Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Stories Of Early-Career Student Affairs Professionals And Free Speech Issues On College Campuses, Kimberly C. Farrer

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This qualitative research study explored the stories of early-career student affairs professionals on their experiences responding to free speech issues on college campuses. Additionally, this studied explored how they were prepared for those responses. This study was important because early-career student affairs professionals are managing free speech issues on college campuses but lack the training and preparation to do this (Duran Leftin & Duran, 2021; Harris & Ray, 2014). This study utilized both authentic leadership theory (Avolio & Gardner, 2005; Gardner et al., 2005; Luthans & Avolio, 2003; May et al., 2003; Northouse, 2025) and Kohlberg’s (1976) theory of moral …

"No Shame In My Game": Rethinking Academic Probation In College As Transformative, Kathryn Callahan

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of college students and/or alumni who were on academic probation at some point during their undergraduate studies. All participants in this study are or were enrolled at a small, private, faith-based institution, where they experienced academic probation. This study was guided by Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 2007) Ecological Systems Theory and Macia Baxter-Magolda’s (1992, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2012) Self-Authorship Theory, to learn how participants’ lived experiences can inform the design and improvement of institutional support programming that promotes student growth, development and retention. Twelve current or former students who experienced academic probation at some …

"They Just Gave Me The Syllabus": A Mixed Methods Study Of Music Therapy Educators' Preferred Pedagogies, Christina Danielle O'Brien

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

In 2022, the workforce analysis of music therapists, the American Music Therapy Association reported that approximately 80% of all board-certified music therapists are white/Caucasian-European (Iwamasa, 2025). However, the AMTA does not determine the origins of race or ethnicity among postsecondary music therapy faculty in the U.S., nor does it assess their potential impact on the expansion of multicultural curricula for preservice professionals. The purpose of this convergent mixed-methods dissertation is to examine the perception of lived experiences as a pedagogical tool to enhance effective teaching practices. Twenty-six postsecondary faculty from the U.S. were recruited. Quantitative data were collected via Qualtrics …

Bridging Vision And Practice: A Case Study Of Educator Perceptions Within The Community School Model, Jessica M. Riedel

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Guided by a qualitative collective case study employing two focus groups and six individual interviews, this dissertation in practice examined educator and community school specialist perceptions of the community school model and sought to understand how those perceptions inform the district’s approach to teaching and school operations. Findings indicated a genuine desire to make the community school model successful for students within the buildings but also emphasized a lack of role clarity and professional development opportunities, misconceptions around the model, and siloing within different programs in the schools. These results highlight the need for more communication within districts and schools …

Politics As Usual: Racial Pay Inequity And The Illusion Of Inclusion In The Rise And Fall Of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, And Accessibility Executive Orders, Francois C. Melville

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This research examines pressing moral policy questions of our time: who determines when the United States of America has fulfilled its broken promise of equality for all, and what constitutes an appropriate measure of reparative justice. It interrogates why the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Executive Orders (EOs) implemented across presidential administrations, intended to advance social equity, were grounded in conflict and symbolic gestures rather than scientifically evidenced issues such as wage inequality directly linked to upward career mobility. Race conscious policy generates cultural clashes centered on the perception that gains made by Black and Brown Americans come at the …

School-Based Mental And Emotional Support For Urban Students Experiencing Traumatic Loss, Britney Daniel-Harris

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This study explores the perception of educational staff members on school-based mental and emotional resources for urban students experiencing traumatic loss. With increased levels of research centered on enhancing training protocols to educate teachers on identifying, supporting, and guiding traumatic care through evidence-based resources, there is an opportunity to understand their experiences by hearing their voices through a narrative inquiry qualitative research design. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has six principles of a trauma-informed environment, which were utilized to analyze participant stories. Five teachers, one social worker, and one special education leader participated in one-on-one interviews …

Teaching For Autonomy: Helping Young Students Define, Create, And Fight For A Better World, Riley Mcgowan

