Digital Commons Network^™

Intercultural Perspectives On Managing Organizational Change In Response To Government Policy Reform: A Case Study On The Leadership Of New Oriental Education, Yihe Yang

Dissertations

In 2021, a policy aimed at addressing educational inequality triggered a significant upheaval in the private tutoring sector of China by fundamentally transforming prevailing business models and financial viability within the industry. New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. (New Oriental Education), one of the preeminent private tutoring enterprises in China, attracted considerable attention for its subsequent organizational change. This study explored the leadership dynamics and organizational change efforts implemented by New Oriental after the policy enactment.

The theoretical framework synthesized organizational change theory, organizational culture, and transformative leadership approaches from both Western and Chinese perspectives. It elucidated effective practices …

Black School Leader Truth: How Black School Leader Epistemology Influences Liberatory Mindset Development In Their Staff, Orpheus Williams

Dissertations

Black students in the United States have consistently been denied access to empowering, culturally affirming, and responsive learning experiences in the traditional public system. The epistemological and pedagogical beliefs embedded in a liberatory mindset can subvert this pattern of disempowerment (Shujaa, 1998). Black school leaders (BSLs) who understand the systemic and institutional pressures Black children may face and have to overcome, having undergone similarly racialized experiences in school, are uniquely placed to create liberatory spaces for Black students by recruiting and developing these liberatory mindsets in their staff. This instrumental case study used qualitative research methods of front-porch pedagogy (McTighe …

Vital Voices From The Digital Divide: Testimonies Of African American Women Leadership Across Tech, Vinsche' Gray

Dissertations

Many organizations seek to highlight diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, but African American women are still significantly underrepresented in leadership roles within the workplace (McKinsey, 2023). Within the technology (i.e., tech) space, there is concern regarding the inclusivity of African American women in leadership positions. A hostile and unsupportive environment raises concern for the future of African American women being able to attain key leadership roles. (McGee, 2018).

This study explored multifaceted experiences of eight African American women leaders in for-profit tech organizations. Black feminist thought and organizational culture and belonging were conceptual frameworks that shed light on the persistent …

Turning Points: An Evaluation Of Formal And Informal Interventions In The Life Of Ex-Offenders, Kapil Sharma

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

In life course criminology, turning points and how they relate to the desistance process have received considerable attention. Scholars have proposed that significant events in people's lives, such as employment, marriage, and parenthood, strengthen their social ties and cause them to refrain from committing crimes. This study uses data from the Record Clearance Project of San Jose State University to identify concrete, significant "turning points" in the lives of ex-offenders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate specific "turning points" events in offenders' life courses that compelled them to stop anti-social behavior and develop a pro-social identity, as well as the …

Current Workplace Experiences Of Neurodivergent Music Therapists, Ana Odasso Weschenfelder

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the workplace experiences of neurodivergent music therapists, seeking to elucidate how they currently perceive and navigate their work environments, and how these environments accommodate their neurodivergence. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey methodology and collected both quantitative and qualitative data from board-certified music therapists across the United States. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Qualitative responses were subjected to inductive, iterative content analysis to capture personal experiences and perceptions. Results indicated that neurodivergent music therapists broadly disclose their neurodivergence for authenticity and to seek support and accommodations. Participants also reported finding their …

Movin’ On Up: The Lived Experience Of Women Of Color In Leadership And The Supports That Helped Them Make It To The Top, Rozina Kapadia

Dissertations

Purpose: The number of women of color in leadership continues to be significantly lower than the number of men. The lack of opportunity combined with the lack of support results in less women of color in leadership. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of women of color in their roles as leaders in corporate environments with respect to the support (personal supports, organizational supports, cultural supports, and stereotypical supports) received. Specifically, the research examined the stories of female leaders of color to understand how their experiences have supported or hindered their growth in leadership. …

Pfas Exposure And Human Health Risk Management - A Policy Review, Callie Sierra Totaro

Master's Projects and Capstones

For centuries, new chemicals and compounds have been invented to improve material longevity or make a product cheaper to produce. Throughout this time, emerging chemicals have often gone through inadequate testing that may not consider all long term environmental and human health effects before they have gone to market in the United States. As a result, thousands of harmful chemicals have ended up in the food supply, water sources, and everyday items of people in the United States with the negative health effects often not being discovered for decades after the start of circulation. By this point, removal and assessment …

Exploring And Assessing Sustainable Flood Mitigation Strategies In Response To Rising Sea Levels In Boston, Elizavyeta Dmitrieva

Master's Projects and Capstones

With projections indicating up to a 30 cm rise in sea level along the US coastline by 2050, flooding emerges as a critical hazard for coastal communities. Boston, a pivotal urban center, anticipates experiencing 50-70 flood days per year by 2050. Addressing the inevitability of these events necessitates the implementation of robust and equitable flood mitigation strategies to alleviate stress on the city and its residents. This paper delves into the causes of sea level rise, flooding projections for Boston, and the City’s plans to mitigate these risks. Concentrating on the two neighborhoods most vulnerable to flooding—East Boston and South …

