Digital Commons Network^™

Catching The Lows, Amy Dayrit, Elise Folan, Ethan Tran, Keira Trinh, Liane Yi

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Senior Synthesis

No abstract provided.

Reducing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: The Impact Of Subglottic Secretion Drainage, Isabel Chambers, Maya Craft, Megan Dedmon, Andra Dirtu

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Senior Synthesis

No abstract provided.

Around The Clock Care: Understanding The Health Impacts Across Nursing Day And Night Schedules, Brooke Anderson, Liz Nguyen, Megan Oshiro, Nikki Sales, Tiffany Takiguchi, Arianna Mae Umayam

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Senior Synthesis

No abstract provided.

Virtual Insanity In Virtual Nursing?, Andrea Arevalos Garnica, Rebecca Lee, Alfredo Mycue, Kaleigh Pienta, Jarelene Vasquez

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Senior Synthesis

No abstract provided.

Listen Before They Scream: Turning “Subjective” Pain Into “Objective” Nursing Action, Isabella Bass, Alyssa Calonge, Cesca Konshuk-Mas, Tori Somsanith, Mary Ta

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Senior Synthesis

No abstract provided.

Patient-To-Nurse Ratios In Immigration Detention Centers: Effects On Patient Mortality, Zoe Adler, Elinor Bowen-Keyes, Azalea Groleau, Natalie Salsman, Julie Smith

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Senior Synthesis

No abstract provided.

Climate-Related Environmental Exposures And Adverse Birth Outcomes: An Epidemiological Study In Maryland, Michelle D. Jones

Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) Theses

This study examined the relationship between environmental exposures, specifically heat and air quality, and adverse birth outcomes across Maryland. Using an ecological, correlational study design, the analysis found that while higher temperatures and cooling degree days were initially associated with increased rates of low birth weight (LBW) and infant mortality (IM), these relationships did not remain significant after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Instead, poverty emerged as the strongest and most consistent predictor of both LBW and IM, with rural residence also linked to higher LBW rates and urban residence appearing protective against IM. The findings suggest that social determinants of …

Addressing Barriers Towards Preventative Osteoporosis Care Among Women, Mallory Kingsley

Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) Theses

This paper is a review of Osteoporosis, the impact that it has on women, and determining if there is a need for preventative care to reduce the burden of disease on patients. Data from NHANES 2017-2018 was reviewed and statistical analyses were conducted. The variables of interest were gender of the participant, with possible barriers to care of the highest level of education, and ethnicity of the participant. These were the chosen variables as current literature has been unable to determine if there is a role between Osteoporosis/ fragility fractures and race/ethnicity or education levels. One limitation of this analysis …

Brief #1: Collaborative Aggregation & Marketing Of Local Farm Food: A Qualitative Analysis Of Farmers' Collaboration Strategies, Evan England, Rachel Filippone, Hannah Stokes-Ramos, Cindy (Luyue) Zheng, Olivia Burton, Analena Bruce

Food Practice Research

This report presents research findings from a comparative case study of four Collaborative Aggregation and Marketing Models: Local Harvest, a cooperative non-profit, farmer-owned, and certified organic CSA, Three River Farmers Alliance, an online food hub and regional distributor, Vernon Family Farm Store, an on-farm, year-round store that aggregates from local farms, and Fresh Start Farms, a food hub, farmers’ market, and CSA operated by the nonprofit Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success.

The Well-Poised Property And Torus Quotients, Joseph Cummings, Christopher Manon

Mathematics Faculty Publications

An embedded variety is said to be well-poised when the associated initial ideal degenerations coming from points of the tropical variety are reduced and irreducible. Varieties with a well-poised embedding admit a large collection of explicitly constructible Newton-Okounkov bodies. This paper aims to study the well-poised property under torus quotients. Our first result states that GIT quotients of normal well-poised varieties by quasi-tori also have well-poised embeddings. As an application, we show that several Hassett spaces, (Formula presented.), are well-poised under Alexeev’s embedding. Conversely, given an affine T-variety X with polyhedral divisor (Formula presented.) on a well-poised base Y, we …

The Embedding Theorem In Hurwitz–Brill–Noether Theory, Kaelin Cook-Powell, David Jensen, Eric Larson, Hannah Larson, Isabel Vogt

