Digital Commons Network^™

Preventing Loneliness And Increasing Student Engagement In First-Generation College Students, Kya Cousino, Paige Hammarstrom

SPARK Symposium Presentations

As higher education institutions work to diversify and expand their student populations, one topic that requires ongoing consideration is retention rates. First-generation college students make up a significant portion of undergraduate classes (Skomsvald, 2015); however, they are also the population least likely to see their degrees to completion (Radunzel, 2021). This suggests there may be barriers keeping these students from collegiate success, which we predicted to be loneliness and a lack of student engagement (Barreto et al., 2021; Peplau & Perlman, 1982). This study investigated several predictors of student engagement via loneliness in first-generation college students. First-generation college students (N …

The Lumberjack, April 16, 2025

Cal Poly Humboldt's Student Newspaper

The student newspaper of Humboldt State University.

Cloud Computing Adoption And Sustaining Strategies For A Texas Financial Institution, Scott Mccullock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Security risks during the migration of information technology (IT) applications to the cloud represent a significant challenge for the financial sector. Banking IT leaders have expressed concern that these security risks are a primary factor contributing to the low implementation of cloud computing. Grounded in the technology acceptance model, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to identify and explore effective strategies that banking IT leaders use to mitigate security risks associated with migrating and sustaining banking software applications in the cloud. The participants were four banking IT leaders from a regional Texas bank. Data were collected through …

A Qualitative Investigation Of Middle School And High School Students' Perspectives On Their Cultural Identities, Jasmine Blake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Adolescence is a critical period for identity development. Previous research highlights the challenges related to having an unclear conception of one’s identity. Importantly, qualitative research on using student voice and student perspectives of their cultural identities to improve overall school climate and teacher-student relationships has been overlooked. To improve culturally responsive practices, researchers should account for the voices of primary stakeholders that may be missed in quantitative research methods. Thus, the current study aims to use qualitative interviews of middle and high school students to use student voice to improve culturally responsive practices and further our understanding of cultural humility. …

A Daily Diary Study To Investigate Self-Compassion And Loneliness: Implications For Students And Connection, Elizabeth S. Wells

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Understanding self-compassion is essential for psychologists seeking to address mental health concerns, particularly among students and young adults. Loneliness, which refers to the perceived quality rather than the quantity of relationships, has a significant impact on the well-being and social connections of adolescents and young adults (Bluth et al., 2017; Holt-Lunstad, 2017; Office of the Surgeon General, 2023, May; Taylor et al., 2023). Daily self-compassion practices may help alleviate loneliness, foster a sense of belonging, reduce feelings of exclusion, and improve individual well-being and overall school climate (Baker & McNulty, 2011; Bluth et al., 2022; Liu et al., 2020; Neff, …

The Impact Of Antidepressant Uses On Community-Dwelling Older Adults In The Us, Easter Protiva Gain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Mental health is a vital component of the overall well-being across the lifespan and is the third leading cause of disability globally. One in seven US adults aged 65 or older reported some anxiety and/or depression symptoms, but one in four older adults use some antidepressants and the prescriptions were steadily increasing. This study investigated the impact of antidepressant uses focusing on discontinuation of antidepressants and the risk of medication resumption, inconsistency of antidepressant prescription, and increased healthcare uses by self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms among community-dwelling older adults in the US. Our study conducted a longitudinal study using Medicare …

Exploring Potential Barriers To The Fragile X Syndrome Cascade Screening Process, Austin Corsmeier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Cascade screening, the systematic process of performing genetic screening in at-risk blood relatives of individuals who have been identified with specific genetic mutations, is vital to ensure that Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is identified and diagnosed accurately and that early intervention services are provided to support the clinical symptoms associated with FXS. Cascade screening leads to identification of both male and female premutation carriers and those with full mutation FXS leading to early diagnosis, prompt treatment and awareness of potential medical, psychosocial, and/or neurodevelopmental issues, and improvement in the affected individual’s quality of life. Despite the clear clinical benefits of …

Examining The Impact Of Student Engagement On Academic Persistence And Academic Performance Among First-Generation College Freshman Students At Four-Year Public Institutions, Destin Barcroft Tucker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This study examines the impact of student engagement on academic persistence and academic performance among first-generation college freshman students at four-year public institutions. With approximately 50 percent of college students identifying as first-generation, this demographic faces unique challenges that contribute to lower retention rates and academic outcomes compared to their continuing-generation peers. Utilizing secondary data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) collected in 2016, 2019, and 2021, and institutional student records from a large, public, urban R2 Doctoral University in the Southeast, this quantitative study employs multiple regression and binary logistic regression analyses to assess the relationships between …

