Digital Commons Network^™

The Coast Guard’S Budget & Its Impact On Operational Efficiency, Jory R. Cardoza

Honors Projects

The United States Coast Guard is constitutionally charged to carry out eleven core missions. This project examines the impact that the Coast Guard’s budget has on its ability to perform those different missions. This is done by using the statistical software program SPSS to analyze the statistical significance of budget related independent variables on multiple mission performance related dependent variables. Mission performance is based on the metrics that the Coast Guard uses to measure each of their missions. These metrics, along with the budgetary variables are published annually in documents such as Posture Statements, Performance Reports, and Budgetary Requests by …

A Jobs-To-Be-Done Framework For Mapping Digital Innovation Opportunities In Climate-Smart Agrifood Systems, Lourival Carmo Monaco Neto, Allan Gray

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

The agrifood sector faces well-documented barriers to climate-smart agriculture (CSA) adoption, reflecting systematic difficulty identifying where digital tools address specific stakeholder needs rather than a technology shortage. This paper presents a prescriptive framework for mapping digital innovation opportunities in complex, multi-stakeholder agrifood systems. Grounded in Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) theory and structured as a two-dimensional matrix of meta-jobs and value chain segments, the framework was developed through a design science research (DSR) paradigm evaluated on utility, coherence, and actionability. Construction involved a purposive synthesis of three literature streams and iterative refinement through 136 stakeholder engagements within a six-month university-affiliated startup studio cycle. …

The Influence Of Financial Literacy On The Financial Behavior Of Students In The Higher Learning Institutions In Tanzania, Lisa John Baltazar, Evelyn Mweta Richard

Business Management Review

This study examines how financial literacy influences financial behavior as measured by spending, saving and investment and borrowing behavior of university students. The study was informed by the theory of planned behavior. Explanatory research design was used to test the research hypothesis. Data was collected through using a structure questionnaire which was administered both physically and online.  446 random selected students across Universities in Tanzania participated in the study, and simple linear regression analysis was used to establish the effect of financial literacy on financial behavior.  It was established that majority of the students are considered financially illiterate. However, the …

Doctor Of Medicine Commencement: May 2, 2026, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Doctor of Medicine Commencement program from May 2, 2026.

Practice Research In Social Work-Participation, Co-Creation, And Service Users' Positions: Introduction To The Articles From The Sixth International Conference On Practice Research, Bowen Mcbeath, Sui Ting Kong, Lars Uggerhoj

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose

This special issue examines practice research in social work, focusing on participation, co-creation, and service users’ positions in knowledge production and utilization. Practice research is advanced as a collaborative, context-sensitive approach that challenges hierarchical models of evidence and foregrounds co-produced knowledge.

Method

Drawing on the Sixth International Conference on Practice Research at Aalborg University, Denmark, the 11 special issue articles explore service user involvement, positionality, and organizational conditions shaping inquiry.

Results

The introduction synthesizes cross-cutting themes from the articles into an integrative framework linking epistemic justice, co-methodologies, and institutional supports for co-learning and improvements in practices, structures, and policies. …

Measuring Disability Prevalence In Healthcare: A Study Comparing Two Disability Measures, Kristen L. Milefchik, Rhonda K. Dailey, Sharon Milberger

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

People with disabilities experience significant health disparities and interventions are needed to address them. Measuring disability prevalence is an essential aspect of designing effective, data-driven healthcare strategies. Accurately measuring disability prevalence is challenging given disability is a complex phenomenon, with biological, social, environmental, and cultural components. Previous studies have compared a variety of disability status measurements and found that measurements were incongruent with each other. This study examines the concordance between disability status using two different measures: the nationally recognized American Community Survey (ACS-6) functional difficulty questions and one disability identity question. We used data from 3,621 adult patients participating …

Paired Fossil Burrows From Los Cabos Group Of Spain, Cambrian-Ordovician: A New Ichnotaxon Or Rosselia Prolifera?, Paige Grossenbacher, Maximiliano Paz

Research Symposium

The Middle Cambrian to Lower Ordovician Los Cabos Group from Spain constitutes a >6000 m-thick succession deposited in the margin of Northern Gondwana. The succession is represented by sandstone and mudstone associated with deltaic systems affected by tides, waves, and storms. An unusual occurrence of a fossil burrow known as Rosselia was studied, in order to understand its morphology, potential producers, and ethology. Rosselia is usually represented by a single vertical tube that has a concentric infill, whereas the studied specimens are found in a paired form. The specimens occur in ripple cross-laminated and cross-bedded flaser sandstone interpreted to be …

Corporate Neocolonialism, The Liability Of Foreignness, And Cultural Extractivism: The Rise And Fall Of The Stanford Cricket Empire In Antigua And The West Indies, Martin Barrett

Journal of Global South Sport Studies

Convicted Texas financier, Allen Stanford, reportedly fell in love with cricket during his many years living in Antigua. This love of cricket culminated with the infamous “20/20 for $20 million” match where the Stanford Superstars defeated the England cricket team at the Stanford Cricket Ground by 10 wickets in November 2008. A little over three months after the Super Series, Stanford’s cricket ventures dissipated when his companies were placed into receivership. The series was not, however, Stanford’s first foray into cricket. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the totality of Stanford’s involvement in cricket in the West …

