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From Our Faculty Advisors

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

In Transit, Sara Menco Arenas

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Author Statement

"This poem intends to convey the experience of coming to terms with not only growing up but also letting go—recognizing that people will leave, time will pass, you will change, and yet, it is essential to cherish every moment. When I wrote this, and even now, I still feel that accepting change amid life’s unexpected transit is one of the hardest things to do— to learn to let go."

Echoes Of You, Sara Menco Arenas

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Author Statement

"The inspiration behind this piece is an old friend who, with the passage of time, has become more of a shadow than a presence. Though many years have passed, I wanted to acknowledge the small, everyday reminders—subtle traces that only I can recognize—showing that this person still lingers in my heart and mind. However, I chose to end on a hopeful note, waiting in anticipation to meet once again, for the memory to become more than just a shadow, and for their presence to no longer be just a fleeting glimpse in my life."

Trophy, Fidel E. Perez Pujols

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"'Trophy' explores the cycle of death and evolution. This piece reflects on the identities we shed yet still carry within us, symbolizing transformation and reawakening. Through its eerie yet captivating form, it invites viewers to consider how loss shapes who we become."

Full Issue

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

Brain Rot, Luqman M. Gbenro

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"'Brain Rot' illustrates how vibrant color and playful composition can be combined to give a static image life. The bold composition seeks to capture a common sentiment about contemporary conscience (or the lack thereof) through hyperbolic circumstances. This piece is a visual representation of the helplessness and frustration spurred on by our digital circumstances."

Beneath The Sea, Beyond The Sky, Thaily Jeanty

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Author Statement

"As a writer, everything I experience serves as inspiration. 'Beneath the Sea and Beyond the Sky' began with an image where the sea and sky shared the same blue, appearing to merge yet never truly meeting. This mesmerizing sight mirrored the emotions of desire and acceptance—feelings I had deeply experienced. The contrast between longing for connection and accepting its impossibility became the heart of my piece."

Hearing Things, Fidel E. Perez Pujols

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"'Hearing Things' explores nostalgia and childlike whimsy, infused with a dark undertone. It emphasizes the sense of hearing and the feeling of alienation. This piece embodies transformation, evoking both curiosity and unease through its surreal expression. Rooted in personal and societal narratives, it invites viewers to reflect on identity, change, and the masks we wear."

Who's A Good Boy?, Luqman M. Gbenro

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"'Who's A Good Boy?' is an exploration of texture and rudimentary collage work. This piece takes its cues from the Polish School of Posters and the punk asthetic that dominated the late '70s and '80s. The distressed text and inharmonious elements beg questions about a great possible chaos."

The Impact Of Students' Attendance On Their Academic Success: A Ypar Study, Quennella Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Youth participatory action research (YPAR) is a collaborative research approach that empowers students to examine issues affecting their lives and communities. This action research aimed to investigate the relationship between students’ attendance and academic success on middle school students, focusing specifically on eighth-grade students based on the theoretical framework of the critical race theory (CRT) in education and the self-determination theory (SDT). Three research questions were explored related to the impact of students’ attendance on their academic success: 1) What do students consider factors that lead to their poor attendance? 2) How do students feel they can be supported in …

First Detrital Zircon Provenance Data From Oligocene-Pleistocene Sediment In The Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin, Arctic Ocean, Joseph Martina

Theses and Dissertations

Sediment, runoff, and nutrient input to the Arctic Ocean plays a critical role in both physical and biological processes that impact regional and global systems. The Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin, situated in the Arctic Ocean offshore northwestern Canada, contains more than 14 km of clastic strata and provides a record of erosion and sediment transport from the Cretaceous to present. Pliocene sedimentation rates within the basin jump nearly 2000% relative to underlying units, but the cause of this shift remains unknown. We used cuttings from the N. Issungnak L-86 well, focusing on the Oligocene-lower Miocene Kugmallit and Mackenzie Bay sequences and the …

The Use Of Threat Assessment Protocols In K-12 Schools On Disciplinary Outcomes For Students With Disabilities, Natasha Lynn Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

