Digital Commons Network^™

Summer 2025, Augustana College, Rock Island Illinois

Augustana Magazine

No abstract provided.

Breaking Down The Barriers To Animal-Free Research, Lauren Hope, Jarrod Bailey

Non-Animal Methods and 3Rs

For centuries, animals have been used in research due to their genetic and physiological similarities to humans. However, significant differences exist between humans and animals, which have the potential to confound results obtained from such experiments. These differences result in reduced translatability of animal data to humans, which is a major contributing factor to the 92% failure rate for novel therapies in clinical trials. Advances in scientific research have enabled the development of human-focused New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), which include in silico and 3-D in vitro models. By harnessing these novel approaches, greater predictive power for human biology, human diseases …

The Impact Of Attendance-Based Parent Workshops On Student Absenteeism In The Primary Grades, Kelli Ruby

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Absenteeism is on the rise in schools, significantly impacting young students. Despite ongoing interventions, chronic absenteeism continues to grow in primary grades, creating potential deficits in learning, health, and life outcomes. Although chronic absenteeism has been extensively researched, lack of clarity exists about the most effective methods to improve student attendance.

Research has indicated connecting families with schools can positively intervene in absenteeism. The purpose of this study was to determine how parents’ participation in attendance-based workshops affects their perceptions of the value of attendance in primary grades. Due to the complexity of absenteeism, the study employed Bronfenbrenner’s (2001) bioecological …

Immersive Philosophical Thought Experiments Through Virtual Reality, Gordon Carlson Ph.D., Sammuel (Rob) Byer Ph.D.

Informatics Faculty Publications

Virtual reality (VR) is transforming higher education by providing immersive and interactive learning environments that enhance traditional pedagogical methods. While disciplines such as medicine and engineering have been early adopters of VR for skill development and simulation training, its potential in the humanities, particularly Philosophy, is only beginning to be explored. Philosophy courses often challenge students to grapple with abstract concepts and complex ethical dilemmas which can feel disconnected from real-world applications. VR offers a unique opportunity to bridge this gap by allowing students to experience these scenarios in lifelike, immersive settings. This study examines the use of VR in …

Evaluation Of The Feasibility And Effectiveness Of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Children And Youth In Ukraine During The War, Elisa Pfeiffer, Maike Garbade, Renee Beer, Anette Birgersson, Natalie Cabrera, Judith A Cohen, Esther Deblinger, Rafaela Gjini, Veronica Kirsch, Zlatina Kostova, Michael Larsson, Anthony Mannarino, Gavin Moffitt, Marja Onsjö, Tale Ostensjo, Anna Vikgren, Hanna Weyler, Vitalii Klymchuk, Cedric Sachser

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: The large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 resulted in a humanitarian crisis with hundreds of thousands of children exposed to traumatic events. To date, trauma-focused evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for children and youth have not been systematically evaluated and implemented in Ukraine. This study aims at evaluating 1) the feasibility of a training program for Ukrainian therapists on Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) and 2) the feasibility and effectiveness of the treatment for children, youth, and their families in and from Ukraine during the ongoing war.

METHODS: The project "TF-CBT Ukraine" was implemented between March 2022 and May …

The Detrimental Impact Of Benevolent Sexism On Women, Lucy Jessee

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

Sexism is often defined as negative attitudes toward or discrimination against a person because of their sex or gender identity. This issue is well known and frequently discussed in schools, politics, social situations, and popular culture; however, not many people understand that sexism can come in many forms. Hostile sexism, the more commonly imagined type of sexism, consists of blatantly derogatory, exclusive, or antagonistic attitudes or actions toward women. This can take many forms, such as negative stereotypes regarding women’s competence, degradation of a woman’s worth or value, violence against women, or limitation on a woman’s opportunities because of her …

A Contentious Bond: The Mother-Daughter Relationship, Amelia Hapgood

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

It is a tale as old as time: a mother and daughter, struggling to understand and outdo the other, not realizing the uniformity between them. They are duplicates, coded with the same DNA. The daughter strives to become more than her mother, and her mother watches and witnesses everything that she could have become. It is a battle for power, to be seen and verifiable. They bicker, yell, and cry, often unable to find common ground. Greta Gerwig coined this concept perfectly in her film Lady Bird, where the featured mother and daughter cannot do anything but scream at …

Career Pathways Program Annual Report For Ay 2024/25, Wie Yusuf

Career Pathways

Career Pathways launched in August 2017 as the university-wide initiative to provide professional development to graduate students. It encompasses both the Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) and the Preparing Future Professionals (PFP) Certificates. The Preparing Future Faculty Certificate was established in 2007, while the Preparing Future Professionals Certificate was launched in 2017, concurrently with the introduction of Career Pathways. The Career Pathways program prepares graduate students for a successful transition into thriving careers. With the PFP Certificate, specifically, the emphasis has been on filling the existing gap in career and professional development for master’s students and doctoral students with career plans …

