Digital Commons Network^™

The Importance Of After-School Programs For Middle And High School Students, Chelsey Wright

Integrated Studies

After-school programs for middle and high school students have become an important part of today’s education system. They started as safe places for students after-school, but now they also help students succeed academically, develop social and emotional skills, involve families, and offer more learning opportunities. Programs like the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) are among the largest federally funded after-school efforts in the U.S., focusing on underserved and high-poverty areas. This paper reviews national studies, peer-reviewed research, meta-analyses, dissertations, conference presentations, and insights from practitioners, including an interview with Hillary Bumpus, a program coordinator with ten years of …

From Teleprompter To Table Talk: How Authenticity Is Replacing Perceived Objectivity, Hannah Bullard

Integrated Studies

Abstract

This thesis will be titled “From Teleprompter to Table Talk: How Authenticity is Replacing Perceived Objectivity”. The paper will analyze why the American audience has increasingly begun to shift their trust from traditional media to personality driven sources, primarily podcasts, to receive their news. This paper will dive into the numbers showing an undeniable decline in legacy media viewers and an exponential growth in podcast viewership. Obtaining points of view from multiple sources on media analysis, this thesis will argue that podcasters and other alternative sources of news, create trust with your viewers through authenticity and transparency. Consequentially, it …

Noncommercial Radio: What Wkms Gets Right, Autumn S. Crawford

Integrated Studies

Noncommercial radio is an uncommon form of media in modern times. Free access to news and music is rare when commercials, advertising, and paywalls on news sites have become overwhelmingly normal. Public and noncommercial media offers free access to news and entertainment, but has struggled with funding issues and awareness in recent years. WKMS, a station in western Kentucky, is a National Public Radio (NPR)-affiliated noncommercial station that serves a broad, tri-state region. In January 2026, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceased operations due to political-based funding cuts, leaving many NPR-affiliate stations with major budget losses. Given the funding cuts, …

Role Of Trauma-Informed Care In Promoting Child And Family Well-Being, Chloe Goins

Integrated Studies

Children and families all over the world experience trauma in all different ways, including abuse, neglect, instability, family separation, or poverty. Trauma-informed care has been critical within the child welfare system emphasizing the need for social workers to understand the impact of trauma as they navigate solutions that promote healing and not retraumatization. This paper examines the role of trauma-informed care within child welfare systems in establishing ethical and social practice focused on the well-being of the children and their families. Deriving from trauma theory, attachment theory, and research on the neurobiology of trauma this paper digs deep into how …

Understanding Child Development Through Social And Environmental Systems, Collin E. Curling

Integrated Studies

For this 50-page research paper, this study focuses on “The Role of Family Structure in Childhood Development.” The categories examined in this research include: Two-parent households, Single-parent households, Blended/Stepfamilies, Multigenerational households, and Foster and adoptive families. This research seeks to demonstrate the impact of different family structures impact and influence the developmental states of children. Using perspectives from education, economics, psychology, sociology, and public policy, this study argues that the structure of families alone does not determine the development of the child. Instead, factors such as family stability, access to resources, quality of relationships, and cultural context play a huge …

How Baseball Stadium Design Influences Player Performance, Jacob D. Roettgen

Integrated Studies

How Baseball Stadium Design Influences Player Performance

Baseball stadiums on all levels have unique designs and dimensions. The MLB had 45,000+ seats to watch professionals battle it out. College baseball ranges from a field with a couple hundred seats to massive stadiums with almost 20,000. This paper is going to investigate how these dimensions and number of seats can affect player performance. Certain professional stadiums have interesting quirks to their field that provide advantages and disadvantages depending on how it is looked at. For example, Fenway Park, home of the Boston Redsox, has a huge left field wall called “The …

The Impact Of Pre-Primary Education, Hailey Marie Doran

Integrated Studies

Pre-primary schooling is defined as the first stage of organized instruction that introduces young children to an environment similar to school; it aims to ease the transition from home life to a school setting. Daycares and pre-primary education are not mandatory for children. This paper will discuss the impact that pre-primary education has on children’s development and future. The impacts discussed will cover multiple aspects of a child’s holistic development. Children's behavioral, cognitive, social, and emotional development as well academic success will be discussed from both a long-term and short-term perspective. The first five years of a child’s life are …

The Role Of Dental Hygienists In Preventive Care, Chloe Robinson

Integrated Studies

Preventive care is a critical component of overall health, yet oral health is often overlooked within the broader healthcare system. Dental hygienists play a vital role in addressing this gap by providing preventive services, patient education, early disease detection, and advocacy for long-term oral and systemic health. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of dental hygienists in preventive care and to explore how their responsibilities extend beyond traditional clinical tasks to include education, public health initiatives, and interprofessional collaboration. Through a review of current literature, this paper highlights the impact dental hygienists have on improving patient …