(Un)Becoming-Scientist-With: Mapping Material-Discursive Forces That Shape Undergraduate Student's Science Identity Development Across The Stemm Learning Ecosystem, Katherine Ayers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This dissertation examines the material and discursive agents that shape undergraduate students’ science identity development within a science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEMM) ecosystem in the Southern United States. Using Karen Barad’s agential realism as a theoretical framework, the study conceptualizes science identity as a dynamic process of (un)becoming-scientist-with, emphasizing the intra-actions of material and discursive agents across formal and informal STEMM learning spaces. Drawing on narrative inquiry methods and graphic elicitation (ecomaps) interviews, this postqualitative study maps the entanglements of racism, discrimination, and systemic barriers that affect science identity construction. Four undergraduate participants engaged in STEMM programs affiliated …

The Influence Of Network Based Technologies On Modern Applied Trumpet Pedagogy, Dennis Anthony Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, focus has been drawn to the efficacy of synchronous applied music instruction in the networked environment. In March of 2020, all university faculty in higher education across all disciplines were suddenly forced to adapt pedagogy to a co-present networked environment, many with little knowledge or training in the current technologies. Poor audio and video quality, cold unwelcoming video teaching atmosphere, and frustrating user experience created a difficult networked environment for traditional applied studios. The pandemic accelerated the need for both quality online instructional experiences and formalized training for faculty within the areas of …

Transnational Childcare Labor And The Politics Of Affect In Contemporary Black Women’S Fiction, Gul Deniz Hos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Neoliberal globalization has stimulated a continuous rise in migrant women’s domestic work in industrialized Western countries. In the global North, a growing number of female immigrants have supplemented precarious, low-waged, unprotected, unstable, or even unwaged care labor undertaken by mostly female residents as cleaners, caregivers, nurses, babysitters, or domestic service workers. Thus, ironically, non-migrant women’s participation in the public workforce is enabled by migrant women’s mostly devalued, underpaid domestic work in private households. It also upholds the perception that childcare is a private rather than public responsibility. The exploitation of women’s reproductive labor and the feminization of childcare has a …

Family Perspective On The Opioid Crisis: A Qualitative Exploration Of Responsibility, Prevention, And Treatment Access, Stella Ukaoma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

ABSTRACT The opioid epidemic has inflicted a terrible toll on communities and families across the United States for decades. Family members with loved ones who misuse opioids have an especially intimate view of the initiation and progression of addiction, as well as the factors that lead to recovery. Perspectives from this population are underrepresented in the literature and may provide unique and valuable insight. The present research draws from in-depth interviews with twenty-seven individuals whose loved ones (i.e., children, spouses, siblings, etc.) either currently or historically had misused opioids. This study explored family members’ experiences and perspectives on key topics …

Act Bad But Keep It Respectable: How Respectability Influenced My Professional Identity, Tracy Nicole Pappin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This autoethnographic study explored how culture and upbringing influenced my approach to respectability politics professionally, the coping strategies I used to deal with microaggressions regarding respectability politics in the workplace, and how the demands of respectability expectations affected my personal life. This autoethnographic study also explored how the normalizing influence of the dominant culture played a role in my professional identity development. It used personal narratives and reflections to examine how these expectations shaped professional identity, coping strategies, and the emotional and physical toll of workplace respectability politics. This study contributes to current research on respectability expectations in professional spaces. …

A Dual Perspective On Fault Mechanics: Insights From Laboratory Acoustic Emissions And Induced Seismicity, Roshan Koirala

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Earthquakes occur across multiple spatial scales depending on fault zone characteristics and mechanics. Fault failure, the mechanism responsible for earthquakes, is driven by the complex interaction of stress, material properties, fault structure, and fluids. Understanding how these factors impact fault stability is key to seismic hazard assessment. Seismological observations provide crucial information about fault mechanics. However, directly measuring the influence of fault properties on earthquake nucleation and fault rupture remains a significant challenge. This dissertation investigates the multi-scale processes of earthquake nucleation and fault failure. This involves integrating high-precision locations of acoustic emission events (AEs) in laboratory fault gouge experiments …

The Impact Of Belonging On Tennessee's Infant And Early Childhood Mental Health Workforce And Their Intent To Stay, Keena Denise Friday