House Of Delegates September 29, 2019

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Utilization Of Dental Services Among Medicaid Enrolled Pregnant Women In Virginia, Shillpa Naavaal Bds, Ms, Mph, Tegwymn H. Brickhouse Dds, Jonathan W. Yu Ma, Joann Wells Bshs, Rdh

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

From 9 To 3,842 - Vda Celebrates 150 Years Of Organized Dentistry In Virginia, Elise Rupinski

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

The Bonds Of Family: A Case Study On Interconnectedness In The Prison-Industrial Complex, Cameron Stone

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Beginning in the 1960s, a rightward shift in politics and “War on Drugs” policies propelled the United States toward mass incarceration. The result was a prison population of around 2 million people, in which minority groups have been disproportionately imprisoned. While historians and legal scholars have examined the policies and legal structures behind mass incarceration, oral historians working in the tradition of social history emphasize the importance of narratives of those most impacted yet traditionally neglected. This paper specifically examines the relatively unstudied Columbia University's 2019 Mass Incarceration oral history collection, which explores the interconnected perspectives of one family’s experience …

From Claiborne To Climate: Anti-Esg Boycott Legislation And Corporate First Amendment Rights, Ingrid Tjendro

Fordham Law Review Online

Since 2021, at least twenty-one states have enacted laws targeting financial institutions and companies that incorporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into their business practices. This Comment examines the First Amendment implications of one specific category of such legislation—state anti-ESG boycott statutes—and argues that they constitute an unconstitutional suppression of protected corporate speech and association.

Drawing on traditional anti-boycott jurisprudence, including NAACP v. Claiborne Hardware Co. and Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights, Inc., and the circuit split over anti-Israel boycott legislation, this Comment centers on the recent decision in American Sustainable Business Council v. Hegar …

What Is A House?: Searching For The Meaning And Scope Of Curtilage At Common Law, Mitchell A. Del Bianco

Fordham Law Review Online

No abstract provided.

An Increased Understanding Of Political Sociology Would Create A More Pluralistic Society, Mariam H. Jabbar

Thinking Matters Symposium

What are we socially lacking in relation to our current social

identity, based on political and historical events, to create a pluralistic society?

What do we need to prioritize socially to bring awareness for a more

contemporary social construct? My points as a political sociology student will be

focused on how society applies political association to power through unity by

division of society.

Preparing For The Ai-Driven Accounting Workforce, Thomas C. Pate

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is embedded in accounting workflows, raising concerns about job displacement, professional relevance, and ethical risk. This thesis argues that AI represents an evolutionary force in accounting, not a disruptive replacement of human professionals. By situating AI within the historical trajectory of accounting technologies, the paper demonstrates that technological change has consistently reallocated work toward higher-value activities instead of eliminating the need for professionals. The analysis examines how generative and agentic AI are transforming core accounting functions, including auditing, financial reporting, tax compliance, and strategic decision support, primarily through the implementation of automated processes for data-intensive tasks. The …

What Does It Mean To Live A Creative Life?, Shelby A. Simmeth

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

What is a creative person? Is creativity something one is born with, or can it be cultivated through education and practice? In today’s world, there is a gap between what people assume creativity is and what it really is. My early exposure to creativity has been a transformational learning experience for me and has changed my approach to everything in my life. I have always been curious about how creativity could increase mental health and wellbeing. The purpose of this project is to help people understand the unique traits of people who embrace their own creativity and how their stories …

What Learning Benefits Can Leadership Bring To Social Dilemma Situations?, Kyisha M. Walter

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Social dilemmas are ethical dilemmas that citizens, students and employees face every day. When faced with a social dilemma, an individual must work alone and along with others in a group. These situations create conflict between personal and group interests and can be easily mismanaged. Research has started to tackle the question of how we can teach people to best manage a social dilemma. The current exploratory study asks the same question with respect to leadership. Undergraduate students (N=20) played a social dilemma board game twice in groups of four, received a lesson on social dilemmas, and completed …

Sports Marketing And Event Retail: An Industry Analysis Of Sports Promotions Group, Hannes Ulbrich

Theses & ETDs

This industry analysis examines the sports marketing and event retail sector in the United States, using Sports Promotions Group (SPG) as the primary case study. SPG is a North Carolina-based company and subsidiary of Sports Endeavors Inc., with over 25 years of experience running pop-up merchandise stores at youth sports tournaments across 14 U.S. states, projected to manage 144 events in 2026 alone. The analysis uses the Structure-Conduct-Performance (SCP) framework as its main analytical tool, examining how the structure of the event retail market shapes how SPG behaves as a firm, and what outcomes result from that behavior. A case …

Should We Be Concerned About Demographic Decline? An Economic Analysis, Collin Gates

Theses & ETDs

This thesis uses economic theory to examine the causes and consequences of falling fertility rates around the world. It examines contributions to economic theory on population given by economists such as Thomas Malthus, Gary Becker, Paul Heyne, Paul Ehrlich and Julian Simon. Next, it analyzes what the externalities of falling fertility rates could be to the world’s economies, environments, workforces, and individual people through economic models such as the Solow growth model. The thesis concludes by looking at three countries–Japan, South Korea, and Italy– who have been experiencing fertility rates below the replacement level for over 20 years, relating relevant …

Enhancing Hope In Mathematics From An East African Perspective, Howard Omukami

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

No abstract provided.

