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Susan A. Jones Diary Transcription, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The Susan A. Jones Diaries document the early life of Susan A. (Sedgwick) Jones (1844-1925), whose writings provide insight into daily life in Massachusetts and Wisconsin during the mid-19th century. Born in North Adams, Massachusetts, Jones married Henry R. Jones in 1865 and later lived in Clintonville, Wisconsin, where the couple raised six children. After Henry’s death in 1897, Jones and her daughter Jessie relocated to South Dakota in 1905 to homestead in Hughes County, while Jones continued to teach school in both Wisconsin and South Dakota. Her diaries reflect the experiences of a young woman during a period of …

Norris Papers, Kathleen, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

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The Kathleen Norris Papers document the literary career and personal writings of poet and nonfiction writer Kathleen Norris (born 1947). Norris graduated from Punahou Preparatory School in Hawaii in 1965 and from Bennington College in 1969. Early in her career she worked as an arts administrator for Elizabeth Kray of the Academy of American Poets. Her first book of poetry, Falling Off, was published in 1971 and received the Big Table Younger Poets Award. She later lived for more than twenty-five years in Lemmon, South Dakota, with her husband, poet David Dwyer. Experiences from this period informed her nonfiction work …

South Dakota Social Science Association Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

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The South Dakota Social Science Association Records document the activities of a professional organization composed of sociologists and students from colleges and universities across South Dakota. Active from the late 1930s through the 1970s, the association sponsored annual meetings, paper competitions, award ceremonies, and the publication of an academic journal. These meetings provided a forum for presenting research, exchanging ideas, and fostering collaboration among social science scholars across the state. The association became inactive in the 1980s.

The collection primarily documents the planning and proceedings of the association’s annual meetings. Materials include correspondence, newspaper clippings, programs, meeting minutes, treasurer’s reports, …

National Association Of Retired Federal Employees Big Sioux Chapter, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) Big Sioux Chapter Records document the activities of the Big Sioux Chapter (Chapter 0872) of NARFE, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights and benefits of retired federal employees and their families. Based in Brookings, South Dakota, the chapter was part of the South Dakota Federation of NARFE chapters and served regional members through advocacy, meetings, and informational programming. Although the chapter is no longer active, it previously provided a forum for retired federal employees to remain informed about legislative issues affecting retirement benefits and to participate in community and organizational …

F. O. Butler Foundation Records, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The F.O. Butler Foundation was established as a trust associated with South Dakota State University to manage assets derived from the estate of Chicago businessman F.O. Butler, whose holdings included the 7-11 Ranch in South Dakota. Formalized through a 1968 trust agreement, the foundation served as the administrative entity overseeing these assets and supporting university development initiatives, including projects such as Butler Plaza.

This collection documents the foundation’s administrative, financial, and philanthropic activities from the early 20th century through 2018. Records include legal and trust documents, bylaws, correspondence, board and committee minutes, financial reports, investments, and IRS filings, providing detailed …

Dwyer Papers, David, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

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Poet David Dwyer (1946–2003) grew up just north of New York City and commuted to Manhattan for high school before relocating to Lemmon, South Dakota, with his wife, writer Kathleen Norris, to manage her maternal grandparents’ farm. A recipient of the Juniper Prize for his debut poetry collection, Ariana Olisvos: Her Last Works and Days (1976), Dwyer also published Other Men and Other Women (1988), completed with a National Endowment for the Arts grant, as well as numerous poems in renowned literary magazines and anthologies, including The New York Quarterly, The Agni Review, and The Virginia Quarterly Review.

This collection …

David F. Pearson Papers, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

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The David F. Pearson Papers document his career and administrative contributions to South Dakota State University from 1957 to 1980, as well as his broader involvement in higher education policy and institutional development in South Dakota. Pearson served as Assistant Professor of Economics, Special Assistant to the President, and later Vice President for Administration, playing a key role in university planning and governance. The collection consists primarily of correspondence (1976–1982) and subject files related to major initiatives and issues during his tenure. Notably, it includes extensive materials on the “Engineering Controversy,” which addressed the organization and funding of engineering education …

Johnson Papers, Dan W., Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

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Donald Dale Johnson (1925-) of Brookings contributed family and local history materials to South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections. The Donald D. Johnson Papers include a translated narrative recounting the experiences of his grandfather, Johan Peter Johnson, a Swedish immigrant in South Dakota during the 1870s, and The Quill, a Marion High School publication issued in memory of Johnson’s parents. The collection highlights Swedish immigration to South Dakota and the preservation of family history through translation.

