Digital Commons Network^™

Spring 2026 (Volume 63, Issue 2) Complete Issue, Georgia Library Quarterly

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Personality Meets Possibility: Exploring Cognitive Engagement For Older Adults In A Changing World, Kalvry A. Cooper

All Theses

Engagement in cognitively stimulating activities (CSAs) is critical for maintaining cognitive health in older adults. While existing research has examined the benefits of CSAs, less is known about how factors such as personality traits, education, and technology proficiency influence engagement, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore older adults' participation in online versus in-person CSAs during the pandemic and identify key predictors of engagement. Using secondary data from the EFIT and ENACT studies, this research investigates how variables like marital status, education, personality traits, and mobile device proficiency shape older adults' decisions to engage in online or …

Enhanced Situational Awareness Of Solar Pv Plants For Near Real-Time Planning And Operation In Modern Power Systems, Michael A. Walters

All Theses

Solar photovoltaic (PV) plant development and utilization is increasing worldwide but remains intrinsically challenged by its large dependence on highly variable weather conditions and operating states. This paper presents a framework to leverage three new situational awareness indices (SAIs), namely: weather condition index (WCI) to gauge operational performance based on environmental states, operational complexity index (OCI) to indicate the severity of power generation reductions, and photovoltaic generation index (PVGI) to provide a final determination of the impact on power generation and to bolster situational awareness in planning and operational contexts for solar PV plants. This is accomplished by exploiting the …

Digital Media, Political Priming, And The Strategy Of Donald J. Trump’S 2024 Presidential Campaign, Emma Dayton

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis applies the priming theory of communications and examines its effectiveness in the political realm, specifically, within the digital strategies implemented throughout the 2024 presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump. It was asked to what extent Donald Trump’s digital political priming on social media influenced the most important issues to voters in the 2024 election. The use and impact of rhetoric, images, and partnerships were analyzed in this study to determine the extent to which Trump was able to influence the issues voters deemed as most important. By comparing Trump’s social media use with polling showing the economy and …

Experiences Of Hispanic/Latine Graduate Students In Unco’S Audiology And Speech-Language Pathology Programs Within A Hispanic-Serving Institution Context: Qualitative Thematic Analysis From A Moderated Focus Group, Ashley Fuhrman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Existing literature has examined workforce diversity in healthcare as a factor that may shape patient rapport and the delivery of culturally responsive, patient-centered care. Given the increasing demand for audiologists (AuDs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with diverse and multilingual backgrounds, it is important to understand how graduate programs prepare students to serve linguistically and culturally diverse populations. This qualitative study examines the experiences of Hispanic/Latine graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), a recently designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). The study explores students’ perceptions of training, support, and experiences in serving diverse populations. …

Words And Phrases That Matter: A Corpus Analysis Of Vocabulary And Phraseological Coverage In Myanmar's High School English Textbooks, Kaung Hla Zan

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

"Myanmar’s high school education relies on centralized EFL textbooks as the primary source of English input for a significant population of Myanmar youth. Following curriculum reforms aiming for communicative competence, this study provides a corpus-based evaluation of the lexical and phraseological composition of Grades 10 to 12 (high school) textbooks. Using a multi-list approach, this study profiled the textbooks against the New General Service List (NGSL) and the Academic Vocabulary List (AVL) for vocabulary coverage. To determine the frequency and coverage of academic phrases, the textbooks were profiled against three lists of academic bundles identified by Simpson-Vlach and Ellis (2010), …

Creating A "Good Person": Netiquette And Instagram, Melissa S. Danai-Nolder

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This project aimed to ask the question, “How does digital etiquette, or netiquette, lead to socialization of self-presentation on Instagram?” I interviewed 15 students classified as "Generation Z" who attend a northeastern university and have an Instagram account. This was done using a convenience sample of participants who were asked to participate in the interview. Done by the convenience of the individuals who were at the location at the time. The results indicate a disconnect between wanting to be seen as a “good person” and the means used to paint this image. Netiquette plays a role in crafting self-presentation, as …

An Invasion Of The Intimate Sphere: The Manipulation Of Libido Under Totalitarian Regimes, Elyssa Lucero

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This paper examines the temporal nature of libidinal control in the totalitarian systems represented in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Arguing that the most enduring forms of domination operate through the reorganization of desire, the essay explores how regimes intervene in familial, romantic, and social attachments to redirect affective energy towards the state. Orwell depicts a primitive, reactive phase of control in which attachments are violently ruptured, whereas Huxley imagines an advanced system that operates through preemption, never allowing attachments to form. Drawing on Freud’s theory of redirected libido, Berlant’s theory of Cruel Optimism, Marxist …