Not Just A Walk In The Park: Environmental Injustice In New York City’S Green Spaces, Greta Laine Mclaughlin

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines inequities in New York City’s green spaces, and it discusses the discrepancies in the quality and sizes of parks in lower- versus higher-income and white versus non-white areas. Although organizations herald the city’s parks as some of the best and most accessible in the country, marginalized residents face unsafe and insufficient surroundings. Chapter One considers the state of NYC’s green spaces. The chapter uses quantitative data collected by city agencies and non-profits to illustrate the disparities in the conditions of parks among various communities. By framing the issue using ecosystem services, the paper emphasizes the importance of …

Lyme Disease In The Northeast: The Unintended Consequence Of Suburban Development, Hayden Neubert

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the role of suburban development in the suburbs of the Northeastern United States in increasing human Lyme disease infection. Over the past 50 years, Lyme disease has become the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. In 2021, the two states with the most Lyme disease cases were New York and New Jersey, with a collective 6,524 cases, with Connecticut still representing 541 total cases. It is not a coincidence that case numbers are concentrated in suburban areas with high forest fragmentation. Chapter 1 of this essay analyzes how human land development disrupts bioregulatory ecosystem actors …

Past Experiences And Current Attitudes: Is Everything Connected?, Miranda Oddy

Honors Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the ways past experiences with mental health issues affect current stigma and outlook on life. I investigated whether a personal experience or the experience of someone close (e.g., family, friend) with mental health issues impacted stigma and outlook more than other. The sample included 242 participants who were 18 to 86 years old (M_age = 27.44, SD_age = 16.58), 51.7% white, and 77.3% female. Surveys were advertised on a small liberal arts university offering class credit for students and online. The survey included questions on life satisfaction, optimism, stigma, and …

"Can You Just Speak Normal?": How Language Summer Camps Affect White Children's Participation In The Linguistically, Culturally, And Racially Diverse United States, Mary M. Bruggeman

Honors Projects

The United States is becoming an increasingly diverse county. Young children are at the best age to learn about language and race, but the way that language programs address the intersection of language and race echoes the issues present in the rest of society. Learning a language in a racially diverse environment improves racial attitudes, but the only way to get to the root of the issue of inequality among individuals who speak another language, have a different culture, or are a part of a different racial group is to discuss the topic of inequality in the United States directly. …

Climate Grief And Dance Movement Therapy: A Literature Review, Elisabeth Lovin

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Research is starting to focus on the effects of climate change on mental health, especially future-oriented anxieties and uncertainty about our planet’s liveability. Less commonly discussed are feelings of grief for the climate-related losses we have already sustained. This thesis organizes current literature about climate grief and data about the psychosomatic effects of climate-related losses and examines general grief counseling research, as well as presenting applications of dance movement therapy for grief and loss. Cultural and historical gestures and movements of grieving bodies and portrayals of grief in dance history support the proposal that dance movement therapists are capable of …

Dance/Movement Therapy As A Potential Supplementary Treatment For Vasovagal Syncope: A Literature Review, Natasha Skye Mcleod

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Dance movement therapy has been utilized as an evidenced-based modality in treating numerous medical diagnoses. Despite its established efficacy in diverse medical contexts, little research exists on its application for vasovagal syncope, a condition often intertwined with mental health challenges. Although vasovagal syncope is situated in the body and frequently comorbid with mental health struggles that impact physiological symptoms, treatment options remain solely in the medical model. This literature review seeks to address this lack of research and adequate treatment options by highlighting the body/mind connection and advocating for dance/movement therapy as a potential supplementary treatment for vasovagal syncope. The …

Exploring Attachment Through Clay-Based Therapy: A Parent-Child Community Engagement Project, Hilari Stahler

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This research project explores the therapeutic potential of clay, particularly as a creative, sensory-rich process that facilitates access to pre-verbal memories. Grounded in attachment theory and the innovative approach to trauma healing by Cornelia Elbrecht, known as Trauma Healing at the Clay Field®, the study investigates clay's regressive and healing qualities. It examines how its smooth, skin-like texture can activate our implicit memories through sensory experiences. Utilizing a community engagement format, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of parent-child clay field sessions in addressing intergenerational attachment trauma and unmet attachment needs. The research revealed that the unique properties of …

How Sensory Exploration Using Expressive Arts Provides A Cohesive Experience For Children With Multiple Diagnoses, Chanelle Goguen

