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Efficacy, Acceptability, And Feasibility Of Stayquit For Sustaining Smoking Abstinence After Psychiatric Hospitalization: A Pilot Study, Corinne N. Kacmarek, Hannah C. Smith, Alicia Lucksted, Lan Li, Laché Wilkins, Gabriella Coakley, Peter Phalen, Deborah Medoff, Faith Dickerson, Julie Kreyenbuhl, Melanie E. Bennett

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Veterans with mental illness have high rates of tobacco use and psychiatric hospitalization in the Veterans Health Administration (VA). VA is smoke-free, and guidelines recommend that smoking cessation medication and counseling be delivered during and one month after hospitalization to sustain abstinence. Little is known about how patients experience this intervention. This pilot study evaluated the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of an evidence-informed, novel smoking intervention, StayQuit, for psychiatric inpatients.

Methods: Participants were recruited from an inpatient VA psychiatric unit. Changes in self-reported cigarettes smoked per day, nicotine dependence, and abstinence self-efficacy were evaluated between baseline and 12-week follow …

Long Covid, Silent Suffering, And Work, Joseph A. Seiner

Washington and Lee Law Review

Though most recover from COVID quickly, countless others remain chronically ill. Five years after the start of the pandemic, Long COVID continues to harm the economy, forcing thousands from employment at a time when businesses are struggling to find workers. With over thirty million individuals in the United States having contracted Long COVID, the illness cannot be dismissed as merely malingering or psychosomatic in nature.

With no diagnostic test for identifying Long COVID, skepticism about the illness persists. Many are scared to acknowledge their affliction with the disease and fear being stigmatized. Those who suffer silently struggle to perform their …

Transnational Surrogacy: Considering The Full Impact, Morin Windle

Audre Lorde Prize

No abstract provided.

Addiction And Dalits: The Impact Of India’S Caste System, Ava Jackson

Audre Lorde Prize

Across global public health and psychology, addiction is defined as a chronic condition that involves compulsive seeking and taking of a substance. In Western frameworks, addiction is often treated as an isolated condition, where the individual is blamed for their actions. In reality, addiction is rooted in biological, psychological, and social factors and is more complex than an individual level. Looking at the Global South, addiction is prominent in Dalit or “untouchable” individuals in India’s caste system, who face exclusion from all forms of society, including education, work, and social experiences. Addiction among Dalit women in India, Bangladesh, and the …

Manufacturing Migrants: How Historical Identity Construction And Bureaucratic Tools Enable Anti- Immigration Politics In The Dominican Republic, Christianne Bertrand

Araneum: Richmond Journal of American & Global Affairs

This paper examines the rise of anti-immigration politics in the Dominican Republic, asking the question: why and how did exclusionary policies targeting Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent become viable in this specific context? I contend that contemporary deportation and denationalization policies cannot be explained solely by factors such as economic anxiety, cultural backlash, or right-wing contagion. Instead, anti-immigration politics can take hold when politicians draw on historically constructed processes of “othering” and utilize existing bureaucratic tools to carry out exclusionary policies. Through qualitative analysis of scholarly literature, government documents, international human rights reports, political speeches, and legal rulings and …

Program: Virginia Academy Of Science 104th Annual Meeting, 2026, Virginia Academy Of Science

Virginia Journal of Science

Full program of the 104th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science. Held at  Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia on May 28, 2026.

Proceedings Of The 104th Annual Virginia Academy Of Science Meeting, 2026, Virginia Academy Of Science

Virginia Journal of Science

Proceedings (abstracts) of the 104th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science, May 28, 2026, at Christopher Newport University, in Newport News, Virginia.

Teacher Perceptions On Culturally Responsive Teaching And Learning: Middle School African American Male Achievement And Implications, Richard A. Brown

Interdisciplinary Leadership Dissertations

Academic achievement gaps among African American male middle school students persist, raising concerns about educational equity and instructional effectiveness. This phenomenological qualitative study examined middle school teachers’ perceptions of culturally responsive teaching (CRT), focusing on how educators understood, implemented, and assessed CRT practices related to the academic engagement and achievement of African American male students. The study sought to identify the beliefs, instructional strategies, barriers, and supports that shape CRT implementation in suburban middle school settings. The research used a qualitative phenomenological design to capture the lived experiences of educators working with African American male students in the southern suburbs …