School personnel utilize the BTAM process to investigate threats of violence made by students through identifying, assessing, and managing potentially dangerous situations. This process is not intended to be disciplinary in nature, and previous studies conducted have shown that when a BTAM model is implemented, students who make threats toward others receive fewer suspensions or other types of removal as a result of the threat; however data on threat assessment outcomes has not been conducted in South Carolina. The purpose of this study was to examine administrators' knowledge and perceptions of BTAM models and perceptions of discipline outcomes for students …

Novel Approaches To Combat Neuro-Degradation: Investigations Of Two Supplemental Strategies Aimed At Improving Warfighter Performance, Blaine Lints

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the efficacy of two distinct nutritional supplementation strategies for improving physical and/or cognitive performance under stress. The first study investigated the effects of 150 mg caffeine plus 150 mg theacrine ingestion in tactically trained individuals. Results indicated that the combination of caffeine and theacrine was associated with significant improvements in reaction time, accuracy, and measures of ocular control following high-intensity interval (HII) exercise. The HII exercise protocol consisted of ten repetitions of 60s high-intensity intervals (≥90% maximal oxygen uptake [VO_2max]) followed by 120s low-intensity intervals (~40% VO_2max) on a treadmill. These benefits were …

The Mediating Role Of Gratifications In Gamified Ai Chatbot Engagement: Astimulus-Organism-Response Approach, Deukmook Bae

Theses and Dissertations

Recent technological advancements and evolving consumer preferences have prompted a substantial shift from live sport attendance to mediated sport consumption, particularly among younger audiences. In response, enhancing the quality of mediated sport experiences has become a strategic priority for sport marketers seeking to maintain consumer engagement and market relevance. Although second-screen usage has been introduced to support this transition, its effectiveness remains uncertain due to limited interactivity, lack of personalization, and the potential for user distraction.

To address these limitations, AI chatbots have emerged as a compelling alternative, offering adaptive, user-centered interactions that promote deeper engagement and enrich the mediated …

Hearing The Unheard: Creating A Brave Space To Analyze The Experiences Of Men Of Color In Student Service Roles And Their Mental Health Challenges Within Higher Education, Calvin Maurice Joyner

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the experiences of five men of color in student service roles dealing with mental health stressors, such as discrimination, workplace burnout, tokenism, and low morale. To highlight their experiences, a brave space was utilized as an intervention. The following questions were examined and answered within this qualitative, action research study: (1) What are the experiences of men of color with mental health challenges in student service roles? (2) How do mental health problems affect the personal and professional lives of men of color in student service roles? (3) How do the brave spaces impact the mental health …

In Their Own Words: How Standardization Shapes Student Learning Experiences, Jessica Cantley

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative action research study explores how students perceive and experience standardized and elective educational environments in a rural, Title I high school in the U.S. South. Through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with seven diverse participants, the study investigates student-defined learning objectives, motivation and engagement across different classes, and youth perceptions of valuable learning experiences. The research is grounded in constructivism, applying feminist theory and critical race theory as lenses to challenge power dynamics and promote equality in education.

Findings confirm the problem of practice that inspired the study by revealing a contrast between students’ experiences in standardized …

Information Literacy In Charter Schools: An Institutional Ethnography, Katherine Klein

Theses and Dissertations

A strength of US charter schools is their opportunity to carve out an educational niche. Without the same regulation and district control present in traditional public schools, a charter school’s approach can seriously impact how the school addresses information literacy. In our current culture, we are saturated with media and technology, and students learn about navigating, evaluating, and using information responsibly and creatively at school. However, there is currently no published research on how charters do this critical work with their students, particularly with fewer libraries and librarians in the sector. This study uses institutional ethnography to map ruling relations …

Integrating Ensemble Hydrologic Forecasts With Policy Optimization Models For Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (Firo), Alessandra Estefania Perez Salas

