Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring How Experiential Learning Enhances Undergraduate Education: Insights From The Wmu Cold Case Program With Michigan State Police, Maura Killips

Honors Theses

Experiential learning has become an increasingly important component of undergraduate education, particularly in fields that demand high levels of professional judgment, empathy, and technical skills. This thesis examines how the Western Michigan University (WMU) Cold Case Program (CCP), in partnership with the Michigan State Police, serves as a model of experiential learning that both enriches students’ academic experiences and contributes to real-world investigative work. Drawing on literature about experiential learning as well as my firsthand participation in the program, I analyze how structured hands-on engagement with unsolved homicide and missing persons cases has shaped undergraduate development at WMU.

Key program …

The Relational Good Life: Entrepreneurship Education And Grounded Sumak Kawsay In Otavalo, Ecuador, Vanessa I. Lozano Hardman

Theses and Dissertations

Indigenous Kichwa communities in Ecuador’s Otavalo region have long participated in local and transnational markets, historically as mindalaes, specialized traders of the northern Andes. Yet in recent years, international development-oriented NGOs have framed entrepreneurship education as newly necessary for economic development. These approaches emphasize individualized narratives of vision, self-reliance, and growth, often characterizing Indigenous peoples as lacking entrepreneurial skills or the appropriate mindset. Drawing on ethnographic research with youth, mothers, and teachers at Saminay–El Legado, an agro- technical, intercultural bilingual secondary school (UECIB) in the parish of San José de Quichinche, this article examines how entrepreneurship education intersects with grounded …

Cv: Erica Dávila (Educational Leadership), Erica Dávila

Education Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Factors That Contribute To Successful Supervision For Pretrial Defendants With Diagnosed Mental Health Disorders, Kisha Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with mental health disorders are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, yet minimal evidence exists on how risk-based case management influences pretrial supervision. Existing literature focuses on post-conviction populations, with limited focus on pretrial defendants, particularly those with mental health disorders and gaps in how gender and mental health intersect to influence supervision outcomes. The study addressed the problem of whether risk-based case management improves pretrial outcomes for defendants with mental health needs and vary by gender or case management components. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, retrospective design study was to examine the relationship between case management and …

The Great Depression And Canada's Major Originalist Decade, Preston Jordan Lim

Faculty Publications

Few periods of Canadian history have been as momentous or terrible as the Great Depression. The Dominion and provincial governments’ inability to combat financial and environmental catastrophe led many Canadians to openly question the appropriateness of their constitutional framework. As legal historians have since documented, many leading jurists of the time believed that a strong central government could, through the institution of national programs, contain the Great Depression; in the eyes of these 1930s jurists, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council—then Canada’s apex court—had sapped the federal government of its powers by misinterpreting the British North America Act, 1867 …

Contesting Protection: Digital Moral Discourses On Child Marriage In Bangladesh, Mashaekh Hassan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This thesis examines how child marriage is represented and morally negotiated on the official Facebook page of UNICEF Bangladesh. Drawing on transnational and Third World feminist critiques of development, it uses feminist content and discourse analysis to analyze twenty-five campaign posts and 2,677 comments (May–July 2025) to trace patterns of representation and moral reasoning. The analysis identifies three dominant representational patterns: child marriage as a rural girls’ issue, rural girls as constrained and victimized, and education as a universal solution, collectively producing a homogenized image of vulnerable girlhood. Two clusters of moral discourse emerge: pro–child marriage (privileging religious morality, critiquing …

Think Small, Act Big: How Action Identification Shapes Responses To Scientific Messages, Laura Gust

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Effective scientific communication is critical in today’s media environment, dominated by misinformation, sensational headlines, and targeted advertisements. Research shows that simply presenting scientific information is not enough to change opinions or reduce misinformation; instead, messages must be tailored to specific audiences. This is especially important for climate change, where people often hold resistant attitudes and are overwhelmed by information. However, no studies have applied Action Identification Theory to changing opinions or the intention–behavior gap in climate change. The current study examines how alignment or misalignment of message type and enduring personal agency affects participants’ climate-friendly beliefs and behaviors. Some support …

2026 Urs Program, Kate Votaw

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Final URS Program
April 24, 2026

Lessons From The Least: Healing-Centered Discipline Reform For Neurodivergent Youth In U.S. Public Schools, Deborah Brooks

Liberty University Research Week

Disproportionate disciplinary outcomes for neurodivergent students—particularly those with autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities—represent a systemic failure of American education policy. Although students with disabilities constitute 17% of the K–12 population, they account for 29% of out-of-school suspensions and 21% of expulsions, disparities compounded by race, gender, and socioeconomic disadvantage. These patterns feed directly into the school-to-prison pipeline, a documented trajectory linking exclusionary discipline to elevated risk of juvenile justice involvement. Existing legal protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as trauma-informed care frameworks, …

