Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Relationship Between Volunteerism And Revenue Streams In Youth-Centered Nonprofit Organizations: An Analysis Of Fundraising Revenue, Program Service Revenue, And Government Grants, Stephanie Aguguo-Orelus

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This study examined the relationship between volunteerism and revenue streams in youth-centered nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in the United States. Utilizing financial data from IRS Form 990 filings spanning 2014 to 2023, the research analyzes how the number of annual volunteers impacts three primary revenue sources: donations, program service revenue, and government grants. Fixed-effects regression models are employed to evaluate these relationships across the full study period and in pre- and post-COVID-19 subsamples. The study also investigates the association between volunteerism and revenue diversification using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI). Findings reveal a positive and statistically significant relationship between volunteer involvement and …

Supervised Topic Modeling For Scientific Texts: Bayesian Shrinkage Methods And Domain-Specific Applications In Forensics And Online Aggression Sciences, Amir Alipour Yengejeh

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Topic modeling has become a powerful tool for analyzing large-scale textual corpora across scientific domains. However, traditional unsupervised approaches like Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) often produce redundant or weakly informative topics, limiting their interpretability and predictive utility. This dissertation presents a dual-track study that advances the field of interpretable topic modeling and domain-specific text analysis by (1) quantitatively analyzing research trends in Cyber Aggression and Abuse (CAA), and (2) developing a supervised topic selection framework for forensic science literature.

In the first part, we apply LDA to a corpus of 2,309 journal abstracts on CAA sourced from the Web of …

“Rights Not Rescue”: How Stigma Influences Harmful Legislation Toward Sex Workers In The Deep South, Abigail Mckenzie Conover

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

In the United States, while prostitution or sex work is not explicitly illegal at a federal level, certain characteristics have been criminalized, mainly in indirect ways. This is significant when considering the different ways that sex work is regarded (both positively and negatively) at an institutional level. The current study examines the potential correlation between structural/institutional stigma regarding sex work/sex workers and legislation meant to directly or indirectly harm sex workers. The overall goal of this research was to answer the following question: How does structural/institutional stigma against sex workers present itself in legislation? To accomplish this, I conducted a …

The Association Between The Social Determinants Of Health And Shared Decision Making: An Investigation Of The National Survey Of Children's Health, Vernon T. Headley

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Objective: Shared decision-making (SDM) is defined as a clinical approach that allows both physicians and patients to communicate on the best treatment options that will improve the patient's overall health outcomes. Shared decision-making plays a vital role in how parents engage with their physicians regarding the healthcare needs of their children. This dissertation assessed the association between the social determinants of health and shared decision-making regarding children’s health-related issues.

Methods: The data for the current research were the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), combined 2017-2020. The dependent variable was shared decision-making and included discussing treatment options, raising concerns regarding …

The Impact Of Alternatives To Incarceration And The Motherhood Identity On Mothers And Their Children: A Qualitative Study, Chloe Blau

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The U.S. prison system population increasingly includes women, a significant proportion of whom are mothers, often incarcerated for non-violent crimes. Some research suggests that alternative to incarceration (ATI) programs can help these women to continue supporting their children while serving their sentences and receiving services that may decrease recidivism. However, few studies have explored the lived experiences of women in these programs. This dissertation investigates the impact of participating in ATI programs on mothers and their relationship to their motherhood identity, their ability to mother, and their relationship with their children. Using a qualitative approach to better understand how women …

Evaluation Of Nibin-Generated Leads And Whether They Contribute To Solving Violent Crimes, Massi Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The client organization had not previously analyzed the impact of its NIBIN program. This lack of analysis potentially impeded informed decision-making regarding staffing and resource allocation. The purpose of this study was to address the practice-focused research question: What impact do NIBIN leads have on case closure rates for aggravated assaults and homicides involving firearms? A Cox proportional hazards regression model, a type of survival analysis, was used to analyze the data, which was based on the Locard exchange principle. Data were collected from the organization’s record management system. The findings were that NIBIN leads significantly contributed to faster case …

Chantsat-1 Ground Station Planning, Design And Installation - Experiences Gained, Ian Hewitt, Jean French, George Hitt

Small Satellite Conference

Planning, designing, and implementing the ground station for ChantSat-1, Coastal Carolina University’s first small sat mission program, was the first major milestone of the University’s space program. CCU’s ChantSat-1 ground station team presents the experiences gained during the process from inception to completion of the ground station at a liberal arts public University in the southeastern United States with approximately 11,000 students. By sharing both our challenges and successes, our goal is to support others by providing experiences gained in the process.

