Digital Commons Network^™

Taoism As Applied To The Individual In Western Business, Alfie T. Chadwick

Honors Capstones

When making the comparisons between Eastern and Western approaches, the primary focus of juxtaposition is the “this or that” attitude of Western thought against the “this into that” focus of Eastern thought. For instance, a Western company may view change as the opposite of stability whereas Taoist belief through Yin-Yang theory suggests change actually is stability (Chen, 2002).

The inherent paradoxical nature of this approach counters most Western schools of thought and, therefore, might prove difficult to implement in a Western workplace. This study aims to explore the potential for applying the principle of Wu-Wei (also known as “effortless action”) …

A Retrospective Look At Self-Reported Mental Health Prevalence In Division Iii Student-Athletes, Jacob F. Neri

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Mental health concerns among collegiate athletes have gained increased attention, but there has been limited research focus on Division III student-athletes. This study aimed to examine the self-reported prevalence of anxiety, depression, anger, stalking/harassment, abuse/assault, alcohol/substance abuse, self-harm, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt to identify contributing factors amongst this population. A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted looking at data collected from the student-athlete mental health history & well-being questionnaire that was administered as part of their pre-participation exam (PPE) prior to the beginning of each academic year. A total of 554 Division III student-athletes were included in the study. Results …

The Mind Behind The Art: A Process Of Creative Intention, Dana Chorley

Student Projects

My capstone captures the different processes behind creative visual development through the creation of conceptual art and character design. The layout of this kind of work begins with a cognitive construction of an idea, usually a narrative to be told that must be done so through visual means, as understanding an idea of the bigger picture of a project helps enlighten pathways of how to approach the beginning creation phases. Next comes the research process, from searching up history that might pertain to their project or simply finding guidelines or references to help structure the design. My process here took …

Machine Learning For Handwritten Character Recognition, Hannah Freitag

Honors Capstones

Handwritten character recognition remains a challenging problem in machine learning due to the high variability of handwriting across individuals and the visual similarity between certain character classes. This project explores whether Singular Value Decomposition (SVD)-based dimensionality reduction can serve as an effective preprocessing step for a fully connected neural network trained on the EMNIST Balanced dataset, a 47-class benchmark of handwritten digits and letters. By projecting 784- dimensional pixel inputs onto the top 70 principal components, approximately 90% of the total variance is preserved while reducing input dimensionality by 91%. The resulting SVD-based model achieves approximately 94% test accuracy, outperforming …

Enhancing The Diversity And Number Of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists: A Proposed Pipeline Program For Underrepresented Students, Alexis Lamoreaux

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

The underrepresentation of minority groups in the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) profession impacts healthcare providers’ diversity and cultural competence. This Final Scholarly Project (FSP) proposes a pipeline program to increase diversity within the CRNA field by providing academic support, mentorship, and clinical exposure to students from underrepresented backgrounds. Given the shortage of anesthesia providers, especially in underserved areas, improving access to the CRNA profession for minority students is critical for enhancing patient outcomes. This FSP suggests establishing mentorship and skill development concepts through a 12-month structured program that targets minorities, first-generation college students, or those from rural backgrounds. The …

A Case Comparison Of Vo₂Max And Lower Extremity Injury In Collegiate Wrestlers, Kole J. Kendall

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

ABSTRACT

A CASE COMPARISON OF VO₂MAX AND LOWER EXTREMITY INJURY IN COLLEGIATE WRESTLERS

Kole Jacob Kendall

Otterbein University

Westerville, OH

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between preseason aerobic capacity (VO₂max) and lower extremity injury prevalence in Division III collegiate wrestlers. In this two-participant case comparison, Participant 2 sustained a lower extremity injury and demonstrated the lower VO₂max value (37.5 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹), whereas Participant 1 remained uninjured and demonstrated the higher VO₂max value (40.8 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹). Although statistical analysis was not feasible because of the limited sample size, this pattern suggests a possible association between lower aerobic capacity …

Assessing The Risk Of Low Energy Availability In Ncaa Division Iii Female Soccer Players, Emma C. Sturts

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Low Energy Availability (LEA) can occur when an athlete’s energy intake is insufficient to meet the physiological demands of training as well as normal physiological functions. Female soccer players may be at an increased risk of developing LEA due to the high exercise energy expenditure paired with decreased energy intake. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of LEA among Division III female soccer players. Division III female soccer players (n = 11) completed the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q). 45.5% (n = 5) of the participants were classified as “At Risk” for LEA. Of …

Prevalence, Perceptions, And Risk Of Nsaid Use Among Division Iii College Athletes, Alyssa C. Lewis

