Digital Commons Network^™

Las Pintas Inverview Project 2026, Beth Gulley, Luzma Alvarez, Lacey Andrews, Damien Duncan, Mariah Garman, Brenda Lofton, Alyssa Roland, Hero Sanner, Asja Thompson, Athena Gonzalez, Lee Martin, Samantha Miller, Lucy Sas

The Las Pintas Collection

Acknowledgements

Dear Reader,

This collection is the result of JCCC students’ efforts to reflect on the college’s decades long relationship with Centro Integral Comunitario (CIC) in Las Pintas, Mexico. Before they left on the trip, each student interviewed someone from JCCC who had traveled with the college to Las Pintas in the past. The first section of this book includes what students learned from their pre-departure interviews.

In the second part of this book, students wrote about what they learned from interviewing people who they met in Las Pintas. While these interviews were conducted in Spanish, the students wrote their …

Masculinity And Health In Lgbtq Young Adults, Hannah Pereira, Ruth Mckinnon

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

INTRO:‚ Restrictive masculinity norms, characterized by emotional suppression, dominance, and risk-taking, have been linked to adverse health among cisgender heterosexual men. Little is known about how RMNs operate among sexual and gender minority populations, particularly transgender young adults. METHODS: Data were from the 2024 Rhode Island Young Adult Survey, a cross-sectional, web-based survey of adults aged 18-25 years. Analyses were restricted to SGM participants, with sub-analyses among transgender young adults. RMNs were measured using a 12-item questionnaire. Outcomes include alcohol use disorder, cannabis use disorder, heroin use, intimate partner violence, problematic pornography use, and problem gambling. Modified Poisson regressions with …

Unrecognizable, Jawon Parker

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

This project's objective was a magazine that primarily glorifies God. Jawon follows the religion of Christianity and he is a big follower of Jesus. Goals for this project were to be able to understand how to get closer to God and follow His principles and enjoy life with Him Vs. living life without Him. The target audience includes Non believers and Believers in Jesus. Whoever you are, this project is for all eyes, all minds. Becoming "Unrecognizable" means becoming more like Jesus and less like your former self before you knew Him. Everything in this Project was hand designed and …

Effectiveness Of Social Media In Law Enforcement, Abigail O'Brien

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Over nearly three decades, social media has evolved from simple networking sites to a powerful communication and information-sharing tool with billions of users worldwide. The widespread use of social media has significantly transformed how law enforcement agencies interact with the public, particularly regarding crime prevention and criminal investigations. As social media gains relevance, law enforcement agencies have turned to these platforms as a means of connecting with their community. Additionally, agencies have begun to use these platforms as a tool for crime prevention and investigation support. This project examined the effectiveness of social media as a tool for law enforcement …

Viral Ecology Of Mid-Atlantic Ridge Vents, Kylie O'Keefe

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Viruses are abundant biological entities that influence microbial population dynamics, evolution, and biogeochemical cycling through infection, cell lysis, and gene transfer. Viruses remain understudied in deep-sea environments characterized by extreme conditions that limit survival to specialized microorganisms. This study investigates viral diversity, distribution, and functional potential at hydrothermal vent ecosystems along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Viral and microbial communities were sampled from three vent sites - Puy des Folles, EMARK, and Hydra - ranging in depth from 1,100 to 4,000 meters. Metagenomic sequencing and bioinformatic analysis were used to identify viral taxonomy and identify auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) encoded within viral …

Playing The Man: The Age Old Struggle To Get Ahead, Emily Patenaude

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Lisa Gottlieb's Just One of the Guys is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. It is a modern take on the story of a young woman who disguises herself as a young man to get a job. Each of their journeys is quite different, but they drive home the same point that sometimes, to get ahead in life, you just need to be a man. Interestingly enough, though Twelfth Night was likely written in 1601-1602, it has a more modern take on the fluidity of sexuality and gender identity than the movie produced in 1985. I find it quite …

Building A Brand's Online Presence: Due Signori, Harper Ellis, Carmella Reed, Laura Romero

