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The Flow Of Holiness: A Theology Of Grace And Differentiation For Congregational Formation, Paul David Bravard

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation addresses a problem in contemporary Christianity, particularly among Evangelical Friends: many hold an incomplete and fragmented understanding of holiness. Holiness has become either a private glow, a legalistic burden, or a vague aspiration. In a culture marked by relativism, anxiety, and institutional fatigue, many believers lack a clear, communal way of speaking about and living out holiness as “the good life through Christ,” shared within a meeting rather than confined to individual hearts.

This dissertation proposes that holiness can be recovered as a distinctive Friends’ witness when it is reframed as a grace-shaped, communal, faithful presence. By bringing …

Near & Now: Everyday Encounters With God, Caleb Christian Cox

Doctor of Ministry

People of Redeemer Lutheran Church often experience a disconnect between Sunday worship and their ordinary lives, leaving them inattentive to everyday encounters with God.

Research and feedback from individuals and households revealed several key insights. First, participants reported that a clear, repeatable structure made spiritual attentiveness more sustainable in daily life. Second, integrating theology with design and usability proved essential for engagement across generations. Finally, stakeholder interaction with the resource affirmed that attentiveness to God would not bear fruit by adding more tasks, but by recognizing the everyday as holy ground.

The project was implemented in the ministry context of …

Body Wonder: Helping Women Discover The Wonder Of God In Their Female Forms, Kristin Marie Antil

Doctor of Ministry

This project works to address the following need/problem/opportunity (NPO): Christian women in my contexts are hindered from having a positive relationship with their bodies which undermines potential and diminishes self-worth. I observed this problem in the students I counsel in my work as a mental health therapist at Bethel University, but I also noticed a tendency for women in my church and community settings to disregard, disdain, or despise their bodies as well. The research over these three years has helped me see the complexities of the factors that contribute to the negative postures that women hold towards their bodies …

Audacious Saints: A Spiritual Formation Journey Toward Freedom And Flourishing, Carroll Lane Parsons

Doctor of Ministry

This doctoral project addresses a common challenge for many Christian women. In spiritual direction, they often express emotional, spiritual, and psychological pain because their voice, vision, and power are limited in their faith communities. Even though these women are deeply devoted to God and their beliefs, this pain can often make it difficult to experience spiritual confidence, discover their calling, and trust their own discernment. The project explores how engaging with the lives of female saints, alongside contemplative and embodied practices, can offer a healing way forward.

Audacious Saints is a twelve-module spiritual formation program that integrates sacred stories, group …

The Reconnection Experience: A Black Pastor's Journey Back To God And Self, Lindsay Mcghee Alexander

Doctor of Ministry

NPO

The Need/Problem/Opportunity (NPO) statement guiding this project is: Pastors in the 8th Episcopal District of the AME Church feel disconnected from God and themselves.

Key Insights

The research revealed that pastoral disconnection is driven less by lack of skill and more by identity loss, performance pressure, and the absence of safe spaces for vulnerability. Spiritual formation remains largely absent from Black pastors' lives and churches. Cultural and denominational expectations reward quantitative data over spiritual growth. Self-care and inner work are not recognized as integral to ministry success or effectiveness. Many pastors operate from “doing” rather than “being,” leading to …

Equip: Developing Confident, Christ-Centered Volunteers, Alyssa Mclaughlin

Doctor of Ministry

NPO statement: Volunteers within Cedar Hills Church feel unsure of what we believe, unclear on their purpose, and unprepared to disciple others in their specific ministry contexts. Without intentional training and equipping, these barriers keep capable people on the sidelines instead of stepping confidently into the mission of Jesus.

Key benefits or insights that emerged: Research and early implementation showed that volunteers engage more when equipping is relational, practical, and connected to real life. Adults were more willing to participate when they could share from their own experiences and practice their faith, rather than sit through content-heavy teaching. Participants gained …

The Sabbath Journey: An Invitation For Pastors And Spiritual Leaders To Find Rest In God, Cody Daniel Ragland

Doctor of Ministry

In the fast-paced ministry of today, non-denominational evangelical pastors in the United States often strive to serve their congregations while neglecting God’s gift of Sabbath rest. Though the Sabbath is deeply rooted in Scripture, it is often misunderstood, minimized, or neglected in the lives of pastors. My NPO seeks to address:

This doctoral project introduces The Sabbath Journey: An invitation for Pastors and Spiritual Leaders to find rest in God. It is a year-long cohort program designed for pastors and ministry leaders to cultivate deep personal relationships and accountability as they develop a weekly Sabbath practice. Through intentional community, …

Empowering Pre-Service Ecse Teachers Through Ai Simulation: Strengthening Family-Centered Iep Facilitation, Jody L. Shong

Essays in Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping instructional practice across educational contexts, yet its role in preparing early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers for complex relational work remains underexplored. Facilitating Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings requires educators to integrate legal knowledge, developmental data, interdisciplinary collaboration, and family priorities within emotionally nuanced conversations. Many pre-service teachers enter the profession without structured opportunities to rehearse these responsibilities.