Through The Eyes Of Alumni: Transformative Power Of Eof For First-Generation College Students From Racially/Ethnically And Economically Marginalized Backgrounds, Sabrina Magliulo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This qualitative study used the Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) framework to describe the impact participation in New Jersey’s Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program had on the life trajectories of thirteen first-generation Black and Latina/e/o alumni. Findings suggest that authentic relationships between participants and EOF institutional agents created non-judgmental healing spaces where students could honor their cultural wealth and use it to enhance their college experiences. As higher education practitioners seek to increase positive outcomes for students from marginalized backgrounds, this study’s findings provide evidence for adopting EOF practices and investing in intentional screening and hiring practices to identify professionals equipped …

(De)Composing Transhumanisms: Fungal And Trans Ecologies In Jeff Vandermeer's Annihilation, Miles Nives Qapevewni Enriquez-Morales

English (MA) Theses

This thesis project analyzes the novel Annihilation (2014) by Jeff VanderMeer and situates the biologist’s transformation and transition in the book in a trans ecological framework. By expanding on foundational texts such as Jackson Jesse Nash’s “‘I Am Not Returning Home’: A Transgender Reading of Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation”, this paper argues that representations of fungus in Annihilation present a possibility for trans futurity rooted in transformation, ecological entanglement, and a rejection of binary thought. Additional articles from Transgender Studies Quarterly and A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies orient this fungal transformation in the larger framework of rejecting normative …

Implementation Brief Classroom Snapshots, Center On English Language Proficiency

Resources

No abstract provided.

The Quiet Persistence Of Dreams: Searching For Belonging Within The Latino Student Journey, Isveydi Moreno Vera

Theses & ETDs

This thesis explores the tension between belonging and aspiration among first-generation Latino students navigating higher education. Through a series of surreal and symbolic paintings inspired by memories, transformation, and cultural imagery, I visualize the emotional negotiation between personal identity and societal expectations. Rather than portraying “The Dream” as a singular goal, my work reimagines it as a space where belonging is continually shaped, questioned, and redefined. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Tanya Arguiniga, Tony Ortega, and Yvette Mayorga, I build upon their use of storytelling, surrealism, and materiality to express complex cultural experiences. My series aims to honor the …

J.R.R. Tolkien’S Creation Of The Modern Fantasy Genre As A Response To Modernity By Way Of A Return To A Past Inspired By The Middle Ages, As Revealed Through The Creatures Of Middle-Earth, Regarding Race, Gender, Empire, And Religion, Jonathan Levitt

Doctoral Dissertations

Fantasy authors existed well before and during J.R.R Tolkien’s time, but he brought a new gravitas to the genre, building upon but disposing of and reconceptualizing conventional notions (such as the presence of fairies) to earn his moniker as the father of the modern fantasy genre. Although Tolkien’s stories are inspired by Northern myths, the world he creates is to be understood as historically real, as it incorporates authentic linguistic and cultural underpinnings of a society informed by his experience as a philologist and professor of Anglo Saxon. The intensity and longevity of Tolkien’s influence on the literary world and …

Neutral Giant: The United States And The Costa Rican Civil War Of 1948, James Irving

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is a narrative microhistory of American diplomacy during Costa Rica’s transformative 1948 civil war. Emerging out of a contested presidential election, the war pitted the Costa Rican government of Teodoro Picado and its communist allies against an anticommunist, nationalist rebel movement led by José Figueres in a monthlong fight for political power. While existing histories of American policymaking have concluded almost unanimously that the United States intervened to support the rebels as part of its Cold War strategy in Latin America—labeling the civil war a precursor to the more infamous coup in Guatemala in 1954—this dissertation seeks to …

Expanding The Vocabulary Of Staff Notation By Notating The Vocal Instrument, Ryan J. Berry

Honors Theses

The aspects of vocal music performance that are often the most engaging, expressive, and creative cannot be conveyed with the established vocabulary of staff notation. Consequently, discussion of artistic choices is limited to oral or written-word formats that are neither internationally interpretable or widely shared. This research proposes a remedy by creating notation symbols for the larynx, tongue, and formants so the movements of a singer's instrument can be described in staff notation. These symbols, along with the International Phonetic Alphabet, were applied to four performances to highlight specific artistic choices. Additionally, this paper discusses the history of vocal sheet …

The Ethical Imperative To Shift Toward A More Equitable Literary Education, Eleanor L. Bryant

Honors Theses

Choices governing canon formation have material, emotional, and intellectual consequences. Within canon formation, authors of different social identities, consistent with macrosocial power differentials, are unequally valued and shape cultural consciousness about which texts are aesthetically and intellectually valuable. It’s important to recognize canon formation as a process of unequally distributing cultural capital and knowledge production. The strategies and imperatives outlined here are basic first steps toward utilizing the classroom as a site to counter misogyny, racism, classism, colonialism, and homophobia. This project aims not only to deepen understanding of the sociological conditions of canon formation but also to impose an …

