Digital Commons Network^™

Blight Pink: The Reclamation Of Vinegar Hill, Jalen J. Mickle

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Through critical analysis, speculative design, and spatial interventions, this project aims to reveal how the built environment and narrative structures co-produce the concept of “truth,” and how alternative practices can both challenge erasure and validate the Black American experience. Architecture, as a synthesis of form, identity, philosophy, and order, reflects and shapes societal hierarchies.

Vietnamese American Anti-Imperialism: South Vietnamese History And Analysis Of Publications Pre-1975, Jeannie Nguyen

Master's Theses

During the Vietnam War, citizens contested US imperialism at multiple levels. In South Vietnam, citizens published newspapers and magazines to challenge their government and expose the depth of US aggression in South Vietnamese society and culture. Inside the imperial core, Black, Chicano, and Asian American activists formed solidarities to resist the war and challenge racial inequality. At the intersection of imperialism inside and outside its borders, lies a group of South Vietnamese students and scholars who became American, migrating during the war via state-structured projects. However, in response to the heightening of war and drawing inspiration from their ‘Third World’ …

Diabetes Care For People Experiencing Homelessness: A Uk National Survey & Integrated Care Model, Daniela Oehring, Martha Paisi, Mona Nasser, Theo Jackson, Ryan Young, Lynne Wooff, Helen Partridge, Samantha Dorney-Smith

School of Health Professions

Background: People experiencing homelessness (PEH) face unique barriers to diabetes management including unstable housing, food insecurity, and fragmented services. This study aimed to understand frontline professionals' perspectives on diabetes care for PEH and develop an evidence-based integrated care model.Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods cross-sectional survey (January-April 2024) of UK healthcare and voluntary sector professionals managing diabetes in PEH. The survey assessed perceived diabetes prevalence, complications, care quality, and management strategies. Quantitative data (n=104) were analyzed using ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and ordinal logistic regression. Qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis. Findings were triangulated to develop the Integrated Holistic Diabetes Care Model for …

What Are You?: The Impacts Of Salient Relationships And Monoracist Experiences On Multiracial Individuals’ Well-Being, Annika E. Duquet

Doctoral Dissertations

The multiracial population is one of the fastest growing groups as interracial partnerships continue to rise (Lee, 2008). This dissertation focused on multiracial Indian and white individuals and explored the processes of developing one’s identity and social relationships through identifiable experiences. The adult participants, located throughout the United States, recalled experiences from throughout their life that they encountered with peers, family members, community members, romantic partners, and other systems of support. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology, the research questions guiding the study were: 1) What are the ways in which salient relationships affect an Indian and white individual’s meaning-making …

Poly(Adp-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibitor Maintenance Therapy In Ovarian Cancer: A Single-Center Retrospective Study., Sydney Pence, Kayla Dyson, Kristen Waters, John O Elliott, Kellie Rath, Stuart Pierce, Amy Harper, Corinne Calo, Aine E Clements

OhioHealth Research Institute Articles

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness and tolerability of PARPi maintenance in a real-world patient population. Specifically, to assess duration of PARPi, the rate of secondary malignancies, rate of side effects, and survival.

METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio was performed. All patients diagnosed since March 2015 were reviewed for eligibility. Data was collected via EMR query and stored in REDCap. Charts were reviewed for multiple data points, including duration of PARPi use, side effects, secondary malignancies, survival, and recurrence. Data were reported descriptively with …

Impact Of Travel Time To Health Facilities On Perinatal Outcomes: A Systematic Review With Narrative Synthesis And Meta-Analysis, Sanam Roder-Dewan, Marwa Ramadan, Paul Ouma, Alexander Manu, Emelda A. Okiro, Natalie Strobel, Bibian N. Robert, Emily Odipo, Peter M. Macharia, Anthony Danso-Appiah, David C. Goodman, Queen Dube, Gagan Gupta, Hema Magge, Karen Edmond

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Evidence-based global guidance on safe travel time for small or sick newborns who require transfer to health facilities after birth is lacking. A two-hour threshold is frequently cited in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), while 30 minutes is commonly used in high-income countries (HICs). Although these thresholds are widely referenced, their empirical basis and consistency across levels of newborn care and journey types have not been systematically examined. This study synthesises the evidence linking travel time and perinatal outcomes. Methods: We conducted a systematic review with narrative synthesis and meta-analysis to assess the impact of travel time or distance …