This article argues that AI-supported simulation represents a practical and equity-oriented approach to strengthening teacher preparation. Grounded in family–professional partnership theory, anti-bias education, and practice-based pedagogy, this manuscript examines how simulation can support relational competence while …

Animal Models Of Aortic Aneurysm And Dissection: A Comparative Guide For Mechanism, Therapeutic Testing, And Translational Readouts, Shayan Mohammadmoradi, Sidney W. Whiteheart

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Aortic aneurysms and dissections are devastating vascular diseases with high mortality, yet no pharmacological therapy has proven effective in halting growth or preventing rupture. Surgical and endovascular repair remain the only treatment options for advanced disease. Animal models have been indispensable in defining mechanisms and testing candidate therapies, but the diversity of protocols, strain-dependent variability, and heterogeneous endpoints complicate interpretation and translation. This review provides an update focused on how to match models to specific research questions. We critically compare commonly used abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) models (angiotensin II ± hyperlipidemia, elastase, calcium chloride, β-aminopropionitrile BAPN hybrids, and mineralocorticoid agonist/fludrocortisone …

Aeroelastic Simulation Of Shape Adaptive Wing, Allan Alfred Kozich Iii

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Morphing wings provide aerodynamic qualities that normal fixed wings cannot, such as the ability to improve endurance yet maintain maneuverability, overcome strong gusts, vibrations, and shocks, and handle both ideal flight for both high and low speeds. A critical application of the new generation of morphing wings is the ability to overcome and affect the onset flutter, a self-excited oscillatory instability that has led to the destruction of aircrafts. This work investigates aeroelastic behavior and measurement of a meta-material structured "smart" wing and its attempt to delay the effect of flutter. The variable wing tip model is analyzed through finite …

The Vagabond Way: A Qualitative Study Of Intentional Non-Participation In Structured Society, Lorena E. Black

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study analyzes intentional vagabondage as both a philosophical position and a lived critique of structured society. Using qualitative fieldwork conducted at Fairlawn Family Church in Fort Pierce, Florida—including ten semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and grounded theory analysis—the study examines how individuals who voluntarily disengage from formal systems of housing, labor, and legality construct meaning, identity, and stability beyond institutional boundaries. The analysis identifies three central themes: rhythm, referring to the patterned routines that sustain mobility; reciprocity, which characterizes social exchange and support networks; and refusal, expressed as a deliberate rejection of societal expectations. While many participants describe their paths …

Moral Distress Of The Professional Adn Gatekeeper During Early Covid-19: An Interpretivist Qualitative Study, Kimberly Triche

Dissertations of Practice

MORAL DISTRESS OF THE PROFESSIONAL ADN GATEKEEPER DURING EARLY COVID-19: AN INTERPRETIVIST QUALITATIVE STUDY

This interpretivist qualitative study examines the experiences of Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) faculty at two-year institutions in Illinois navigating the “Regulatory Pincer,” the intersection of state-mandated lockdowns and rigid licensure requirements, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research illustrates how the sudden transition to online modality and the abrupt dismantling of the traditional “gatekeeper” model forced faculty to navigate high stress environments with negligible preparation. The findings reveal that the necessity of maintaining instructional continuity while stripped of tactile verification tools created a profound state of “moral …

“Don’T Let Your Disability Be Your Weakness, Let It Be Your Greatest Strength”: A Phenomenological Study Of Nursing Students Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Randa Melms

Dissertations of Practice

This phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of nursing students who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) as they navigated nursing education and the clinical learning environment. Using critical disability theory (CDT) as a guiding framework, the study explored how participants understood, negotiated, and redefined their identities within a profession historically shaped by hearing norms. Four essential themes emerged: reframing disability as expertise, navigating institutional supports and structural barriers, negotiating clinical spaces designed around hearing bodies, and drawing strength from relational networks. These findings can inform more inclusive practices among higher education professionals and clinical educators, helping reduce disparities …

Grades And Grading Practices And Their Associations To Student Motivation, Rob Tesmond Iii

