Digital Commons Network^™

A Qualitative Interpretive Study Of How A Trucking Company Coordinates The Management Of Meanings Of Its Communications In The United States Of America, Travis J. Koch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines how communication between truck drivers and their managers can support meaningful behavioral change by co-constructing shared interpretations, as described by coordinated management of meaning theory. It focuses on how meanings are negotiated in everyday conversations and how specific conversational mechanisms shape drivers' performances. The central claim is that certain conversational mechanisms can reduce uncertainty, ease friction between co-workers, and improve safety and operational efficiency. When supervisors and drivers successfully develop shared meanings, greater clarity, stronger working relationships are more likely. Those outcomes matter in a high stake, complex industry. This research extends scholarship on organizational meaning-making and …

The Development And Leadership Implementation Of Strategies Promoting Church Health In The Presbytery Of The Central West, New South Wales, Australia, Mark S. Armstrong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many Churches in the Presbyterian rural landscape have plateaued or are in decline. Little research has been done to address the causes and provide strategies for remediation. This study examines this problem in the Presbytery of the Central West, New South Wales, Australia. The purpose of the project is to identify factors causing church decline in rural areas and develop revitalization strategies for ministers and elders across the Presbytery. The research consists of two layered responses. The first layer identifies factors causing church decline and develops five strategies suitable for implementation. The second layer utilizes Mezirow’s transformative learning framework to …

‘Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam’: The Religious And Political Missions Of The American-Catholic Military Chaplaincy During The Mexican-American War, Daniel Thomas Louis Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The historical community has neglected to deeply analyze the American-Catholic military chaplaincy in the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848. With exceptions, most historians, who have discussed this chaplaincy, have run the spectrum of dedicating an entire chapter to a few sentences on it. “‘Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam’” offers a first, in-depth monograph of this chaplaincy. “‘Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam’” argues that the political mission from President James K. Polk to the chaplaincy, which was to help reconcile Americans and Mexicans, did not truly suffer the failure or the mediocrity that certain historians have portrayed it to be. Instead of analyzing the chaplaincy’s …

From Apathy To Apostasy: The Danger Of Dullness In Hearing God’S Word, Daniel D. Mann

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation contends that the issue of apathetic hearing among some of the audience in the book of Hebrews is a pivotal aspect in the threat of apostasy. The central theme of Hebrews is that God has spoken in the last days by his Son (Heb. 1:2). Thus, God speaking (1:1–2, 5, 13; 2:3; 3:10; 4:3, 4, 8; 5:5; 10:15, 30; 12:25; 13:5) and man hearing (2:1, 3; 3:7, 15, 16; 4:2, 7; 5:11; 12:25) emerge as twin pillars of emphasis throughout Hebrews. The author’s overarching emphasis is that God has spoken definitively in His Son and that Word deserves …

A Qualitative Study Of Expectancy Violations Theory On Instructor Feedback For Online Graduate Students Within United States Universities: How Student Perceptions Form When Their Expectations Are Violated, Josephine Hudson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Distance education has become increasingly commonplace as technology and digital connections have become widespread in everyday life. Like traditional classrooms, feedback in online classrooms is a critical form of communication between professors and students to facilitate learning and foster relationships despite the lack of face-to-face communication that distance education imposes. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how graduate and doctoral students’ experiences with expectancy violations influence their perceptions of feedback through the lens of Expectancy Violations Theory. Graduate and doctoral students who were or had been enrolled in at least two distance education courses participated in this …

Inmate Reentry: Success Through Faith - A Mixed-Methods Study On Inmate Conversions And Life After Release, Eric S. Campbell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation-in-praxis (DiP) explored the circumstances surrounding the emotional responses and past traumatic experiences that led inmates to commit their lives to Jesus. The DiP also researched the high rate of recidivism amongst released inmates. The researcher partnered with Reach the Forgotten Jail Ministry (RTF), as well as local churches, in an effort to create a program that would work with inmates prior to and after release. The qualitative study established a paradigm highlighting the significance of comprehensive leadership training in a time of transition by drawing upon transformational leadership theory, adaptive leadership theory, as well as servant leadership theory. …

