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Rhetorical Strategies In Writing-Based Suicide Prevention: A Qualitative Study For Navy Chaplains And Command Leadership In Region East, Herode Jean-Vilien Thomas

Masters Theses

Suicide prevention remains a critical challenge within military environments, particularly in operational settings where communication between leaders and service members often occurs under conditions of stress and urgency. While the United States Navy has implemented numerous prevention initiatives, limited attention has been given to the role of written communication as a relational and persuasive tool in crisis response. This study examines how rhetorical strategies influence writing-based suicide prevention communication within Navy Recruiting Command Region East. Drawing on classical rhetorical theory and contemporary communication research, the study explores how tone, clarity, message structure, and audience awareness shape the effectiveness of crisis …

Destination: Love And Redemption In The Underworld, Alexis P. Johnson

Masters Theses

This essay serves as an artist’s statement for Alexis Johnson, outlining her journey as a storyteller and the development of her MFA thesis work, focusing on her feature film screenplay, Destination. Johnson details her lifelong connection to Arizona and the desire to propose storytelling on film that moves outside the stereotypical standard the state is known for. Through Destination, she aims to expand the Western genre by weaving in elements of magic and imagination, showcasing Arizona as a place rich in narrative potential. The screenplay explores themes of death, identity, and transformation. She reflects on how her life’s challenges have …

Noise-Induced Gains: Are You Damaging Your Hearing While You Train?, Taylor Hitschmann, Lillian Beauvais, Blake Roth, Andrew Gannon

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study investigated the potential risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among individuals who listen to music during exercise. Survey data were collected alongside sound intensity measurements to better understand listening behaviors in fitness settings. Results indicated that although most participants reported listening at recommended safe levels, a notable proportion exceeded these thresholds, potentially increasing their risk of NIHL. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring listening habits during workouts. Hearing health professionals are encouraged to enhance public awareness and promote safe listening practices to help reduce the likelihood of long-term auditory damage.

The Role Of Glu/Gly/Zif-8 Edible Film In Improving The Superior Rheological And Water Vapor Barrier Properties And Antibacterial Activity For Active Food Packaging, Nancy Siti Djenar, Kardian Rinaldi, Dina Nur Rahma, Dina Kustiana

Chimica et Natura Acta

The low barrier to water vapor and gas is a critical limitation of glycerol-plasticized gluten-based edible films (GBEF) for food packaging applications. In this study, gluten (Glu) and glycerol (Gly) were cross-linked with 0.25–1.00% (w/v) zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) to improve interfacial compatibility and enhance the structural integrity of the film matrix. The formation of hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions between ZIF-8 and the Glu/Gly matrix strengthened the chemical network, resulting in increased tensile strength (TS). The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of Glu/Gly/ZIF-8 edible films (Glu/Gly/ZIF-8 EF) ranged from 1.085 to 1.453 g/m²/24 h, indicating significantly improved barrier properties. …

Meet The Pulse Editorial Board

PULSE: A Student Publication of Literary & Artistic Works

No abstract provided.

Pulse, Vol. 5 Spring 2026

PULSE: A Student Publication of Literary & Artistic Works

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of A Mindfulness Meditation Program On Phq-9 Scores In Eskd Clients At The Dialysis Center, Christi Collins Weaver

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Patients undergoing hemodialysis for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) experience high rates of untreated depressive symptoms, which negatively impact quality of life, treatment adherence, and therefore increased hospitalization and higher mortality rates.

PICOT: In adult patients receiving in-center hemodialysis (P), how does the implementation of a structured mindfulness meditation program (I), compared to usual care (C), affect depressive symptoms as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) (O) over an eight-week period (T)?

Evidence: Current literature demonstrates that depression is highly prevalent among individuals with ESKD and is associated with increased morbidity and decreased treatment adherence. Evidence supports mindfulness …

The Hypocrisy Of The Wizards—A Proposal To Correct Incentives In Higher Education Loan Financing, Caden Benedict

School of Public Policy Capstones

This paper explores the origins of the student loan debt crisis and proposes tying university incentives to graduates' repayment plans and disclosing median earnings for degrees before students apply. Specifically, while there are numerous factors explaining why the price of education has increased dramatically since the 1970s, this paper proposes solutions that will specifically target university moral hazards by requiring universities fund: (1) the current subsidies to federal student loan repayments under income-driven plans as the House of Representatives intended before the Senate removed "risk-sharing," and (2) bankruptcy law discharge amounts. Moreover, requiring universities to disclose the median earnings of …

