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Characterizing Negative Academic Experiences, Danae M. Gaytan May 2026

Characterizing Negative Academic Experiences, Danae M. Gaytan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

According to the 2024 National College Health Assessment, roughly one in five college students experience serious psychological distress (ACHA, 2024). High levels of psychological distress among college students are well-documented (Emmerton et al., 2024; Eisenberg et al., 2013; Bewick et al., 2010), yet less is known about the specific experiences that contribute to this distress. Grounded in multiple theoretical frameworks, this study examines students’ negative academic experiences, their perceived causes, and associated outcomes. Using an online crowdsourcing platform, current higher education students (N = 215) described their most negative academic experience (NAE) and then answered questions about their reactions and …

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Vertizontal Price Competition Between Social Media Platforms, Soumya Kanta Mishra, Sumit Sarkar May 2026

Vertizontal Price Competition Between Social Media Platforms, Soumya Kanta Mishra, Sumit Sarkar

American Business Review

We model price competition between two horizontally  differentiated social media platforms, each offering basic and premium services. Users are either platform-anchored or quality-anchored. The platforms are two-sided, with users and advertisers as the two sides. We find a unique and symmetric equilibrium in the pricing game, where platforms earn revenue from both sides. As the quality difference increases, premium service prices rise, while basic service prices drop. Users are subsidized under strong network effects, but the platforms do not subsidize users if they are sufficiently differentiated. Vertical differentiation increases platform profits if sufficient quality difference is achieved for a given …

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Building Inclusive Communities: Addressing Bullying And Supporting Lgbtq+ Youth In Monterey County, Mayra Luna May 2026

Building Inclusive Communities: Addressing Bullying And Supporting Lgbtq+ Youth In Monterey County, Mayra Luna

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Bullying among LGBTQ+ youth in Monterey County is a significant public health concern, contributing to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Rainbow Connection, a program within Monterey County’s Child and Adolescent System of Care, works to improve school climate and promote inclusive environments through partnerships and community engagement. This capstone project implemented an anti-bullying event in Salinas, a prominent town in Monterey County. Pink Shirt Day event is to raise awareness of bullying prevention and promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity. The project included collaboration with community partners, distribution of anti-bullying educational materials, and engagement with youth, families, and school members. …

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Promoting Effective Decision-Making Skills In High School Students, Jasmine Quiroz-Piceno May 2026

Promoting Effective Decision-Making Skills In High School Students, Jasmine Quiroz-Piceno

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many high school students face challenges in academic decision-making. Without support in developing academic decision-making skills, they may lack the skills to recognize opportunities and make poor choices that could affect their educational trajectory. When these students learn to recognize and manage psychological and emotional responses in decision making, they may be better able to make clear and confident decisions about their education and future career. Therefore, I have created a one-day workshop to teach decision-making skills for high school students at Pajaro Valley High School in Watsonville, California.

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Introducing Mindfulness In The First Grade Classroom, Isabel Zuchelli May 2026

Introducing Mindfulness In The First Grade Classroom, Isabel Zuchelli

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Curriculum on mindfulness is often absent for young elementary school children. Without skills in practicing mindfulness, young children may miss out on the benefits of mindfulness and struggle with emotional and behavioral self-regulation. When educators support children with a curriculum that teaches mindfulness, children can increase their focus, enhance impulse control, and improve peer relations as they progress in elementary school. Therefore, I have created a two-day lesson plan that implements activities to teach mindfulness to a first grade classroom at Santa Rosa Academic Academy in Atascadero, California.

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An Evaluation Of A Nonprofit Support Service For System-Impacted Individuals In Monterey County, Jackie T. Nguyen May 2026

An Evaluation Of A Nonprofit Support Service For System-Impacted Individuals In Monterey County, Jackie T. Nguyen

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Formerly incarcerated individuals in Monterey County experience high rates of housing instability and homelessness due to systemic barriers such as stigma, employment discrimination, and restricted housing access. These challenges increase the risk of recidivism and long-term socioeconomic instability, highlighting the need for effective reentry support. This capstone project evaluated the effectiveness of a reentry program in promoting long-term stability and identified strengths and areas for improvement. The evaluation was conducted at Helping Empower Reentry Services (H.E.R.S.), a nonprofit organization serving Medi-Cal recipients through Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports. Activities included engaging with 30 program participants and collecting survey data …