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

I define an Autonomous Student as a learner detached from the capitalist mindset, who learns not just to reproduce the working world but to better themselves and the future. A learner who is independent, flexible, civically engaged, connected with their community, and has their own idea of success that is not tied to the school or the economy. A learner who can uncover injustice and knows how to fight back. As it is currently set up, the education system in the US does not work toward creating autonomous students. Instead, the focus is on reproducing society as it is and …

What We're Not Allowed To Teach: The Epistemic Suppression Of The Null Curriculum In American Formal Education, Monica Zheng

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This thesis explores the history and impact of the null curriculum, which Eisner (1994) defines as "what schools do not teach" (p. 97). The null curriculum often contradicts the messages that the dominant white-supremacist patriarchy has indoctrinated into the explicit curriculum into the curriculum that American formal education uses, especially with the advent of high-stakes standardized testing. In order to overthrow this capitalist system, teachers must feel safe teaching the null curriculum. This thesis makes the case that internal reform of the American formal education system is not enough to create this liberated learning experience, and an external, full …

Negating Capitalist Forms Of Life And Subjectivities Through An Ontological Exploration Of Education And Pedagogy, Shannon Gallagher

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Capitalism is not solely an economic system but is a particular form of life. Its pervasive effects have defined what it means to be human, live, and exist within the capitalist reality we inhabit. Education has been carefully curated with its formative potential in mind to form subjects who embody and act upon capitalist ontological assumptions. By doing so, education has been employed to constrain individuals to this reality with no possibility of any alternative way to be and become. This thesis argues that for education to be humanizing and liberating, there must be a critical examination of how capitalist …

The Experiences Of Black Women’S Maternity Care And Its Effects On Pregnancy Outcomes, Joy O. Osaghae

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Health disparities in maternal health are a significant challenge to the public health of the United States, and Black women have double the morbidity and mortality rates of maternal illnesses in comparison with White women. These inequalities persist across socioeconomic levels, highlighting systemic inequities within the healthcare system. Some published studies have focused on quantitative outcomes, but few have examined Black women's lived experiences and their impact on pregnancy outcomes. This paper fills this gap by discussing the maternity care experiences of Black women in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drawing on Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality Theory, this qualitative phenomenological study explored …

A Theory Of Major Questions, Nicholas Almendares

Cardozo Law Review

The major questions doctrine has been fiercely criticized as an example of the Supreme Court’s “imperial” turn where it concentrates ever more power in its own hands. The doctrine is sweeping, vague, and lacks a clear justification. Not only does the Court get to decide when the doctrine applies and when the heightened standard is satisfied, but it has also not offered good reasons behind this rule. A well-defined theory would give the doctrine structure, clarity, and consistency. While majority opinions have been conspicuously quiet on the theory behind the major questions doctrine, concurrences, namely by Justice Gorsuch, have argued …

Much Ado About Misjoinder: An Alternative To Fraudulent Misjoinder To Preserve Defendants’ Right To Removal In Pharmaceutical And Medical Device Products Liability Cases, Alexander Flaum

Cardozo Law Review

Unresolved questions surrounding the contours of the fraudulent misjoinder doctrine have understandably led to reluctance by courts to adopt it, despite its utility in protecting defendants’ access to federal court. This is particularly troubling in the context of pharmaceutical and medical device products liability cases. It is common in these actions for plaintiffs, whose only connection is having consumed a particular pharmaceutical product at different points in time and for different durations, to strategically join in one action to defeat complete diversity and prevent removal to federal court. However, federal courts are not powerless to prevent such procedural gamesmanship. By …

Embodied Tales Of Older Women And Their Relationship With Movement And Their Younger, Present And Future Selves, Valeria Varea, Robyne Garrett, Alfonso García-Monge, Gustavo González-Calvo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Ageing has been often seen as negative in Western cultures. Older bodies are frequently associated with decline, loss, dependency, illness and increasing incompetence. Significantly, this ‘decline model’ of ageing tends to ignore the diverse lived experiences of older adults. This paper draws on the theoretical concepts of embodiment and affect to explore the embodied experiences of a group of 17 older women, focussing on their relationship with movement and with their younger, present and future selves. We used a narrative analysis approach and creative nonfiction to represent the data. The findings are presented in composite narratives in the form of …

