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2024 Commencement Program - Spring, Morehead State University. Registrar's Office.

Morehead State Commencement Programs

2024 Spring Commencement program for Morehead State University.

Are Clinicians Primed For Burnout?: A Multidiscplinary Approach To Exploring Counselor Wellness, Anastasha Homa-Earl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though clinician wellness is a “hot topic” in the field of counseling, the current models of examining counselors’ levels of burnout and engagement do not account for the likely role that perception plays the subjective experiences of these constructs. This project attempts to synthesize methodology from the fields of social and cognitive psychology with the latest in industrial-organizational theory on burnout and engagement by applying a priming methodology to the study of mental health professionals’ experiences of work-related burnout and engagement. One hundred sixty-two clinicians participated in a priming experiment disguised as a workplace perceptions survey in an attempt to …

Overregularization Of Irregular Spanish Verbal Morphology: The Cases Of 2sg Preterit And Irregular Past Participles, Elisabeth Baker Martínez

Spanish and Portuguese ETDs

This dissertation investigates a widely observed phenomenon in child language acquisition: overregularization, which occurs when a child applies a regular linguistic pattern where an irregular form is expected (Bybee, 2015), for example, when a child overregularizes irregular 1sg Spanish sé ‘I know’ as sabo. This dissertation adds to the research on the overregularization of Spanish verbal morphology. The population of focus is Spanish-speaking children ranging from the ages of 1;10 – 12;4 with different language backgrounds (e.g., monolingual Spanish children, U.S. child heritage speakers). The studies included address the development of two Spanish morphological forms by focusing on children’s …

Global Fits In The Supersymmetric Georgi-Machacek Model, Yingnan Xu

Physics Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, we study a supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model with Higgs triplets in the scalar sector. We begin with a review of the Standard Model (SM), particularly the electroweak sector and the Higgs mechanism. In the SM, the Higgs mechanism requires the presence of a complex Higgs doublet to break the electroweak symmetry and endow particles with a mass; this process is called Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking (SSB). Although this is the simplest possibility, higher scalar representations may also contribute to the electroweak breaking process (EWSB). The extent to which these higher representations contribute to EWSB is constrained …

Variability In Large Mammal Activity Patterns When Visiting Water In New Mexico, Juan E. Camacho

Biology ETDs

Studying activity patterns of animals can provide vital information about how different species react to environmental changes, yet camera trap studies typically neglect the temporal aspect of the data. Using a 10-year camera trap dataset on Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, NM, we explored daily activity patterns when visiting water of five large mammal species. The species of study were mule deer, pronghorn, elk, oryx, and coyote. All species showed significant variability in activity patterns from site to site across the refuge. Within a site, differences in activity across years and seasons were less pronounced. Mule deer and coyote showed very …

Nonmarket Valuation Of Environmental And Agricultural Services: Renewable Energy, Wildlife Watching, And Index Insurance, Thaneshwar Prasad Paneru

Economics ETDs

The first essay examines the effect of individuals’ endogenously acquired beliefs about anthropogenic global warming on their support for renewable energy growth in the United States. Using the data from multiple rounds of National Surveys on Energy and the Environment for the falls of years 2015, 2016, and 2017. The results of the interval regressions show that those who believe in the existence of global warming are likely to pay more for renewable energy growth than those who do not and that those who believe that the primary cause of global warming is human activities are likely to pay the …

Fifty-Eighth Commencement (Undergraduate), Sacred Heart University

Commencement Programs

Program for undergraduate ceremonies, May 11, 2024.

Northern Illinois University Huskie Marching Band Stoles, Emma Walsh

Honors Capstones

The Northern Illinois University Huskie Marching Band plays a huge role on campus and in the NIU community supporting NIU athletics and entertaining audiences throughout the university and surrounding area. Since 1899, the NIU marching band has grown to approximately 200 members a season and plays to crowds of 30,000 people at Huskie Stadium. Known as “The Pride of the Midwest”, the Huskie Marching Band has enriched the Huskie spirits of students, faculty, parents, alumni, and the Huskie community as a whole.