A Study Of Church Attendance Fluctuation Among Millennials In African American Baptist Churches Located In Washington, Dc, Kiralfy C. Forte

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the qualitative phenomenon associated with perceived fluctuation of millennials’ church attendance. The researcher sought to explore lived experiences of African American millennials within the context of Baptist churches in Washington, DC, who experienced a period of childhood and adolescence in the Baptist church. This study examined the underlying factors influencing millennials’ church attendance, known as lived experiences. Studies by Pew Research (2015a, 2015b, 2018, 2019a, 2019b, 2019c, 2025), Barna Research (2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024), and Lifeway Research (2019, 2022, 2023, 2025) shaped the researcher’s open-ended questions, delimitations, and underlying assumptions. This researcher exposed that …

Instructors' Lived Experiences Of Using Authentic Assessments In College Calculus Courses Across The United States: A Phenomenological Study, Christy Hart Kains

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of instructors with authentic assessments in college calculus courses across the United States. The theory guiding this study was Astin’s student involvement theory, which provided a framework to study the involvement of students in higher education. The central research question for this study was: What are the lived experiences of instructors who utilize authentic assessments in college calculus courses across the United States? This study used a qualitative design following the transcendental phenomenological approach of Moustakas. The sample included 12 instructors from two-year and four-year colleges in …

An Examination Of Cumulative Exposure To Potentially Traumatic Events And Identity Distress In Emerging Adults: The Influence Of Life Stressors, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, And Event Centrality, Kane Richard Vest

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Plentiful research has been conducted to examine the negative outcomes of exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs). Together, findings have indicated that certain exposures increase the risk of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and adjustment problems in children, teens, and young adults. However, few studies have specifically focused on the influence of such experiences on the development of identity distress in emerging adults, and even fewer have examined such influence in the context of exposure to multiple potentially traumatic events. Exposure to natural hazards such as the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes is known to impact economic, social, and educational outcomes, but …

Online Simulation To Build Competence In Assessment And Documentation With Clients Experiencing Opioid Use Disorder, Lauren B. Mcinroy, Jacyln Kirsch, Oliver Beer, Katie Klakos, Catherine Hechmer, Julie Holston

School of Health Professions

Synchronous simulation—an experiential learning approach replicating “real-world” practice contexts—offers important opportunities for social work students to apply course concepts, rehearse skills, and increase their competence. However, scant research has considered approaches to delivering synchronous simulation opportunities to students online. This case study examines the experiences of master of social work (MSW) students (n = 52) who participated in a synchronous online simulation activity designed to promote the development of students’ assessment and documentation skills in the context of working with a client with suspected opioid use disorder. Multiple data sources were leveraged, including activity recordings, exit surveys, and submitted materials. …

Christian Leadership In Times Of Persecution: A Comparative Study Of The Pastoral Response Of Tertullian And Cyprian To The Phenomena Of Oppression And Martyrdom In North Africa, Thomas Michael Ray Knoff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines Christian leadership during persecution through a comparative study of Tertullian and Cyprian in Roman North Africa in the late second and mid third centuries. Although both figures are central to early Christian theology and ecclesiology, their leadership is often assessed without sustained attention to the pressures created by persecution.

Using a historical and theological approach, the dissertation examines the writings and ministerial actions of Tertullian and Cyprian as responses formed under conditions of hostility. Close engagement with their treatises, letters, and apologetic works shows how persecution influenced their understanding of martyrdom and apostasy and guided their handling …

Samson As Judah/Israel: Parallelism And Metaphor In Judges 13–16, Roy A. Scorup

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation argues that the Samson narrative in Judges 13–16 functions as a metaphorical parallel to Israel and Judah. By employing rhetorical criticism methodology, this study will trace the parallelism between Samson and the twin nations of Israel and Judah and analyze the unique flourishes and oddities that are replete in the account, which largely serves to advance this metaphor.