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Housing Stability For Domestic Violence Survivors: Strengthening Support Through A Self-Evaluation, Joanna T. Ramirez May 2026

Housing Stability For Domestic Violence Survivors: Strengthening Support Through A Self-Evaluation, Joanna T. Ramirez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project addressed the lack of stable and affordable housing for survivors of domestic violence in Santa Cruz County, a critical issue of ongoing homelessness and barriers to long-term safety and independence. The project was implemented at Monarch Services within the Housing First Program, which serves survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, particularly those from low-income and marginalized communities. The purpose of the project was to develop a trauma informed, client centered self evaluation to better understand survivors needs and housing barriers throughout time. Implementation included the creation of an assessment tool, along with a logic …

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Improving Reentry Outcomes Through Phone Access: A Program Proposal For The Monterey County Public Defender’S Office, Jeralyn Molina May 2026

Improving Reentry Outcomes Through Phone Access: A Program Proposal For The Monterey County Public Defender’S Office, Jeralyn Molina

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project addresses the issue of limited phone access among individuals reentering the community after incarceration, a barrier that contributes to communication challenges, missed court appearances, and difficulty accessing essential services. The project was conducted at the Monterey County Public Defender’s Office, specifically within the Mental Health Diversion and Proposition 47 programs, which serve individuals facing legal, mental health, and substance use challenges. The population served by these programs consists of low-income, justice-involved individuals in Monterey County, many of whom experience homelessness, mental health conditions, and limited access to resources. The purpose of this project was to develop a …

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Three Deep Breaths, Gillianne Lisa B. Corpuz May 2026

Three Deep Breaths, Gillianne Lisa B. Corpuz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Today’s youth are experiencing higher rates of stress and anxiety, especially those that are system-involved and/or at-risk. The Epicenter of Monterey County is a one-stop resource center for system-involved and/or at-risk youth ages 14-24 to receive support with housing, health/wellness, employment and education. The project is aimed to support The Epicenter’s health/wellness aspect. This capstone project serves the purpose of providing both the staff and community youth members at The Epicenter with an opportunity to learn an accessible way to take care of themselves, both body and mind. This would be done through a series of workshops walking through a …

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Promoting Healthy Relationships Among Youth: A Community Based Educational Intervention, Cynthya N. Carrillo May 2026

Promoting Healthy Relationships Among Youth: A Community Based Educational Intervention, Cynthya N. Carrillo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Unhealthy relationship behaviors among youth, including poor communication, lack of boundaries and normalization of control, remain a significant public health concern. This capstone project was implemented at Teen Health Outreach, a program within Santa Cruz County Public Health Department that provides sexual health education and outreach to youth. The community served included youth ages 12-18, with a focus in Watsonville, a diverse and underserved population with limited access to culturally responsive health education. The project involved the development and facilitation of an interactive healthy relationships workshop designed to increase knowledge of consent, communication and relationship “red, yellow and green flags,” …

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Promoting Mental Health Awareness Among Racially And Ethnically Diverse Women, Shyla Sherrill May 2026

Promoting Mental Health Awareness Among Racially And Ethnically Diverse Women, Shyla Sherrill

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many racially and ethnically diverse women face obstacles when recognizing mental health issues and accessing mental health treatment. Because they are not aware of mental health resources and treatment, they may perceive stigmas related to mental health, cultural expectations around mental health, and a lack of awareness of the available resources. When they recognize mental health issues and seek support, they can reduce stress, take control of their emotions and environment, and build understanding and self-acceptance. To address these issues, I created a one-day mental health awareness program for a group of racially and ethnically diverse female employees from the …

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Improving Fafsa Completion For High School Graduates, Haylee B. Padilla May 2026