Associations Between Father–Mother Food Parenting Practices And Children’S Dietary Intake, Brian K. Lo, Natalie Grafft, Mariane Helen De Oliveira, Sebastien Haneuse, In Young Park, Alejandra Cantu-Aldana, Katherine W. Bauer, Rebekah Levine Coley, Jorge E. Chavarro, Kirsten K. Davison, Jess Haines

Human Genetics Publications

Objective: To examine whether the number of parents using high levels of structure or coercive control food parenting practices is associated with children’s dietary intake.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of father–mother dyads from the Fathers & Families cohort study. Fathers and mothers independently reported their food parenting practices and child’s dietary intake. Multivariate logistic regression models estimated associations between the number of parents (0, 1 or 2) using high structure or coercive control practices and children’s intake of fruit, vegetables, fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), adjusting for demographics and recruitment site.

Setting: United States

Participants: 474 father–mother dyads with a …

Effects Of Melatonin Supplementation On Exercise Induced Stress In Horses, Hannah Clark Valigura

Theses and Dissertations

Exercise is a necessary component of athletic conditioning but imposes substantial physiological stress on horses, resulting in oxidative stress, inflammation, muscle damage, and thermal strain that can impair performance and recovery. Melatonin, a neurohormone with potent antioxidant and thermoregulatory properties, has been proposed as a novel nutritional strategy to mitigate these effects. This dissertation aimed to (1) characterize serum melatonin concentrations following oral supplementation, (2) evaluate the effects of melatonin on oxidative stress, inflammation, and muscle damage biomarkers after exercise, and (3) examine its influence on physiological parameters during exercise under warm weather conditions. Across a series of controlled experiments …

Investigating The Evolution Of Shear Failure In Cross Laminated Timber (Clt) Transverse Layer Using Acoustic Emission, Harika Undadi

Theses and Dissertations

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is susceptible to rolling shear failure in the transverse layers. This study evaluated the rolling shear failure in southern pine (Pinus spp.) and yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) CLT panels using block shear, delamination, and interlaminar shear tests. Acoustic emission (AE) monitoring was integrated with video recording to capture structural damage while loading. The results showed rolling shear failure as the dominant failure mode in the transverse layer. The AE energy and the load-displacement curve were classified into stages і) deformation stage with negligible AE signals (elastic behavior); ⅱ) crack propagation stage with increased AE signals; and ⅲ) …

A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Research On Principal Internship And Residency Design, Stephen Vanderford

Theses and Dissertations

Principal preparation programs continue to demonstrate variation in internship structure, mentoring quality, and alignment between field-based experiences and the complex demands of school leadership. Although national research emphasizes immersive, year-long clinical practice, internship expectations remain inconsistent across preparation programs. This capstone project synthesizes research identifying essential components of educational leadership internship and residency experiences. The purpose of this study is to examine exemplary content, instructional strategies, and mentoring practices associated with high-quality internship and residency models. Guided by the Talent Development Framework and informed by the PSEL, the study examines how internship structure, experiential learning, and mentoring processes align with …

The Role Of Math Anxiety – And Associated Support Mechanisms And Strategies – In The Academic Success Of Stem College Students, William Jacob Tschume

Theses and Dissertations

Math anxiety has been widely documented as a barrier to student success, yet its role within institutional student success frameworks – particularly in gateway STEM courses – remains underexamined. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between math anxiety, academic support mechanisms, and academic performance among undergraduate STEM students enrolled in a gateway mathematics course at a large, public, research-intensive university. Guided by the Debilitating Anxiety Model, student success frameworks, Social Cognitive Career Theory, and equity-oriented perspectives, this study addressed three research questions: (1) how student demographic characteristics relate to levels of math anxiety, (2) the …

Exploring The Effect Of Students' Exclusionary Discipline On Their Academic Achievement In A Rural High School., Danya Turner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the extent to which exclusionary discipline practices, specifically in-school suspension and out-of-school suspension, are associated with academic achievement among high school students. More specifically, the study investigated the relationship between students’ exclusionary discipline days and performance on Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) assessments in Algebra I, Biology, English II, and U.S. History. The study was guided by the Opportunity to Learn (OTL) framework, which emphasizes the importance of access to instructional time for student academic success. Archival discipline and assessment data were collected from a rural public high school in east-central …