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Building their brand through one personal Facebook account and pure word of mouth, Due Signori had the goal of creating a professional online presence. Mike Morocco and Dan Bouchard share a passion for singing and performing, standing out from local competition by straying from traditional, formal performance tendencies and leaning into their charismatic and interactive ways. However, without access to popular online communities, growing a customer and fan base would have been increasingly difficult. The singing group had the choice between two different class-wide creative teams in charge of creating a social media and marketing plan for the brand to …

Wearable Aac Lanyard For Communication Support, Sadie Davignon, Hailey Soares, Kristen Martinez

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), Selective Mutism (SM), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face consistent and situational challenges with verbal communication. Communication can also be difficult for individuals acquiring a new language, such as English language learners (ELL), many of whom experience SM during language acquisition. Current assistive and augmentative communication (AAC) technologies are often expensive, complex, and bulky. Many rely on sound output or visually obtrusive displays, making them unsuitable for users with sound aversion or for environments like classrooms. To address this need, this project incorporates AAC technology into a common wearable device, a standard lanyard with …

Burghi Variable Candy Land Type Book, Lily Guyon

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

This project showcases a comprehensive understanding of a chosen typeface by exploring its visual identity and emotional connection. The student developed a type book focused on the font's aesthetic and its creator, incorporating two artistic quotes that align with the project's overall theme. The book features a detailed analysis of both Burghi Big and Burghi Small, including a labeled breakdown of letter anatomy and a full display of the alphabet, numbers, and symbols. Concluding with a historical overview of the font and its designer, the project finishes with a formal references page containing the student's credentials and course information.

Feeding Futures: Jwu Vs. Student Food Insecurity, Ava Zajczenko

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

For my project, I am exploring the question: How does Johnson & Wales University combat food insecurity for its students on campus? I will be writing an action-based thesis paper that includes interviews with people on campus, such as dining staff, professors, and chefs. Along with this, I will use research from one of my classes and my experience volunteering with a nonprofit focused on food insecurity. Together, these sections will help me better understand what JWU is currently doing to address food insecurity as a whole, and what more can be done to close the gap on this issue …

Facilitating Return To Work And School Post-Stroke, Amber Brown

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Importance: Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability, and many working-age survivors desire to return to work or school, where participation is closely tied to identity, routine, and well-being. However, structured supports for return to work (RTW) and return to school (RTS) are often limited. Objective: This scoping review aimed to identify strategies and programs that facilitated RTW and RTS among adult stroke survivors. Data Sources: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across four academic databases: Academic Search Complete (EBSCO), Taylor & Francis, PubMed, and SAGE Journals. Study Selection and Data Collection: Peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025 …

Neuro-Affirming Sexual Health: Education And Autism, Joanne Barnhart

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Neuro-affirming sexual health education is critical due to the high risk of emotional and physical assault for those with autism and intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD). There is a critical need for sexual health policies, resources, and training for caregivers, healthcare workers, and individuals with IDD or ASD as it is often overlooked and avoided. There is limited sexual education available targeted toward this vulnerable population, especially in schools and clinics. Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) are equipped to provide education and guidance on sexual health and identity concerns and challenges. This scoping review seeks to identify the effect of inclusive sexual …

Adaptive Skiing And Complex Communication Needs, Jordan Chizmadia Ba, Ot/S

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Effective communication is crucial for individuals with Complex Communication Needs (CCN), enabling them to express their needs, build confidence, and promote autonomy during adaptive skiing. However, there is currently a lack of systems specific to those with CCN for use in adaptive skiing. The capstone project assessed both verbal and non-verbal alternative communication methods, including a Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS), gestures, written and verbal/tactile cues to develop and implement an effective communication method suited for use in adaptive skiing, in collaboration with Wasatch Adaptive Sports (WAS). To enhance communication between adaptive ski instructors and individuals with CCN, a three-step …

Health Assessment Of New York, Mukens Renfort

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Chronic disease continues to be a major contributor to illness and death in New York, with heart disease and cancer remaining the top causes of death statewide. New York‚Äôs diverse population faces ongoing disparities linked to poverty, racial inequities and rising substance, all of which contribute to the unequal health outcomes observed in New York. Surveillance data show an increase in chronic disease cases, higher rates of preventable conditions such as hypertension and cancer and continued concerns around opioid related incidences. Data from state surveillance systems and public health databases, including the New York Department of Health Leading Cause of …