Morality Meets Education: Transactional And Transformational Leadership Of Business Students, Arthur L. Conyers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In an era where ethical failures in business can destabilize markets and damage public trust, understanding how future leaders develop moral clarity is becoming increasingly urgent. Transformational leadership highlights relational influence and purpose, while transactional leadership provides structural clarity that supports organizational operations. Morality, broadly defined as adherence to a standard of righteousness, remains essential for leadership in commerce, policy, and organizational contexts. This qualitative phenomenological study looked into how business and management students experience leadership development, moral decision-making, and faith integration in their academic and personal lives. Students enrolled in accredited colleges and universities were interviewed, and transcripts were …

A New Testament Theology Of Evangelistic Prayer, Preston Gagnon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Evangelistic prayer is widely assumed to be appropriate, but the biblical basis for the practice has been insufficiently argued. Some evangelistic resources assume evangelistic prayer is necessary. Others overlook the practice, and many discuss evangelistic prayer by making minimal arguments for the practice. Due to the lack of comprehensive arguments for evangelistic prayer, some authors have been able to claim that prayers for the lost are unbiblical. This dissertation enters the conversation by arguing that the New Testament presents evangelistic prayer as a biblically mandated, exemplified, and theologically supported practice. This argument is made by expositing twelve key New Testament …

Managing Religious Values Conflicts In Counseling: A Quasi-Experimental Study Exploring The Impact Of Experience, Cognitive Flexibility, Religiosity, And The Supervisory Relationship In Cases Of Religious Trauma, Nicole M. Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study sought to understand the relationships between counselor religiosity, cognitive flexibility, supervisory relationship, and cognitive dissonance related to values-based conflicts. The sample consisted of 175 clinical mental health counselors still in their master’s program, in clinical residency, or licensed less than five years. Participants must have been enrolled in or graduated from a CACREP accredited program to foster consistency in clinical training. A series of demographic questions and four previously developed assessments provided data to analyze four research questions. Results suggested counselor religiosity had a significant, positive relationship with values-based conflicts, with cognitive flexibility emerging as a potential …

Disability Laws: An Instrumental Case Study Exploring Staff Capacity To Support Incarcerated Juveniles With Disabilities In The Mid-Atlantic Region, Jennifer L. Howarth Mira

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to explore how juvenile detention staff are prepared to understand and comply with disability laws when working with incarcerated juveniles with disabilities. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s social learning theory as it suggests a person’s environment can be directly influenced by themselves or by others. The central research question this study investigated was: How are juvenile detention staff prepared to understand and comply with disability laws when working with incarcerated juveniles with disabilities? This qualitative study included 11 staff members employed in mid-Atlantic juvenile detention centers with at least six …

The Lived Experiences Of Remote, Part-Time Faculty Members With Transformational Leadership: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study At A Private Christian College In Appalachia, Edward Christian L. Chicko

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of remote, part-time faculty at a private Christian college in Appalachia as they encountered transformational leadership in their professional roles. Faculty morale was defined as the emotional, psychological, and professional well-being of faculty as shaped by their perceptions of institutional leadership in a remote teaching environment. Guided by transformational leadership theory, idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration, this study examined how leadership behaviors influenced faculty engagement and institutional connection. A transcendental phenomenological design was used to examine participants’ lived experiences. Purposeful sampling recruited 11 …

Christian Leadership In Times Of Persecution: A Comparative Study Of The Pastoral Response Of Tertullian And Cyprian To The Phenomena Of Oppression And Martyrdom In North Africa, Thomas Michael Ray Knoff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines Christian leadership during persecution through a comparative study of Tertullian and Cyprian in Roman North Africa in the late second and mid third centuries. Although both figures are central to early Christian theology and ecclesiology, their leadership is often assessed without sustained attention to the pressures created by persecution.

Using a historical and theological approach, the dissertation examines the writings and ministerial actions of Tertullian and Cyprian as responses formed under conditions of hostility. Close engagement with their treatises, letters, and apologetic works shows how persecution influenced their understanding of martyrdom and apostasy and guided their handling …

The Experiences Of Service-Learning From The Perspectives Of Physician Preceptors: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Claudia Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of supervising medical students for physician preceptors at service-learning sites in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The theory guiding this study was the experiential learning theory, posited by Dewey and refined by Kolb, concerning service-learning and undergraduate medical education. This study explored four research questions presented to physician preceptors to examine the barriers to implementing service-learning requirements at medical schools. These questions stemmed from the central research question: What are the lived experiences of supervising medical students for physician preceptors at a service-learning site? This research …