Tracing Hazing Across Adolescence: Examining How Prior Hazing Experiences Shape Hazing Motivation And Tolerance Among Newly Initiated Ifc Fraternity Members, John Michael Vanhorn

Theses and Dissertations

Hazing remains pervasive and underreported, disproportionately affecting adolescent and emerging adult men, particularly within athletic teams and fraternity contexts. Although hazing is most often studied within collegiate organizations, many students encounter hazing behaviors prior to college, yet little is known about how these early experiences shape later hazing perceptions, motivations, tolerance, and masculine norms. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model, this dissertation conceptualizes hazing as a developmental process shaped by repeated social interactions, individual characteristics, contextual environments, and time across adolescence and emerging adulthood. Using a two-paper approach with a quantitative, longitudinal survey design, study 1 examined fraternity new members’ …

Bridging The Gap: Implementing A Modified Pacing Guide For Students 2-3 Grade Levels Behind In An Accelerated Program, Crystal T. Tyson

Theses and Dissertations

Accelerated secondary programs serving students performing two to three grade levels below proficiency often operate within compressed instructional timelines aligned to state accountability requirements. However, limited research examines how state-level policy structures influence district pacing practices within these settings. The purpose of this capstone study is to examine how accountability frameworks shape district pacing implementation and how pacing compression affects instructional flexibility for accelerated learners. Guided by a policy-to-practice conceptual framework linking state accountability systems, district pacing structures, and instructional impact, the study addresses three research questions focused on (a) policy influence on pacing design, (b) structural implications of pacing …

Delayed Timing Of Spring Application Of Nitrogen In Corn, Elizabeth Mae Worley

Theses and Dissertations

Application timing of nitrogen (N) fertilizer within the corn growing season can be crucial to crop nutrient uptake and availability. A lack of region-specific timing recommendations may result in inefficient fertilizer use and inconsistent yield responses. The objectives of this study were to determine how late in the growing season a first and second N fertilizer application can be pushed until corn yield is impacted and investigate whether Growing Degree Days (GDDs) should be used as better estimate of timing for N application than calendar date or growth stage. First applications were able to be delayed until V4-V6 growth stages …

Assessing The Relationship Between Subsurface Geology And Surficial Geomorphology: Remotely Predicting Geologic Features And Geohazards Using An Elevation-Trained Machine Learning Algorithm In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Allison L. Wing

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates the capacity to predict subsurface geologic features and submarine landslide susceptibility using surficial geomorphology derived from bathymetric elevation data in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Quantitative geomorphic variables including slope, curvature, aspect, rugosity, geomorphons, and Bathymetric Position Index were generated from 30-meter digital elevation models and used as explanatory variables in presence-only Maximum Entropy models. Known locations of faults, pockmarks, mud volcanoes, hydrocarbon seeps, and landslides (particularly intact scarps) were used to train and validate predictive models through k-fold cross validation. Model performance was assessed using omission rates and AUC values. Results demonstrate that specific geomorphic signatures, …

Feasibility-Aware Deep Reinforcement Learning For Sustainable Timber Procurement Under Hurricane Demand Uncertainty, Jarod Wright

Theses and Dissertations

The timber supply chain connects landowners and mills to provide wood products but faces challenges from stochastic demand, seasonal variations, and disruptions such as hurricanes. Fur- thermore, sustainability concerns like transportation emissions create trade-offs in procurement. This study proposes a feasibility-aware Deep Reinforcement Learning framework for sustainable timber procurement and inventory control under joint demand–hurricane uncertainty. We develop a stochastic mathematical model capturing mill-landowner interactions, seasonal demand, hurricane- driven pricing, and carbon emissions. The problem is formulated as a constrained Markov decision process and solved using Proximal Policy Optimization with a feasibility-enforcing layer. A Mississippi-based case study with 2,100 landowners …

Closing The Implementation Gap: A Research-Based Playbook For High-Quality Teacher Mentoring Programs, Angela White

Theses and Dissertations

This capstone project addresses the ongoing problem of inconsistent, unstructured, and unsustainable mentoring practices in K–12 schools, which contribute to new teacher burnout, uneven instructional support, and high turnover rates. The purpose of the project is to design a research-based mentoring implementation system that strengthens novice teacher support while building mentor capacity. The study is guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and informed by ERIC implementation strategies, which together provide a structured lens for understanding barriers, facilitators, and effective actions related to mentoring implementation. The research questions explore how intervention characteristics, school-level contextual factors, and implementation processes …

