Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Acute Exercise And Observation On Procedural Learning: Considerations Of Biological Sex, Madeline R. Gossett

Honors Theses

As memories are formed or learning progresses, neurons within the brain establish a strong connection in what is referred to as a “neural engram.” This neural engram can be strengthened or weakened by certain physiological factors. Dopamine, for example, is released during physical exercise or when positive reinforcement is incorporated (Greenwood, 2019). This is a neurotransmitter that leads to a stronger connection between neurons, which in turn leads to a stronger memory formed in the brain. These physiological relationships that contribute to cognition are still being discovered, so research in this area is ongoing (Guskjolen and Cembrowski, 2023).

Memory is …

Designing A Wearable Gait Feedback System For Parkinson’S Disease Patients, Heath M. Stevens, Capri H. Lobotzke, Spencer J. George

Honors Theses

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that commonly causes a shortened stride length, reducing mobility and increasing fall risk. While current treatments, such as oral medication, can reduce symptoms, they do not provide real-time feedback to correct gait and often result in “off” periods when symptoms return. Physical therapists report that simple reminders to lengthen stride can help patients recover from “off” periods and maintain normal walking patterns, but there is no current at-home way to simulate this effective therapy. Recognizing this gap in at-home support, our biomedical engineering senior design team at the University of Mississippi sought to …

Accounting In Action: The Examination Of Audit, Tax Policy, Economic Ideology, And Corporate Strategy, Luke S. Angle

Honors Theses

This thesis presents a comprehensive examination of financial reporting, auditing, tax policy, and corporate strategy through a structured series of case studies conducted over an academic year. The primary objective of this investigation is to develop an applied understanding of how accounting concepts function in real-world business environments and how financial information informs decision-making by investors, regulators, and corporate management. Each case study explores a distinct area of financial reporting, including the analysis of public company disclosures, the evaluation of regulatory developments, the consideration of economic ideology, and the assessment of strategic business decisions.

The methodology employed in this study …

Art In An Apocalypse: Aids, Activism, And Abolition In Work Of Essex Hemphill And Alternative Video Production, Sydney E. Guntharp

Honors Theses

This thesis is an exploration of Black, POC, feminist, and queer art in the late twentieth century, examining both the AIDS crisis and the increasing privatization of the prison industrial complex as key factors in the development of Essex Hemphill’s poetic, expressive works and the filmmaking activism of various videotape collectives. Through employing the lens of critical prison studies, this work seeks to understand how Black and POC art emerged as a site of political resistance to a carceral state as well as the broader social punishment doctrine that influenced the public health response to AIDS in the United States. …

Accounting In Practice: An Analysis Of Real-World Business And Regulatory Case Studies, Claire E. Coursey

Honors Theses

This thesis consists of several accounting case studies completed throughout two semesters of Honors Accountancy 420 under the direction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson. The projects combined both individual and group work and focused on applying accounting knowledge to real-world business situations and current events. Each case study required research, analysis, and evaluation of topics related to financial reporting, auditing, regulation, and corporate operations. Throughout the fall semester, the case studies introduced a variety of accounting and business topics that helped develop research, analytical, and communication skills. During the spring semester, the primary focus shifted toward analyzing the potential impact of …

Menstruation Behind Bars: A Mixed-Methods Study On Menstrual Product Access And Distribution Practices In Mississippi County Jails, Eron Hendrix

Honors Theses

This study examines menstrual product access and distribution practices in Mississippi county jails. It highlights the impact of period poverty as a critical yet underexplored public health and human rights issue within the corrections system. While existing research documents widespread inequities in access to menstrual products women’s healthcare in the correctional system, limited attention has been given to menstrual health at the local jail level. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study combines qualitative interviews with jail correctional staff and quantitative survey data from formerly incarcerated women to better understand institutional practices and lived experiences.

Interviews were conducted with sheriffs, jail …

School Of Law Commencement: May 9, 2026, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND School of Law commencement program from May 9, 2026.