Jones Diary Transcription, Susan A., Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

Archives Finding Aids

The Susan A. Jones Diaries document the early life of Susan A. (Sedgwick) Jones (1844-1925), whose writings provide insight into daily life in Massachusetts and Wisconsin during the mid-19th century. Born in North Adams, Massachusetts, Jones married Henry R. Jones in 1865 and later lived in Clintonville, Wisconsin, where the couple raised six children. After Henry’s death in 1897, Jones and her daughter Jessie relocated to South Dakota in 1905 to homestead in Hughes County, while Jones continued to teach school in both Wisconsin and South Dakota. Her diaries reflect the experiences of a young woman during a period of …

Cultivating Critical Consciousness: The Role Of Dialogic And Reflective Writing In An 8th-Grade Literacy Classroom, Lucijan Jovic

Theses & Dissertations

Developing critical consciousness is an integral component of literacy instruction in education. Using Freire’s Conscientização, or Critical Consciousness, Theory, I conducted a qualitative action research study to examine how engaging in the dialogic writing processes contributes to the development of critical consciousness among students in an 8th-grade literacy classroom. Additionally, this study seeks to unpack, further understand, and make meaning of the instructional practices and experiences in my writing course. Utilizing ethnographic methods such as reflective field notes and memos, critical observation, and inductive/deductive coding helped me trace class and dialogue group conversations for arising themes and examine student work …

Access, Outcomes, And Sustainability In Seal Of Biliteracy Programs: Exploring Coordinators' Perceptions On Long Island, Faith Patricia Tripp

Theses & Dissertations

The New York State Seal of Biliteracy (SoBL) is an award recognizing high school graduates who demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one additional world language. Despite New York State's early adoption of the SoBL in 2012 and Long Island's regional leadership in awarding the seal, research suggests the credential disproportionately benefits White, English- dominant students rather than the multilingual learners it was originally meant to serve. Through semi-structured interviews with eight SoBL coordinators across fiscally and demographically diverse districts on Long Island, my study investigated how they described the program's value, the challenges and successes in implementation, and …

2026 Georgia Southern University Softball Statistics, Georgia Southern University

Women's Softball Records

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Exploring Student Loneliness In Higher Education: A Discursive Psychology Approach, Patrick Leung

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Book Review: Exploring Student Loneliness in Higher Education: A Discursive Psychology Approach

Navigating Hunger And Academic Success: College Students’ Experiences With Food Insecurity And Campus Food Pantries, Casey J. Weaver, Carl H. Sorgen, Cordelia D. Zinskie

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Food insecurity is a growing issue faced by many college students, and there is an increasing call for more qualitative research examining food insecurity on college campuses. It may be posited that students who experience food insecurity but have access to resources are more likely to succeed academically than those without access to such resources. This research examined how the resources provided to college students experiencing food insecurity influenced their academic success at a university in the United States. This study explored the experience of four students who identified as food insecure and utilized campus resources to address this issue. …

Good Trouble For Good Debt? A Comparative Analysis Of Financial Factors And Racial Differences In U.S. Student Loan Debt Burdens, Carlton R. Smith, Kim E. Bullington, Matthew J. Smith

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

This study examines the relationship surrounding undergraduate student loan debt burdens and income levels post-graduation, focusing particularly on the financial impacts of both on Black student borrowers. Using two datasets from the National Center for Education Statistics, our quantitative analysis highlights that while student loan debt in and of itself is not problematic in theory, when combined with other factors and barriers, debt becomes an additional stressor potentially impeding student success during and after college. We offer short-, intermediate-, and long-term implications, while also highlighting examples of targeted intervention programs tailored to specifically benefit Black student borrowers.

Emotional Labor, Well-Being, And Community Care In Student Conduct Administration, Tiffany Shierling, Kelly Burlison

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined emotional labor, stress, and coping among student conduct administrators (SCAs). SCAs work in emotionally intensive, high-stakes environments that require balancing student development, institutional risk management, and legal compliance. Despite clear parallels to other helping professions, the emotional toll of student conduct work remains underexamined. Grounded in self-compassion theory and resilience theory, this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined the emotional labor demands, stressors, and coping strategies experienced by SCAs in higher education. Quantitative (n = 101) findings revealed strong relationships among stress, burnout, and anxiety, while individual self-care practices offered limited protection without institutional support. …

2026 Georgia Southern University Baseball Roster, Georgia Southern University

Men's Baseball Records

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Pre-Trial Attitudes And Educational Jury Instructions : Juror Decision-Making In Mens Rea Cases Involving Mental Illness, Victoria E. O'Connell