Theses and Dissertations

Effective reservoir management in hydrologically variable regions such as California’s Central Valley faces increasing pressure to balance flood control, water supply reliability, hydropower generation, and ecosystem health. Traditional rule-based operations, while operationally simple, often lack the adaptability required to respond to real-time hydrologic conditions and forecast uncertainty. This study presents an integration of a policy tree optimization model with ensemble streamflow forecasts to enhance Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) at Folsom Reservoir. Building on historical data for inflow, storage, and release, an interpretable, threshold-based decision framework was developed and coupled with 14-day ensemble inflow forecasts from the California-Nevada River Forecast Center’s …

Getting Poked (Lovingly) With A Stick: A Study Of Parental Involvement During First-Year Students’ College Transitions, Mary Ellis Glymph

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, some higher education professionals have observed an increase in parental involvement in the lives of their students during their transition to college. While involved parents are sometimes referred to as “helicopter parents,” this new generation of parents often fits more into the label of “snowplow parents” or “lawnmower parents.” This sort of over-involvement impacts students’ personal and academic development far beyond high school graduation; during college, students can struggle to adjust to new levels of academic rigor, but they can also struggle with self-confidence and internal motivation due to their lack of experience with addressing their own …

Using Critical Literacy To Illuminate Multicultural Perspectives In A Second Grade Classroom, Amelia Marzieh Hecker

Theses and Dissertations

Teaching about equity and diversity can be a challenge for elementary school teachers due to many factors including lack of understanding, resistance from parents, and discomfort due to the current political climate. This action research aims to examine the experiences of the teacher and second grade students as they use cultural literacy to explore multicultural texts. This action research took place in an upper-middle class community in the suburban area of Long Island, near New York City, where most participants identified as white. The data for this research took place over a six-week period. Observations, transcripts, journaling, and artifacts were …

Examining The Impact Of Teacher Participation In Pedagogical Content Knowledge Development Intervention On The Academic Achievement Of Culturally And Socioeconomically Diverse Students, Emelyne Viteve Baucicaut

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examines the impact of a Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) intervention on elementary teachers' instructional practices and student outcomes in Math and English Language Arts (ELA). The goal was to address student underperformance by enhancing teachers' PCK and exploring how improved content knowledge and pedagogical strategies influence classroom teaching and student achievement. Using a concurrent mixed-methods design, baseline data were collected through surveys, classroom observations, and student assessments. Over five weeks, teachers participated in professional development focused on lesson planning, student exemplars, and success criteria. Due to scheduling constraints, computer-based assessments were replaced by analyzing student work …

Enhancing Self-Efficacy In Ap Psychology Through Targeted Intervention Strategies, Felicia Jennifer Butler

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-method action research case study was to measure the effects of an individualized intervention on academic self-efficacy and academic achievement in an Advanced Placement (AP) psychology class. The study focused on four students who received a failing grade on the first unit test and took place over an eight-week period. Quantitative data was collected in the form of assessment data (both formative and summative), survey questions modeled after the General Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (GASE), and assignment completion. Qualitative data was collected in the form of semi-structured interviews and open-ended reflection questions. The findings suggest that psychology …

Who Do I Want To Become?: Validating Identity As A Key Component Of A Teacher Leadership Framework, Denae Kizys

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, teaching has been a solitary profession within a hierarchy, where educators work in isolation and their roles are primarily focused on instruction. However, as education has evolved, especially post COVID-19, there is a shift towards a need for a more collaborative, ecosystem-based approach, where teachers are not only in their classrooms but acting as teacher leaders within this ecosystem. This research aims to understand the development of teacher-leader identities through the use of the proposed, Ecosystem of Teacher Leadership Framework, which uses elements of self-leadership, recognition, and the ecosystem. Through both qualitative and quantitative methods, a survey-like interview was …

Separate But Not Equal: A Sequential Explanatory Mixed Methods Study Of Adjunct Structural Empowerment, Experiences, And Perceived Needs In A Midwestern Community College, Shauna Sowga