Wic Gestational Diabetes Wellness Program, Anna Tobin

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

BACKGROUND: An average of 9% of pregnancies in the United States are affected by gestational diabetes (GDM), with higher rates among individuals with food insecurity, including participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Uncontrolled GDM increases the risk for pregnancy complications and health risks for the mother and baby. GDM management requires education and lifestyle interventions. METHODS: First, a needs assessment was conducted for WIC participants to identify health risks and service gaps. Next, a logic model was used to identify resources/inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes of potential nutrition programs. This information was used …

Impact Of Sgm Education On Provider Preparedness, Stephanie Tudela Bs

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Objective: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations experience persistent health inequities, often exacerbated by healthcare providers‚Äô lack of preparedness. This scoping review explored whether SGM focused educational interventions improved healthcare students‚Äô preparedness to provide inclusive, affirming care. Ten studies met inclusion criteria and examined multimodal educational interventions targeting students in medicine, nursing, occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy, and physician assistant programs. Findings: Nine of the ten studies reported statistically significant improvements in at least one learner domain, (confidence, communication skills, attitudes, and knowledge) post-intervention. The strongest and most consistent gains were observed in confidence and communication comfort when interacting SGM …

Nourish & Grow: Wic Family Cooking Program, Kelly Mccormick Bs

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

This project developed a practical nutrition education program for caregivers of infants and young children enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. The goal was to increase confidence and skills related to preparing healthy, affordable meals using WIC-approved foods. The intervention focused on hands-on cooking demonstrations, simple meal planning and budgeting strategies, and culturally appropriate recipes designed for families with limited time and resources. The target population included low-income households experiencing food insecurity, diverse cultural backgrounds, and barriers such as limited transportation or access to fresh foods. A logic model was used to guide program planning, and evaluation …

Language Models For Enhanced Patient-Provider Communication: Methods, Measures, And Benchmarks, Joseph Gatto

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

In recent years, significant efforts have been made to integrate Large Language Models (LLMs) into healthcare. In this study, we explore how to improve patient-provider communication using LLMs --- with explicit focus on asynchronous communication through EHR-integrated web portals. Throughout this thesis, we describe three interconnected studies that allow us to adapt, train, and evaluate LLMs in asynchronous portal communications. The first study focuses on Patient Message Triage, which is the task of determining the medical urgency of patient-authored message content. We introduce a novel benchmark, alongside methods and training strategies producing a state-of-the-art and publicly available triage solution. Our …

University Of Richmond Magazine - Spring 2026

University of Richmond Magazine

No abstract provided.

Brainstem Encoding Of Speech In The Extended High Frequencies And Its Behavioral Correlates, Sajana Aryal, Fan-Yin Cheng, Srikanta K. Mishra, Spencer Smith

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Whether the auditory nervous system can extract and use speech information carried in the extended high-frequency (EHF; >8 kHz) range is an unresolved question in auditory neuroscience. Although EHF sensitivity is increasingly recognized as important for speech perception, it is unclear whether EHF hearing is directly or indirectly involved in real-world listening. This study examined brainstem neural encoding of EHF speech components and the relationship between EHF hearing sensitivity and both neural and perceptual speech processing. Envelope following responses (EFRs) to broadband and high-pass filtered (>4 kHz and >8 kHz) speech stimuli, along with digits-in-noise speech recognition thresholds under …

Understanding The Support And Information Needs Of Family Members After Acquired Brain Injury: A Systematic Review, Craig Andrews, Alyson Norman, Sue Jackson, Mark Holloway

School of Psychology

The aim of this systematic review was to (a) identify the specific information and support needs of family members caring for ABI survivors and (b) assess the effectiveness of current support systems and resources available. A comprehensive search of the literature was carried out, focusing on studies that were published between the years 2000 and 2025. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. The review employed a narrative synthesis approach to collate findings across papers. The analysis identified five key themes: ABI Knowledge, The Strain of Unsupported Transitions, Emotional and Financial Cost, ABI Support Groups, and Supporting Social Connectedness. The findings …