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Many infant and early childhood mental health organizations are facing difficulties retaining professionals to provide high-quality services to infants, young children, and families in Tennessee. When professionals do not experience consistent and responsive connections and healthy interpersonal relationships, they are often prepared to seek alternative employment, which can disrupt the relationships and services they provide to families. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that a sense of belonging has on an infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) professional’s intent to stay in their role and its associations with the perception of organizational belonging, psychological safety, …

Household Composition And Its Influence On Youth Mental Health And Violence Outcomes: A Systematic Review, Comparative Analysis, And National Survey Findings, Clarion Jamil Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Youth mental health and violence have emerged as critical public health concerns, with increasing rates of anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, and youth violence in recent years. Household composition plays a crucial role in shaping child mental health outcomes, yet research has largely focused on single-parent and stepparent households, with limited attention to grandparent-headed households. This dissertation explores the relationship between household composition and child mental health, with a particular focus on anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, and experiences with violence. Using data from the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) 2018-2019 and 2021-2022 (n=53,267), this research employs logistic regression models to …

Sjsu Erfa Board Minutes, March 3, 2025, San Jose State University, Emeritus And Retired Faculty Association

SJSU ERFA Minutes

SJSU ERFA Executive Board Minutes

March 3, 2025

Early Detection Of Colon Cancer Through Colonoscopy: Analysis Of Tumor Size And Resection Length, Alyssa Haddock

Honors Theses

Colon cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, with early detection critical for improved outcomes. Colonoscopy is a primary screening tool that can reduce incidence rates through the identification and removal of precancerous polyps. This study examines how undergoing a colonoscopy prior to diagnosis impacts two key surgical outcomes: tumor size and colon resection length. Data were collected from 70 de-identified patients who underwent colon resection for colon cancer between 2019 and 2024 at two regional hospitals in East Texas: Hunt Regional Medical Center and Mother Christus Frances Hospital. Using pathology reports, tumor size and …

Milk Composition Variability In Texas Dairy Farms Over Time, Emma Van Dieden

Honors Theses

The composition of milk plays a vital role in determining the quality of dairy products. However, there has been limited research on how key milk components have changed over time in the diverse production regions of Texas. This thesis seeks to achieve two main goals: first, to quantify long-term trends from 2007 to 2022 in butterfat percentage, protein percentage, and somatic cell count (SCC) across the ten Texas Dairy Marketing regions, and second, to assess whether the differences observed in these indicators across regions are statistically significant. Data from the USDA Southwest Milk Marketing Area provided insights at the regional …

Imsaloquium 2025 Event Booklet, Student Inquiry And Research (Sir)

IMSAloquium Event Booklets

Cover designed by Aimanohi Imoukhuede, IMSA student,

Welcome to IMSAloquium, our annual, school-wide celebration of learning! This booklet contains abstracts for over 225 outstanding projects conducted by IMSA students in the 2024-25 academic year. The topics range from biomedical research to artificial intelligence, from history to the social sciences, and from business to entrepreneurship

Interrelationships Of Maternal Characteristics In Hair Sheep, Rachel Bell, Alyssa Howard, Rickalyn Rayburn, Elena Verdecchia, Madison Werner, Flint Harrelson, Patricia Harrelson

2025 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Since the spring of 2022, the MSU sheep flock has been an Innovation Flock for the Sheep GEMS project, led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The GEMS project is a multi-breed, national project evaluating longevity of ewes within flocks. Our part as a participant in the project involves collecting and sending raw data which is compiled into 1 very large data set. The research discussed here uses our preliminary data from the 2022 through 2025 lambing seasons collected from our Katahdin ewes (n = 57; 1-6 years of age). Collected data included fecal egg count (FEC), body condition scoring (BCS), …

Sammie Slusher: The Price Of Freedom, Bryce Fletcher, Dawson Helton, Ty Ledford, Adrian Mandzy

2025 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

This presentation was a public history project completed in the fall of 2024 for Junior Seminar (HST-380-502). This project was completed by Dawson Helton, Bryce Fletcher, and Ty Ledford. The project was a part of The Impact of World War II in Eastern Kentucky Collection. Our project, in particular, was titled Sammie Slusher: The Price of Freedom. The project consisted of a poster and a PowerPoint presentation covering the life and military service of Magoffin County native and Silver Star recipient Staff Sergeant Sammie Slusher. The university printed a physical poster, and digital copies of both the poster and PowerPoint …