Re-Evaluating The Safety Of Erythritol: A Critical Review Of Emerging Evidence, Kaitlyn B. Kirchner

Honors Thesis

Erythritol, a commonly used non-nutritive sweetener, has gained popularity as a sugar alternative due to its low caloric value and minimal effect on blood glucose levels; however, emerging research has raised questions about its overall safety. This literature review critically evaluates current peer-reviewed evidence on the effects of erythritol on the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. Findings indicate that erythritol is generally well tolerated in the gastrointestinal tract, with fewer adverse effects than other sugar alcohols due to its rapid absorption and limited fermentation, although symptoms may be dose-dependent and influenced by co-ingestion with other carbohydrates. In contrast, evidence related to …

Transitioning Home: The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Aging In Place, Syrena Meyer

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

This capstone project explored the role of occupational therapy in supporting older adults transitioning home from hospitalization to successfully age in place. With the growing population of adults over age 65 and a strong preference to remain in their homes, there is an increasing need for interventions that promote safety, independence, and quality of life. This project focused on developing advanced clinical skills in inpatient and transitional care settings while implementing evidence-based interventions and educational resources. The Person-Environment-Occupation Model was used throughout the 14-week experience to identify strategies to enhance occupational performance in patients. Key activities included patient care, use …

Occupational Therapy: Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation For Children With Complex Medical Conditions, Rynn Osthus

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Over 5.2 million children are hospitalized annually, experiencing physical, emotional, and social challenges related to hospitalization (Weiss et al., 2019). Caregivers frequently report elevated stress, emotional burden, and reduced quality of life related to increased caregiving demands (Grandisson et al., 2023; Patty et al., 2024). Children undergoing cancer treatment often experience disruptions in occupational engagement, delayed development, and decreased participation in self-care and play, leading to long-term functional consequences later in life (Gharebaghy et al., 2018; L’Hotta et al., 2023). Preterm infants are at increased risk for developmental delays that can affect later occupational performance, making early assessment and intervention …

Empowering Families: Enhancing Early Intervention Through Caregiver Coaching, Kylie Wersal

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The early years of life are critical for infant brain growth and development (Twardzik et al., 2017; Help Me Grow, n.d.). • Early intervention (EI) supports infants and toddlers with developmental delays through holistic. family-centered care (Frolek Clark & Kingsley, 2020). • Coaching caregivers within natural environments empowers them to integrate strategies into everyday routines, improving child outcomes (Seruya et al., 2022). • The Primary Service Provider model supports transdisciplinary collaboration and provides the family with consistency (Childress, 2015). • Purpose: The primary aim of this project was to develop advanced clinical practice skills using caregiver coaching within the Early …

Care Without Barriers: Dei And Cultural Competency In Athletic Training Education Programs, Sydney Hotz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

In the field of athletic training, cultural competency is a topic that is highly under-researched. Athletic trainers (ATs) are healthcare professionals who provide care in a variety of settings, including secondary schools, where their patient population often includes student-athletes experiencing adverse social determinants of health and barriers to healthcare access. Only since 2022 has the governing body of athletic training education mandated that programs include cultural competency and DEI education in their programs, and to this day does not require programs to report adherence and methods of implementation. A quantitative, cross-sectional analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between cultural …

Thoughts, Lately, Thomas L. Reid

Theses

Swift changes in government occur through several avenues. One option involves quick decisive action that entails violence. These set of poems exhibit a reaction to suddenly changing political and social structures in America during the second term of a divisive executive administration. Alongside this change—the author’s personal experiences as queer individual in a historic area of the deep South.

2026 Spring Commencement, Harding University

Commencement Programs

Program for the Harding University Commencement on May 9.