Improving Fafsa Completion For High School Graduates, Haylee B. Padilla

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Too many students at Learning For Life Charter School graduate without a clear understanding of social mobility and are unprepared for the academic and practical demands of college. This project addressed the need for increased FAFSA completion and college and career readiness among 11th and 12th grade high school students graduating in the 2026 school year. The purpose of this project was to provide support to help students get federal student aid by walking them through filling out the FAFSA form and giving clear steps so they could apply without stress. Key activities included workshops, one-on-one support guiding students through …

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Cultivating Connection: A Culturally Responsive Mental Wellbeing Curriculum For Latine Youth In Santa Cruz County, Suzzy Landeros May 2026

Cultivating Connection: A Culturally Responsive Mental Wellbeing Curriculum For Latine Youth In Santa Cruz County, Suzzy Landeros

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Latine adolescents experience high rates of stress, depression, and stigma surrounding mental health, in part due to limited access to culturally responsive support and safe spaces for connection. The purpose of this internship project was to develop and implement a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, mental wellbeing curriculum to address barriers related to stigma, limited culturally responsive support, and disconnection, while supporting emotional awareness, connection, and use of grounding strategies among youth. The project was implemented through United Way Santa Cruz County in partnership with Watsonville High School and Soquel High School and served high school-aged youth. Development of the curriculum included …

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Emotions And Regulation In Preschool Children, Haley Alcala May 2026

Emotions And Regulation In Preschool Children, Haley Alcala

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many young children have not yet learned to identify and regulate their emotions. As a result, young children may experience more tantrums, discipline from teachers, and feel isolated from their peers. When children learn to identify and regulate their emotions, they will be able to increase their social skills, have an easier time making friends, and improve their academic performance. In order to address this issue, I created a three-day lesson for four-year-olds at Carmelo School in Carmel, California.

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Enhancing Kindergarten Readiness, Aileen Z. Chavarin-Beleche May 2026

Enhancing Kindergarten Readiness, Aileen Z. Chavarin-Beleche

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many parents of young children are unaware of successful ways to prepare their child for Kindergarten. Without preparation, children might struggle in their daily academics and fall behind their peers. Parents who learn more about Kindergarten readiness are more likely to create structured learning environments and help their child build skills to successfully transition to Kindergarten. In order to address this need, I have created a one-hour presentation for parents of children attending the Cabrillo College Children Center and Lab School in Aptos, California.

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Increasing Student-Athletes’ Awareness On Mindset, Kayla A. Young May 2026

Increasing Student-Athletes’ Awareness On Mindset, Kayla A. Young

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many college student-athletes lack awareness of  the benefits associated with maintaining a growth mindset. Individuals who are unaware may have lower resilience, poor motivation, and poor habits. College students-athletes who develop and maintain a growth mindset are likely to engage in good decision making and sustain their drive towards success, academically and athletically. In order to address this issue, I have created a one-day workshop for female college track and field student-athletes at California State University Monterey Bay in Seaside, California.

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Supporting Stress Management In First-Year College Students, Maria Cardenas Martinez May 2026

Supporting Stress Management In First-Year College Students, Maria Cardenas Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many students entering college lack the coping and emotional regulation skills needed to manage college life effectively. By understanding stress, learning effective coping,  and using emotional regulation strategies, students can maintain positive mental health, adapt to new situations, and succeed academically and personally. However, without these skills, they may experience emotional dysregulation, anxiety, depression, be overwhelmed, and have concentration problems that can negatively affect their well-being and college success. Therefore, I created a one-day workshop for first-year seminar students at California State University, Monterey Bay, in Seaside, California.

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Digital Outreach For Environmental Equity: Bridging The Nature Gap In Castroville, California Through Social Media, Phoebe C. Deacon May 2026

Digital Outreach For Environmental Equity: Bridging The Nature Gap In Castroville, California Through Social Media, Phoebe C. Deacon

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Too many low-income residents of Castroville are not spending enough time in nature, causing negative impacts on both physical and mental health. Ventana Wildlife Society provides programs including after-school programs, Single Day Adventures, and summer camps for youth and families in Monterey County, particularly those from underserved communities. This project focused on the Castroville program. Castroville is a low-income, agricultural, isolated pocket of Monterey County, one of the communities where Ventana allocates its resources. This project implemented an outreach and educational intervention through use of social media by updating the Instagram page for Ventana’s North County Outdoor Program and posting …