A Comprehensive Marketing Plan For Calvary Christian Academy, Emily Piwowarski

Senior Honors Theses

Marketing strategies have been implemented by companies for years. The outline of a marketing plan requires businesses to do extensive research on the industry they plan to enter, including evaluating the political, environmental, social, technological, economical, and legal factors that are affecting it. This research helps to form the marketing mix–the product, price, promotion, and place strategies-–which determine what the business will offer the industry and how it will make this offer. A business will then use marketing tactics to reach its target audience. Tactics that have risen along with the advancement of technology are social media marketing and search …

Exploratory Evaluation Of Handler Performance And Processing-Related Outcomes During Cattle Handling, Morgan Marquardt

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Animals have several critical roles in society, including the production of food and fiber, and companionship. Contact with animals has been shown to benefit human physical and mental health, yet little research has investigated the impact that humans have on animals. Handler skill may considerably affect the extent to which humans influence animal health and wellbeing, and this may be a critical consideration for animal agriculture. Objective assessment of cattle handler skill has received limited attention in the scientific literature, despite its importance to human safety and animal welfare. When compared to less skilled handlers, highly skilled cattle handlers may …

Resonant Cracks In The Music Curriculum: Integrating Social And Emotional Learning In The Secondary Music Classroom, Margaret E. Lerch

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Music education has long been recognized as a subject that encourages student learning beyond the walls of the music classroom. While elementary music programs often foster language development and social awareness, secondary music instruction tends to emphasize performance skills and technical development. The explicit secondary orchestra curriculum for this middle school includes only instrument skill-development standards and learning-target descriptions. In this fourth-marking-period sixth-grade orchestra class, coursework—including students’ journal reflections, classroom dialogue, and comparison soundscape projects—operated intentionally “within the cracks” of the formal curriculum to create opportunities for the students to express and engage with emotions, identity, belonging, empathy, perspective-taking, and …

Young Life: A Philosophy Of Incarnational Youth Ministry In Grant County, Indiana, Symon Cater

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

This paper presents a vision for Young Life ministry in Grant County, Indiana, framed around William K. Francena’s model of moral education, with the unifying theme that adolescents are transformed from the inside out when they encounter the reality of being known and loved. Box A establishes the ultimate purpose of human existence as being known by God, knowing God, and being with God — a purpose that anchors every subsequent section of the paper. Box B builds upon this foundation by articulating five theological and sociological premises touching on prayer, Scripture, human relationality, adolescent cultural formation, and identity development, …

Rooted Families: A Whole Family Ministry, Aubree Nelson

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

Rooted Families is set in the context of a family dynamic: a mother, a father, and children. Parents often drop their kids off at church on Sunday, yet many feel unqualified to disciple their children at home. This paper is the philosophy of ministry for Rooted Families, which is located at First Missionary Church in Fort Wayne Indiana. The goal is to provide a framework for churches to enable them to create spaces for parents to learn and be equipped to disciple their children. This paper describes the theological, anthropological, and sociological premises that affect parents and their influence over …

Patient Views On Blood-Based Biomarker Tests For Alzheimer's Disease In Primary Care, Andrea Russell, Abigail Vogeley, Rebecca Lovett, Rachel O’Conor, Stephanie Batio, Jeimmy Hurtado, Morgan Bonham, Julia Benavente, Adam Brickman, Chinedu Momoh

Brain and Mind Institute

INTRODUCTION Blood-based biomarkers could offer accessible, cost-effective detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in primary care. This study examined patient attitudes toward AD biomarker testing.

METHODS Crosssectional surveys were conducted with 572 adults from Chicago-area clinics. Participants received brief education on biomarker tests before completing the survey.

RESULTS Most participants (83.8%) were unfamiliar with biomarker tests; 1.8% previously completed testing. After brief education, most (94.5%) supported offering tests to patients with memory complaints, and 85% were willing to complete testing if recommended by their clinician. Facilitators included tests informing clinical care, coverage by insurance, and education in advance. Barriers included cost …

Reducing The Incidence Of Acute Care Falls In Medical-Surgical Psychiatric Adult Patients, Ijeoma Nwosu

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

The purpose of this scholarly project was to implement a multifactorial fall prevention program within a medical-surgical psychiatric unit. The program was intended to reduce the incidence of falls, strengthen staff compliance, and bridge the gap of fall education. The interventions were developed based on evidence-based fall prevention strategies. The project was implemented within a large healthcare organization in the Texas Medical Center (TMC) located in Houston, Texas. The project utilized the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework. Staff were given education prior to implementation and reeducation during the project cycle. Visual guides were created to guide staff and assist with documentation expectations. …

Employee Evaluations Of Leadership Styles In The Workplace: A Cross-Industry Analysis, Lindsey Eckrote

Student Work - College of Business

Work environments vary widely across industries, shaping em-ployee experiences and leadership needs. This study compares the Information Technology (IT) industry with the Agriculture, Forest-ry, Fishing, and Hunting sector using supervisor ratings. IT work is fast-paced and cognitively demanding, whereas agriculture is physically intensive and hazardous. These differences create dis-tinct challenges that influence how leadership is perceived.