The dedication and persistence these students demonstrate each day at rehearsals, games, and events is something that does …

Male Student's Perceptions In An Undergraduate Nursing Baccalaureate Program: A Qualitative Study, Jonas Arvin C. Sales

Honors Capstones

There remains a shortage of nurses in the United States. The nursing workforce is aging. Nursing remains majority female. Male nurses can fill the shortage, but men make up only 12% of the workforce. This qualitative study investigated the perspectives of male undergraduate nursing students regarding their education and healthcare roles, the factors contributing to the underrepresentation of men in nursing and explored ideas to attract more men to nursing. A focus group interview was conducted with 13 male baccalaureate nursing students currently enrolled at a midwestern university. Data was analyzed using thematic content analysis. The qualitative analysis generated five …

Unified In Christ, David Morris

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

Statement of the Question/Problem

The United Methodist Church is facing a season of incredible struggle. The modern American United Methodist Church is facing a crisis of Division during this season of disaffiliation and restructuring. Division within church is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it is not new in the Methodist tradition. This repeating cycle of denominational fracture begs the question, “why does division in the church happen, and how can we avoid it in the future?” Currently the United Methodist Church is dividing supposedly over the issue of human sexuality. I would argue these divisions do not solely rely …

Rebuttal To Charles J. Russo’S “Point — The Supreme Court Gets It Right In 303 Creative V. Elenis: People Of Faith Cannot Be Compelled To Create Expressive Messages Violating Their Religious Beliefs”, Jeffrey C. Sun

University of Dayton Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Genetic Screen To Identify Cell-Specific Inhibitors Of Microexon Splicing In The Unc-13 Transcript In C. Elegans, Saad Ali

Biological Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Microexons, which are unusually short (<31 nucleotides) exons, have recently emerged as highly conserved features of genes expressed in the nervous system. Generally, microexons have been thought to be included (spliced in) in neuronal cells and skipped (spliced out) in non-neuronal cells. However, in our lab, we have discovered that certain microexons are included in certain neuronal cells but skipped in other neuronal cells, which reveals more complexity to microexon regulation. Therefore, I performed a forward mutagenesis screen that takes advantage of a bicolor splicing reporter in the unc-13 gene expressed in olfactory neurons to discover regulatory effects by which microexons can be skipped in specific neuron types.

Discrete Element Method Investigation Of The Dynamic And Seismic Response Of Embedded Geotechnical Systems, Ahmed Khamiss, Usama El Shamy

Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the seismic response of various embedded geotechnical systems utilizing the discrete element method (DEM). Embedded geotechnical systems play a crucial role in enhancing the stability and resilience of various structures as they provide solid foundations for infrastructural elements such as buildings, bridges, and transportation networks. The behavior of various embedded systems such as tunnels, pier foundations, and wind turbine foundations is investigated when subjected to seismic loading. In the first study, the seismic response of tunnels constructed in a deposit of granular soil of depth greater than 20 m is examined. Three-dimensional discrete element method simulations were …

Investigation Of Surface Motion With Soft Alginate Microrobots At Low Reynolds Numbers, Gokhan Kararsiz

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

This thesis utilizes a soft alginate microbot for targeted drug delivery. To achieve this aim, we present an adaptive backstepping controller for the reference tracking of an alginate artificial cell. An adaptive controller was implemented to precisely manipulate a magnetic artificial cell actuated by rotating magnetic fields. The rolling motion of a small-scale robot in a fluidic environment is challenging, especially when the fluid imparts an unknown response at low Reynolds number. In order to compensate for this uncertainty, an unknown tuning parameter encapsulating these effects was added to the governing equations of motion. A controller with an update law …

Teacher Leadership And Principal Turnover In Elementary Schools: A Deductive Mixed Methods Multiple Case Study, Kenneth Salazar

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This study investigates the impact of principal turnover on teacher leadership, using mixed methods to analyze teacher leadership in low and high principal turnover elementary schools. Data collection includes teacher surveys and interviews with principals in four low turnover and four high turnover schools. Quantitative results indicate significant differences in teacher leadership, while qualitative findings reveal themes such as teacher professional development, support, leadership opportunities, anxiety, and sustainability. Mixed methods results suggest the need for increased time to develop trust between principals and teachers, greater teacher involvement in school leadership, more opportunities for teachers to share leadership, and a better …

A Hegelian Theory Of Divine Revelation, Jason D. Barton

Philosophy ETDs

Through an intensive examination of the second volume of G.W.F. Hegel’s oft-neglected Berlin Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion, I demarcate and elucidate a Hegelian theory of divine revelation. The second volume of these Lectures advances a series of configurations for religious consciousness through which absolute spirit passes in order to gain awareness of itself in the register of representation. While Hegel identifies divinity with absolute spirit in its moments and movements indicative of an odyssey, Hegel also ventures to painstaking lengths for the sake of authentically capturing how world-historical religions respectively portray(ed) the divine. Such a distinction between …