Biological And Hormonal Influences On Depression Among Women Compared To Men, Grace Steiner, Audrey Wrinkle, Chloe Dudgeon, Julia Stamp, Kathryn Dennis, Marissa Wojcik, Meghan Dayton, Meilin Loerop

Liberty University Research Week

This research aims to investigate various factors influencing the mechanisms of depression manifestation in men and women as it relates to biological and hormonal factors. Individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD), according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 2013), experience a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure lasting for a minimum of 2 weeks. Depression and anxiety are twice as prevalent among women compared to men (Kundakovic & Rocks, 2022), although the underlying mechanisms and biological factors remain unknown. We aim to address the research question: “How do …

The Proceedings Of Great Day Volume 17, Liam Berger, Ella Singer, Gabrielle Houde

Proceedings of GREAT Day

From welcoming our new president to the excitement of A Whale of a Time festival, this was a year of collaboration and new allies expressing the spirit of the liberal arts. This issue of The Proceedings of GREAT Day highlights that same spirit through works addressing the role of religion in dismantling inequality, exploring the exciting world of knots and integrals, and investigating the past (and present) of our very own campus. Delve deeper into the GREAT work of SUNY Geneseo’s students in this year’s issue of The Proceedings of GREAT Day.

Evaluating Social Vulnerability In Livingston County, Ny, Charles Canero Iii, Daniel Noone

Proceedings of GREAT Day

Social vulnerability refers to the differential capacity of communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from adverse events such as natural disasters, public health emergencies, and economic disruptions. While national indices like the CDC/ATS-DR Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) offer standardized frameworks to quantify this concept, their application often overlooks critical intra-county disparities, especially in rural areas. This study applies the 2022 SVI dataset to analyze social vulnerability in Livingston County, New York—a predominantly rural county in upstate New York. We integrate geospatial analysis, correlation matrices, and Lasso-regularized regression to assess how vulnerability varies across census tracts and to identify …

Examining The Sociology Of Diversity: A State Of The Literature Within An Emerging Subfield, Guadalupe Alicea, Julia Carter

Proceedings of GREAT Day

The sociology of diversity is an emerging field that examines how social differences, such as race, gender, class, and ability, intersect within institutions and everyday life. As diversity becomes a central concern in education, workplaces, and policymaking, scholars continue to debate not only what diversity is but also what it looks like in practice, how it is performed, who is responsible for enacting it, and how institutional diversity goals align–or fail to align–with broader social equity objectives. These key debates within diversity discourse aid to critically assess how SUNY Geneseo, self-defined as an “equity-based honors college,” engages with diversity initiatives. …

The Role Of Actuarial Discretion In Discrimination In Auto Insurance, Michael Abrams

Proceedings of GREAT Day

In today's auto insurance industry, rate discrimination against people of color and lower-class individuals is rampant, but unseen by those outside of the industry. This is due to the proliferation of individualist perceptions of the operations of the auto insurance industry among social scientists and legal scholars in calculating insurance rates. It operates on the basis of risk calculation, backed up by actuarial measures that serve to single out minorities living in low-income areas. Driving history, insurance history, zip code, homeownership, and credit are among the most common measures used by insurance companies to calculate insurance rate, are shaped by …

Rest For The Weary Soul: A Mixed Methods Psychospiritual Exploration Of Faith As A Path To Mental Health Recovery Among Students, Fremativo A. Vergara, Melvin G. Barete, Evan P. Taja-On

Journal of Catholic Education

Many individuals turn to faith for strength, guidance, and resilience, particularly at times of emotional hardship. As concerns continue to grow about mental health, particularly that of students, exploring how faith influences coping mechanisms and recovery offers valuable insights into alternative approaches to emotional wellbeing. The study found that students exhibit high levels of resilience and spiritual intelligence, suggesting that faith-based beliefs are crucial in students’ ability to cope with adversity. A strong positive correlation between resilience and spiritual intelligence indicates that students who integrate faith into their lives are more likely to develop the psychological strength needed to navigate …

The Ignatian Cybergogical Experience Model: Fostering Competence, Conscience, Compassion, And Commitment In The Digital Age, Theresia Y. Setyawan, Chatarina A. Budiningsih, Sugeng B. Wahyono

Journal of Catholic Education

Despite advances in educational technology, learning models that effectively integrate digital tools to develop not only competence but also learners’ conscience, compassion, and commitment remain limited. This article introduces the Ignatian Cybergogical Experience (ICE) model, a novel framework designed to foster these four essential characteristics in digital learning environments. Rooted in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, the model deliberately integrates Ignatian Pedagogy’s proven framework for values formation and reflective practice with cybergogy’s capacity to engage digital learners through technology-mediated experiences. This synergistic blending addresses critical limitations in existing approaches: the ICE model simultaneously develops technological competence and moral character, which neither …