Building Better Cities With Artificial Intelligence: A Path To Sustainability And Livability, Mona Mahrous Abdel Wahed

Emirates Journal for Engineering Research

The rapid acceleration of urbanization has amplified the multifaceted challenges confronting cities in attaining sustainability and ensuring livability. Artificial Intelligence technologies stand out as transformative tools with the potential to revolutionize urban development through finding innovative solutions to urban challenges. By leveraging AI, cities can optimize resource allocation, enhance decision-making processes, and create urban environments that are both livable and environmentally sustainable. Achieving this transformation requires visionary policymakers, meticulous planning, and a commitment to ethical AI deployment. Through AI's data-driven insights, urban planners can make informed decisions that align with the complex and dynamic needs of urban areas. This research …

Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guide: Human And Public Services, Education Systems Center

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

First published in October 2022. Significantly revised in April 2025 to incorporate updated labor market information. Key terminology and relationship between concepts sections added in August 2025.

Wmu Board Of Trustee Special Board Meeting, August 13, 2025, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Remarks by the Chair of the Board
• Remarks by the President

Action Item

• American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees’ Union (AFSCME)
• Wage Agreement
• Remarks by AFSCME President

Lindenwood Digest, August 13, 2025, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

Comparative Analysis Of Codes Of Ethical Conduct And Professionalism In Engineering And Project Management Associations, Valarie Denney, James W. Marion

Publications

This research details the similarities and differences in moral values and perspective from 15 engineering and project management association codes of conduct and professionalism. The methodology uses text mining of selected codes counting and summarizing keywords, evaluating document similarities through cosine similarity, and assessing the influence of various ethical schools of thought. Key findings reveal differences in the emphasis of core ethical values like fairness, honesty, and responsibility across different associations. This research is important for engineering and project management professionals to purposefully develop and evolve codes of ethics and professional development to enhance integrity, accountability, and ethical decision-making.

Implications Of The Pending Wisconsin Supreme Court Ruling On Act 10, Carl J. Bryan

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This white paper examines the potential implications of the pending Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, a landmark labor law that significantly restricted collective bargaining rights for public sector employees, including teachers and university professors. The ruling stands to reshape the landscape of public sector labor relations in Wisconsin, impacting public educators’ bargaining power, labor-management dynamics, and ultimately, the quality of public education. Drawing on scholarly research, this paper outlines the key challenges posed by the potential legal uncertainty and proposes a multi-pronged approach centered on collaborative labor-management frameworks, contingency planning, inclusive policymaking, capacity …

Autism Awareness Training For Law Enforcement Officers: A Pilot Study, Kaylie Holke, Meghan Cosier, Elissa Green Kaustinen, Cathy Scherer, Andrew Wall

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to pilot a research-based autism training session for law enforcement officers (LEOs), test the Police Self-Efficacy for Autism (PSEA) scale as a measurement tool for the session and provide a preliminary examination of brief training. Design/methodology/approach

This study utilized a pre-post survey approach in which participants completed the PSEA scale pre- and post-training to measure the relationship between the training and self-efficacy scores. Findings

Results show a positive relationship between brief autism-specific training and officers’ self-efficacy scores across items and subscales. All four subscales and seven of thirteen items demonstrated statistical significance. Originality/value …

Educating Health Care Workers To Reduce Stigma And Create A Supportive Environment For Individuals With Substance Use Disorder, Rosette Nakiyemba Wakanabo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This doctoral project was a staff education project aimed at addressing a critical practice problem within nursing related to stigma faced by individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) in health care settings. The practice-focused question guiding the project addressed whether structured education and skill building could reduce stigma among health care workers toward patients with SUD. The purpose of this project was to enhance health care workers’ understanding of stigma and to equip them with practical tools and strategies to foster inclusive, empathetic, and effective care environments. The training was delivered in a workshop format that combined evidence-based strategies with …

Writings On Political Philosophy, Benedictus De Spinoza

Hannah Arendt Marginalia - All

New York, London D. Appleton-Century Company, incorporated [c1937]