Foreign Involvement And Economic Outcomes In Coups, Paul Hanson

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A variety of factors come into play when determining economic outcomes. One of these factors is tied to political stability. After coup events, the literature finds that economies perform worse overall. This literature has explored other factors tied to coup events, such as overall political stability and the effects of different governing types on economies. Previous methods of exploring coups did not permit foreign intervention to take an active role, or even any role in most cases, in their models. This study will explore the correlation between economic output, utilizing GDP data from the Penn World Table, and foreign intervention …

Carol, Jey Maroney, Katherine Praet

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The film Carol follows two women, one in later adulthood and one in early adulthood. The plot follows their journey through life and love while also learning about themselves. They navigate the challenges of the 1950s where homosexuality was not accepted. The film is a coming-of-age love story for the main character Therese, this can be seen in her wardrobe shift throughout the film. This presentation discusses the cultural significance of the 2015 film through fashion. We chose this movie to study because it reflects a widely marginalized group for the time it is set in. The movie is based …

Engaging The Community Wellcore Series: How A Belmont Honors Collective Tackled The Problem Of The Perceived Lack Of Engagement With Belmont Students Volunteering In The Local Nashville Community., Katelyn Anziano, Ella Buettner, Emerson Carrigan, Karolin Hanna, Lauren Watts

SPARK Symposium Presentations

As part of their Honors College requirement, students are required to take Project Planning and Execution classes during their junior year where students utilize “team-based, problem-solving learning strategies coupled with individual research and application”. This year, a group of five female Honor students formed a small group they coined the “Caring Catalyst Collective”. The group perceived a lack of engagement from Belmont students with volunteer opportunities in the Nashville community and beyond. To combat this issue, they sought for tangible ways to inspire a boost of engagement of Belmont students with local Nashville non-profits and organizations, in addition to helping …

The Ideology Of Isolation, Chase Robbins

SPARK Symposium Presentations

No abstract provided.

Nursing Education On The Health Benefits Of Animal Assisted Therapy, Sara C. Barker, Allie P. Dunlap, Daniel T. Do, Charde Willis

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Background: Does nurse education for pediatric oncology families teaching daily animal-assisted therapy (AAT) health benefits reduce anxiety from 35% to 18% compared to current practice?

Methods: A literature search was conducted using CINAHL (356 articles), PubMed (412 articles), and Google Scholar (289 articles) with keywords including animal-assisted interaction, pediatric cancer, pet therapy, psychological support, caregivers, and psychosocial outcomes. Filters applied included peer-reviewed articles, English language, full text, publication within the last five years, randomized controlled or quasi-experimental study design, and relevance to nursing practice. 4 articles were chosen due to being directly relevant to education related to AAT and psychosocial …

Responsible Pain Management For Postpartum Patients, Anna Beth Wyatt, Isabella B. Conwell, Kaley E. Edelbrock, Missy M. Sterkel

SPARK Symposium Presentations

At Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s postpartum unit on 4 East, uncontrolled pain is a leading cause of decreased patient satisfaction and increased risk for complications. Effective, timely, and conscientious pain management plays a crucial role in improving patient satisfaction and promoting safer recoveries. Given the wide range of pain management needs due to varied birth experiences and complications, nursing judgment and clear patient communication are essential in ensuring both comfort and long-term safety. This makes 4 East an ideal unit to explore standardizing communication strategies to optimize patient care. The primary goal of our intervention is to enhance patient satisfaction …

Power Of Play, Roqaua H. Feron

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This presentation explores the Power of Play in speech therapy, focusing on how games and storytelling enhance language development. By incorporating familiar stories and pretend play, speech-language pathologists can spark greater engagement and expression in students. Drawing on research that highlights the cognitive and communicative benefits of play-based learning, this study is supported by observations of a middle school child working with a speech pathologist. The findings suggest that integrating playful, narrative-driven activities can significantly support language growth and confidence in young learners.

Importance Of Nursing Hourly Rounding On A Step-Down Unit To Decrease Falls And Call Bell Usage, Brigitte A. Mcguire, Jayden Stidham, Emma Schmidt

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Previous research shows that not performing hourly rounding is associated with increased patient falls, worse patient outcomes, decreased patient satisfaction with their hospital stay, and more frequent call bell usage. We chose to focus on implementing hourly rounds on the step-down unit at St. Thomas West in Nashville. The implementation plan includes hosting an educational seminar for staff nurses in which the process and importance of hourly rounding will be discussed. At this time, the charge nurse will also review the incentives and new charting system. We also allocated finances to the IT department to implement a section for hourly …