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Increasing Ageism Awareness Among College Students, Mya Melendez May 2026

Increasing Ageism Awareness Among College Students, Mya Melendez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many college students are unaware of their participation in ageist behaviors against elders. When college students are unaware of their ageist behaviors, they create an environment that excludes elders based on stereotypes and prejudiced ideas and may engage in other exclusionary behaviors towards other groups. Making college students aware of discriminatory behaviors against elders may increase positive attitudes towards elders, protect elders from vulnerability, and decrease the stigma of aging. To address these issues, I will conduct a one-hour workshop addressing ageism to a class of Human Development and Family Science students at California State University, Monterey Bay.

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Intimate Partner Violence In The Queer Community, Kathleen A. Oslé May 2026

Intimate Partner Violence In The Queer Community, Kathleen A. Oslé

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Queer college students face unique barriers to receiving intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention services, of note the instability of emerging adult life. At question is whether or not targeted intervention services appropriately serve the queer community in this regard. A new digital media landscape for the romantic world creates potentially harmful life goals by glorifying unhealthy behaviors and ostracizing survivors, all for the sake of money. Previous research shows that early intervention and education provides a preventative factor in IPV. Data from an in-person intervention workshop is used to determine the feasibility of targeted intervention services, and provides means-tested results. …

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Increasing Knowledge Of Language Development In Parents Of Children 0-3 Years, Grace K. Urban May 2026

Increasing Knowledge Of Language Development In Parents Of Children 0-3 Years, Grace K. Urban

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Language disorders have the ability to impact a child’s development negatively across domains. These differences often go undetected, and children do not receive the early intervention support they need. When parents learn about the variety of speech and language differences, they can understand when to seek support and intervention services for their children. Therefore, it is important for parents to be informed of the signs of speech and language delays that may appear in young children. To address parental concerns about speech and language differences, I will be holding a one-day educational seminar for parents who attend Parent’s Place at …

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Addressing College Students Stress Through Coping Strategies, Daisy Valdez Martinez May 2026

Addressing College Students Stress Through Coping Strategies, Daisy Valdez Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

College students often experience stress due to time management, responsibilities, and finances. This stress can negatively impact them by leading to mental health issues and affecting their academic performance. This capstone focuses on creating a plan in which students are able to handle stressful situations and have greater awareness of stress. The workshop taught students about common stress factors, the impact they have on students, how to manage negative thoughts, and coping strategies. Participants completed activities such as creating their own stress bubbles, a negative and helpful thought worksheet, and a Kahoot quiz on coping skills. Results showed that students …

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The Role Of Family Dynamics In Adolescents Mental Health, Victoria Tinajero May 2026

The Role Of Family Dynamics In Adolescents Mental Health, Victoria Tinajero

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on the role of family dynamics in adolescent mental health. Teens who lack strong family support often develop mental health problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression. When families struggle with communication and have little emotional connection, teens may feel alone, misunderstood, or unsupported, which can lead to poor overall performance and emotional difficulties. When parents of teens learn family communication skills and techniques for providing emotional support, they are better able to reduce conflict and help manage issues like emotional withdrawal. To address this issue, I created a one-day workshop to educate them about mental …

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Understanding Imposter Syndrome As First Gen: Navigating Higher Education, Jocelyn Solar-Villarreal May 2026

Understanding Imposter Syndrome As First Gen: Navigating Higher Education, Jocelyn Solar-Villarreal

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Some first generation college students may experience imposter syndrome. Clance & Imes (1978), Imposter syndrome is defined as feeling like a fraud despite the amount of success. Students with imposter syndrome may have feelings of a lack of belonging and a lack of support, which can decrease their ability to succeed. When first generation students learn about imposter syndrome and how to address it, they are able to learn healthy coping mechanisms that can help combat the syndrome and also learn to interpret their experience as part of the learning experience instead as a sign of inadequacy. First generation students …

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Raising Regulated Moms: Reducing Reactive Parenting Responses, Victoria J. Perez May 2026