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis looks at the potential benefits and cohesive experience of sensory exploration for children with multiple diagnoses through a trauma informed lens. The researcher was inspired by Prendiville’s (2021) idea of how interactive sensory exploration and art making can help foster and develop reciprocal communication and socio-affective relationships influenced the researcher to design a method that would be used to collect data about potential similar findings. In the method, the interaction of the sensory-specific art mediums were reflected through the expressive therapies continuum (ETC) framework. The research of this thesis acknowledges and explores how trauma and adverse childhood experiences …

Exploring Aspects Of Indian Classical Dance As A Therapeutic Tool Through Dmt, Indira Totaram

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Indian Classical Dance (ICD) is an integral part of Indian culture and tradition and reflects the tapestry of its intricacy. There are seven forms of ICD and all share a foundation in the Natyashastra, or treatise of performing arts. This text outlines key elements of the art form, including movement, facial expression, hand gestures, and the dancer’s relationship to the audience. Many of these elements can be found within dance therapy frameworks such as attunement, kinesthetic empathy, authentic movement, and storytelling. This literature review aims to explore key aspects of Indian Classical Dance (ICD) and how they parallel Dance/Movement Therapy …

Magkita Tayo Doon, Let’S Meet Up There: An Ethnography On “Little Manila Avenue” In Woodside, Queens, New York City, Alexandra Tamsi

Senior Theses

How are ethnic diasporic identities formed in host countries? How does a multiethnic setting impact diasporic identity formation? Through an analysis of “Little Manila Avenue” in Woodside, Queens, this ethnography explores how Filipinos on Little Manila Avenue manifest and enable transnational connections to the Philippines and to other members of the Filipino diaspora. It contextualizes the material culture, intangible culture, and Filipino language use that are specific to the avenue within the practices of the Philippines and the Filipino diaspora by drawing from fieldwork conducted in October 2023 and the author’s personal visits to Woodside as a Filipina-American. Guided by …

Rap In The United States And Cuba: A Genre Uniquely Emblematic Of The Paradox Of (De)Colonization, Maya Rose Bliffeld

Senior Theses

Music, as a profound and resonant cultural expression, captures the nuance of societal dynamics, political climates, and the collective emotions of communities throughout time. Colonialism, more specifically the Atlantic slave trade and the experience of suffering, has been reflected in the music as much as it has pioneered styles of new global music in the present. Music, specifically rap, contextualized in the hip-hop movements of the United States and Cuba, reveals primary sources of the effects of systemic racism and the marks of slavery in the contemporary context. The United States and Cuba each have a close relation to the …

“From Depression, To An Overdose Of Crack, To Trying To Kill Myself”: Post-Trafficking Mexican Women Survivors’ Challenges And Ngo’S Strategies In Rehabilitation, Mariana Aboumrad

Senior Theses

Sexual trafficking in Mexico continues to be a significant crisis raising multiple challenges for women who exit this oppressive network. This study examines two sides of post trafficking: the interrelated needs and challenges these survivors face when they return or escape from a trafficking situation, and how NGOs strategize. A significant aspect of the study focuses on employment: the transition from sexual exploitation to securing legitimate employment and acquiring an independent life and how NGO staff work to support them. Drawing on survivor testimonies along with interviews (both published and two conducted for this project), the study delineates that they …

“We Party As A Form Of Survival”: Clubbing During Economic Crisis In Beirut, Lebanon, Saumya Grover

Senior Theses

2020s Lebanon is wrought by a banking crisis, a refugee crisis, infrastructural issues, border conflict, and an unstable government—yet its nightlife scene is thriving. This has been the case since the onset of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) when discotheques and nightclubs emerged in the region despite the decimated infrastructure and beleaguered nation. Although that war period has drawn considerable scholarly attention, there is limited scholarship on the persistence of the clubbing scene during the nation’s troubles of the 2020s. This project studies the vibrant Lebanese nightlife scene in contrast with the various crises the country is experiencing. Rendering my …

Traditional Roots Of The Shamans' Brew And Its Adoption By New-Age Groups, Jonathan Jimenez

Senior Theses

New Age Americans' growing fetishization of exotic cultural practices—places the powerful entheogenic-life altering drug "Ayahuasca" into their cultural context of Eclectic Amalgams, lending itself as a catalyst for shifting perceptions and understandings of conventional thought. "Eclectic Amalgams" refers to the blend or combination of various elements from different spiritual, religious, or cultural traditions. In New Age practices, there is often an eclectic approach where diverse sources are amalgamated to form a personalized spiritual path or practice. This work explores the growing awareness and practice of Ayahuasca usage in the developed world. The term "Ayahuasca" is used to name the ceremonial …

Administering Authoritarianism: The Birth Of The Free Market Model In Pinochet’S Chile., Meghan A. Haggerty