Medium Matters In Preparing For Law Practice: Critical E-Reading, Amanda L. Sholtis

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Utah Women And Mental Health: A 2025 Update, Sadie Wilde, Chloe Bhowmick, Kolene Anderson, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

According to the World Health Organization, “mental health is a state of well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.”¹ Based on a 2025 ranking from WalletHub, Utah is the 4th “Happiest” state in the nation, so one might draw the conclusion that Utahns experience good mental health. However, the rankings also reveal that Utah does not perform as well in the “Emotional & Physical Well-Being” category (in 27th place).² Because mental health is an important indicator of overall well-being, this report …

Alumni Journal - Volume 96, Number 2, Loma Linda University School Of Medicine

Alumni Journal, School of Medicine

Editorials
2 | From the Editor
4 | From the President
6 | From the Dean

News
8 | School of Medicine News
10 | Alumni News
14 | Students
16 | This & That
18 | Department Report: Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery
20 | AIMS Report: Courage Through Transitions

Graduation 2025
22 | Graduation Feature

Features
40 | By the Graduates: Stories and reflections: Emmanuelle (Emmy) Issa '25, Rozalyn Morauske '25, Daniel Korankye-Boadu '25, Ja'Neil Humphrey '25, Nico Belliard '25
46 | The Match
48 | Campus Updates
52 | Alumni Event: Hollywood Bowl
54 | Alumni Spotlight: …

Comparing Conventional And Alternative Mechanisms Of Discovering And Accessing The Scientific Literature, William H. Walters

Articles

This study compares the bibliographic and full-text coverage of 15 conventional and alternative discovery/access mechanisms: two multidisciplinary library databases (Scopus and the Web of Science Core Collection), five single-subject databases, the integrated library search (ILS) mechanism of Manhattan University, a scholarly search engine (Google Scholar), two web-based scholarly databases (Dimensions and OpenAlex), two academic social networks (Academia.edu and ResearchGate), and two pirate sites (Anna’s Archive and Sci-Hub). The analysis is based on known-item searches for 875 target documents in chemistry, materials science, cardiology, public health, economics, education, and psychology. Overall, Google Scholar, OpenAlex, and the ILS are the most comprehensive …

Covid-19-Related Beliefs And Dietary Behaviors Of American Undergraduate Students Vary By Race Via The Lens Of The Health Belief Model, Doreen Liou, Jong Min Lee

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

The COVID-19 pandemic caused immense physical disruptions, affecting young adults in the U.S. The Health Belief Model is a social psychological framework that predicts the likelihood of adopting health behavior. The purpose of this research is to investigate COVID-19-related health beliefs and dietary behaviors among undergraduate students during the pandemic. Using convenience sampling, a cross-sectional survey was completed by 304 individuals at a New Jersey state university. Survey data included the frequency of COVID-19 prevention behaviors (e.g., wearing an indoor mask, handwashing), and consumption of fruit and vegetables. The Health Belief Model constructs measured perceived susceptibility to COVID-19, severity, benefits, …

Violence Exposure In Early Adolescence And High Blood Pressure In Adulthood Among African Americans, Journey Crowell, Abigail J. Anderson, Amanda N. Moore, Sylvie Mrug

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Summer Expo Poster Presentation

• Social & Behavioral Sciences

The Physiological And Psychological Effects Of Stress On Undergraduate Students​, Leah Cutright, My-Linh Nguyen, Brady Carson, Ariana Howell, Chi Ajinwo, Dhanashree Rane, Samantha Giordano-Mooga

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Summer Expo Oral Presentation

• Health Sciences & Health Professions
• Social & Behavioral Sciences

Examining Relationships Between Food Insecurity, Wellbeing, And Health Behaviors In Adults Who Use A Campus Food Pantry, Joanna Bateman, Abby Sharff, Brianna Dotson, Catheryn A. Orijuela

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Summer Expo Oral Presentation

• Social & Behavioral Sciences

Administration Of An Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plus Anti-Pd-1 Slows Renal Cancer Progression In Mice, Lucius Breazeale, Lyse Norian, Kimberlyn Bartlett

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Summer Expo Poster Presentation

• Biological & Life Sciences

Developing A Task To Assess Social Media Engagement And Reward Learning, Amaris Love, Celeste Patron, Luca Bella Webber, Lauren Luther

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Summer Expo Poster Presentation

• Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Works in Progress

Examining Relationships Between Food Insecurity, Wellbeing, And Health Behaviors In Adults Who Use A Campus Food Pantry, Joanna Bateman, Abby Sharff, Brianna Dotson, Catheryn A. Orijuela

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Summer Expo Poster Presentation

• Social & Behavioral Sciences

Substance Use Disorder Risk Factors For Women In A Residential Recovery Program, Jillian Vickers, Deborah Bowers

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Summer Expo Poster Presentation