Mathematics Faculty Publications

We generalize the Embedding Theorem of Eisenbud–Harris from classical Brill–Noether theory to the setting of Hurwitz–Brill–Noether theory. More precisely, in classical Brill–Noether theory, the embedding theorem states that a general linear series of degree d and rank r on a general curve of genus g is an embedding if r ≥ 3. If f ∶ C → ℙ¹ is a general cover of degree k, and L is a line bundle on C, recent work of the authors shows that the splitting type of f_∗ L provides the appropriate generalization of the pair (r, d) in classical Brill–Noether …

Minnesota School Psychologists Survey: Job Satisfaction And Professional Practice, Mary Jane Gunderson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Historically, school psychologists’ roles emphasized eligibility determination through assessment, resulting in practitioners spending a substantial proportion of their time in assessment-related activities. However, this contradicts National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recommendations promoting prevention-related actives such as intervention and consultation. Prior research further found that school psychologists prefer more diverse professional practices, with a variety in professional practices leading to increased job satisfaction. Furthermore, discrepancies between actual and preferred roles are associated with lower job satisfaction. Although national research has examined professional practices and job satisfaction, limited attention has been given to these relationships at the state level. The purpose …

A Comparison Of Two Flashcard Interventions In Improving Sight Word Acquisition Among Elementary-Aged Emerging Bilingual Students, Lyudmila Yeliseyeva

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study employed a reversal single-case design to compare the effectiveness of two flashcard interventions—Incremental Rehearsal (IR) and Strategic Incremental Rehearsal (SIR)—in promoting sight word acquisition, retention, generalization, and efficiency among four elementary-aged emerging bilingual students. The study also examined social validity and intervention fidelity. Results indicated that both interventions were effective in improving acquisition, retention, and generalization of sight words. SIR demonstrated greater efficiency in facilitating sight word recognition. Additionally, both students and the interventionist reported high levels of social validity for the interventions. Limitations of the study included a small, homogeneous sample, lack of long-term maintenance data, reliance …

Mexico’S Judicial Elections And The Politics Of Reform, Amanda Driscoll, Michael J. Nelson, Julio Ríos-Figueroa

Judicature International

No abstract provided.

Toys As Evidence, Randall K. Johnson

Faculty Works

This Essay asks and answers a single question, which was posed during a recent symposium at the National Museum of Toys & Miniatures. Could the study of revealed preferences, which is the idea that observed behaviors are the best indicator of one’s beliefs, improve our collective understanding about what constitutes unlawful discrimination in certain U.S. markets? A possible answer, which is informed by the Brown v. Board of Education decision, is the study of revealed preferences may improve our collective understanding for three reasons.

One reason is the study of revealed preferences provides a window into how some producers and …

Frederick Douglass, D.C. Recorder Of Deeds, Randall K. Johnson

Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Revolutionizing The Cross-Border Payment System, Muhui Shi

Michigan Technology Law Review

When you bought your coffee this morning, you probably didn’t notice that many cross-border payments were hidden in the process of shipping beans in Ethiopia to the barista in your neighborhood. Comprising more than ten percent of what U.S. consumers spend, cross-border payments are an essential part of U.S. dollar dominance and commercial competitiveness. Yet, the outdated cross-border payment system—shrinking constantly in reach and struggling with structural changes—is demanding a complete upgrade.

What is the best path forward? Cryptocurrencies? E-money? Stablecoins? Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)? In this article, I answer the question by uncovering the core needs of the …

Regulating Ai Beyond Product Liability, Shruti Trikanad

Michigan Technology Law Review

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used by governments across the world to enforce regulatory mandates, adjudicate benefits and privileges, predict and analyze risks, and much more. Although this has significant potential to increase efficiency and responsiveness, it also comes with several risks of transparency, government accountability, and the amplification of discrimination and bias. It is crucial we oversee and regulate these AI systems effectively. This essay argues against the models that current regulatory frameworks are adopting to govern AI use: those resembling product liability.