The parallels between Samson and his nation are striking, tracing a shared trajectory from divinely appointed origins, chronic rebellion, and ultimate decline. While many scholars have noted a strong parallelism between Samson and the Israelite nations, aside from Greenstein’s “The …

Backstory And Conflicts Of Character Development, Kayla Smith

Masters Theses

This thesis explores the role of character development and its effects on the characters in the story. Through detailed research into literary works, this study will identify key factors that contribute to backstories and conflicts that keep the audience engaged. By comparing characters who have experienced trauma, the research will show how character development is affected by supporting characters, cultural background, and the illnesses they have experienced. The findings will suggest that character development is important and can change throughout the story. The thesis aims to provide insight to create characters that will make a difference in the story and …

The Experience Of Coptic Orthodox Youth Concerning Morals Taught In Public Education, Peter S. Endrawis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of Coptic Orthodox youth concerning moral education taught in public schools. There were four research questions this study answered: 1) How do Coptic youth describe their experience of navigating moral teachings in public schools? 2) What meaning do Coptic youth ascribe to church tradition based on their experience in public schools? 3) How do Coptic youth describe their worldview concerning faith based on their experience in public schools? 4) How do Coptic youth describe their worldview concerning spirituality based on their experience in public schools? The theory guiding this …

Disability Laws: An Instrumental Case Study Exploring Staff Capacity To Support Incarcerated Juveniles With Disabilities In The Mid-Atlantic Region, Jennifer L. Howarth Mira

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to explore how juvenile detention staff are prepared to understand and comply with disability laws when working with incarcerated juveniles with disabilities. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s social learning theory as it suggests a person’s environment can be directly influenced by themselves or by others. The central research question this study investigated was: How are juvenile detention staff prepared to understand and comply with disability laws when working with incarcerated juveniles with disabilities? This qualitative study included 11 staff members employed in mid-Atlantic juvenile detention centers with at least six …

Economic Independence And Professional Legitimacy: Colorado Businesswomen Of The 19th Century, Tyler Brinn Hobbs Freytag

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the tension between legal reform and lived reality for women in Colorado during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Although Colorado became the second state to grant women suffrage in 1893 and was widely celebrated as a national leader in women’s rights, the experiences of three influential women—Augusta Louise Tabor, Mary Elitch Long, and Mary Florence Lathrop—demonstrate how legal progress often failed to translate into genuine social, economic, or professional equality. Using a multidisciplinary analysis of primary sources, including court records, newspapers, diaries, and legislative documents, this study explores the disconnect between written law, its application, …

Exploring Lived Experiences Faced By Latina Breast Cancer Survivors, Deborah Fortino

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore and understand lived experiences of Latina breast cancer survivors through semi-structured interviews on the Zoom Video Conferencing platform. The theory that guided the study was the Health Belief Model (HBM), a health behavior framework that explored Latina breast cancer survivors' behaviors concerning health (Rosenstock et al., 1988). Furthermore, Fleming et al.’s (2003) five steps of gathering qualitative data and Ajjai and Higgs’s (2007) six stages of data analysis were utilized to acquire the information to explore the phenomenon of Latina breast cancer survivors’ lived experiences. The sample population included nine …

Sacred Geography And The Restoration Of Divine Presence: The Garden Of Eden, Egypt, The Wilderness, And The Promised Land In The Theology Of The Torah, Gary Ryan Perry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation argues that the Torah presents redemption through a progressive spatial framework in which sacred geography reveals the restoration of God’s dwelling among His people. The narrative movement from the Garden of Eden to Egypt, the Wilderness, and finally the Promised Land forms a theological arc that structures the Torah’s presentation of covenant, priesthood, and divine presence. The Garden of Eden establishes humanity’s original royal priestly vocation within sacred space. Egypt functions as an anti-garden, where abundance and provision exist apart from a covenant relationship with God. The Wilderness represents a redemptive restart, in which Israel is formed through …