• Physical & Applied Sciences

Feeling Like A Fraud: “A Mixed Methods Investigation Of Imposter Syndrome In Prelicensure Nursing Education.”, Nida Dharani, Maddie Bacon, William Crossland

Expo Student Presentations

2025 Summer Expo Poster Presentation

• Health Sciences & Health Professions

Attitudes Towards Insects: An Attempt To Change Negative Attitudes To Neutral Or Positive, Christina Chapman

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Purpose and Summary

The purpose of this project was to examine whether negative attitudes towards insects could be changed in children after learning about them in a safe and enjoyable environment. At the start of this project, I was a science teacher in an urban middle school, where most students were neither fond of nor interested in insects. This experience shaped my project: I wanted to change attitudes from negative to positive, transforming “eww gross, kill it!” into “let it live; it has a job to do.” Through my studies in the entomology program, my belief that insects are highly …

Evidence Base And Development Of The Wellbeing Program Guide, Katherine L. Dix, Ee Liz Puah, Tamara Van Der Zant, Syeda Kashfee Ahmed, Shani Sniedze

Wellbeing

This report outlines the background and initial development stage of The Wellbeing Program Guide (wellbeingguide.acer.org), a comprehensive national resource aimed at supporting schools in selecting and implementing wellbeing programs that meet diverse contexts and student needs. Wellbeing is considered in its broadest sense, to include evidence-based mental health, alcohol and other drug, and suicide prevention programs, along with social and emotional learning. Developed collaboratively by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and Department of Health Tasmania, with advice from education and industry stakeholders, the Guide prioritised the needs of school communities in Tasmania, but also includes programs serving other …

Addressing Instructional Capacity For English Learners Through Professional Development, Emily Howell, Lindsey W. Rowe, Mihaela Gazioglu, Nicole Ferguson-Sams, Victoria Pennington

Publications

Purpose – The purpose of this study was addressing the goal of the intervention to increase instructional capacity in a high-need district for English Learners (ELs).

Design/methodology/approach – This design-based research examined a cohort of K–12 general education classroom teachers and the impact of professional development (PD). The intervention had three essential elements: provide teachers with evidence-based practices of EL instruction in PD, assess self-efficacy for both EL students and teachers, and develop resources for EL caregivers based upon evidence-based practice and teacher feedback. This study reports the results focusing on the following research question: How does the intervention impact …

Evanescent - Issue 6

Evanescent

Evanescent: A Journal of Literary Medicine is the journal of the Eakins Writing Project, which also sponsors the Drs. Theresa and Charles Yeo Writing Prize. The Eakins Writing Project is supported by the Jefferson Center for Injury Research and Prevention, located in the Department of Surgery of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia.

Contents:

10 - From the Editors

11 - Basketball: Youth to Older by Dr. Charles Yeo

13 - A Follow-up from the Editors

14 - Prism by Yazan Bader (Third Place Winner)

17 - Reflections on Shards of Glass by Ana Maria Lopez

19 - The Dragonfly’s Journey by …

2025-2026 Etsu General Academic Operating Budget (July), Budget And Financial Planning, East Tennessee State University

ETSU General Academic Operating Budgets and Analysis

No abstract provided.

Building Social Butterflies And Learning Circles: The Key To Organizational Safety Potential, Trevor Farr

ASEM Capstones

2025 ASEM 620 Capstone Project

News From Hope College, Volume 57.1: Summer 2025, Hope College

News from Hope College

No abstract provided.

What Is Midwifery Work In Low And Middle-Income Countries? A Systematic Review To Enhance Midwifery Practices In Resource-Constrained Contexts, Qorinah Estiningtyas Sakilah Adnani, Ela Nurfitriyani, S. Tr. Keb, Niken Bayu Argaheni, Rufidah Maulina, Victor Abiola Adepoju, Maeve O’Connell

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Background: Midwifery plays a crucial role in enhancing maternal and newborn health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive and evidence-based evaluation of midwifery practice in LMIC, beyond specific outcomes and interventions.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using electronic databases including PubMed, Embassy, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL, covering the period from 2019 to 2023. The search strategy employed predefined keywords and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms related to midwives, maternal health, newborn health, and LMIC. The findings were analyzed using a narrative synthesis approach to identify key …

What Went Right And What Went Wrong: A Multiple Case Study Of Firefighters Surviving Life-Threatening Situations, Peter J. Gushee

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The present study explored the lived experiences of firefighters who survived life-threatening situations in burning buildings, examining how these experiences unfolded and the leadership structures that shaped those experiences. Employing A. P. Giorgi and Giorgi’s (2003) scientific phenomenological analysis, the present study identified the general structure of the firefighter survival experience, which was comprised of 11 constituents, highlighting survival as a dynamic, identity-bound process shaped by adaptive behaviors, internalized beliefs, and evolving situation-specific conditions. Leadership was found to operate at the systems, organizational, and group levels, enabling or constraining firefighter readiness, adaptation, and recovery. By integrating Safety-I and Safety-II perspectives …