Rock On Technology: Perspectives Of People With Neurological Conditions On Robot-Assisted Lower Limb And Gait Neurorehabilitation, Rachel G. Buckingham, Saran Chamberlain, Amanda Timler, Matthew K. Bagg, Nikki E. Bakhtazad, Taya Hamilton, Patricia Martinet, Bianca Haagman, Stuart I. Hodgetts, Barbara Singer, Ann Maree Vallence, Jodie Marquez, Eric Gaitho, Emma Gee, Jessica Nolan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Explore perspectives of people living with neurological conditions in Western Australia (WA) on robot-assisted lower limb neurorehabilitation (RALLR), and implementation requirements. Materials and methods: This co-designed, qualitative descriptive study included people living with neurological conditions. In-person semi-structured focus groups (FGs) were facilitated by a person with lived experience of stroke. FGs were recorded, data were transcribed, and thematically analysed using a reflexive approach. Results: Five FGs included 24 participants (54.2% women, median age 50 years). Of these, thirteen participants had RALLR experience. Primary neurological conditions represented among participants comprised spinal cord injury (n = 11), stroke (n = 3), …

Embracing Vulnerability And Evolving Through Trauma: Teacher Educators’ Collaborative Autoethnographic Reflections, Christina Gray, Lambert

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This collaborative autoethnography examines how two university-based teacher educators navigated personal trauma while continuing their academic and caregiving work. Using narrative portraits, the study explores how collaborative storytelling enabled the authors to embrace vulnerability, surface hidden experiences, and make sense of trauma within the normative and relational conditions of academic professionalism. Analysis of the narratives highlights three interrelated mechanisms that supported wellbeing amidst trauma: the ongoing negotiation of teacher identity, the capacity to accept help and relational support, and intentional self-care through reflective practice. Rather than positioning recovery as linear or complete, the study illuminates how educators may continue to …

Combined Effects Of Cumulative Triglyceride-Glucose And Blood Pressure On Stroke In Middle-Aged And Older Chinese Adults: A Longitudinal Analysis, Xinyue Wang, Wen Zheng, Xiangqian Jin, Hongzhi Liu, Jiheng Hao, Liyong Zhang, Yuanyuan Gu, Haifeng Hou, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has increasingly been recognised an indicator for stroke risk. We aimed to explore the relationship between TyG and blood pressure (BP) and the combined effects of cumulative TyG (CumTyG) and cumulative BP (CumBP) on stroke risk in a cohort of Chinese middle-aged and older adults. Methods: We enrolled 5138 participants from the 2011–2018 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Cumulative TyG and BP exposures were recorded between 2011 and 2015, and stroke incidence was then followed up until 2018. We conducted a cross-lagged panel analysis to address the temporal and directional relationships …

Development Of A Clinical Prediction Model To Guide The Selective Use Of Spect/Ct In Papillary Thyroid Cancer, Liya Zhu, Junik Son, Lu Wang, Haifeng Hou, Byeong Cheol Ahn

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Radioiodine whole-body scan (WBS) is routinely performed after radioiodine therapy in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), but its two-dimensional nature limits anatomical localization. The addition of single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) improves diagnostic accuracy; however, routine use exposes patients to additional radiation, longer imaging time, and higher costs. This study aimed to establish a predictive model to identify which patients with PTC are more likely to benefit by adding SPECT/CT imaging after WBS, enabling selective rather than routine use. Methods: This retrospective study included 265 patients with pathologically confirmed PTC who underwent postoperative radioiodine therapy followed by WBS and …

Emerging Blood-Based Biomarkers For The Detection Of Parenchymal Brain Metastasis: Current Progress And Future Perspectives, Désirée Sexauer, Elin S. Gray, Helen Rizos, Pauline Zaenker, Aaron B. Beasley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Parenchymal brain metastases of solid malignancies remain a significant clinical challenge, as they are often detected at later symptomatic stages, which are typically associated with worse prognosis. Delayed detection limits treatment options and contributes to poor outcomes, while early detection is critical for improving patient outcomes and quality of life. In this comprehensive review, we investigated the potential use and challenges of blood-based biomarkers, including circulating tumor cells, cell-free DNA, noncoding RNAs, extracellular vesicles, proteins, and other immune-related biomarkers, for the early detection of parenchymal brain metastasis. The use of blood-based liquid biopsies offers a promising avenue for early detection …