Improving Learning Habits In High School Ela, Alexander Sinn

Masters Projects

Students lack the habits and skills to process and apply what they have learned. In their secondary education, they are not developing the traits that help them succeed in college courses. Students are not explicitly taught note-taking and other study skills needed to succeed in core academic areas, English Language Arts (ELA) in particular. To address the needs of students, curriculum must incorporate expectations for students in self-efficacy and self-regulatory areas of learning. In the secondary ELA classroom, students should be provided opportunities and experiences to develop good habits. These should be requirements of 9th and 10th grade curriculum. The …

The Trade-Off Between The Fear Of Judgment (Stigma) And The Intention To Engage With Ai-Driven Hiv/Aids Information: Evidence From Bangladesh And Nigeria, Abdullah Mohaimen

Masters Theses

This study explores the relationship between Fear of Judgment (FOJ), understood as perceived stigma, and Intention to Engage (EI) with an AI-driven chatbot providing HIV/AIDS information. Stigma often discourages individuals from seeking information or discussing sensitive health issues, creating barriers to prevention and education. AI chatbots offer a potential solution by enabling anonymous, accessible, and non-judgmental interactions. This study examines whether FOJ reduces users’ willingness to engage with such technology and whether cultural context shapes this relationship. Data were collected from young adults in Bangladesh and Nigeria (N = 56) through an anonymous online survey using a simulated chatbot, Lifeline. …

Negation And The Backfire Effect, Caden Fowler

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Quick! Do not think of a polar bear. Did you think of a white bear? As Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote in his 1863 essay “Winter Notes on Summer Impressions,” “[when tasked to not think of a polar bear] you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute.” The consequence of negation without context (i.e., unlicensed negation; Levine & Hagaman, 2008) is what has come to be referred to as the “backfire effect,” a phenomenon where correcting misinformation strengthens belief in that information rather diminishing it (Ecker, et al., 2020). Fake news and misinformation in …

What Are The Roles Of Vocabulary And Working Memory In Metaphor Comprehension?, Claire Simpson

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

One of the most notable factors that influence sentence comprehension is the presence of metaphors (e.g., Inhoff, Lima, & Carroll, 1984). The metaphor interference effect (MIE) is a very interesting result of metaphor comprehension. It is a well-known linguistic effect (e.g., Al- Azary et al., 2021; Glucksberg et al, 1982) that can result in participants taking longer to determine that a metaphoric statement is false compared to other non-metaphoric literally false statements. The present study investigated the impact that vocabulary knowledge, working memory capacity, and memory load have on the metaphor interference effect. We predicted that each of these characteristics …

Defining Civil Rico's "Injury To Business Or Property" Requirement: The Supreme Court Takes A Few Steps, Says It Punts, But Actually Fumbles, Randy D. Gordon

Faculty Scholarship

Throughout its history, the RICO statute has presented lawyers with something of an interpretive parlor game. It is indefinite along multiple dimensions and thereby given multiple interpretations, even down to the word level. In Medical Marijuana v. Horn, the Supreme Court set out to define one of RICO's civil-standing provisions: Namely, whether the statute's "injury to business or property" requirement can be satisfied when a plaintiff suffers both economic and personal injuries. In a 5-4 decision, members of the Court engaged in an interpretive battle over the meaning of the phrase and succeeded only in holding that civil RICO does …

Connection Through Crisis: A Thematic Analysis Of Dialogic Public Relations And Renewal In Social Media Posts From Nonprofit Organizations During Hurricane Helene, Cassidy L. Gruber

All Theses

During a crisis, nonprofit organizations must communicate quickly and ethically with their stakeholders to maintain a good relationship. Data was collected from nonprofit organizations’ Instagram and X accounts during a one-month period surrounding Hurricane Helene in 2024 to see how organizations were communicating with their stakeholders during a crisis. This study found that nonprofit organizations were implementing elements of dialogic communication and renewal into their social media messages. It was also found that national and global organizations were more vocal than local and regional organizations during the crisis. This research highlights the importance of communicating ethically with stakeholders during a …

"Obsessive Myth:" Disturbing The Grammar Of The Lyric And Epic In Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's "Dictee", Noelle (Nell) Kriegel

All Theses

The archival text Dictée by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha spans many genres, making it a highly hybrid text. Cha uses personal letters, official government documents, images, prose, dictation exercises, translations, and poetry to create a composite identity of women neglected through history. Dictée’s hybrid form allows it to experiment with the lyric and epic traditions, challenging their forms to adequately reflect the lived experience of oppressed women. Dictée’s hybridity is but one aspect of its interrogation of literary form and language; the text also plays with grammar, specifically pronouns, to depict a genealogy of female voices as they relate to …

Deaf Inclusion In Community Engagement: Anderson County In Perspective, Franklin Chukwuemeka Izundu

All Theses

This terminal project examines communicative accessibility in public engagement meetings for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) residents, using Anderson County, South Carolina, as the primary case study. Public participation is a central principle of planning, yet participation cannot be considered meaningful when some residents are unable to fully access information, follow discussion, or contribute on equal terms. This study investigates the extent to which Anderson County’s planning-related public meetings accommodate DHH participants and identifies strategies that can improve inclusive engagement.