Wildfire Risk Mitigation Methods To Enhance The Resilience Of Power Systems, Fasiha Zainab

Theses and Dissertations

The resilience of the power system has become increasingly important in recent years and needs to be further enhanced in the future under wildfire conditions. A major concern is the two-way interaction between power systems and wildfires: power systems can ignite wildfires and be disrupted by them. Power system-induced wildfires occur when electrical components, particularly transmission lines, ignite fires due to faults exacerbated by extreme weather conditions. The presence of uncertainties, especially those related to unpredictable weather conditions, makes it difficult to handle and can significantly increase the risk of wildfire. Furthermore, these ignitions not only threaten public safety and …

Beyond English: Auditing And Mitigating Cross-Lingual Data Contamination In Multimodal Large Language Models, Pavan Dharma Adapa

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis extends data contamination auditing for multimodal large language models to multilingual settings. Using LLaVA 1.5 and a high-fidelity French parallel dataset derived from ScienceQA, the study evaluates how performance changes when identical image-question pairs are translated from English to French. The resultsshow a substantial cross-lingual performance decline and frequent flips from correct English predictions to incorrect French predictions, indicating that benchmark performance can depend heavily on memorized English-specific patterns rather than stable multimodal reasoning. To address this weakness, the thesis introduces an inference-time mitigation strategy based on perturbation ensembling and cross-lingual consistency aggregation. The proposed method reduces instance-level …

Enhancing Professional Development Opportunities For Mississippi Early Childhood Education Technology Students, Sheri H. Anders

Theses and Dissertations

This capstone project examined professional development opportunities for early childhood students enrolled in Early Childhood Education Technology (ECET) programs in Mississippi. Grounded in Situated Learning Theory and aligned with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Professional Standards and Competencies, this study used a desk-based systematic literature review to examine how ECET students engage in professional development during preparation, how standards-aligned experiences support preparedness and professional identity development, and what barriers limit access to meaningful opportunities. Findings indicate that professional development during preparation is often informal and inconsistent; however, participation in professional communities such as conferences, coaching, …

Machine Learning-Based Decision Support Models With Applications In Postsecondary Education, Marco Paolo Anglesio

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the deployment of machine learning methodologies in an industrial engineering framework for the development of advanced decision support systems in the context of enrollment management. Drawing on techniques from educational data mining, the research addresses three key phases in the lifecycle of traditional and non-traditional students. First, it analyzes student retention using predictive classification models designed to identify individuals at elevated risk of attrition. Second, it employs temporal convolutional networks for time series forecasting, estimating aggregate enrollment levels over highly variable, finite planning horizons on the basis of partially observed data and using an asymmetric loss function. …

Institutional Predictors Of Overall Retention And Graduation Rates For Black Male Students At Public Two-Year Colleges In The Southeastern United States, Jonathan Larry Armstrong

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative, cross-sectional, non-experimental study examined institutional characteristics associated with retention and graduation outcomes at public two-year colleges in the Southeastern United States. Using data from the Fall 2023 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the study analyzed institutional student–faculty ratio, core expenditures per full-time equivalent (FTE) student, and academic support expenditures per FTE as predictors of institutional full-time fall-to-fall retention rates for all students and 150% graduation rates for Black male students. Descriptive statistics indicated substantial variation across institutions in spending and student outcomes. Simple linear regression analyses revealed no statistically significant relationships between student–faculty ratio or core expenditures …

The South Got Somethin' To Say!: Black Student Affairs Professionals Sustaining Equity Work Amid Dei Dismantling, Jaborius D. Ball

Theses and Dissertations

Scholarship within the academy extensively interrogates the realities of Black faculty but neglects the lived experiences of Black Student Affairs Professionals (BSAPs). This omission renders BSAPs labor and experiences institutionally invisible while reinforcing the narrative of equity work being a racial obligation pushed on Black professionals rather than institutional responsibility. Although representing 15% of the higher education workforce, this gross percentage is disproportionately concentrated in lower-paying, non-exempt staff positions (e.g., service, office/clerical) rather than in decision-making authority (CUPA-HR, 2025). Despite structural marginalization and inconsistencies, institutions rely on Black professionals to bear the brunt of racialized equity labor work classified as …