Leadership Practices And Their Impact On Burnout In Early Career Professionals, Sara Moriarty

Student Work - College of Business

Burnout is increasingly recognized as a systemic workplace issue rather than an individual failure. Earlycareer professionals (ages 22–30) are particularly vulnerable due to their transition into full-time work, limited experience, and reliance on leadership for guidance and support. Many individuals enter the workforce feeling overwhelmed and underprepared, often describing experiences such as being “thrown into situations with little prior knowledge.” These early experiences shape long-term engagement

The Impact Of Traditional Gender Roles: Direct Harm To Individuals And Society In The United States, Sydney L. Parker-Coyne

Gateway Reader- Individual Papers

The Problem: Traditional gender roles in the United States restrict individual identity, limit overall productivity, and cause direct psychological and physical harm.

The Method: An evaluation of gender restriction frameworks using Victorian-Era literature, modern interpretations of women's and transgender rights, 2020s social media trends, and contemporary aerospace milestones.

Quantitative Finding: In 2026, 30 U.S. states maintain legal exemptions from rape by a judge and jury; males account for nearly 80% of suicides; 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced and over 85 passed into law in 2023; over 500 additional anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced and over 40 passed across …

The Wonderful Everyday, Helen Ball

Gateway Reader- Individual Papers

• The Problem: Rhetorical analysis of marketing strategies demonstrates how minimalist advertisements sell an idealized lifestyle to middle-class consumers rather than just a specific household product.

• The Method: The researcher conducted a visual and psychological analysis of a 2017 IKEA UK print advertisement for the Sheffield store opening, utilizing color psychology frameworks and target market demographic data.

• Qualitative Finding: The advertisement uses a calming light blue and contrasting mustard yellow palette to project stability and attract busy families; the deliberate physical absence of the advertised Hemnes coat stand creates a sense of consumer anticipation and suspense; the versatile room setting appeals …

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2026 Research Day Program, Lincoln Memorial University

Research Day

This program contains abstracts and presentation summaries from LMU's 2026 Annual Research Day conference.

Reconstructing A Legacy: Zygmunt Lakociński, The Polish Research Institute’S Archive, And The Women Behind It, Alanna Gallo

History & Classics Undergraduate Theses

Abstract: In 1945, Polish historian Zygmunt Lakociński embarked on a project to “document the truth against all myths.” Following the arrival of 7,300 Polish former prisoners, 6,000 of them women, to Sweden after liberation, Lakociński created the Polish Research Institute Archive (PIZ). The result was a collection of over 500 highly detailed and corroborated witness testimonies of Nazi war crimes at the Ravensbrück concentration camp. From its interview procedures and methodology to the composition of its staff, the Polish Research Institute Archive was utterly unconventional for its time. Aside from its scope, much of the archive’s importance lies in its …

The Positive Impact Of Postsecondary Education Prison Programs On Social Identity, Recidivism, And Reintegration, Kimberly Redfern

Interdisciplinary Leadership Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative research with an interpretative phenomenological design seeks to understand how postsecondary education programs influenced incarcerated individuals and their post-release success. Postsecondary education prison programs have long been subject to criticism, as they provide incarcerated individuals with access to knowledge and social ideals that challenge the traditional power structures and social expectations in carceral settings (Castro et al., 2018). The primary research question: What role did social identity play in postsecondary prison education programs, with emphasis on their impact on recidivism and support for post-release reintegration for formerly incarcerated students? Findings from this study indicate that finding a …

Targeting The Metabolic-Neurodegenerative Axis: In Silico Repurposing Of Fda-Approved Pleiotropic Metabolic Modulators For Alzheimer's Tau Protein, Maanya Chitrapu, Juhi Vora

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Extensive research has established a link between insulin deficiency and insulin resistance and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) type-neurodegeneration, coining it "Type 3 Diabetes". While research typically focuses on glucose regulation, the comparative structural efficacy of broader metabolic agents against neuropathology remains distinctively underexplored. This study addresses this gap by performing a novel in silico comparison of three drug classes (Glucose, Lipid, and Cardio-Metabolic regulators) to identify superior scaffolds for obstructing the pathological Tau protein, which plays a major role in causing AD through its hyperphosphorylation. The Tau paired helical filament (PDB ID: 5O3L) was retrieved from the RCSB Protein Data Bank. …