Self-Concept Clarity And Relationship Satisfaction: The Mediating Role Of Approach And Avoidance Motives For Sacrifice Among Heterosexual Couples, Hannah F. Hatch

Theses and Dissertations

While individuals often engage in relational sacrifice to promote positive outcomes like connection (approach motives), they may also sacrifice for a partner to avoid negative outcomes like conflict (avoidance motives). These distinct motives for sacrifice have been repeatedly linked with divergent couple outcomes, yet little is known about the personal and relational factors which shape them. The current study addressed this gap using dyadic data from 289 mixed-gender couples to examine how self-concept clarity (SCC) predicted changes in relationship satisfaction via approach and avoidance motives for sacrifice. Participants represented diverse ethnic and sociodemographic backgrounds across all demographic regions of the …

Narratives, Neurons And Narcotics: The Neurological Impacts Of Biased Crime Media And How It Disproportionately Impacts Black And Brown Drug Defendants, Jade Celestine

Honors Theses

This thesis examines how crime media and neurological bias shape the experiences of Black and Brown drug defendants in the United States criminal justice system. Drawing on existing research in psychology and neuroscience, this explanation outlines the role of perception and threat detection in the formation of implicit bias while also emphasizing a need to expand the use of neurocriminology to all legal actors. Particular attention is given towards the influence of media portrayals of criminal cases, especially for drug-related offenses and how that impacts the audiences on a neurological level. An analysis of historical factors, such as the War …

Responsibility Without Rescue: Community-Based Participatory Research, Legal Insecurity, And Ethical Accountability In Borderland Courtrooms, Ruben Morales Jr.

The Agora

In the context of immigration law and legal insecurity, this article examines how community-based participatory research (CBPR) reshapes ethical responsibility for researchers. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted during a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF REU) along the border between the United States and Mexico, the study reflects on how courtroom practices reproduce access to justice, how research itself influences what knowledge becomes visible, and how the researcher’s positionality influences ethical engagement. The article finds that doing ethical research in settings of legal precarity requires the researcher to shift from a neutral observer to an accountable participant, maintained …

Fhss Collaborations: Departmental Cohesion And Inter-Departmental Ties, Sydney P. Goodson, Alexandra Williams, Aaron Hunter, Salem Hansen

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

This project analyzes patterns of faculty collaboration within the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences (FHSS) at BYU using social network analysis of co-authorship data. As part of this research, we compiled data from Google Scholar on the 216 publishing faculty members within FHSS and their co-authorship connections. The study evaluates both internal cohesion and inter-departmental collaboration. Key measures include clustering coefficients to assess within-department cohesion, and degree and strength to capture the breadth and volume of collaborations across departments. Findings indicate that departments such as Sociology, School of Family Life, and Geography exhibit relatively high internal cohesion, suggesting …

The New Banishment, Shosh Coalson

Seton Hall Law Review

No abstract provided.

Understanding And Alleviating Teacher Burnout: A Focus On Supports For Teacher Candidates, Meghan Glahn

Honors Projects

This Honors Project begins by analyzing the overall patterns of burnout, and then narrowing to the experienced pressures by special educators. This research topic highlights how stress arrives early during teacher preparation and increases for individuals entering special education. Research from various sources emphasize the prevalence of burnout and the contributing factors that often lead to mental and physical consequences. This study also has results from a survey involving Intervention Specialist majors that captures their college experiences with academic demands, emotional labor, and field placement expectations. The outcomes supported by literature and the survey demonstrate that teacher burnout is severe, …

What's The Scoop On Life In New Hampshire? Youth Perspectives On New Hampshire As A Place To Live, Learn, And Work After High School, Elliot Ng, Jayson Seaman, Cindy L. Hartman, Andrew D. Coppens, Kate Moscouver, Hannah Falcone

Carsey Publications

To support its long-term economic vitality, New Hampshire must cultivate and retain its young talent. This brief analyzes the perspectives of New Hampshire youth and proposes actionable strategies that encourage them to build their futures in the state. While a majority of New Hampshire youth leave the state after high school, retention opportunities lie in leveraging what youth already love about the Granite State: Its natural environment, abundant outdoor amenities, and safe communities. By leveraging these assets and complementary policies such as expanding career-connected learning, promoting the abundance of in-state opportunities, and developing centralized social spaces, New Hampshire can create …

The Artificial Maintenance Of Relationship Satisfaction: Romantic Ai Companion Usage Sustains Emerging Adults' Human Romantic Relationship Satisfaction While Eroding Relationship Stability, Rebekah M. Hakala