Senior Theses

This research paper aims to dissect the origins of the free-market in Chile and its institution through dictatorship. The purpose of this paper is to analyze privatization as an instrument of conservative governments– specifically the Pinochet regime (1973-1990). It outlines how the authoritarian government arose in the geopolitical context of the Cold War which led to a series of neoconservative fiscal policies inspired by Milton Friedman and the “Chicago Boys.” This paper goes on to analyze the structural transformation that drastically changed the economic output of the country. The case study highlighted is the Chilean Water Code and the privatization …

Drawing Closer: Enhancing Connection In Romantic Relationships Through Expressive Arts – An Autoethnographic Community Engagement Exploration, Jessica Surprenant

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review aims to raise awareness around the many physical and mental health risks associated with loneliness, especially in today’s sociopolitical climate. It explores how fostering healthy relationships with feelings of connection and intimacy is one promising avenue toward mitigating those risks. Through synthesizing existing research on successful relationships, this thesis proposes a list of five beneficial relationship characteristics and traits that can be cultivated through expressive arts therapy. To further the investigation, this thesis includes an autoethnographic community engagement project exploring a real-life application of collaborative, creative artmaking. Due to researcher demographics, the information presented is geared towards …

The Archeology Of Adoption: Tracing The Journey From Birth Through Adoption Using Pre-Adoptive Artifacts, Ellen Reeve

Educational Studies Dissertations

Adults adopted in childhood often face a heightened susceptibility to psychological and behavioral challenges compared with their non-adopted peers. Scholars examining this phenomenon associate various factors, including an adoptee’s sense of self as an individual within a complex adoption background. This qualitative study utilized a material engagement theory to explore birth through adoptive narratives among adults adopted in closed settings during childhood. Through participatory research, participants examined a range of artifacts related to maternal relinquishment, encompassing foster and adoption records, original birth certificates, letters, photographs, birthmarks, clothing, hair, scars, and DNA test results. The study focused on understanding these artifacts’ …

Artistic Expression Of Medical Experiences Of Mothers Of Color: Perspectives Using Art Therapy, Lauren Barrett

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine perspectives of mothers of color living in the US and their experiences in the healthcare system through art therapy. The study aimed to further identify personal narrative experiences of mothers of color navigating the healthcare system, promote individual voices, and acknowledge disparities impacting those within marginalized communities. The participants in this study included a total of eight identified mothers of color (non-White) living in the US. Participants took part in four weeks of consecutive art therapy sessions either in 60-minute group or individual virtual meetings. One art therapy directive was provided …

Effects Of Dance Movement Therapy On Nonverbal Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Erin Walsh

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis investigates the effects of an approach to Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) on communication outcomes in nonverbal children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Drawing inspiration from the DMT mirroring method, the research employed a unique methodology throughout five 60-minute group therapy sessions. The participants, five 13-16-year-old students each with a diagnosis of ASD, attended a private school specializing in behavioral and mental disabilities. Each participant presented with varying levels of communication and language impairments, ranging from nonverbal to minimally verbal. The study explores the intersection of ASD and DMT, focusing on how different DMT interventions can be tailored …

Exploring The Intersections Between Dance/Movement Therapy And Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing: A Literature Review, Kelsey Woods

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Dance/movement therapy (DMT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) are body-based approaches that facilitate the integration of the emotional, cognitive, and physical aspects of an individual. This literature review explores the intersections between DMT and EMDR and discusses potential ways these two methods may be integrated to support the therapeutic process. Research shows that developing body awareness, self-regulation skills, resourcing, and using movement are common principles and practices with DMT and EMDR. Both modalities are also found to help with decreasing symptoms related to anxiety, depression, and grief. Although limited, common neural networks are activated through the sensory experiences …

Developmental Transformations And Pediatric Ocd: A Review Of The Literature And Proposal For Drama Therapy In Treatment, Elizabeth A. Lewis

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

One to four percent of the population experiences obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and the majority of cases of begin in childhood or adolescence (Agarwal et al., 2016). Youth with OCD may experience barriers to their personal, familial, social, and academic success. In this Capstone Thesis paper, a critical review of the literature is conducted about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in children and adolescents, standard treatment methods including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Developmental Transformations (DvT). DvT is proposed as a supplemental treatment method for pediatric OCD to be combined with ERP to combat treatment resistance, address …

Exploring Silence In Music Therapy With Autistic Children: A Qualitative Study, Shannon Harper-Bison

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Silence is essential for human connection, communication, and expression. This paper presents an inquiry into the experience of measurable moments of silences within music therapy with children on the autism spectrum: what happens directly after moments of silence preceded by sound, what might that indicate about the function of silences, and how they can be used therapeutically? Literature about silences within psychotherapy and music therapy suggests that silence can have multiple functions within therapy. Using both a specifically designed data sheet and anecdotal summaries, I documented silences within individual music therapy sessions with children ages 3-14 diagnosed with Autism Spectrum …