The Benefits And Challenges Of Digital Technology In Smes, Amanda Rux

Integrated Studies

Small organizations play a vital role in global economic stability. While their continued growth is essential, the majority fail within the first few years of operation. These organizations face multiple challenges that are difficult to overcome but can be mitigated by digitalizing their processes. The digitalization process also comes with its own set of challenges, and many of these organizations' attempts to digitalize fail. This paper will describe the types of technology these organizations may use to achieve their digitalization goals, the challenges and benefits that come with these technologies, and how organizational culture can affect their digitalization efforts. The …

From Professional Learning To Classroom Impact: Continuous Professional Development And Student Learning Outcomes, Nyagwegwe Wango, Jane Rarieya

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

Purpose: This study examines how Teacher Continuous Professional Development (TCPD) initiatives implemented through the Strengthening Education Systems in East Africa (SESEA) and Foundation for Learning (F4L) projects influence teaching practices and foundational learning outcomes in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.

Methodology: The study employed a mixed-methods research design using longitudinal data from classroom observations, teacher questionnaires, student assessments, and key informant interviews. Data were collected from trained teachers, teacher educators, school leaders, and learners across selected project regions to evaluate changes in instructional practices and learning outcomes.

Findings: The findings indicate that TCPD significantly improved teachers’ adoption of child-centered, play-based, …

Silent Longevity: A Rare Case Of Unrepaired Tetralogy Of Fallot In Adulthood, Michelle De La Torre

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

This case describes the findings of a 65-year-old patient with unrepaired Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and explores factors contributing to prolonged survival without intervention. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) confirmed the four characteristic anatomical features of Tetralogy of Fallot. The literature indicates that adult survival without surgical repair is rare and influenced by the severity of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction, ventricular septal defect (VSD) size, and systemic pulmonary collateral circulation. This case highlights that adults with unrepaired TOF may remain asymptomatic despite significant anatomical abnormalities and emphasizes the importance of equitable multidisciplinary care.

Improving Flood Risk Mapping By Incorporating Local-Scale Calibration Data Derived From Stakeholder Input, Jennifer M. Holifield, Wei Wu, Patrick D. Biber, Margo Posten, Dennis Mcgrury, Stephen C. Deal, Alexandria Hancock

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Globally, flooding is the most frequent and costly natural hazards, disproportionately affecting populations based on environmental, social, and economic factors. Understanding the spatial variability of flood risk as well as the respective flood drivers is essential for informing cost-effective mitigation strategies and enhancing community resilience. Here we mapped flood risk that combines flood hazards and vulnerability in an under-resourced coastal community prone to compound flooding. Our approach integrates stakeholder engagement with GIS-based analysis using open-access datasets.

We first developed an initial flood hazard map using an equal-weight combination of factors commonly associated with flood occurrence/prevention, including upslope area, impervious surface …

Dokdo/Takeshima And Maritime Delimitation Between The Republic Of Korea And Japan: A Comment On Icj Dispute Resolution, Katherine Angell

Celebrating WCL Student Authors

The Republic of Korea (Korea) should agree to submit the issue of sovereignty over Dokdo/Takeshima and the issue of maritime delimitation in the East Sea/Sea of Japan to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) because the ICJ is likely to decide that Dokdo/Takeshima is Korean territory and the tensions in the East Sea/Sea of Japan can be resolved to allow further cooperation between the two nations. The ICJ is the primary avenue for peacefully resolving territorial and maritime delimitation disputes between nations, and the ICJ has developed a substantial body of case law analyzing these issues. The ICJ considers various …

Perception Of Posed And Naturally Occurring Emotion Expressions In Close Friendships, Kaitlyn M. Mcmullen

Doctoral Dissertations

While relationships are critical to our daily emotional lives, the limited research on emotion perception among close friends presents inconsistent evidence concerning whether differences exist between close friends and strangers. The present work examined the ways in which familiarity between close friends’ shapes emotion perception. In Study 1a, expressors provided both naturally occurring and dynamic posed emotion expressions for seven emotion categories (anger, sadness, fear, disgust, happiness, surprise, and neutral) in order to develop a stimulus set where the stereotypicality of the expressions varies within-subjects. In Study 1b, a self-identified close friend of each expressor viewed and rated the expressions …

Unified Attack Modeling And Mitigation Framework For Multiple Physical Attacks In Sensor Networks For Advanced Manufacturing, Mohammad Mezanur Rahman Monjur

Doctoral Dissertations

The advanced manufacturing industry (AMI) faces unique challenges in security assurance. Security threats in AMI can originate from both software and hardware. Over the past decade, software security has been addressed extensively, but hardware security has not received enough attention. This work focuses on the security vulnerabilities of typical electronic devices deployed to AMI. Three attack models are proposed to characterize sensing nodes, local processing edge devices, and wired/wireless communication interfaces. Moreover, practical security attacks on hardware are demonstrated to inspire the development of feasible countermeasures against common physical attacks. To explore effective attack mitigation methods, we examine two attack …