Through the lens of the European Union's AI Act and Liability Directive, it highlights the unsuitability …

Health, Patents, And Path Dependence: India's Pharmaceutical Crossroads, Jacie Bissell

Michigan Technology Law Review

This paper examines how India’s historical commitment to affordable medicine and public health continues to shape its pharmaceutical patent regime, even as the country aspires to become an innovation-driven economy. Through the lens of path dependence, the paper explores how India’s legal and institutional frameworks have created structural constraints on policy reform. Focusing on key moments such as the Patents Act of 1970, the landmark Novartis decision, and India’s evolving stance on the TRIPS waiver during the COVID-19 pandemic, the paper analyzes the tensions between fostering pharmaceutical innovation and maintaining access to affordable medicines. While recent procedural reforms and judicial …

Recovering From The Ego Death Of The Internet: How The Communications Decency Act Has Shattered Cyber-Libertarianism And The Non-Exceptionalist Move Toward A Brighter Digital World, Peyton Friedlander

Michigan Technology Law Review

For nearly thirty years, the legal framework for analyzing liability for claims of tortious wrongdoing on the Internet has been governed by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (“CDA”). However, much has changed since the Act’s inception. Since Congress enacted the CDA, courts have interpreted its provisions far beyond their original meaning, creating a regime that ultimately destroys a prospective plaintiff’s ability to recover the equitable remedies once available to those seeking redress for online invasions of privacy and reputational harms.

As the Internet continues to grow and changes in technology rapidly develop, it is time to re-center equitable …

Conversational Ai And Human-Centered First Amendment, Inyoung Cheong

Michigan Technology Law Review

Human-centered artificial intelligence (AI) is premised on the idea that humans must remain the ultimate locus of agency in technological systems. First Amendment jurisprudence has displaced this commitment. By extending speech protection to algorithmic architectures, the judiciary has forged a doctrinal shield that insulates corporate actors from the consequences of their products. Conversational AI deepens this crisis through intimate incursions into the epistemic and emotional registers of the self. Emerging approaches that anchor First Amendment coverage to the controllability or traceability of AI outputs offer no stable solution. Policy-level design choices such as safety guardrails and alignment processes can readily …

Sliding Block Puzzles With A Twist, Patrick Garcia, Angela Hanson, David Jensen, Noah Owen

Mathematics Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Dear Nine Mike Mike, Josiah Jack

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A poem from a soldier addressing “Nine Mike Mike” meditates on war, trauma, suicide and endurance.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Hunting Alone, Jesse Huckins

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A young hunter goes into the woods alone, where a successful kill becomes a reckoning with his late father's memory.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

The Last Convoy, Mark Lawton

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

As a U.S. base in Iraq prepares to close, a small team of soldiers works around the clock to repair the final convoy for one last journey home.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both …

Class On Tuesdays, Anne Boaden

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A young Marine officer candidate wakes in a stranger’s London home after a night she cannot fully remember.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

River City Fashion (2026 Spring)

River City Fashion, 2024-

From the https://studentmedia.vcu.edu/student-media/river-city-fashion/" target="_blank">VCU Student Media Center: "The online-only, student-run fashion and style website reports local events but also details style trends while uncovering local design talent."

Pwatem: An Anthology Of Literature And Art (2026)

Pwatem (Poictesme), 2006-

Pwatem is an anthology of literature and art from undergraduate students at Virginia Commonwealth University. Pwatem publishes poetry, prose and art of all kinds from talented undergraduate students of all majors.

Retention Factors For College Students Who Have Experienced Trauma, Deborah Klinnert

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

College degree attainment has been shown to positively relate to overall life satisfaction, job opportunities, and income. There continue to be equity gaps between enrollment and degree completion for marginalized groups, including students of color, first-generation students, and students from low-income families. The impact of trauma on college completion is missing among existing student success literature. Based on existing retention factors for marginalized groups, including a student’s sense of belonging, resilience, and utilization of mental health services, this study sought to examine if the same factors impact retention for those students who have experienced trauma. The sample size was extremely …

What Are Men Doing To Prevent Gender-Based Violence? Challenges And Resistance To Traditional Masculinities In Costa Rica, Fiorella Masís Aguilar

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Achieving gender equality and reducing violence, especially violence against women, requires men's involvement. This research focuses on understanding the actions and strategies that Costa Rican men who challenge traditional masculinities use to question or resist hegemonic traditional masculinities. Furthermore, it explores what factors influenced the development of these actions and how the participants understand that hegemonic masculinities and their actions to change them are related to gender-based violence. According to Planning Department of the Judiciary of Costa Rica, four out of five perpetrators of violent crimes are men, and eight out of ten victims are women. Using semi-structured interviews with …