How Did A Pandemic Impact Park Usage Among The Older Adult Populations In Memphis, Tn?, Katherine Barlow

Theses and Dissertations

During COVID-19 older adults’ populations were a vulnerable demographic, and through a review of existing literature it was determined that there is limited research about park and outdoor space use during COVID-19 by older adults. This research seeks to address these gaps by examining how a pandemic impacted park usage among the older adult population (age 60+) in Memphis, TN at Shelby Farms Park. This study examines the comparison of park use during (2020-2023) and after (2023-present) COVID-19. A mixed methods approach was employed. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was run to analyze the survey data and a significant statistical difference. …

Community Development Professionals’ Perceptions Of Agritourism In Mississippi, Emma Jane Berry

Theses and Dissertations

Agritourism has emerged as a strategy for supporting rural economies, strengthening community identity, and increasing agricultural literacy. Although prior research has examined agritourism operators and visitors, limited attention has been given to the perceptions of community development professionals who influence local planning and program support. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was to examine community development professionals’ perceptions of agritourism’s role in community development, economic growth, and agricultural literacy in Mississippi. Guided by Social Exchange Theory, data were collected through two semi-structured virtual focus groups with 12 professionals representing Extension, tourism, economic development, and Main Street organizations. Data were …

An Evaluation Of Mississippi’S Policy For Identifying And Exiting Targeted Support And Improvement (Tsi) And Additional Targeted Support And Improvement (Atsi) Schools, Christopher A. Burrow

Theses and Dissertations

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to identify schools for improvement based on overall performance and the performance of student subgroups. While substantial research has examined CSI schools, limited attention has been given to state policies governing the identification and exit of TSI and ATSI schools. This project evaluates Mississippi’s policy for identifying and exiting TSI and ATSI schools to determine whether the system appropriately identifies underperforming subgroups, promotes sustained improvement, and aligns with ESSA's equity-focused intent. Guided by the policy analysis triangle framework, the study employed a desk-based secondary data analysis of Mississippi’s publicly available state and …

Characterization Of Water Quality In The Mississippi Sound Using In-Situ And Satellite Observations, William Elliott Butler

Theses and Dissertations

The Mississippi Sound is a highly productive estuary facing increasing pressures from natural disasters, oil spills, freshwater inflows, and coastal urbanization, yet it remains insufficiently monitored. In this study, key water quality parameters were quantified at 25 stations across the Mississippi Sound from 2024-2025 and integrated with Sentinel-3 satellite imagery retrievals to generate monthly turbidity maps from 2016-2025. Peak turbidity (~10 FNU) and TSS (~20 mg/L), reduced Secchi depth (~100 cm) and conductivity (~20,000 μS/cm), were observed from late winter to early summer; these conditions varied in fall and early spring. Colored dissolved organic matter was moderate, while chlorophyll-a and …

Determining Agricultural Literacy Proficiency Of Extension Professionals And Primary Volunteers In Mississippi, Molly Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

The development of agricultural literacy is a lifelong process, moving from gaining agricultural knowledge to communicating with others to applying to societal issues, and extends beyond the formal classroom. The Mississippi State University Extension Service has the ability to reach various audiences through educational programming, making them a potential catalyst for change in increasing agricultural literacy across the state. The study aims to determine the agricultural literacy levels of Extension professionals and primary volunteers in Mississippi and the factors potentially influencing these levels. Twenty-nine Extension professionals and eleven primary volunteers completed a survey of demographic questions and the Judd-Murray Agricultural …

Mandates Versus Capacity: Utilizing Pace To Proactively Approach Teacher Evaluation For High School Administrators In Mississippi, Jessica Paige Posey Cumberland

Theses and Dissertations

A lack of teacher support from administration remains one of the leading reasons provided by teachers leaving the classroom exacerbating the growing teacher shortage nationwide. Over the past twenty years, policies have been passed in the form of teacher evaluation systems in order to ensure support for teachers is provided and that quality educators are servicing public school students in the U.S. Oftentimes relying on already overburdened administrators in the school to provide the mandated support without the consideration of the existing environmental demands of the administrator, specifically time as a resource, the potential for administrators to cope with the …