Temporal Distribution Of Emotional Experiences Across The School Years, Mikaela Grace Newman

Doctoral Dissertations

Prior research has shown that when, in response to emotion prompts, participants either estimate the likely timing of certain life events for a hypothetical person or provide events from their own lives, a disproportionate number of memories accumulate at particular, relevant ages. Other research has shown that memories of school are important for the self-concept and that these memories tend to have a strong emotional component. Inspired by both lines of work, this research sought to elucidate any strong emotion-school year associations, investigating estimates of hypothetical school year memories and real school year memories. Strong school bumps for pride, excitement, …

Performance-Based Funding’S Influence On Higher Education Through The Eyes Of Department Chairs, Jonathan W. Lackland

Theses and Dissertations

Performance-based funding (PBF) has become a widely adopted policy in higher education, linking state appropriations to measurable outcomes such as graduation rates, degree completions, and workforce alignment. While PBF aims to enhance institutional accountability and efficiency, its implementation has raised significant concerns about equity and political influence. This dissertation examines the political equity and implications of PBF policies through a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews with department chairs, and critical discourse analysis of state statutes and legislative debates. The findings reveal that PBF often exacerbates inequities, particularly for non-flagship universities serving diverse and under-resourced student populations. Department chairs expressed concerns …

Identifying Risk-Free Asset Proxies In Companies Listed On The Indonesia Stock Exchange From 2017 To 2023 Using The Zero-Beta Capital Asset Pricing Model, Fajri Alan Ghazali Mr., Lenny Suardi Mrs.

The Indonesian Capital Market Review

This study evaluates Bank Indonesia Certificates (SBI), IndONIA, and gold as zero-beta proxies for Indonesian equities. Using daily returns for 213 firms listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (2017–2023) and the Jakarta Composite Index as the market return, we estimate firm-level zero-beta CAPMs and compute Wald statistics test to identify the appropriate risk- free asset proxy for each individual company; and firm-level outcomes are then aggregated under a Bernoulli/Binomial criterion with a 95% threshold. Empirical results show that gold satisfies the zero-beta condition for 207 of 213 firms (97.18%), whereas SBI and IndONIA satisfy it for five (2.35%) and six …

The Development Of A Convenient And Consistent Methodology For Flight Proficiency To Certify Multi-Rotor Uas Pilots For State Departments Of Transportation, Colin H. Dees, Joseph M. Burgett

The Professional Constructor

To fly an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly referred to as a “drone,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires pilots to pass a knowledge test. There is no requirement at the state or federal level for drone operators to demonstrate the ability to operate a UAS. The National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) has created an exam for public and private entities to assess basic UAS flight proficiency. It is the only nationally recognized flight proficiency protocol. NIST does not provide a scoring recommendation and leaves it to the user to determine the minimum criteria to pass. There is …

Campus Sexual Assault: Cybersex At Bucknell, Rebecca Bonomo

Master’s Theses

Campus sexual assault continues to be a prevalent problem, particularly at Bucknell. The present study is the first study out of Bucknell Campus Sexual Assault Research team to explore the new module of the Sexual Experiences Survey - Victimization (SESV) Cybersex (Koss et al., 2024). This is a mixed methods approach to exploring cybersex at Bucknell. The study explored prevalence rates, differences between gender binary, sexual orientation, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. The first hypothesis was that cybersex victimization will be prevalent at Bucknell. The next hypothesis was that women and sexual minorities would have higher rates of cybersex scores than …

Launching Love Online: How Soft-, Hard-, And No-Launch Practices Shape Perceptions Of Commitment And Relationship Security, Aleana Goetz

Master’s Theses

Social media has introduced new ways couples signal relationship status, ranging from a “hard launch” (a clear couple post) to a “soft launch” (subtle cues such as hands or hints) to a “no launch” (no posting at all). Although these posting choices may seem minor, they may shape how committed and secure a relationship feels. Guided by the Investment Model (Rusbult, 1980) and interdependence theory (Kelley & Thibaut, 1978), the present study examines whether relationship visibility on Instagram relates to perceived partner commitment and relationship security.