Commencement Speakers:
9a.m.: Dr. Steve and Dottie Frye
noon: Paul Chapman
3p.m.: LaDonna Johnston

At The Helm In The Storm: Compassionate Leadership For Library Instruction Programs, Clinton Baugess, Mallory Jallas

Works by Oberlin College Libraries Staff

Academic libraries are navigating turbulent waters-shifting priorities, resource constraints, and evolving curricula for instructional programs. In this environment, leadership approaches matter more than ever. This session explores compassionate leadership as a framework for guiding information literacy programs through change, emphasizing empathy, communication, recognition, and support as core principles. The presenters explored how this theory applies to librarians in both formal and informal leadership roles. Join us to chart a course toward leadership that balances advocacy, adaptability, and care-essential qualities for navigating the evolving seas of teaching and learning in higher education. Session presented as part of the 2026 LOEX Conference …

Msw Professional Portfolio, Sierra Trivaye Singer

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Msw Portfolio, Kadie A. Baney

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio documents my development as a Master of Social Work student at the University of Montana and demonstrates my achievement of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) competencies through integrated coursework and practicum experience. Grounded in an advanced integrated practice framework, this portfolio reflects my emerging professional identity as a rural social worker committed to supporting students and young adults. My practice is informed by systems theory, the strengths perspective, trauma-informed care, and the Just Practice framework, which together guide ethical, culturally responsive, and socially just practice.

Across ten competencies, this portfolio illustrates growth in ethical and professional …

Msw Portfolio, Ellen Mittlestadt

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio describes how I have developed strengths, skills, values, and cognitive and affective processes through the ten competencies of the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana. Through attending classes, engaging with professors and my cohort, and continuing to strengthen all I've learned in my practicum, I feel confident that these skills and strengths have grown tremendously, and I'll continue to grow through my practice. The following portfolio describes progress over the past years.

Teacher Orthographic Knowledge, Mary L. Leslie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

When reading is no longer taught as a separate subject, adolescent students with weak reading skills have limited opportunities to catch up to their peers and are unlikely to improve without targeted support (Wigfield et al., 2008). This descriptive case study intended to increase teacher knowledge by presenting a professional development intervention focused on orthographic knowledge using effective professional development components. This study was conducted with six teachers of adolescent students (4^th-8^th) from a private preparatory school. Analysis found that teachers increased their understanding of the role orthography plays in the reading process and increased their …

Resilience In Recreation: Stories Of A Changing Climate, Casey L. Auberle

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

As the impacts of climate change become increasingly prevalent, the outdoor activities that bond us to our local communities and environments are under threat. In Missoula, MT, drought, rising temperatures, and wildfire smoke change what it means to fish, ski, run, and recreate in our town. In a series of Q&A style podcasts, environmental philosophy graduate student Casey Auberle creates a platform to share stories of a changing climate through the lens of local recreators and climate activists. Capturing these voices invites us to consider our relationship with nature on both an individual and communal scale, to find unity in …

Hi Friend! Msw Portfolio Of Community Building And Advocacy, River Gerard Segar

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This MSW Portfolio emphasizes the importance of being rooted in community and demonstrates how to engage in community building in a way that helps center marginalized voices. This portfolio also highlights advocacy in the United States for transgender people and asserts the need for increased cultural competency in clinical practice with people in non-monogamous and/or kink relational structures.

Moving Forward, Sarah Blackford

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio demonstrates my learning and development through the MSW program at the University of Montana.

Standing In The Middle: Planting Seeds Of Liberation, Halle V. Smith

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio documents the development of an ecologically grounded and theoretically integrated social work practice across two years of practicum with the Crime Victim Advocate (CVA) program in Missoula, Montana. Drawing on ecofeminism, Indigenous Cultural Responsiveness Theory (ICRT), and trauma-informed practice (TIP), the author frames healing, justice, and liberation as ecological processes rooted in the conditions that surround people rather than the deficits within them. Cherokee teachings on ayetli, or standing in the middle, and a seeds of liberation metaphor serve as orienting frameworks throughout, guiding critical self-reflection, survivor-centered advocacy, clinical practice with domestic violence survivors, and policy engagement. The …

Rooted In Dignity And Hope: Clinical Practice, Advocacy, And Compassionate Care, Holly Ann Harris

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This MSW portfolio reflects my personal and professional journey toward becoming a social worker grounded in dignity, hope, and compassionate care. Inspired by early life experiences that shaped my understanding of the connection between dignity and hope, I entered the University of Montana’s MSW program with the goal of becoming a counselor supporting individuals and families experiencing grief, loss, and mental health challenges. Through coursework and the completion of my generalist and specialist practicums in hospice and the emergency department, along with ongoing critical self-reflection, my perspective has expanded to include a deeper understanding of systemic barriers, social justice, and …