The study employs a qualitative case study design based primarily on non-participant observation. Public meetings in Anderson County were …

Beyond The Interface: Human Perceptions Of Generative-Ai Chatbots As Conversational Partners, Browning W.E. Blair

All Theses

Generative AI (gen-AI) chatbots are becoming embedded in everyday communicative life, yet it remains unclear whether users perceive these systems as socially reciprocative conversational partners. Therefore, this study examines how young adults understand and interact with gen-AI chatbots, focusing on perceptions of conversational partnership, anthropomorphism, politeness, discomfort, and technical understanding. Guided by the CASA framework, Media Equation Theory, and the uncanny valley hypothesis, this study employed four semi-structured, online focus groups with 15 undergraduate students and recent college graduates in the United States. Findings indicate that participants did not broadly perceive gen-AI chatbots as conversational partners in the interpersonal sense. …

Girl Grammar: A Syntactic And Pragmatic Analysis Of Girl And Miss Girl, Evelyn A. Powers

Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses

Based on observation, personal interaction, and informal interviews/linguistic judgements, this thesis presents the unique and asymmetrical grammaticality patterns of the terms Girl and Miss Girl. To account for these asymmetries, I provide a syntactic framework rooted in Minimalism and Rizzi’s (1997) expanded CP hypothesis, alongside a pragmatic explanation based on Barros and Frank’s (2023) attentional maintenance and attentional shift paradigm.

Miss Girl behaves as a typical R-expression when used as a 3rd person subject, but Girl has a very restricted distribution, inconsistent with either R-expressions or pronouns (it is acceptable as the subject of a main clause, ungrammatical in object …

Transportation Support As A Preventive Strategy For Family Stability: A Community-Based Intervention In Monterey And Santa Cruz Counties, Synthia Moreno

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Families in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties face transportation barriers that limit access to essential services and increase the risk of family instability and child welfare involvement. This capstone project was completed at Safe Families for Children Monterey Bay, a nonprofit organization that provides preventive, community-based support to families in crisis. The organization serves diverse, primarily low-income families, including many Hispanic/Latino households, across urban and rural communities. The project developed a Transportation Support Program using trained volunteers to provide reliable rides for families and interns to attend medical, legal, and social service appointments. The purpose was to improve access to …

Immigration Related Stress As A Social Determinants Of Health Among Immigrants In Santa Cruz County, Jose Manuel Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Immigration related stress is a major public health issue for undocumented immigrants and mixed status families. That is linked towards the social determinants of health associated with mental health, stress, and disparities. This capstone project was implemented at Santa Cruz County Immigration Project, a program within the Community Action Board in Watsonville, California, that provides legal assistance and support towards the community. The purpose of this project was to evaluate & analyze collected data from clients feedback through bilingual surveys & intake forms that were distributed in person, email, text, and QR code. A total of 50 surveys were collected, …

Implementing A Teen Vaping Awareness Intervention In Monterey County, Vanessa Sanchez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Adolescents in Monterey County face increased risks of respiratory health problems due to rising vaping use, influenced by low awareness, social pressures, and environmental factors. This capstone project, conducted with Breathe California, aimed to promote awareness of vaping risks and assess youth knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. The intervention took place at the 2026 Salinas See Our Youth Summit at Sherwood Hall in Salinas, California, and included middle and high school students from diverse backgrounds. Participants received education through an awareness flyer and brief discussion, followed by a survey. The anticipated outcomes were greater awareness of vaping-related health risks and reduced …

Improving Language Access And Communication In Behavioral Health Intake For Spanish-Speaking Families, Mabel I. Collins

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Language barriers in behavioral health settings can limit caregiver understanding, reduce engagement, and contribute to disparities in access to care for Spanish-speaking families. This capstone project was conducted at Ohana Center for Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health, specifically within its intake and evaluation processes, serving primarily Spanish-speaking caregivers from diverse and underserved backgrounds. The project aimed to improve language access and communication by identifying gaps and developing practical tools to support both staff and families. Qualitative methods, including observation, staff consultation, and document review, revealed consistent barriers, including inconsistent interpreter use, reliance on technical or formal language, limited strategies to …