Optimization Of A Group-Based Intervention For People Living With Severe Obesity (Progroup): Understanding Fidelity To Delivery And The Patient Experience, Lily Hawkins, Mark Tarrant, Shokraneh Moghadam, Dawn Swancutt, Rod Sheaff, Laura Hollands, Jonathan Pinkney, Jenny Lloyd

School of Psychology

Objectives: Understanding the fidelity of delivery of complex health behaviour interventions is crucial in determining their effectiveness and identifying aspects needing refinement. PROGROUP is a group-based intervention for people with severe obesity. It aims to promote a shared social identity to support behaviour change. Data from a feasibility randomized controlled trial (fRCT) were used to assess fidelity of intervention delivery and the impact on patient experiences, to optimize the intervention for a main trial. Methods: Data from 18 patient and five facilitator interviews, audio and video data of group sessions, two fidelity checklists, support calls and a group processes questionnaire …

“The True Me”: Unravelling The Dual Narrative Of Borderline Personality Disorder And Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Robin Iliffe-Lewis, Alison Bacon

School of Psychology

Objectives: There is growing recognition that some individuals who receive a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) are later diagnosed with autism. However, existing literature on this topic remains limited. This study aimed to explore the experiences of individuals diagnosed with BPD prior to autism, how they made sense of these diagnoses, navigated clinical systems, and learnt to manage the complex challenges associated with this diagnostic sequence.Methods: Thirteen (6 male, 6 female, 1 non-binary) adult participants took part in semi-structured interviews exploring their diagnostic journeys. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to develop a nuanced understanding of their experiences.Results: Three themes …

International Law And The Defense Of Political Prisoners And Prisoners Of Conscience, Judith Abitan

Fordham International Law Journal

The international community continues to witness a concerning trend of political repression and unjust incarceration of dissidents, including political opposition members, activists, intellectuals, academics, journalists, and human rights defenders. From authoritarian regimes to democratic nations, the suppression of dissenting voices has become prevalent. As fundamental rights and freedoms are increasingly violated, the strengthening and enforcement of international legal frameworks become even more essential to sustain the rules-based international order. Against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions, shifting power dynamics, and evolving interpretations of sovereignty, the examination of international legal instruments and mechanisms becomes not only a matter of scholarly inquiry but …

Due Diligence In Global Supply Chains: The Troubled Journey Of The Eu Legislation And The Global Perspective, Fabrizio Cafaggi, Federico Pistelli

Fordham International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Allies As Collateral: U.S. Economic Warfare And The Erosion Of Allied Autonomy, Julien Chaisse

Fordham International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Wto Is Dead, Long Live The Wto: The Lingering Interpretive Problem Of Article 27.1 Of The Trips Agreement, Faisal Chaudhry

Fordham International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Concept Of An Agreement In International Law, William Thomas Worster

Fordham International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Mountain Front Recharge Flow Paths And Their Contribution To Alluvial Aquifer Water Supply, Mikaela Bollag-Miller

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Mountain Front Recharge (MFR) is a critical recharge source for alluvial basin aquifers throughout the Intermountain West, yet the spatial and temporal dynamics of distinct recharge pathways remain poorly constrained. This study investigates the seasonal and spatial dynamics of MFR pathways and evaluates their impact on the Missoula Aquifer, a sole-source alluvial aquifer in western Montana, USA. MFR includes both surface-water inflows from mountain areas and Mountain Block Recharge (MBR), the groundwater contribution to the basin aquifer. A valley-scale water balance was employed to estimate first-order contributions and temporal fluctuations of MBR flow paths. A three-layer steady-state MODFLOW groundwater model …

Sae For All: Curriculum Guide, Emily Carpenter

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) is a critical component of agricultural education, designed to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. The SAE for All model ensures that every student participates in meaningful experiential learning tailored to their interests and career goals. By integrating SAE into the curriculum, students develop technical skills, career readiness competencies, and an understanding of real-world agricultural applications. This guide includes a teaching plan and a comprehensive set of assignments.