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions are increasingly reliant on contingent or gig-based labor in the form of adjunct faculty. Adjunct faculty make up the majority of community college faculty, yet they tend to receive the least support, resources, and training investments from colleges. This is no different at Metro Community College, a large, urban college in the Midwest. The problem of practice for this study revolves around Metro Community College social sciences adjunct faculty’s needs for support, resources, and training to do their jobs effectively. This sequential explanatory mixed methods study examined these adjuncts’ structural empowerment, experiences, and perceived needs for support …

Camp In The Kitchen: Feminism And Craft In Liza Lou's Beaded Worlds, Aurora X. Bell

Theses and Dissertations

Kitchen (1991–96) was the first major work of art by American artist Liza Lou. It is an installation of a life-size kitchen in which every surface and object is covered in glass beads. Kitchen, which Lou refers to as a monument to women’s unsung domestic labor, received considerable critical attention and drew the artist into ongoing conversations around the relationship between “fine art” and “craft” and about the role of feminism in the art of the 1990s. In contemporary interviews, however, Lou expressed discomfort with the label of “craft” as well as with feminist art that she considered “didactic.” …

Multi-Dimensional Strategies Impacting Beginning Readers’ Word Solving And Engagement, Brooke Clayton

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation studied the impact of reading instruction on beginner-level readers’ decoding skills and engagement among four first-grade students in Lexington, South Carolina. The following research question directed the study:

Will an instructional strategy foregrounded on direct, systematic phonics instruction in conjunction with multi-dimensional reading strategies improve beginner readers’ decoding skills and engagement?

The study is grounded in several theoretical frameworks, including Scarborough’s Reading Rope (Appendix A), the Simple View of Reading, the Active View of Reading (Appendix C), Onset-Rime phonics instruction, and Self-Determination Theory. Interventions included the LETRS Science of Reading Phonics Small Group Plan (Moats & Tolman, 2019) …

Bridging The Gap: Implementation And Perception Of High-Leverage Practices Among General And Special Educators, Jacqueline Ann Viotto

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the use and perception of High Leverage Practices (HLPs) among general and special education teachers within educational settings. Utilizing a concurrent mixed-methods research design, the study integrates quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to examine how HLP knowledge and use by educators. This dissertation investigates the knowledge and use of HLPs in inclusive settings through the following research questions:

1. What is the self-reported knowledge and use of HLPs by teachers?

2. What are the differences in self-reported knowledge and usage of HLPs in inclusive environments when comparing general education and special education teachers?

3. How do general …

Filling In The Gaps: Evaluating A Self-Regulated Learning Strategy For Middle School Students Using Action Research, Leslie Eller Southerland

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to evaluate the effects of a self-regulated learning innovation on middle school students’ self-regulated learning skills. One way to address problems such as student motivation, student engagement, and distracting behaviors in the classroom is to explicitly teach self-regulated learning skills such as goal setting, strategy use, self-monitoring, and systematic practice. Two research questions guided this study: (1) How and to what extent does a self-regulated learning innovation impact 7th and 8th grade students’ self-regulated learning skills (planning, self-monitoring, evaluation, reflection)? (2) In what ways do 7^th and 8^th grade students …

A Multipronged Approach To Developing & Marketing Asynchronous Resources To Faculty, Heather Mcneill, Emilie Keeton, Msod, Enam Haddad, Myles Chandler, Eric T. Rush, Jacqueline Hill

Posters

What suggested GFA topic does your submission align with? Organizational Policies, Practices and Procedures Intended/Target Audience Seasoned Faculty and Staff Mid-Career Faculty and Staff New Faculty and Staff Description Faculty have limited time for professional development. We piloted an approach to create and actively promote curated asynchronous professional development resources in five targeted topic areas and recorded resource use over two academic years (July 2023-July 2025). Since July 2023, we had 4,543 unique daily views; more than half (n=2,319) were views of academic promotion resources. Asynchronous resources engaged faculty in professional development topics, especially academic promotion. Additional information: Background: Faculty …

In This Issuesystematic Reviewbrief Communication

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.