Evaluating Pathways Into Health Care Among Healthcare Students In Virginia, Olivette Burroughs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate gaps in healthcare training that lead to healthcare access inequalities and the role of the pathway programs' effectiveness in the pathway process in Virginia. The problem addressed in this study was to assess how healthcare education pathway programs impact access to care in rural and underserved areas of Virginia. The study used the qualitative health belief model by Hochbaum, Rosenstock, Kegeles, and Leventhal to examine pathway program participants' beliefs and perceptions, and the grounded theory by sociologists Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss, to establish theoretical relationships. The rationale for the study was …

Associate Degree Nursing Students’ Lived Experiences With Simulation: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Jamie O'Connor Florez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of prelicensure associate degree nursing (ADN) students related to skills acquisition and workplace readiness through simulation-based learning at community colleges in California. Skills acquisition and workplace readiness were defined as students’ perceptions of their ability to competently perform nursing skills and prepare for entry into the healthcare workforce. Guided by Kolb’s experiential learning theory, data were collected from 13 ADN students through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and reflective journaling and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis.

Three themes emerged: varying emotions from excitement to feeling overwhelmed; experiences of collaboration and unprofessionalism …

Recognition And Rewards In Healthcare: A Qualitative Exploration Of Employee Experiences Within A Single Health System, Karen B. Brodbeck

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study, grounded in a constructivist research paradigm, explored how enhancing recognition and reward systems within a healthcare organization improved employee morale, retention, and overall organizational success. Guided by a flexible research design, the study sought to understand the lived experiences of healthcare professionals and how they perceived recognition within their organizational environments. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 25 to 30 participants, allowing for rich, contextualized insights into how recognition practices influenced motivation, engagement, and commitment. By examining participants’ subjective interpretations and shared meanings, the research illuminated how recognition and reward systems were experienced in practice and …

Educators Lived Experiences With Burnout: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Leiaje Sidberry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of burnout for high school teachers in an East Coast city. The theory guiding this study was Polidore’s resilience theory, as teacher retention depends on competence and longevity. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of burnout for high school teachers? Ten educators participated in interviews, focus groups, and reflective journaling. Data were thematically analyzed to identify shared meanings in their experiences. Four major themes emerged: causes of burnout, manifestations of burnout, needs related to burnout, and developing resilience. Participants described diverse causes of …

Using Somatic Experiencing To Mitigate Symptoms Of Secondary Traumatic Stress In Female Helping Professionals, Jillian Christie Guinta

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological and quantitative study explored the lived experiences of a dozen women within the veterinary, social work, and nursing communities and how secondary traumatic stress impacts their lives. Faced with unanticipated patient illnesses, facilitating compassionate end-of-life procedures, and rapidly moving from one emotional state to the next between patients, professionals are carrying tremendous unprocessed emotional burdens that can affect them physiologically and psychologically. Somatic Experiencing (SE) indicates tremendous promise in rehabilitating practitioners’ trauma-impacted nervous systems by offering techniques to release emotional stress and re-regulate the nervous system (Kuhfuß et al., 2023). This mixed-methods study explored the world of these …

Pastoral Burnout: Applying Spiritual Gifts As A Buffer Against Burnout In Members Of The Clergy, Jeffrey S. Parsell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a dramatic decline in pastoral ministry satisfaction, physical well-being, psychological well-being, and spiritual well-being has been reported. Recent polls have discovered that nearly half of pastors have given serious consideration to leaving and abandoning their ministry due to the physiological, psychological, and spiritual toll their work takes on them and their families. Burnout has been cited as one of the primary factors contributing to this growing trend. Pastors are not alone in this epidemic, as many helping professions are experiencing similar trends. Despite sharing many similarities with helping occupations such as fulfilling the …

The Perceived Influence Of Co-Curricular Support Systems On The Educational Leadership And Development Of High-School-Aged Children In Single-Parent Homes In South Florida: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jonathan A. Biles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of co-curricular support systems regarding the educational leadership and development of high-school-aged children in single-parent homes in South Florida. Focusing on the Tri-County area of South Florida, the theory guiding this research is Erik Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development, which pertain to the adolescent stage of development. The central research question was: What is the perception of co-curricular activities' influence on the academic achievement of adolescent-aged students raised in single-parent homes? Using multiple data collection methods: questionnaires, personal interviews, and focus groups, the data gathered was used …

The Media's Influence On The Public's Perception Of Police Use Of Force, Kristopher D. Lauro