Effect Of Traditional And Cluster Set Structures On Bar Path Kinematics During High-Volume Power Clean Training, Tsuyoshi Nagatani, Shayne Vial, Kristina L. Kendall, Paul Comfort, Jiahao Yang, G. Gregory Haff

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of traditional (TRAD) and cluster (CLU) set structures on bar path kinematics during a series of high-volume power clean sets, and compare insights gained from discrete versus waveform analysis. Twenty participants completed TRAD or CLU protocols in a randomised, crossover design. Each protocol involved three sets of nine repetitions at 70% of one-repetition maximum. In CLU sets, a 30-second inter-repetition rest was applied. During TRAD sets, peak velocity declined, and significant (p ≤ 0.05) changes were observed in both vertical and horizontal barbell displacement across repetitions, indicating fatigue-related technical alterations. …

January 2026, Swosu Bulldog Wellness Committee

SWOSU BULLDOG WELLNESS

• Tired of Failing New Year's Resolutions? Try "Health Esteem" instead.
• January Health Tips
• Route 66 Walking Challenge

How I Cook With No Kitchen: An Investigation Of How #Microapartment Kitchens Are Depicted On Tiktok, Joelie Mandzufas, Karen Lombardi, Dorian Winter, Sarah Foster, Siobhan Hickling, Gina S.A. Trapp

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Physical constraints of small apartment kitchens and the influence of the surrounding community food environment may impact food practices of apartment residents. Social media portrayal of these features may influence public perception of apartment living. Aim: This project aimed to describe the public depiction of small apartment kitchen and cooking facilities. Methods: Content analysis of TikTok videos posted with small apartment-related hashtags was determined the portrayal of kitchen facilities, residents’ food practices, and hypothesised barriers to healthy cooking and eating practices. Current residents of small apartments compared these video depictions to their own experience. Results: We found TikTok videos …

Implementation Strategies For Evidence-Based Healthcare Interventions In Rural And Remote Settings: A Scoping Review, Anna Chapman, Cadeyrn J. Gaskin, Hannah Beks, Charlene Wright, Skye Marshall, Elizabeth A. Johnston, Rebecca J. Bergin, Sharina Riva, Fiona Crawford-Williams, Camille E. Short, Nicole Kiss, Sze Lin Yoong, Nicolas H. Hart, Anna Wong Shee, Helena Rodi, Hannah Jongebloed, Anna Ugalde

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Globally, people living in rural and remote areas experience poorer healthcare access and outcomes than urban populations. Applying implementation strategies that support the translation of evidence-based healthcare interventions may help reduce these inequities; however, real-world implementation is complex, and it remains unclear how strategies are applied and tailored to rural and remote contexts. This scoping review synthesised evidence on implementation strategies for healthcare interventions in rural and remote settings of high-income countries. Five databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, CINAHL, Web of Science) were searched for peer-reviewed studies published between 1/1/2000 and 25/10/2024. Extracted data were synthesised using a descriptive …

Unifying To Advance Understanding: Collaborative, Community-Driven And ‘Open’ Approaches For Better Science In Sport, John Warmenhoven, Ian Shrier, Garrett S. Bullock, Alex O. Holcombe, Sophia Nimphius, Paolo Menaspà, Aaron J. Coutts, Franco M. Impellizzeri

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Historically, sport science and medicine researchers have had difficulty obtaining adequate sample sizes, limiting their ability to make accurate generalizations to populations of athletes. To move towards better and more generalizable research, sport could look to other fields of research, and draw upon collaborative approaches for performing science. These include concepts such as big teams approaches for conducting experimental research, developing data repositories centred on a holistic inter-disciplinary view of the athlete and exploring privacy preserving meta-analytic inspired concepts such as federated analyses or pooled synthetic data. These approaches have enormous potential but do come with their own difficulties and …

Navigating Prediabetes In A Foreign Country: A Qualitative Study Of Self-Management Experiences Among Chinese-Speaking Immigrants In Australia, Min Zhang, Kirsten J. Coppell, Johnny Lo, Lisa Whitehead