Exploring Mathematics Faculty Perceptions Of Instructional Design In Ai-Integrated Tools: A Phenomenological Study, Taylor Victoria Moreau

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of higher education mathematics faculty implementing artificial intelligence tools in their classrooms. The theory that guided this study was Piaget’s cognitive learning theory, which emphasizes that learners absorb knowledge by building upon previous understandings and experiences. The central research question guiding this study is: What are the lived experiences of mathematics faculty in higher education who utilize AI tools to support instructional design in their classrooms? Purposeful sampling was used to recruit full-time or visiting mathematics faculty members from four-year colleges and universities in the eastern United …

Adapting Early Music For Tuba/Euphonium Quartet, Bryson Camby Harding

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This dissertation addresses the absence of pre-nineteenth-century repertoire for the tuba and euphonium by demonstrating the pedagogical and musical viability of adapting Late Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque works for tuba/euphonium quartet. Because the tuba and euphonium emerged only after the invention of the valve in the nineteenth century, no original repertoire exists for these instruments from earlier periods. Consequently, low brass chamber literature has remained largely confined to modern compositions, limiting student engagement with modal harmony, imitative counterpoint, isorhythmic structure, basso continuo practice, and early formal design. Through historically informed and methodologically grounded transcription, this project expands the quartet canon …

Lithics Of An Abandoned Town: A Source And Typological Analysis Of Lithic Materials From Units 5 And 6 At The Chucalissa Site (40sy1), Ireland Reisinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The thesis analyses the lithic artifacts from the Chucalissa site (40SY1) to look for any differences in the source of the lithic resources in order to understand the resource range and/or social networks used by the site’s inhabitants. These findings will allow for the identification of possible stone use differences depending on context, as well as the geographic range of the procured stone resources utilized. Chucalissa is a Mississippian period village site located inside T.O Fuller State Park in Shelby County, Tennessee. Although there have been extensive excavations at the site, little analysis of the lithic assemblage has been conducted. …

Negotiating Tonal Language And Western Melody: Mandarin Diction And Performance Practice In The Art Songs Of Huang Zi And Gao Ping, Xueying Ye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This study examines the relationship between Mandarin lexical tones and melodic contour in Chinese art song, focusing on how this interaction shapes vocal performance practice. Through case studies of Huang Zi’s Three Wishes of the Rose and selected songs from Gao Ping’s Melody Abandoned, the project explores how two Western-educated Chinese composers from different historical periods negotiate poetic text, tonal language, and musical expression within evolving cultural contexts. The central research question investigates how the tonal structure of Mandarin interacts with Western-derived compositional techniques, and how this interaction presents specific challenges for non-native Mandarin singers. By analyzing poetic form, musical …

Stylistic Pathways In Euphonium Solo Literature: A Curated Guide For Performers And Educators, Sophia Betty-Rose Rivera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This dissertation proposes and applies a stylistic framework for organizing original euphonium solo literature, addressing the limitations of existing repertoire resources that rely primarily on chronology, instrumentation, or difficulty level. Because the euphonium’s solo repertoire emerged largely in the twentieth and twenty‑first centuries, traditional historical periodization obscures the stylistic diversity and pedagogical functions of the literature. The purpose of this study is to develop a classification system that reflects the musical languages, performance practices, and pedagogical uses of euphonium repertoire more accurately than conventional organizational models. The project examines 150 original solo works and categorizes them into five stylistic groups: …

Small Grain Forage Production Guide, Matt Yost, Megan Baker, Earl Creech, Justin Wyatt Clawson, Michael Pace, Kalen Taylor, Cory Farnsworth, Jacob Hadfield, Corey Ransom, Steven Price, Claudia Nischwitz, Clara Anderson

All Current Publications

Small grain forages can be used for pasture, hay, and silage and have become more common in cropping systems in Utah and the western United States. The most common small grain species used for forage production are barley, oat, rye, triticale, and wheat. Although there has been an increase in the use of small grains for forage production in the western U.S., little published information is available on best management practices for small grain forage production. This guide will discuss the key production practices for small grains used for forage.