Dissertations of Practice

This study’s purposes are to understand how students perceive grades and their impact on their motivation to learn, how students perceive different grading practices, and how students who typically experience academic success respond compared to how students who typically do not experience academic success respond. Utilizing qualitative research methods, two rounds of focus groups were conducted. The first round consisted of five focus group sessions made up of a total of nineteen students who typically experience high academic success, including an overwhelming representation of students who take honors and AP classes. The second round consisted of three focus group sessions …

Beyond Discipline: Creating Academic Structural Systems To Foster Success For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Richard Jasch

Dissertations of Practice

Students diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) face profound challenges in traditional educational environments, often exhibiting significant underdevelopment in critical social and emotional learning skills. To support this vulnerable population, many school districts rely on specialized programs, such as the “affective learning center” (ALC), designed to stabilize behavior and foster growth. This qualitative dissertation of practice examines the ALC within a mid-sized K–12 district in the Rocky Mountain region to define its core characteristics and evaluate educators' perceptions of its effectiveness. Furthermore, the study investigates the alignment or misalignment between stakeholder perceptions, daily classroom practices, and overarching district policies. …

Editors' Introduction, Emma Kudelka, Brady Poisal

Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

One Nation, Bound By Drag: Tokyo’S Drag Culture As A Modern Subentity Of National Identity, Emmeline Schubert

Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research

Throughout Japan’s history, performance has played a significant role in the construction and expression of gender and identity; drag culture in 21st-century Tokyo represents a contemporary subcultural form of this tradition. As drag publics become increasingly visible in urban Japan, it raises the question of how subcultures, competing identities, and social rebellions relate to dominant understandings of national identity. This paper explores the idea that Tokyo’s drag culture functions as a counterpublic of imagined communities that negotiate belonging through performance. While Japanese national identity is frequently defined as homogeneous and ethnocentric, an examination of gender expression in kabuki, onnagata, and …

Survey Measures On Perinatal Cannabis Use, Aaditya Balasubramaniyan, Jacquelyn Reiss, Amy Donley

Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS)

No abstract provided.

Mount Rainier National Park: Tales, Trails, & Auto Tours, Jerry Rohde, Gisela Rohde, Larry Eifert

Archives & Reprint Series (imprint)

Re-release of the 1996 book on exploring Mount Rainier National Park. We are very pleased that you are about to read a reprint of our book, but 1996 was a long time ago, and many things have changed since then. While the human and natural history accounts are still accurate, some trail and road descriptions, along with park phone numbers and park facilities, are no longer valid. Before hiking any of the trails we describe in this book, please check with one of the park visitor centers for current information.

Does Working From Home Impact Audit Quality? Evidence From Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions During Covid-19, Monika Causholli, Sung-Yuan Mark Cheng, Nargess Golshan

Economics Faculty Publications

Catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic, many audit firms announced large-scale plans to adopt work-from-home (WFH) policies. It is unclear how this arrangement would affect audit quality. We exploit county-level non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as shelter-in-place orders and lockdowns, that exogenously increased local auditors’ WFH practices. We use a difference-in-differences research design to compare audit engagements that were affected by these policies to those that were not, including those within the same office. We find that WFH is associated with higher audit quality measured by discretionary accruals and going-concern opinions. We also find some evidence that these results are stronger for clients …

Theory Of Mind: Effects Of Ecological Syntactic Training In Children With And Without Autism, Jill De Villiers, Stephanie Durrleman

Linguistics: Faculty Publications

Complement clauses, such as Mary says that Santa exists, are complex linguistic structures that have been argued to help children grasp others’ beliefs when those beliefs do not align with reality. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) tend to have difficulties with Theory of Mind (ToM), which might be helped by enhancing understanding of complements. The study investigates whether an ecological approach to training, using children's books containing false complement clauses, can improve false belief reasoning in children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children. The goal is to assess if structured dialogic reading at home, led by parents, …

Influence Of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease On Pattern And Management Of Acute Coronary Syndrome, Elshazly Abdulkhalik, Nagat Ibrahim, Selim Sidhom, Hesham H Alqurashi, Khaled Alghashmari, Muhammad Alotaibi, Ahmed Alqurashi, Moath Alzahrani, Shahad Alqahtani, Abdulaziz Alshalan, Nouran Althumali, Mazen Aljohani, Saud Alzahrani, Haidi Karam-Allah Ramadan

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To determine the influence of metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) and hepatic fibrosis on the pattern and management of patients who had acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: Retrospective records of patients with ACS included demographic, electrocardiographic, and laboratory data of platelets count, glycated hemoglobin, lipogram, liver and cardiac enzymes. Ultrasound was used to evaluate fatty liver. Coronary angiography data included the number, site and percentage of the coronary arteries occluded. The type and outcome of treatment of ACS were recorded. Laboratory markers were measured to evaluate fibrosis. Results: The study recruited 259 patients, and the majority were males. …

Bailey Rodgers-Pam Mendelsohn '66, Bailey Rodgers, Pamela Mendelsohn

Alumni Oral History Project

No abstract provided.