Reconsidering The Champion Teacher In Assessment-Oriented Development Education Systems, Nyagwegwe Wango, Jane Rarieya, Fredrick Mtenzi, Wachira Nicholas

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Purpose: This study investigates the impact of teacher assessment practices in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda on the cultivation of “champion teachers” who can provide competency-based, inclusive, and gender-responsive education.

Methodology: A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating document analysis, interviews, and surveys with teacher educators and student teachers from the three countries.

Findings: Even though policy changes have encouraged new ways of teaching, teacher education still mostly focuses on summative assessments and following the rules. This method makes it harder for teachers to become more reflective and adaptable, which slows progress toward better, more inclusive education.

Unique Contribution to Theory, …

A Qualitative Study Of Journalism Course Syllabi In Relation To The First Amendment, Elizabeth L. Bunnell

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

The goal of this research is to gain more insight into collegiate journalism course syllabi and the First Amendment. The First Amendment is a foundational aspect for a career in journalism, and one way to learn how college journalism students are interacting with the First Amendment is to conduct a qualitative analysis of the syllabi. A syllabus is the contract between professor and student for the course; therefore, it should contain the most important information relating to the course. 47 syllabi were collected from the School of Journalism and Strategic Media from the Spring 2025 semester. After reading through each …

The Invisible Hand: Narrating Wildlife Through Hybrid Scoring, Weiyi Li

Composition/Recording Projects

This paper explores the creative and theoretical processes involved in composing the original score and sound design for "Ningxia Yellow River: The Home for the Avian," a wildlife documentary centered on the Ningxia wetlands in China. The research addresses the challenge of creating a "sonic bridge" between silent natural imagery and a human audience by balancing documentary realism with musical persuasion. The methodology utilizes a hybrid scoring approach that integrates Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) orchestration with organic sound elements, guided by three core pillars: cultural semiotics, acoustic ecology, and technical synchronization. By applying traditional Chinese pentatonic modes alongside Western orchestral …

D.R Horton And The Florida Housing Market: An Industry Analysis Of Growth, Competitive Dynamics And Policy Within The Tampa Bay And Sarasota Area, Francisco Rafael Canquiz Fermin

Theses & ETDs

This thesis examines the Tampa Bay and Sarasota housing market through the lens of D.R. Horton, the nation's largest homebuilder, to understand how structural constraints, competitive dynamics, and economic forces shape industry outcomes. Between 2020 and 2025, the Tampa MSA absorbed more than 250,000 net domestic migrants while single-family permits increased only 32%, creating an imbalance between surging demand and constrained supply that has driven home prices to record levels (U.S. Census Bureau; Tampa Bay Economic Development Council). The analysis proceeds in two parts. Part I provides a comprehensive industry analysis, defining market boundaries, mapping the value chain, evaluating market …

Unamuno, Agon, And Communication: Outlines Of A Quixotic Philosophy, Christopher Rodriguez Cristobal

Theses & ETDs

The purpose of the present thesis is to comment on the philosophy of Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo as presented in The Tragic Sense of Life in Men and Peoples, and to propose a possible line for its systematization focusing on the themes of selfhood and communication. I endeavor to do so, on the one hand, by contrasting the articulation of certain lines of thought in the text to their appearance in other of the author’s major works such as Agony of Christianity and Life on Don Quixote & Sancho; and, on the other hand, elaborating on some of the …

Editorial, Jo Cottrell, Louise Kane

The Journal of Wyndham Lewis Studies

No abstract provided.

"Neutrality—That Was Anathema": The Critique Of Ideology In The Revenge For Love, Joseph Owen

The Journal of Wyndham Lewis Studies

No abstract provided.

Market Structure And Strategic Conduct In The U.S. Life Insurance Sector, Kaja Szuba

Theses & ETDs

This thesis applies the Structure-Conduct-Performance (SCP) model to conduct an industry analysis of the United States life insurance sector, integrating foundational economic theory to explain observed market behavior. The U.S. Life Insurance Industry exhibits oligopolistic characteristics, high regulatory barriers to entry, moderate product differentiation, and disciplined pricing behavior. Market share data is drawn from NAIC reports, supplemented by surveys conducted through LIMRA, and company-level financial data. The analysis examines seven key areas: the definition of the industry, the structure of the industry, the conduct of firms within the industry, the performance of the industry, the linkage of SCP constructs to …

Modernist Parody: Imitation, Origination, And Experimentation In Early Twentieth-Century Literature By Sarah Davison, Cooper Casale

The Journal of Wyndham Lewis Studies

Book Review

Sarah Davison, Modernist Parody: Imitation, Origination, and Experimentation in Early Twentieth-Century Literature (Oxford University Press, 2023), 300pp. £78.00 (Hbk)