even by Christians. For Lewis, angels, devils, and the whole realm of spirits, was a reality of the cosmos, …

Unmasking Ashwagandha Controversy: Safety, Toxicity, And Adulteration, Tahir Maqbool Mir

Oxford ICSB

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogenic shrub valued for its roots, which support systemic health. Increasing use has raised safety concerns about adulteration and hepatotoxicity. The roots of ashwagandha are primarily preferred for systemic health, while the leaves were traditionally reserved for topical applications to treat joint inflammation and promote wound healing.  Although generally considered safe, ashwagandha supplements have been linked to drug-induced liver injury, including cholestasis, jaundice, and pruritus. Reports from various organizations like LARB in the Netherlands indicate a rise in liver toxicity cases, possibly due to cytotoxic withafrin A and DNA-damaging withanone. A major concern is widespread …

Determinants Of Opioid-Relevant Exposure From 7-Hydroxymitragynine Products In The Evolving U.S. Marketplace, Igor Koturbash, Scott Alsbrook, George Pro

Oxford ICSB

Kratom’s U.S. market has rapidly evolved from largely botanical powders and capsules to products enriched in 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a potent mu-opioid receptor agonist that is typically present only at trace levels in leaf material. To quantify downstream behavioral health burden and contextualize it with real-world signals of product diffusion, we analyzed National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data (2021-2023) alongside public health alert trends and systematic online product surveillance. In NSDUH, 5.8% of adults met criteria for serious mental illness (SMI). SMI increased by 150% among adults with combined opioid use disorder (OUD) and kratom use between 2021 …

My Internship At Family & Children’S Center In Winona, Minnesota, Mackenzie A. Casper

Research & Creative Achievement Day

This is a reflective project demonstrating my experiences that I gained from my internship at the Family & Children’s Center in Winona, MN. The poster includes important learning opportunities, the activities and responsibilities at the internship site, the personal philosophy of the internship site, and how the internship experiences can be applied to the Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode model.

Effects Of Parental Communication On Alcohol Use And Self-Esteem As A Mediating Variable, Alanna Hartman

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Alcohol abuse has become a problematic phenomenon among young adults. Previous studies have found that parental communication with low warmth leads to greater risk for alcohol abuse later in life. We predict there is going to be a positive correlation between negative parental communication and alcohol abuse. Self-esteem has also been shown to have a relationship with alcohol abuse in previous research. We hypothesize that self-esteem would negatively correlate with alcohol abuse in the current study. Additionally, the literature suggests a relationship between self-esteem and parental communication. Given the relationships among these variables, we predict that self-esteem would partially or …