Theses

Juror decision-making in cases involving mental illness is shaped by legal understanding and subjective attitudes. This study examined how juror attitudes and jury instruction type influence the application of mens rea defenses—Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI), Diminished Capacity (DC), and Guilty but Mentally Ill (GBMI)—in criminal case vignettes involving defendants with mental health presentations. Enhanced jury instructions improved understanding of mens rea concepts but did not improve the application of these concepts to verdict decisions. Biases against mens rea defenses were associated with DC verdict decisions, with more negative NGRI attitudes predicting less legally accurate but more confident …

Down The Rabbit Hole : A Journey Of Writing And Liberation, Mckenzie Sharp

Theses

Down the Rabbit Hole: A Journey of Writing and Liberation is a hybrid creative thesis composed of poetry, memoir, and auto-fiction that explores trauma, mental illness, abuse, and resilience through non-linear narrative and surrealist imagery. This collection examines writing as both a survival practice and reclamation of agency after prolonged silencing by drawing on feminist theory, trauma studies, and experimental literature techniques. Structured as an anthology, the thesis mirrors fractured memory and identity and the cyclical nature of healing. Organized into three chapters— “Awakening,” “Deconstruction,” and “Enlightenment”—the collection traces recognition of harm, dismantling of inherited belief systems, and the ongoing …

Transformation Of Public Earth Datasets For 3d Narrative Visualization Of Disaster Events, Connor Bleisch

Theses

Communicating large datasets in ways that are appealing to non-scientific audiences has been a recent focus of big data visualization. Interest has grown for using 3D environments with game-like structures and immersive technology like AR and VR since they are more engaging. We introduce a method, based on the structure of the datasets and domain knowledge of the natural phenomena, for transforming public National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth datasets into 3D narrative data visualizations, specifically of disaster events. Two visualizations were created using this method: one of the KNP Complex Wildfire in 2021 and one of Hurricane Beryl …

The Influence Of Defendant Mental Illness Characteristics On Prosecutorial Decision Making, Claire Elise Martin

Theses

As most criminal cases are now resolved via plea-bargaining, research on legal decision making has extended beyond the jury to evaluate judges, defense attorneys, and prosecutors. Although legal actors are obliged to remain objective and dispassionate, extralegal factors regarding defendant characteristics (e.g., age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic class) can influence case outcomes. Extant research on the effect of defendant mental health status and defendant demeanor on sentencing outcomes in court hearings is limited. Therefore, the present experiment solicited 134 prosecutors in a vignette study designed to assess how extralegal characteristics, specifically those related to mental illness, may affect the punitiveness of …

Application Of A Scale-Resolving Turbulence Model To Supersonic Retropropulsion Flows In Earth And Martian Atmospheres, Rebecca Thompson

Theses

The Blended Partially-Averaged Navier-Stokes (BPANS) turbulence model was used to simulate complex turbulent compressible flows seen in supersonic retropropulsion (SRP). The model was incorporated in the OpenFOAM solver sonicFoam to investigate SRP flows in Earth and Martian atmospheres. The new sonicFoam with BPANS was first tested for subsonic flows using the shear flow benchmark case of flow around a cylinder. Results show good agreement of velocity profiles with experimental values. SonicFoam was then validated for compressible flows using an experimental SRP configuration. Pressure coefficient distribution along the forebody and aft body of the geometry show good agreement with experimental results. …

The Impact Of Stereotype Threat And Grit On The Experience Of Imposter Syndrome, Lindsey C. Davis

Theses

Imposter syndrome (IP) is a psychological phenomenon in which one has an internal experience of intellectual phoniness. Past researchers have found that overall females tend to report higher levels of IP than men, with Stereotype Threat (ST) being a cited explanation. A common denominator in much of the literature is how belongingness can activate ST in females. It has been found that individuals high in IP, especially females, tend to experience poor mental health outcomes. Past research has also established a link between IP and conscientiousness in females, a personality trait related to the facet of grit. The current study …

Nandworks : A Low-Cost Testbed For Interfacing Onfi-Compatible Nand Flash Memory Devices, Mark Scheidker

Theses

NAND flash memory is the basis for modern digital storage, but direct access to raw flash functionality remains difficult due to limitations in available interface tools. Industrial characterization systems can issue low-level commands but are prohibitively expensive for most researchers and students. USB-based bit-banging tools lack the timing fidelity needed for certain experiments. This thesis introduces NANDWorks, a testbed based on the Raspberry Pi 4 that provides direct access to ONFI-compatible NAND flash devices via GPIO bit-banging in Linux user space, building on prior work for the Terasic DE1-SoC platform. NANDWorks has a layered software stack that includes a hardware …