Theses and Dissertations

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly sophisticated, romantic AI companions--AI systems designed to simulate romantic, emotional, or sexual relationships--have emerged as a novel relational phenomenon. Nearly one in four emerging adults now engage with romantic AI companions, yet little is known about how this usage affects their romantic human relationships. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory and the Investment Model of Commitment, and employing structural equation modeling, this thesis uses data from 2,431 emerging adults in romantic relationships to examine whether romantic AI companion usage influences relationship satisfaction and relationship stability among emerging adults in the United States (ages 18-30), and whether …

Sowing Imbalance From The Start: Power, Role Socialization, And Graduate Assistants In Ncaa Division I Power Four Athletic Departments, Kaitlin Pericak, Daniel Springer, Brittany Washington, Rachel Silva

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

Graduate assistantships represent early entry points into intercollegiate athletics and serve as critical sites of professional socialization. Guided by Mead’s (1934) role theory and Foucault’s (1975/1977) concept of power, this study examined how graduate assistants (GAs) negotiated their dual roles as students and employees within Division I Power Four athletic departments. Semi-structured interviews with 10 current GAs revealed how organizational expectations normalized overwork, positioned the master’s degree as a compulsory credential, and sowed imbalance that shaped participants’ identities and well-being. Findings demonstrate how GAs internalized structured constraints and reproduced organizational norms, framing overwork as a necessary rite of passage. These …

Taman Kota Sebagai Ruang Publik Dalam Meningkatkan Intraksi Sosial, Reakreasi, Dan Ekspresi Budaya Masyarakat Perkotaan, Tar Isa Wulan Dari

Jurnal Sosial Humaniora Terapan

Urban parks represent a strategic form of public space that plays a significant role in supporting social life in urban communities. This study aims to analyze the role of urban parks as public spaces in enhancing social interaction, recreational activities, and cultural expression among urban residents. The research employs a literature review and descriptive analysis of relevant previous studies. The findings indicate that urban parks function as social interaction spaces that bring together diverse community groups regardless of age, social status, or cultural background, thereby strengthening social cohesion and a sense of belonging. In addition, urban parks provide recreational facilities …

Book Review Of Suburban Refugees: Class And Resistance In Little Saigon, Phoebe T. Pham

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

In Suburban Refugees: Class and Resistance in Little Saigon, Jennifer Huynh challenges the common view that refugee resettlement follows a straightforward path toward assimilation, stability, and upward mobility. Focusing on Vietnamese refugees in Little Saigon, Orange County, California, Huynh examines how refugees navigate displacement, housing insecurity, and political exclusion in suburban spaces often idealized as homogenous and prosperous. Drawing on extensive data, the book presents suburban resettlement as a prolonged process shaped by structural forces and community resistance. Huynh situates her analysis within growing suburban inequality and enduring racialized policies that limit refugee opportunities long after formal resettlement. Her …

Examining Racial And Ethnic Differences In Quality Of Care Between Home And In-Center Hemodialysis, Sukhman Bains

2026 Symposium

Home hemodialysis (HHD) offers improved flexibility and clinical outcomes compared to in-center hemodialysis. However, its use remains limited, particularly among racial and ethnic minority populations disproportionately affected by end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This systematic review analyzed seven retrospective cohort studies (2004–2025) to assess disparities in HHD utilization and outcomes. Minority patients were significantly less likely to initiate HHD, with adjusted odds ratios ranging from 0.45 to 0.70, while no disparities were observed within Canada’s universal healthcare system. Although HHD was associated with lower mortality, this finding is likely influenced by selection bias, as HHD patients tended to be younger and …

The War On War: Desensitization's Effects On Society's Moral Fabric, Chelsea E. Johnson, Andrew J. Cudden

The Penguin Review

In an era of constant connectivity, violence is no longer distant or intermittent. Wars, political repression, mass shootings, and humanitarian crises now unfold in real time, shared instantly through twenty-four-hour news cycles and social media. Never before has global suffering been so visible. Yet this unprecedented access has failed to produce sustained moral urgency or collective responsibility. Instead, violence becomes increasingly utilised as fleeting content–viewed, shared, and then displaced by the next trending event. This paradox raises a pressing ethical question: how can a world more informed of suffering become so morally disengaged from it?

Purr-Spectives: Connections Between Feline Coat Color And Human Preferences And Perceptions In Northeast Arkansas, Tiffany L. Batchelor

Create@State

Felines have played an important role in the lives of humans for thousands of years. This study investigated perceptions of felines and feline demographics in Northeast Arkansas (NEA). For Study 1, data on phenotype and health conditions was collected from 2,305 patient files from three NEA veterinary clinics. For Study 2, an anonymous survey generated using Qualtrics was published through College of Agriculture social media accounts to gather opinions from cat owners on feline coat color and ownership trends. Study 1 identified up to 6 pattern-based and up to 18 color-based phenotypes per clinic and a total of 129 unique …