Repeated Environmental Object Association And Its Influence On Player Emotion And Decision-Making, Yongchen Wang

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines whether repeated associations between neutral environmental objects and emotionally charged events can condition player emotion and influence in-game decision-making. The researcher developed a custom Dying Light single-player level called, “Conditional Illusion,” in which players explore a mansion and uncover narrative context through notes. Within the level, initially neutral objects, specifically a printer and a radio, were repeatedly paired with safe and horror events respectively, establishing patterned emotional associations. To evaluate the conditioning effect, the researcher recorded players’ facial emotional responses and gameplay footage during playtests, supplemented by post-playtest questionnaires. Results indicated that players consistently rated horror-paired spaces …

The Impact Of Abnormal Environmental Design On Player Tension In Horror Games, Jiawen Zhang

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how spatial design in video game levels can be used to generate player tension and sustain fear, in the absence of enemies or direct threats. For the spatial design, the researcher focused on impossible or abnormal environmental structures, such as looping corridors, non-Euclidean layouts, and disorienting transitions, and how they can evoke unease and emotional vulnerability in the player. To investigate the emotional impact of abnormal spatial design, the researcher created a horror, single-player level, “Echoes of Manor” in the game, Half-Life 2. The researcher aimed to maintain player engagement through constructed tension–release cycles and light puzzle …

Best Practices Of Landmark In Level Design: Maintaining Player Motivation Using Denial And Reward, Ziyi Hua

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the integration of the Denial and Reward principle into landmark design to enhance player motivation and spatial navigation. By employing pre-arrival obstacles and proportional feedback upon reaching a goal, designers can create a curiosity-driven attraction loop. To demonstrate this, an artifact level was developed in the Skyrim Creation Kit, featuring a hierarchy of global, regional, and local landmarks within a semi-open environment. The level implements four best practices: hierarchy of landmarks; create effective denials; pacing denial–reward loops; and using visual conveyance, to pace the player’s journey and reinforce engagement.

Best Practices: Using Difficulty As A Motivator Through Tools As Rewards, James Parker

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluates a set of best practices intended to encourage players to persist through difficulty by leveraging tools as rewards, and as motivational design elements. Specifically, the researcher examines whether introducing the core challenge earlier in the experience, while framing tools as rewards of facility, can motivate players to engage with and solve the primary gameplay challenge.

Building Leadership Capacity In Rural Schools: A Regional University Partnership, Chelsea Feusner, Aprille Phillips, Po Hu, Michael Teahon

The Rural Educator

The roles of school building and district administrators in rural areas have expanded in the last decade. Expanded responsibilities are amplified in rural school districts where there are fewer administrators to assume a multiplicity of roles. Additionally, educator shortages make it increasingly challenging to recruit and retain school leaders. While larger school districts in metropolitan areas have developed ongoing professional development and support programs to help school leaders meet the ever shifting and complex expectations placed upon them, school administrators in relatively rural regions receive less support. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore leadership constructs believed to …

Careers In A Box: A Promising Career Exploration Curriculum For Rural Youth, Kristine M. Ramsay-Seaner, Amber Letcher, Elizabeth Koob, Meagan Scott Hoffman, Laura Hasselquist

The Rural Educator

This article highlights a career exploration curriculum that was developed to support the vocational guidance needs of school counselors working in six rural, high-need communities in North Dakota and South Dakota. Based on social cognitive career theory, Careers in a Box was created to bridge existing gaps in career exploration curricula for rural middle school youth. This grab-and-go curriculum introduces participants to specific careers across the spectrum of food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences and provides them with hands-on activities associated with these careers. While program evaluation is ongoing, preliminary results indicate an associated increase in personal resilience in …

Ai Mcat Tutor: Personalized Study Planning, Daily Check-Ins, & Slideshow Generator For Pre-Medical Students, Luke Latterman

IPHS 300: AI for Humanity

Preparing for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is among the most demanding academic challenges facing pre-medical students, yet access to professional tutoring remains prohibitively expensive for many. This paper describes the design, implementation, and iterative evaluation of an AI-powered tutoring system built using Claude Code, Anthropic’s command-line interface for the Claude large language model, intended to serve pre-medical students directly, whether or not they have access to a professional tutor. The system integrates three components: a personalized multi-phase study schedule generator, a daily check-in assistant, and an AI-driven instructional slideshow generator for targeted content review. Each component was designed …