Observations Of Internal Boundary Layers And Near-Surface Wind Estimation During The Landfalls Of Hurricanes Ida (2021), Zeta (2020), And Laura (2020), Zebulon W. Leffler

Theses

Accurately estimating near-surface winds during hurricane landfalls is crucial for enhancing situational awareness and facilitating post-storm recovery efforts. Previous studies have used coastal radar Velocity Azimuth Display (VAD) winds to estimate 10-m winds during hurricane landfalls; however, a notable weak bias was observed. This work demonstrates that the significant weak bias results from neglecting the wind structure within a shallow internal boundary layer (IBL). Results from an operational radar VAD analysis during the landfalls of Hurricanes Ida (2021) and Zeta (2020) indicate that leveraging the IBL winds is essential for accurate 10-m wind estimates during hurricane landfalls. Additionally, a theoretical …

Impact Of Oxidative Stress On Mapk Signaling In Human Pancreatic Ductal Cell Line, Alexis Fink

Theses

The main processes linked to diabetes (type 1 or type 2) and obesity are impaired insulin production and glucose intolerance. The imbalance between antioxidant defense systems and oxygen-reactive species are known as oxidative stress. Understanding oxidative stress and its substantial effects on diabetes is crucial. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can activate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). We hypothesize that altered MAPK phosphorylation and hence downstream signaling is associated with changes in oxidative stress in the human pancreatic duct epithelial cell line (H6C7). While H6C7 cells are often engineered to be cancerous precursors, the natural phenotype of these cells and their expression …

Development And Validation Of An Automated Image-Based Framework For Bubble Size And Velocity Measurement In Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Rocket Experiments, Olivia Williams

Theses

Accurate measurement of bubble size and rise velocity is essential for characterizing multiphase flow behavior in Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Rocket (CNTR) experiments, where dynamic imaging conditions complicate traditional analysis methods. This thesis presents the development and validation of an automated image-based framework for extracting bubble equivalent diameter and rise velocity from high-speed experimental videos of injected gas bubbles rising through controlled liquid-filled volumes. Representative datasets include air bubbles injected into water and Sodium Polytungstate (SPT-3). The framework employs a staged analysis workflow with instance-level bubble segmentation using a Mask R-CNN model, secondary classification for detection verification, multi-object tracking, and velocity …

Modeling And Characterization Of Pond And Fresh Ash Leaching In Citric Acid, Christina Fleming

Theses

Resourcing rare earth elements (REEs) from coal ash offers the opportunity to recycle industrial waste and reduce national dependence on foreign suppliers. In this research, the leaching behaviors of pond and fresh ash were studied to evaluate their suitability for REE recovery. Concentrations of REEs in leachates were measured and compared to kinetic models from literature, and the ash was analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) to characterize the observed behaviors. The pond ash leachate exhibited lower REE concentrations with steady release patterns, likely due to the acid resistant, REE-bearing aluminosilicate glass phases. In contrast, the …

Experimental Characterization Of Gas-Injected Bubble Dynamics In Various Fluids And Injector Arrays For Centrifugal Nuclear Propulsion Applications, Julia Kondrat'yev

Theses

This study experimentally characterizes gas-injected bubble dynamics in analog fluids to establish baseline behavior for Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (CNTP) systems. Nitrogen was injected through mass flow ranges of 3.3E-05 to 9.6E-05 lbm/s through various injector arrays in a transparent tank apparatus using water or sodium polytungstate (SPT-3) to vary fluid properties. Four injector configuration cases were tested on a 4-in deep, clear-sided chamber at atmospheric surface pressure to examine the effects of fluid viscosity and density, circular injector diameter, injector location, and mass flow rate on bubble diameter, rise velocity, and plume structure. Bubble equivalent diameters, positions, and velocities …

Optical Turbulence Estimation From Numerical Weather Prediction Models: Methods And Error Analysis, Richard Minor

Theses

Optical turbulence plays a critical role in electromagnetic wave propagation through the atmosphere, directly affecting imaging systems, wireless communications, and high-energy laser (HEL) performance. Realistic three-dimensional characterization of atmospheric turbulence is essential for understanding these impacts, particularly within the atmospheric surface layer, where turbulence is often strongest. The refractive index structure parameter, Cn2, is used to quantify optical turbulence. This thesis evaluates the capability of the High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model to characterize surface layer Cn2. As the highest resolution and most frequently updated numerical weather prediction model covering the continental US, HRRR offers strong potential for operational HEL …