Comparative Analysis Of Sexual Harassment Policy And Implementation, Melanie Sayuri Dominguez

Political Science ETDs

Over the past three decades, as an increasing number of states have adopted sexual harassment legislation, many studies have examined the choices countries make to address and combat this issue. However, questions remain about what causes states to act while others resist change, why some countries choose to only introduce weak legislation rather than aggressively tackling the issue, and how people on the ground receive these policies. This dissertation uses a macro, meso, and micro approach to answer these questions on sexual harassment policy and implementation. First, using large-n data, I find that strong, feminist movements are correlated with the …

Robust Prediction Of Charpy Toughness Of Additively Manufactured Kovar Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks, Nathan R. Bianco

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

Understanding the reason for mechanical failures of manufactured parts in their operating environments is critical to prevention of future failures. However, in-situ post-mortem evaluation of physical properties, such as fracture toughness, is time consuming and alters the condition of the material, leading to potentially misleading findings. In this study, additively manufactured test coupons were produced over a wide range of process conditions to test the impact toughness of a material. The Charpy V-Notch toughness was measured on over 200 samples alongside corresponding optical images of both sides of the fracture surface. Convolutional neural network models were trained to correlate fracture …

University Of Mississippi 171st Commencement, 2024, University Of Mississippi, Glenn F. Boyce, Noel E. Wilkin, Wright Thompson

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Utilizing Decision Tree Implementation And Provider Education To Improve Colorectal Cancer Screening Orders: A Quality Improvement Project, Alicia Kollar

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Background and Significance: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths (Jain, et al., 2022). Healthy People 2030 objectives include reducing the CRC death rate and increasing the proportion of adults who get screened (Healthy People 2030, n.d.). According to 2021 data, only 58.7% of adults are screened with a Healthy People target of 68.3%. Healthy People states that there are effective screening tools to detect colorectal cancer early, and people are more likely to survive it (Healthy People 2030, n.d.). Purpose: This quality improvement (QI) project aims to implement an …

Strokes Of Excellence And Opportunity: A Program Evaluation Analyzing Emergency Department Stroke Care In A Newly Formed Five-Hospital Health System, Joshua Adams

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Stroke is a significant public health problem in the United States and globally. For patients experiencing an acute ischemic stroke, also known as “infarct” or “brain attack,” the effectiveness of treatment is extremely time dependent. This DNP Project presents a program evaluation of stroke care delivered in five emergency departments (EDs) in community hospitals in a health system newly formed through the merger of two smaller organizations. This evaluation focused on assessing the five programs’ effectiveness in delivering timely and effective care to stroke patients with the standardized performance measure door-to-needle (DTN). The evaluation also included a review of factors …

Identify And Overcome The Barriers Of Care From A Patient And Provider Perspective In Adult Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In A Federal Qualified Health Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project, Jill Miscovich

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Diabetes is a significant healthcare issue that not only effects the United States but also has a global impact, it is costly for the workforce and to manage. Diabetes management is more complex in rural areas due to increased SDOH and barriers to care. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project is to identify and overcome the barriers to care from the patients and nurse practitioners’ (NPs) perspectives in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a rural federal qualified health clinic (FQHC). A mixed method approach was used including qualitative and quantitative data project manager created …

Identify And Overcome The Barriers To Care From A Patient And Provider Perspective In Adult Patients With T2dm In A Rural Federal Qualified Health Clinic (Fqhc): A Quality Improvement (Qi) Project, Jill Miscovich

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Diabetes is a significant healthcare issue that not only effects the United States but also has a global impact, it is costly for the workforce and to manage. Diabetes management is more complex in rural areas due to increased SDOH and barriers to care. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project is to identify and overcome the barriers to care from the patients and nurse practitioners’ (NPs) perspectives in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a rural federal qualified health clinic (FQHC). A mixed method approach was used including qualitative and quantitative data project manager created …