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

A preliminary study utilizing a Division III Midwestern athletic conference to determine the perceptions, prevalence, and risk of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was conducted. The study includes athletes that were 18 years of age or older and those who hold an active roster spot. The study utilized a non-standardized survey previously used in Christopher et al. (2020) to examine NSAID use and behaviors across multiple demographics (e.g., gender, academic year, sport, and ethnicity). The survey did not require any identifying information to allow participants to remain anonymous.  Data collection occurred over two waves through emailing both coaches and athletic directors. …

Investigating The Prevalence Of Eating Disorder Risk And Body Image Dissatisfaction Among Division Iii Track And Field Athletes, Ravyn S. Goodson

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Context: Eating disorder (ED) risk, and body image dissatisfaction (BID) are increasingly recognized concerns in collegiate athletes due to sport-specific and sociocultural pressures. However, limited research has looked at these factors within NCAA Division III track and field athletes.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of eating disorder risk and body image dissatisfaction among division III track and field athletes and explore differences based on gender and event group Design A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design

Setting: NCAA division III athletic program within the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), during the 2025-2026 competitive season.

Participants: A total of 32 NCAA Division III track …

Is More Better? The Influence Of Visual Entropy And Color On Brand Identity And Engagement, Maryana Kopyt

Honors Capstones

Brands in the beauty industry rely heavily on visual content to differentiate themselves and communicate their identity on social media. However, it remains unclear how visual complexity affects consumer engagement and perceptions, and limited research has combined visual entropy, sentiment, and engagement.

This project examines how three beauty brands: Glossier, Rhode, and Clinique, use color and visual complexity in their Instagram content and how these different strategies relate to emotional tone, brand identity consistency, and consumer engagement. A dataset of approximately 150 posts was collected, and deep learning-based visual analysis was used to extract the dominant colors and calculate visual …

Woodward Cuk Converter, Aditi Venkatesh, Jennifer Pereira

Honors Capstones

The purpose of this senior design project is to design and build a Cuk converter, a type of buck–boost converter. The project involves developing an analytical model and validating it through hardware testing. Cuk converters are important because they are widely used in everyday electronics, particularly in renewable energy systems such as solar power, power supplies, and electric vehicles. Their ability to increase, decrease, and reverse the polarity of voltage makes them flexible. The continuous input and output currents result in low ripple, reducing component stress and improving efficiency. To achieve these goals, simulations will be conducted using LTspice to …

A New Subspecies Of Papilio Indra (Papilionidae) From The West Desert Of Utah, Usa, Wayne H. Whaley, Alexander A. Jason, Todd L. Stout

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Papilio indra bonnevillensis is a new described subspecies partly based on taxonomic rearrangement of its larval host plant reproductive phenology relative to Wasatch Range nominate P. indra. It is geographically isolated in Utah’s West Desert from populations of ssp. nevadensis to the west and ssp. calcicola to the south. In addition to phenological differences compared to these two subspecies, it merits description based on host Lomatium depauperatum which recently speciated from L. grayi, neither of which is used as host by other subspecies of P. indra. The evolution of new host L. depauperatum is …

Neurodiversity In The Workplace: Organizational Approaches To Supporting Neurodiverse Employees, Madison Vasquez

M.S. in Leadership

Despite growing conversation around neurodiversity in the workplace, many organizations lack clear understanding and structured strategies to support neurodivergent employees. This study examines existing research on how organizations can more effectively support neurodiverse employees across the employee lifecycle. Using a qualitative literature review, this study addresses the research question by examining literature on neurodiversity within workplace contexts. This includes investigating common representations of neurodiversity and reviewing the strengths and challenges of neurodiverse individuals, including those who have autism, ADHD, and other forms of neurodivergence. The study also reviews workplace barriers, support strategies, and organizational outcomes identified across the literature. Key …

Art399-01-Sp26 - Final Portfolio/Promotional Packet, Lisa A. Greene

Professional Practices (ART 399)

I am an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary artist deeply committed to the exploration of creative expression across a myriad of media. Emulating the spirit of a modern polymath, my work is a tapestry woven from diverse influences. My journey of creating my work fills me with immense joy. It empowers me to confidently express my unique approach to artmaking in a spontaneous and energetic manner. I hold a profound affection for the tactile experience of painting on canvas. This has evolved into a process akin to sculpting clay directly on canvas.