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: Chinese-speaking immigrants in Australia have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and face more barriers to accessing quality healthcare compared to non-culturally and linguistically diverse populations. This study aimed to explore the self-management experiences of Chinese-speaking Australians with self-reported lived experience of prediabetes following immigration. Design: Qualitative study. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively selected Australian Chinese-speaking immigrants aged over 40 years. Data collection was undertaken in Perth, Western Australia between April and August 2024. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Three themes are presented in this paper: (1) An acculturation journey: Reshaping cultural …

Sport Participation And The Pursuit Of Active And Healthy Lifestyles: Everyday Athletes’ Relationships With Eating And Exercise, Valeria Varea, Eibhlish O'Hara, Dawn Penney, Victoria Evans

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose – Athletes are more likely to experience eating and exercise disorders than non-athletes. Little is known about the incidence of eating and exercise disorders amongst non-elite participants, many of whom participate outside of club governance and support structures. The aim of this paper is to explore eating and exercise attitudes and behaviours amongst participants in both formal and informal sport and, in so doing, generate insights to inform future educational initiatives that seek to promote healthy and active lifestyles. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was completed by 110 participants, 9 of whom were interviewed for the second phase of …

Persistence Of Contested Value Cocreation Practices, Kim Feddema, Kaisa Koskela-Huotari, Paul Harrigan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The climate crisis and other global challenges make it clear that not only are new value cocreation practices (VCPs) needed, but some current VCPs must be discontinued. Prior service literature assumes that VCPs can be disrupted by reforming the institutions that govern them. However, empirical observations show that VCPs may persist even when targeted by institutional work, and recent organizational research points to contested practices that continue to be enacted even when challenged or criticized. To understand this phenomenon in value cocreation, we conducted an embedded case study of exotic pet-keeping—a set of VCPs that continue despite intervention efforts. Our …

The Transformational Possibilities Of Liberal Vocationalism: A Case Study Of Post-Year 10 Outdoor Education In Western Australia, David Aldous, Dawn Penney

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper discusses the transformative potential that liberal vocationalism, aligned with contemporary visions of lifelong and lifewide learning, presents for outdoor learning across institutional and industry settings. Utilising Bernstein’s sociological theory, the paper explores this transformation through an illustrative case study of the relations, knowledges and identities of post-Year10 Outdoor Education in Western Australia (WA). The case study highlights how Outdoor Education in WA has been organised through distinct classificatory relations that exist between government, regulatory bodies and individual industry providers that serve to distinguish Outdoor Education from outdoor learning that is ongoing and able to be pursued by people …

Preadmission Screening And Resident Review (Pasrr): An Initiative To Reduce Inpatient Length Of Stay, Tatiana Jaggars Bsn, Rn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

An Exploratory Study In Sports Geography: The Interaction With The Environment And Sense Of Place In Endurance Running Events, Jackson Steffener

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examines how endurance running shapes runners' sense of place through interactions with physical environments, social dynamics, and embodied experience. With sports geography, it explores how participants form emotional and spatial connections to race settings while moving through varied landscapes under physical strain. A phenomenological multi-site case study design was used, focusing on four endurance events in Iowa that differed in terrain, setting, and structure.

Data were collected from 46 participants using mental mapping and semi structured field notes. Mental maps identified meaningful locations along race courses, while field notes captured emotional responses, environmental conditions, and social interactions. Thematic …

The Politics Of Survival: South-South Migration, Urban Informality, Governance, And The Food Security Nexus In Nairobi, Kenya, Zack Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation contributes to the scholarship on South-South migration by integrating food security into the analysis of urban governance and migrant livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa. While migration and development have been widely examined, their connection to food systems remains underexplored, particularly in urban settings where informality, displacement, and transnational mobility converge. The research addresses this gap by investigating how Somali migrants and refugees in Nairobi’s Eastleigh navigate food insecurity within overlapping systems of governance, inequality, and transnational exchange. It explores three dimensions: the structural and socio-economic determinants of migrant household food insecurity, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as a …