Observing Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Human Behavior Under A Fixed-Time Schedule, Calvin Kocienda

Thesis Projects

Historically, behavior analysts have measured behavior through single discrete responses, likely due to the technology available in the late 20th century. This meant that spatiotemporal behavior, or movement over time, was often left understudied. León et al. (2021) used computer vision software to successfully measure spatiotemporal behavior in rats using various measurements such as distance traveled and maximum velocity. The current study aims to closely emulate León et al., 2021’s study with human subjects to see whether human spatiotemporal behavior can be measured. Two children were placed in a room and offered a preferred edible on a fixed-time 30-s (FT …

Measuring The Effect Of Mindfulness On Frustration And Creativity In Preschoolers, Jillian A. Badeaux

Honors Theses

Emotional regulation in early childhood is very important for later social development and overall psychological functioning, but research on the impact of mindfulness in this younger age group remains limited. This study examined whether a brief mindfulness intervention could improve emotion regulation (frustration) and creative problem solving in preschoolers. Fifty children ages 4 to 5 from preschools in the Mississippi Delta region were randomly assigned to a mindfulness or a control condition. Children in the mindfulness group received a brief intervention emphasizing deep breathing, present moment attention, and nonjudgemental awareness. All participants completed a Locked Box Task (Goldsmith, 1995) to …

A Compilation Of Accounting Case Studies, George R. Vandyke

Honors Theses

This thesis has been composed throughout the process of taking the Honors Accounting 420 class. This class spans two semesters and helps students understand certain aspects of financial accounting and related areas. These cases range from what may be involved in an audit to examining a company and how certain new laws may affect its business operations.

The information gathered for this was through group work and collaboration to achieve the common goal of completing each case. The cases varied from week to week, as well as the people with whom you would be working. This led to many different …

"First, Do No Harm": Ethical Failures And Preventive Solutions In The United States Pharmaceutical System - A Narrative Review, Rebekah R. Bailey

Honors Theses

The United States pharmaceutical system is highly advanced but faces growing ethical concerns related to drug development and marketing, overprescription, and high drug costs. This thesis examines how pharmaceutical marketing, regulatory practices, and prescribing behaviors may conflict with the ethical principle of “first, do no harm.”

Using a narrative review of interdisciplinary literature in public health, medical ethics, and applied ethics, this thesis analyzes patterns in drug development, marketing strategies, and regulatory oversight. The findings suggest that ethical issues are systemic, driven by commercial incentives, inconsistent regulatory standards, and an increasing reliance on pharmaceutical solutions. These factors contribute to overmedicalization, …

Of Corporations And Compliance: Accountancy Case Studies And An Exploration Of Future-Oriented Action In Corporate Accounting, Nathan K. Woo

Honors Theses

This thesis compiles several case studies completed under the direction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson during the 2024–2025 academic year for the fulfillment of requirements imposed by Accountancy 420: Independent Study. The first semester (Fall 2024) involved four research cases. The first case involved analysis of AMC Entertainment’s annual report (10-K) for the purpose of identifying pertinent financial statement information and creating risk-mitigation strategies. The second case pertained to the January 2024 Corporate Transparency Act and its effect on reporting companies. The third case centered around analysis of the relationship between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues and public accounting. Finally, …

Periodontal Disease In A Classic Maya Population From Ambergris Caye, Belize: A Cej-Ac Analysis, Avery R. Mcneil

Honors Theses

Dental remains provide a durable and information-rich record of biological, dietary, and health-related processes in past populations. This study examines periodontal disease, dental wear, and morphometric variation in a Classic period Maya population from coastal Belize (ca. A.D. 700-900) using cementoenamel junction-alveolar crest (CEJ-AC) distance as one measure of periodontal health. Dental remains were assessed using standardized bioarchaeological methods, including tooth identification, crown measurements, and periodontal scoring based on mean CEJ-AC distances recorded at preserved surfaces. The results indicate widespread mild to moderate periodontal disease across the sample, with posterior teeth exhibiting greater alveolar bone loss than anterior dentition. These …