A total of 176 participants (36 male, 118 female, 22 did not report) viewed …

Mitochondrial Efficiency: Bridging Early-Life Environment And Organismal Performance, Kayla E. Lichtner

Master’s Theses

Mitochondria operate at the forefront of organismal-environmental interactions. Despite remarkable diversity in mitochondrial function both within and among species, all mitochondria serve a universal role in facilitating the flow of energy between organisms and their environment. Energetic efficiency, the way in which organisms assimilate and transform environmental substrate into physiological currency, is a major determinant of organismal performance. Although previous studies have shown that early-life environment can have lasting effects on metabolism, the underlying mechanisms driving the emergence of mitochondrial phenotypic variation remain poorly understood. Leach’s storm-petrels (Hydrobates leucorhous) provide a valuable opportunity to investigate longitudinal hypotheses of …

Control System Emendation And Ai-Driven Optimization For Enhancing A Smart Residential Microgrid, Anthony Nyoyoko

Master’s Theses

This thesis began with a simple idea: to restore the control system of a smart residential microgrid to respond intelligently to electricity prices while remaining safe, reliable, and practical on low-cost hardware. At the start, the goal was to design an economically aware microgrid that could look at electricity prices from the PJM market and make better operational decisions than traditional rule-based control. The motivation was straightforward. As residential renewable energy adoption increases, microgrids are expected to do more than just supply power. They are expected to respond to price volatility, integrate renewable generation, and operate reliably using embedded controllers …

From The Big Leagues To Little League. Identity Tensions And Experiences Of Former Elite Athletes Coaching Their Children In Athletics, Jake Manning

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

For many families, their children’s athletic activities are a primary source of parent-child bonding for both parents and children, and many parents choose to coach their children’s sports teams to be more involved. While research shows the benefits and challenges that come when the parent navigates a dual role of parent and coach, research has not yet looked at parents who played sports at a professional or collegiate level. Through semi-structured interviews with 5 former elite athletes who coached their children in athletics, this study applies communication theory of identity to analyze their experience and explore the benefits and challenges …

Ion Diffusion Overestimates Figures Of Merit In Polymeric Mixed Conductors, Maryam Shahi, Vianna N. Le, Paula Alarcon Espejo, Bowen Ding, Joel H. Bombile, Chad Risko, Martin Heeney, Alexandra F. Paterson

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Figures of merit are used to translate science to technology. For organic mixed ionic–electronic conductors (OMIECs), the product of mobility and volumetric capacitance, i.e., the µC* product, is the figure of merit used to guide the development of technologies ranging from bioelectronics to neuromorphics. While organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are used extensively to measure the µC* product, if there is a kink in the transistor current, then the µC* product is overestimated. Here, we show that the origin of the kink is a change in the rate with which the ions diffuse into the channel. We also discover that the …

A Systematic Review Of Socioeconomic Status On Infant-Directed Speech, Laura K. Flaker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project reviews the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on infant-directed speech (IDS) and examines potential interventions aimed at increasing the use of IDS. Existing research indicates that caregivers from higher-SES backgrounds tend to use more frequent and higher-quality IDS, including greater vocabulary diversity and more responsive interactions, compared to caregivers from lower-SES backgrounds. These differences are often influenced by factors such as parental stress, limited time, and access to resources. Understanding the differences in IDS is crucial to reducing disparities in language development. Findings from this review suggest that interventions such as increasing access to mental health services and …

Fear, Memory, And Deterrence: Reassessing Nuclear Peace In The 21st Century, Nathan H. Schroeder

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research investigates the paradox of nuclear peace theory: the idea that nuclear weapons, despite their destructive capacity, have contributed to a more stable global order. By tracing the historical development of nuclear arsenals and the strategic logic of deterrence, the project examines whether the post-1945 decline in large-scale wars between superpowers and wartime deaths can be attributed to the threat of mutual annihilation. It also explores the psychological and cultural consequences of this deterrence-based peace, including the normalization of fear and its potential link to desensitization toward violence in younger generations. From Cold War-era school drills to modern apocalyptic …

Rebuilt From The Same Stone: Religion And Colonization In Sixteenth-Century Mexico, Aziren South

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

When the Spanish landed in what is now Mexico in the early sixteenth-century, religious figures on mission trips took it upon themselves to convert indigenous peoples to Christianity and to the European way of life. The role of these missionaries was complex. They wanted to abolish the way of life of the societies they encountered, but they were also some of the most prominent defenders of the people they were trying to convert. They lived with them, learned their languages, advocated for their protection, and some supported indigenous efforts to preserve their history in writing. Ultimately, this paper aims to …

Research News, Publications, 2026, Volume 1, Soumyajit Majumdar

Publications (2015-)

Publications that appeared during the period of January 1 - March 31, 2026.

A Child On Stand: The Impact Of Experiencing Trauma On Children’S Testimonial Efficacy In Legal Proceedings, Morgan Sweger

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Children who are victims of physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal abuse are nearly always left deeply traumatized by such events. In extreme cases, abused children may be asked to testify against their abuser(s) in legal proceedings, recounting their trauma in front of a room full of strangers. For some, the trauma of abuse may influence a child’s ability to effectively recall and describe their experiences and for others, the process of participating in legal proceedings creates deeper wounds. Research has aimed to understand whether children lack the ability to contribute sufficient testimonies during investigations of abuse and how these investigations …