Call #: JC163 .S73 1937

Contains underlining, marginal notes, marginal lining, and endnotes

PDF Information: 70 pages – 39 MB

The Chief Works Of Benedict De Spinoza, V.1, Benedictus De Spinoza

Hannah Arendt Marginalia - All

New York : Dover, 1955, c1951

Call #: B3958 .S758 v.1

contains marginal lining and underlining

PDF Information: 94 pages – 39 MB

Enhanced Navigation Using Wireless Beacons In Infrastructure, Qi Jiang, Danqing Fu

Defensive Publications Series

To address the limitations of conventional navigation systems in dynamic environments, this disclosure presents a system for improving location accuracy and providing real-time data to users. This disclosure describes equipping public infrastructure, such as traffic lights, pedestrian crosswalks, railroad crossings, and other roadside units (RSUs), with low-cost wireless beacons or local transmitters (e.g., Bluetooth, Ultra-Wideband, RFID, etc.). These transmitters continuously broadcast or advertise valuable information, like traffic signal timing, status updates, or precise location data. A user's computing device—which could be a smartphone, wearable, or an in-vehicle system within a connected or autonomous vehicle—may then receive these signals as it …

Maria Blandizzi Start Of Year Message, Student Life, Maria Blandizzi

College, School and Department Newsletters, Magazines, and Journals

No abstract provided.

Varona, Federico, San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

USA:

University of Kansas, Major: Organizational Communication. Minor: Intercultural Communication, 1991 Ph.D.

University of Kansas, Major: Organizational Communication Minor: Intercultural Communication, 1988, M.A. [M.A. Thesis: A Comparative Study of Communication Satisfaction in Two Guatemalan Companies]

FRANCE:

Center AudioVisuel Recherche et Communication, Lyon, France, Audiovisual Communication.1977 Diplome

SPAIN:

Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, Spain, Major: Theology, 1976 Licenciado [Thesis: De Carl Rogers a la Pedagogía de la Fe]

Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, Spain. Major: Psychology. Minor: Clinical and Educational Psychology, 1976 Diplomado

GUATEMALA:

Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, Guatemala, Psychology, 1972-1974

Universidad Francisco Marroquín, Guatemala, Theology, 1972-1974 …

From Larvae To Livelihoods: Examining The Realities Of Black Soldier Fly Farming In Malawi, Emily Herriott

Capstone Collection

Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae offer a cost-effective, nutrient-rich alternative to synthetic fertilizers and conventional feed inputs such as soy, fishmeal, and maize bran in sub-Saharan Africa. In Malawi, where smallholder farmers grapple with declining soil fertility, high input prices, chronic food insecurity, and livestock nutritional challenges, BSF farming is emerging as a promising circular agricultural innovation. Despite its technical promise, the social, economic, and ecological realities of BSF adoption remain underexplored.This study investigates the early implementation of BSF farming in Malawi through the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, focusing on farmer experiences, challenges, and the social and structural processes shaping uptake …

Recidivism Reduction Through Collaboration For Those With Serious And Persistent Mental Illness, Marion Joseph Fowler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to investigate the levels of collaboration between mental health agencies in Hamilton County, Tennessee, which provide services to individuals who were arrested at least five times between 2018 and 2021, released from jail, and who were diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI). The primary research question revolves around the problem: in Hamilton County, Tennessee, despite available resources for those with SPMI, the current system for continuity of care does not include collaboration, which assists with holistic services to reduce recidivism. Respective services focus on single risk/need areas, leaving other issues …

Mca 10100 Oer/Ztc Syllabus, Daniel Gilmore

Open Educational Resources

This is a syllabus for the MCA 10100 Introduction to Media Studies course taught at City College in the Media & Communication Arts department. It is an OER & ZTC compliant syllabus.