In my recent work, I have delved deeply into the …

Hlafreq: Download And Combine Hla Allele Frequency Data, David A. Wells, Michael Mcauley

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes encode cell-surface proteins which play an important role in immunity. Since different HLA alleles enable different immune responses, the population frequency of HLA alleles is often considered when designing vaccines (Gulukota & DeLisi, 1996). Specific HLA alleles have been linked to autoimmune disease (Simmonds & Gough, 2007) and associated with adverse drug reactions (Fan et al., 2017). Further, the success of solid organ and stem cell transplants is related to HLA matching between donor and recipient (Fürst et al., 2019; Morishima et al., 2002). We present HLAfreq, a Python package which can be used to …

Effect Of Exergaming Duration On Heart Rat And Caloric Expenditure In Healthy Older Adults, Kathryn Jade Johnson

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Jtc 26: Finding His Place, Paying It Forward, Staff Report

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2026 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Jtc 26: Provost Scholar With A Purpose, Staff Report

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2026 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Self-Guided Stress Reduction Program Among New Graduate Nurse Residents, Allison A. Norful, Yilei Yang, Simon Paul P. Navarro, Marin Skariah

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Evidence suggests that younger, less experienced nurses have higher burnout risk, thus yielding higher turnover rates, poorer psychological health, and decreased resilience or job satisfaction. To address this, it is critical to support new nurses by providing training aimed at building resilience and stress management. However, formal curricula designed to help nurses adapt to high-stress environments and unexpected changes are limited. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of an online self-guided resiliency training curriculum.

Methods: Using a pragmatic trial design, we recruited a pilot sample of 26 nurse residents (with …

The Effect Of Stress Hormones On Memory Formation And Academic Performance, Emma L. Hooks

Senior Honors Theses

With chronic stress becoming increasingly prevalent in academic settings, researchers have identified significant effects on learning and academic performance. Cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone, is released following the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and plays a vital role in the stress response. Although acute increases in cortisol can improve attention and memory, sustained activation of the stress response can impair memory, executive functioning, and academic performance. This thesis draws on neuroscience, psychology, and education research to examine how chronic cortisol exposure affects the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, and how the effects manifest in learning and academic performance, particularly in developmental …

Encore Ledger: Bridging The Gap Between Legacy And Modern Financial Software, Grace Sanner

Honors Capstones

Encore Ledger explores how modern financial web applications can be integrated with legacy programming systems to improve financial literacy and capability of both individuals and small businesses. Many banks, insurance companies, and government sectors still rely on COBOL for financial purposes, yet modern users expect intuitive web-based tools for tracking transactions and interacting with financial data. This project asks: How can modern web technologies be combined with COBOL functions to accurately process financial data while maintaining usability? To investigate the question, this project employs an iterative software development methodology. A .NET backend manages data validation and business logic, while a …

Prevalence, Determinants, And Objective Risk Of Unintentional Therapeutic Duplication Among Adults In Saudi Arabia, Yosra Alhindi

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Background: Unintentional therapeutic duplication represents an underrecognized yet preventable contributor to medication-related harm, particularly in settings characterized by widespread over-the-counter (OTC) medicine use and self-medication practices. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of unintentional therapeutic duplication among adults in Saudi Arabia and identify sociodemographic and behavioral predictors associated with increased therapeutic duplication risk. Methods: A national crosssectional study was conducted between February 10 and April 28, 2025, using a structured, self-administered online questionnaire distributed via social media platforms. The survey assessed sociodemographic characteristics, medication-use behaviors, active-ingredient literacy, and duplication risk using both self-reported measures and scenario-based assessments. Multivariable logistic regression was …

Exhibits, Lectures Highlight Faulkner's Greenfield Farm, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – This summer, two exhibits and a lecture series at the University of Mississippi will tell the story of Greenfield Farm, which was once William Faulkner's mule farm and will soon become the state's first writers residency.

Burnout & Moral Injury Metrics Inform Evidence-Based Nursing Workplace Solutions, Sarrah Spohnholtz, Brian Douthit, Carolyn Audit

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Purpose: To implement real time burnout data that enables nurse leaders to identify and respond based on environmental risk factors.

Background: Burnout and moral injury among nurses are driven by increased demands and emotional toll of care delivery. These conditions compromise nurse well-being and affect patient outcomes and safety.⁴ Many contributing factors stem from under-resourced environments where nurses cannot provide the care they believe patients need. Resilience training can help mitigate stress, but systemic reform is needed to prevent burnout and moral injury before they occur.²

Methods: In September 2025, the WellNurse Program implemented environmental risk metrics into …

From Central To Refinery: Labor And Hierarchy In The American Sugar Empire (1919-1962), Ben Woloch

History Honors Projects

From 1919 until 1962, the American Sugar Refining Company (ASRC) oversaw an empire, stretching from two Cuban sugar estates (centrales) to its Brooklyn refinery. The relationship between workers at both poles of the ASRC’s empire constituted a transnational labor hierarchy. Divergent management programs at the Brooklyn refinery and the centrales Jaronú and Cunagua confined the workers to distinct social positions. Brooklyn workers pursued labor-management collaboration in support of the sugar industry’s exploitative system, while workers in Cuba reimagined the sugar empire's power structure. The transnational workforce of the ASRC maintained a disunified relationship, which fractured the possibilities of working-class solidarity.