Raising Regulated Moms: Reducing Reactive Parenting Responses, Victoria J. Perez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many parents and caregivers lack access to information and support that accurately relates effective parenting styles, without this knowledge caregivers and parents may unintentionally rely on reactive responses that end up escalating conflict with their child rather than resolving it. When parents respond to their child's big emotions without effective tools to first regulate themselves, they risk contributing to higher stress levels, emotional withdrawal, and behavioral dysregulation in their children. Research consistently demonstrates that when parents are given the tools to successfully incorporate self-regulation skills and evidence-based approaches to guide children through difficult emotions, both the child and the parent …

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Benefits Of Contemporary Literature On Literacy And Cognitive Development In Elementary School Students, Autumn R. Hemenway May 2026

Benefits Of Contemporary Literature On Literacy And Cognitive Development In Elementary School Students, Autumn R. Hemenway

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this capstone research project is to examine the benefits of contemporary literature on the literacy and cognitive development of elementary school students. Contemporary literature includes modern texts that reflect diverse experiences, identities, and real-life issues that students can relate to. This study reviews academic articles and interviews with elementary school teachers and school librarians to explore how these resources influence vocabulary development, reading comprehension, student engagement, and critical thinking. The findings indicated that contemporary literature supports literacy growth by increasing student motivation and connection to reading, while also promoting cognitive development through interpretation, perspective taking, and deeper …

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Effects Of Culturally (Queer) Responsive Teaching On Lgbtq+ Students, Samantha L. Alonso May 2026

Effects Of Culturally (Queer) Responsive Teaching On Lgbtq+ Students, Samantha L. Alonso

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) has been thoroughly researched, and its effects have been well documented. However, when responding to Cultural diversity within the classroom, most researchers and educators focus on racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse cultures. Despite this, CRT has proven its effectiveness for all students, and can be adapted for any minority culture. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of CRT for Queer students. As well as, the barriers, limitations, and hesitations in regards to its implementation. Using surveys conducted on students and educators alike, insights are provided in regards to student experiences and educators perspectives. Additionally, a …

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Teachers’ Role In Supporting Students Growing Up Missing A Parent, Jesus A. Gomez May 2026

Teachers’ Role In Supporting Students Growing Up Missing A Parent, Jesus A. Gomez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone research project examines how teachers support students who are growing up missing a parent. Through literature reviews, teacher and parent interviews, and anonymous student survey data from CSUMB students, the results revealed that parental absence and family instability can affect students academically, emotionally, and behaviorally. However, teachers can play an important role in students' lives by providing emotional safety, strong relationships, communication, and everyday support. In addition, students from single-parent or untraditional households were much more likely to remember a teacher as a role model as a second-parent figure. This capstone highlights the protective role teachers play …

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Impact Of Dual Immersion Program On The Academic Achievement Of Elementary School Students, Juliana G. Carreto May 2026

Impact Of Dual Immersion Program On The Academic Achievement Of Elementary School Students, Juliana G. Carreto

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This study examines the impact of the dual immersion program on the academic achievement of elementary school students in reading, mathematics, and Spanish. Through literature reviews, classroom observations, and interviews with teachers and a principal, the results indicate that students in the dual immersion program do well and often outperform those in the traditional program. Besides student engagement and interest in learning, students in the dual immersion program gain problem-solving, memory, and critical thinking skills, as well as proficiency in both English and Spanish, despite their initial struggles in the 90/10 model. As a result, the dual immersion program positively …

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Building The Bridge: A Trauma Informed Supportive Presentation For Parents & Caregivers Of Adolescent Children Who’Ve Experienced Trauma, Cynthia Rodriguez May 2026

Building The Bridge: A Trauma Informed Supportive Presentation For Parents & Caregivers Of Adolescent Children Who’Ve Experienced Trauma, Cynthia Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Children exposed to trauma often face significant adverse effects on their development and well-being when parents/caregivers lack emotional support to their children. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop and implement a psychoeducational presentation designed to teach parents the basics of trauma-informed care principles and practical strategies to help support their children who have experienced trauma. A virtual live presentation approach, including educational evidence-based, trauma-informed curriculum to a set of participants who identify themselves as caregivers or parents. The presentation was evaluated by personal interviews to determine if the participant was satisfied  and would benefit from the presentation. …

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