The Crucial Role Of Grassroots Social Organizations In Advancing Immigrant Legal Protections And Reshaping Immigration Policy, Isabella Reynolds

McNair Summer Research Program

This research project examines how grassroots social organizations contribute to the advancement of immigrant legal protections and shape immigration policy, with a particular focus on formerly incarcerated migrants in California. I focus on case studies and the personal experiences of organizers from Homies Unidos, Border Angels, and other organizations that operate near the San Diego–Tijuana border region. The study illustrates how these groups provide essential services, mental health support, and community-based initiatives for vulnerable and formerly incarcerated immigrants. By conducting oral histories and ethnography as methods for preserving emotional labor and shared memory, this research challenges prevailing narratives that criminalize …

Immigrant Surveillance In San Diego During A Fascist Era, Jennifer L. Torres Leon

McNair Summer Research Program

The following qualitative study examines a new increase of technological surveillance used on immigrants by San Diego’s local law enforcement. Drawing from in-depth interviews of the San Diego Privacy Advisory Board and Trust SD, insights of technological related violations are sanctioned by the San Diego Police Department. This is done through ambiguous language regarding “criminal investigations” and lack of definitive use policy, despite several memorandums and recommendations by the SD Privacy Advisory Board. Present findings reveal a duality of immigrant surveillance instigating hyper-visible tracking and broadcasting an image of their criminality. This study contributes to scholarship or crimmigration and urban …

Urban Wildlife In Your Backyard: Community Experiences With Coyotes And Outdoor Cats, Clarissa Emma Cressotti

Dissertations and Theses

Urbanization reshapes ecological processes by fragmenting habitat and altering patterns of human-wildlife interaction, often reducing biodiversity. However, at the household scale, residential yards can either enhance or inhibit ecological connectivity - functioning as informal habitat stepping stones or barriers to wildlife. This thesis examines how residents' environmental attitudes, wildlife experiences, and socio-demographic characteristics influence yard-level behaviors and shape the presence of urban-adapted wildlife species, particularly coyotes and domestic cats, across the Portland, Oregon metropolitan region. A mixed-methods, social-ecological framework guided the analysis, integrating survey data from 244 households with wildlife detections from motion-triggered cameras (Urban Wildlife Information Network, UWIN), citizen …

Unmasking The Shadows: A Comprehensive Exploration Of Serial Killers, Erica D. Lewis

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

Using a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative literature review and qualitative case study analysis, this capstone investigates the developmental pathways of serial killers. The study investigates a variety of biological, psychological, and sociological elements—such as genetic predispositions, neurological disorders, childhood traumas, and environmental stressors—interact to shape serial killers. The study offers a multidisciplinary perspective, grounded in criminological models such as routine activity and labeling theories, sociological frameworks such as social disorganization and strain theory, and psychological theories such as psychopathy and attachment theory. Theoretical findings are contextualized through case studies of notorious serial killers like Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and …

Set Up For Success: The Lived Experiences And Perceptions Of Nonviolent Offenders And Their Challenges Of Successfully Reentering Society, Ciera Lee'nette Day

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This dissertation firmly highlighted the critical necessity for effective diversion plans tailored to nonviolent offenders, presenting a compelling qualitative analysis of the lived experiences of 12 former nonviolent offenders and their views on diversion centers. The research employed in-depth interviews as the primary data collection method, engaging participants aged 18 and older who had committed nonviolent offenses, had no pending legal cases, and had been released from incarceration or probation within the past six months. To analyze the data, NVivo 15 and MAXQDA software were utilized, ensuring a rigorous and systematic approach to organizing and interpreting unstructured data, developing robust …

Preventing Injuries In Cdl Drivers: An Occupational Therapy Approach, Jerika Eumecha Arnsworth, Cassandra Nelson, Lee Ann Hoffman

Summer 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Commercial drivers are at heightened risk for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to prolonged sitting, inadequate ergonomic environments, and limited access to health education. This doctoral capstone project aimed to address these challenges through the development, implementation, and evaluation of a five-week educational program focused on improving ergonomic awareness and occupational health among CDL drivers. Grounded in the Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) model, the program was implemented in collaboration with a small commercial logging company in Texas and featured weekly modules on hydration, preparatory movements, assistive technology, seating posture, and mental health.

A needs assessment revealed limited ergonomic knowledge among participants and a …

Enhancing Response Through Occupational Therapy: Neurodiversity & Mental Health Training For First Responders, Haley De Los Santos

Occupational Therapy Student Capstones

Problem Statement: Lack of specific training protocol in the following areas; complex neurological, physiological, cognitive, and physical diversity. First responders are not adequately trained respond to complex, diverse calls within the community.