Feasibility Study Of A Screening Decision Tool For Allocating Adults Into Food Is Medicine Programs As An Effective Approach To Target Clinical And Dietary Outcomes Among Rural And Urban Adults, Alison Gustafson, Carolyn Lauckner, Joshua L. Bush, Emily Dimond, Carolina Morales Serrano, Christa Mayfield, Elizabeth T. Anderson Steeves

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Objective: Evaluate feasibility (primary), clinical, and cost outcomes (secondary) associated with the use of a screening decision tool for allocating rural and urban adults with hypertension into in a food is medicine (FIM) program.

Design: Participants were allocated to receive either medically tailored meals or grocery prescription (Rx), based on a user-centered designed screening decision tool. Medically tailored meals (MTM) provided 5 meals per week for 12 weeks. The grocery Rx program provided $100 each month for 3 months to purchase food consistent with guidelines for hypertension. Feasibility outcomes included engagement, dose, and program acceptability. Semi-structured interviews were completed with …

Court-Appointed Neutrals And Legal Ethics: Fish, Fowl, Or Platypus, Dennis A. Rendleman

NYLS Law Review

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A court-appointed neutral (CAN) is ethically neither fish nor fowl. A CAN who is a lawyer is …

Chapter 1: A Brief Introduction: Rhombus Motifs In Textiles, Billie J. A. Follensbee, Lois Martin

Precious Pattern: The Dotted-Diamond Motif in Indigenous American Textiles, Explorations in Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the Andes

Presents a brief introduction to rhombus motifs in textiles.

Chapter 5: The “Dotted-Grid” And “Dotted-Diamond” Motifs On Skirts: Fertility And Power During The Epiclassic And Early Postclassic Periods In Central And Western Mesoamerica (600 To 1200 Ce), Juliette Testard

Precious Pattern: The Dotted-Diamond Motif in Indigenous American Textiles, Explorations in Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the Andes

Discusses gender, apparel, and attributes with respect to the Epiclassic shift in politics and ideology, the grid, hatched, and rhomboidal patterns in central Mexican imagery during the Epiclassic, and the dotted-grid and dotted-diamond motifs on female figurines during the Epiclassic and Early Postclassic Periods.

Tuck Everlasting (1976) By Natalie Babbitt, Gareth B. Matthews

Middle Grades Books

In Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt tells the story of ten-year-old Winnie Foster, who is about to drink from a spring in her family's wood, but is suddenly kidnapped by the Tuck family. They explain that they all drank from that spring 87 years ago and stopped aging. "If you'd had a drink of it today, you’d stay a little girl forever.” Some philosophical thought experiments help us decide if a certain attitude we have towards something is appropriate. Most of us lament our own mortality and fear death. But would an endless life be worth living?

Literature In Us School Psychology: Who Gets In?, Finn Drennan, Carmin Jones, Kitzia Martinez, Ethan Jones

CURE Proceedings

Past research has established that biases in psychological research favor authors and participants in the United States and other Western countries (Henrich et al., 2010; Arnett, 2008). However, the extent of this bias in the field of school psychology is not well understood. School psychologists support students from diverse cultural backgrounds, so understanding biases in the empirical literature is important for understanding how well that literature describes all students. The goal of the present study is to apply bibliometric and scientometric techniques to describe who participates in school psychology research. Bibliometric data will be collected from empirical articles published in …

Behavioral And Psychological Financial Hardship Among Caregivers Of Pediatric Cancer Patients, Josiane Kabayundo, Cheng Zheng, Edward S. Peters, Don W. Coulter, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Financial hardship encompasses material, behavioral, and psychological domains; however, most research among caregivers of pediatric cancer patients has focused on material hardship. This study examined factors associated with behavioral and psychological financial hardship among caregivers of pediatric cancer patients in Nebraska.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of caregivers of children diagnosed within the past 5 years and treated at two pediatric oncology specialty clinics. Behavioral hardship was defined as delaying medical or mental healthcare due to cost, while psychological hardship was measured by worry about ability to pay medical bills. Descriptive statistics and poisson regression with robust variance …