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Police use of force has long been a concern within law enforcement, but in recent decades, it has faced increasing scrutiny from the general public and across all sectors of society, sparking widespread debate on the practice. The rise of body-worn cameras (BWCs) and the prevalence of cell phone recordings of police incidents have amplified attention on the issue. Media representations of police use of force are influential in bringing together or shaping public opinion and often encapsulate ideological biases; the pervasive publicity associated with such incidents provides a unique opportunity for detailed examination of the underlying relationship between media …

Navigating The Thin Blue Line And Single Parenthood: An In-Depth Exploration Of Police Officers’ Experiences In Highlands County, Florida, Stress Reduction, And Work-Life Balance, Courtney Lashae Hamilton Toney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The present study examined how the demographic of single parent police officers reduced and coped with stress, whether coping mechanisms utilized were effective or not, changed overtime, and whether the coping mechanisms were influenced by personal factors and leadership within their departments. This study took place in Highlands County, Florida with a sample size of 13 participants. The participants responses were captured through in-depth semi-structured interviews within this qualitative descriptive study. Majority of participants described how their coping mechanisms changed over time to better their lives or the lives of their family. The changes were affected mostly by their children …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Exploring Inclusion Of Latinos In Higher Education In Bilingual Programs, Carmem Charette

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of promoting the inclusion of Latino/a students through bilingual programs at higher education institutions in the United States. To include Latinos in higher education administrators redesigned courses originally taught in English into Spanish and Portuguese at several colleges and universities nationwide. This qualitative research was designed as a hermeneutic phenomenological study, and three data collection methods were used: journal prompts, individual interviews, and focus group interviews. Data were collected from educational leaders, including administrators, deans, faculty coordinators, advisers, and professors, who shared their perspectives and experiences as …

Championing Success: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study On Higher Education Leadership’S Role In Supporting Women Of Color, Inez Annette Hayes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore and understand the role of higher education leadership in providing institutional support to women of color. The lived experiences of women of color as students was analyzed to understand the factors influencing their persistence at higher education institutions nationwide. The theory guiding this study was Rendón’s theory of validation as a process that encourages and supports students’ academic and personal growth, initiated by both in-class and out-of-class influences. This study focused on the Central Research Question: How do leadership practices and institutional supports in higher education influence the persistence of …

A Phenomenological Research On The Understanding Of Morality At Birth From A Believer's Standpoint, Michelle I. Hubble

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

At birth, is a person born evil, good, or neutral? This phenomenological study aims to explore the perspective of the morality of a child at birth for adult believers in the Missionary Church. At this stage in the research, the perspective of the morality of a child at birth will be generally defined as evil, good, or neutral. The theory guiding this study was research done by Harvard, which concluded that humanity's first instinct is not to act selfishly but to cooperate in their behavior with others (Tucker, 2013). This research proposed that this alternative perspective is invalid when Piaget’s …

A Case Study Examining Why Students Succeed When Exposed To Peer Tutors, Van E. Carpenter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to identify the impact of online peer tutoring on students’ perceptions of their success for students who participated in online peer tutoring at Summit Faith University (a pseudonym used for this research). This research was grounded in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, which provided a comprehensive framework for examining the factors influencing the effectiveness of peer tutoring among students. This study answered three research questions: How do online students use peer tutoring at Summit Faith University, how does online peer tutoring at Summit Faith University shape students’ perceptions of their success at Summit Faith …

Cross-Gender Teaching Dynamics In Single-Gender Schools: A Case Study On School Leaders’ Perspectives On Gendered Teaching Practices, Support, And School Culture, Kelsie R. Copeman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this comparative case study is to examine the gendered experiences of teachers through the perspective of school leaders at single-gender schools. The theory guiding this study is Tomlinson’s theory on differentiated instruction, as it explains how the recognition and response to student differences allows for effective teaching in order to optimize learning experiences. The central research question is: How do school leaders perceive and navigate cross-gender teaching dynamics in single-gender schools? This study uses semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and journal entries from school leaders. The sample consists of 10 school leaders with current experience in single-gender schools, …

The Experiences Of The Free Application For Federal Student Aid In Parents Of First-Generation College Students: A Phenomenological Study, Travis Anthony Richard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the experiences of parents of first-generation college students in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid process. The theory guiding this study was the Cultural Capital Theory, initially conceptualized by Pierre Bourdieu, as it focused on how cultural capital was transmitted within families and how it reinforced class distinction. With the increasing emphasis on higher education as a pathway to socioeconomic mobility, understanding the barriers and facilitators faced by these parents was crucial. The central research question guiding this study is: "What are the lived experiences of parents of first-generation college …