Tropomyosin-Related Kinase Receptor Type B Agonism In Geographic Atrophy-The Translational Challenges From Preclinical Data To A First-In-Human Trial, David Brown, Oliver Zeitz, Clare Bailey, Sunir J. Garg, Karl Csaky, James Talks, Sobha Sivaprasad, Peter M. Benz, Rolf Herrmann, Remko A. Bakker, Sebastian Bandholtz, Ankit Mittal, Qihong Huang, Serge Kosobokovs, Gudrun Simons, Andrea Giani, Jochen Huber, Martin Gliem

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

OBJECTIVE: To report results of the first-in-human trial of intravitreal tropomyosin-related kinase receptor type B (TrkB) agonist BI 754132 in participants with geographic atrophy (GA). To discuss BI 754132 clinical data in the context of the preclinical findings and their translation into human data.

DESIGN: An open-label, uncontrolled, nonrandomized phase I trial (NCT04002310) assessing the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of BI 754132 in participants with GA supported by preclinical data.

PARTICIPANTS: Participants with GA recruited between July 2019 and August 2022 in the United States and UK.

METHODS: Clinical trial comprising a single rising dose (SRD) part (n = 15) …

Molybdenum-Doped Zinc Oxide Nanocomposite For Sustainable Photoelectrocatalytic Degradation Of Dyes And Antimicrobial Activity, Samar A. Salim

Nanotechnology Research Centre

Mo-doped ZnO nanocomposite was synthesized by using auto-combustion method. X-ray diffraction patterns of prepared nanocomposite indicated effective construction of crystalline Mo/ZnO NCs with co-existence of MoO2 and ZnO in required weight ratio. XRD results revealed also that ZnO crystallite size decreased as Mo-doping concentration increased. The direct band gap reduced from 3.309 eV of (MZ-0) to 3.258 eV of (MZ-5), demonstrating a negative correlation with Mo-doping levels. The electrocatalytic activity of Mo/ZnO NCs was assessed by their capability to degrade Indigo Carmine (IC) and Murexide (ME) dyes, and their antibacterial properties were also evaluated. The electrocatalytic (EC) degradation efficiencies for …

The Healing Huddle: Preventing Nurse Second Victimization Through Post-Event Debriefing, Sidia Scott

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Nurses regularly encounter traumatic situations that can leave enduring scars, and without a formalized opportunity to reflect on these experiences, the repercussions can be severe, affecting personal health, team unity, and the standard of patient care. Healthcare workers who suffer from traumatic events are dubbed “second victims”. The patients and their families are the first casualties. Nurse leaders may lack insight into how debriefing impacts their teams’ quality of life at work and would benefit from additional clarity of how to incorporate consistent debriefing into their culture and workflows.

Purpose: This integrative review aims to explore the evidence regarding …

Interventions Targeting Nurse Burnout: A Review Of Current Strategies With Future Recommendations, Hannah Grace Shipp, Katherine Christine Hall

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Intro: Patient care delivery is at risk when nurses experience unmanaged burnout (World Health Organization, 2019). Burnout affects approximately 30% of nurses worldwide (Ge et al., 2023) and 65% in the United States (Cross Country Healthcare, 2025). Researchers posit that burnout is primarily driven by systemic issues rather than individual deficiencies (Cao et al., 2025; O’Hara et al., 2024). Research on interventions to treat nurse burnout is abundant yet there is a gap regarding the translation of current evidence to practical recommendations.

Purpose: To (1) summarize existing systematic reviews on interventions addressing nurse burnout, and (2) translate this evidence into …

Euripides’ Medea As An Existential Protagonist: Comparing Conceptualizations Of Fate In The 400s Bc And The 1800s Ad, Johanna Bryant

Senior Honors Theses

Euripides’ Medea stands out as a tragic protagonist because the values she exhibits throughout his play do not seem to align with those of the Greeks in the fifth century BC. This thesis seeks to perform a reading of Medea as an atheistic Existential protagonist in order to show that Existential values have existed for thousands of years but would have been disdained by early cultures whose traditional values of structured, ritualistic religion and communalism disagree strongly with the individualism and disregard for organized religion espoused by atheistic Existentialism.