25 Rules Of Thumb For Field Crops, Matt Yost, Niel Allen, Grant Cardon, Earl Creech, Ryan Larsen, Rhonda Miller, Mark Nelson, Claudia Nischwitz, Matthew Palmer, Steven Price, Ricardo Ramirez, Corey Ransom, Benjamin Scow, Randall Violett

All Current Publications

This article is not a comprehensive list of the practices farmers need to be successful in their operations, but it represents an attempt to capture 25 common tips or “rules” from a wide range of Extension experts throughout Utah, from seedbed preparation, to harvesting guidelines.

Emerging Paradigms In Connectome-Guided Neurosurgery For Central Nervous System Tumors: A Narrative Review Of Structural And Functional Connectomics, Tirath Patel, Hamza Yousuf Ibrahim, Muhammad Abbas, Muzna Amir Ali, Sana Sohrab, Kinza Nawaz, Syeda Ramish Zehra Kazmi, Bhumi Daishik Patel, Nikhilesh Anand

School of Medicine Publications

Connectomics is a comprehensive mapping of structural and functional brain networks. It has introduced a paradigm shift in neurosurgery by redefining brain tumors as network disorders rather than isolated lesions. Unlike traditional surgeries, connectome-guided neurosurgery conceptualizes brain tumors as network disorders and aims to preserve brain function in resection. The objective was to study the role of connectome-guided neurosurgery in the management of Central Nervous System tumors and the use of structural and functional connectomics in tumor resection while preserving neurological function. Articles have been identified by searches of PubMed, Scopus and Google scholar from January 2000 to May 2025, …

Spartan Daily, April 7, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 29

Sorghum-Sudangrass Production Guide, Dakota Boren, Matt Yost, Luree Johnson, Tina Sullivan, Earl Creech, Grant Cardon, Corey Ransom, Randall Violett, Cheyenne Reid, Cody Zesiger, Kalen Taylor, Jacob Hadfield, Michael Pace, Jody Gale

All Current Publications

Sudex is a warm-season forage crop that performs well in Utah’s dry climate due to its drought tolerance. It can be especially useful during drought years or when irrigation supplies are limited. As well as being a high-quality feed, Sudex has many benefits, including weed suppression and soil-building properties. Although there are concerns for prussic acid and nitrate poisoning, these concerns can be reduced and often eliminated with proper management. This fact sheet provides information to producers about using Sudex and best production practices. Much of the information may also apply to forage sorghum and a few of the major …

Geopolitical Trade Dynamics: Assessing Global Supply Chain Risks Within International Business Environments, Thomas E. Carver Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With global economics and worldwide markets changing at a rapid pace the need to review how this effects global supply operations, risk management, and operational controls is a tactical and strategic component of organizational management. These types of international business arrangements require diversification to the supply chain networks, partnerships, and value chains in all businesses that are doing trade abroad. Geopolitics brings uncertainty to any supply chain organization and having awareness of policy, compliance, and technology strategy are key contributors during the study exploration. Having highly skilled human resource talent to support operational throughput is included in this study to …

A Phenomenological Research On The Understanding Of Morality At Birth From A Believer's Standpoint, Michelle I. Hubble

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

At birth, is a person born evil, good, or neutral? This phenomenological study aims to explore the perspective of the morality of a child at birth for adult believers in the Missionary Church. At this stage in the research, the perspective of the morality of a child at birth will be generally defined as evil, good, or neutral. The theory guiding this study was research done by Harvard, which concluded that humanity's first instinct is not to act selfishly but to cooperate in their behavior with others (Tucker, 2013). This research proposed that this alternative perspective is invalid when Piaget’s …