Unveiling The Threat- Ai And Deepfakes' Impact On Women, Emily Chapman

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper delves into the implications of deepfake technology, particularly its harmful impact on women. Deepfakes, hyper-realistic videos generated through AI algorithms, blur the lines between reality and fiction, posing significant challenges in discerning truth from manipulation. As deepfake technology and tools become increasingly accessible, they have been used with malicious intent, disproportionately impacting women. Through a qualitative analysis of existing literature, this study uncovers and identifies current themes highlighting the exacerbation of gender inequalities and the objectification of women facilitated by deepfakes. Common themes found include control over women, cyber abuse and harassment, image-based sexual abuse, psychological distress, and …

The Metaphor Of Ekphrasis: Or Why Does Your Ekphrasis Look Different From Mine?, William Butler

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Will Butler

Professor Kennedy

ENGL_445K_01

Seminar: Epic Tradition

The Metaphor of Ekphrasis:

or Why does your Ekphrasis look different from mine?

Ekphrasis is the ultimate extrapolation of symbols and metaphors. It is a set of words purported to describe a physical object that carries its own symbolism and, sometimes, portrays allusions to other narratives. Like the idea of a sign, words represent ekphrasis but, like a metaphor, ekphrasis represents something other than itself. This paper illustrates how a narrative description of an object can be filled with emotion and imagery, while being interpreted in distinctly diverse ways by individuals reading …

More Than A Punchline: A Comparative Analysis Of Diversity In Dropout.Tv & Collegehumor, Alexander Gluchowski

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper examines the evolution of digital comedy through a comparative analysis of CollegeHumor and its offshoot, Dropout.tv, focusing on how each platform has approached the portrayal of diversity and inclusion. Utilizing a qualitative content analysis, the study contrasts selected episodes from both platforms to explore shifts in the representation of queer and POC comedians, and the thematic treatment of identity issues. The findings reveal that Dropout.tv significantly advances the inclusivity of comedic content, moving beyond CollegeHumor’s earlier reliance on stereotypical and controversial humor. This shift not only reflects changes in contemporary comedy but also highlights Dropout.tv's commitment to fostering …

Fallen Creator And Failed Christ: An Exploration Of Religious Imagery And Metafiction In Ian Mcewan’S Atonement, Tabitha Robinson

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper examines the religious imagery in Atonement by Ian McEwan through a close reading of the structure and main characters Briony, Cecilia and Robbie. The novel is deeply concerned with questions of sin and redemption, which intersect with religious symbolism and metafiction to create the story. This paper reads Briony as both a creator god and a failed Christ figure and Cecilia and Robbie as Adam and Eve characters, showing the text’s self-awareness through its use of narrative to create meaning. It argues that the field of religious studies offers many theories and terms that enrich the field of …

Old Wives’ Tales: Collections From Beneath The Floorboards, Layla Barnes

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Old Wives’ Tales: Collections from Beneath the Floorboards draws on the rich tradition of feminist speculative fiction, particularly in the genre of the fairy tale. It responds to Walidah Imarisha’s idea of “visionary fiction,” a kind of fiction which seeks to participate in “the decolonization of the imagination.” Using an experimental fragmentary form, it explores themes of story and counter-story, maternal legacy, female interconnectedness and community, and magic as a form of female empowerment in opposition to patriarchal control and surveillance.

Frozen Ii And Girls’ Spiritual Formation: How The Music Of An Animated Musical Resonates With Girls And Women, Cristen Mitchell

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

Frozen II (2019) is a popular Disney animated movie for children and depicts striking spiritual elements while weaving in feminist practices such as justice and equity, and feminist theology through representations of female spirits and connection to the earth. Through this movie, its themes, and the historical exclusion of women in the church, this thesis seeks to show that representation of women in the divine is an important, and necessary part of the spiritual and psychological development of girls and women. The methods of this thesis include exploring the following synchronicities:

1. Parallels between feminist issues in the church and Walt …

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Participation In The Martyred Christ: Augustine Of Hippo On Martyrdom And Martyr Veneration, Matthew Esquivel

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

In Augustine’s North Africa, when the likelihood of being a martyr virtually disappeared, various practices of martyr veneration were the means by which the church communed with the martyrs, obtained their intercessory aid, and experienced miracles associated with their relics. Augustine reflected upon the meaning of martyrdom in the midst of two unique contexts: 1) the socio-political context, in which the Roman empire had ceased persecuting the church and had adopted Nicene Christianity as the official religion of the empire, and 2) the ecclesial context, which included the martyr veneration practices inherited from preceding generations and the competing claims to …