Digital Commons Network^™

Ai-Based Facial Expression Detection As A Support Feature For Cybercounseling: A Systematic Literature Review, Zahid Zufar At Thaariq, Hengki Tri Hidayatullah

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

The rapid expansion of digital mental health services has increased the use of cybercounseling, while simultaneously introducing challenges in interpreting nonverbal cues, particularly facial expressions, within technology-mediated interactions. This study aims to systematically examine the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in facial expression detection as a support feature in cybercounseling. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, drawing from multiple indexed academic databases. The included studies covered AI-based facial expression recognition, micro-expression analysis, depression detection, and relevant multimodal approaches. The findings indicate that deep learning–based models are capable of identifying facial patterns associated with emotional and psychological …

Effects Of A Fun Friday Intervention On Behavior Of Elementary Students In An After School Program, Faraz Shahbazi, Xithlaly Diaz, Rafael Romero

Service Learning Showcase

This project examines whether a structured “Fun Friday” intervention can improve student behavior among 4th-6th graders in a group of the ASES program at Claudia Landeen. Fellows randomly select and monitor 10 students over the course of the program. Using student chosen aliases to protect anonymity while allowing for individual tracking. Following each session one team member records the frequency of pro-social behaviors, anti-social behaviors, and significant incidents requiring adult intervention. Pro-social behaviors are defined as observable actions that reflect cooperation, this could be positive peer interaction and promoting participation. Anti-social behaviors include actions that disrupt activities, interfere with learning …

Researching And Designing A Concept For The Little Manila Rising Resiliency Hub, Julian Chheng

Service Learning Showcase

A resiliency hub or resiliency center is a designated space where residents can access essential needs such as water, non‑perishable food, and shelter during natural disasters like floods, storms, and fires. The purpose of this SPA research project was to conduct the foundational research and design work needed for Little Manila Rising to create a Resiliency Hub. The Little Manila Resiliency Hub will be located at the Little Manila Rising Center (LMR) in Stockton. The project emerged from a key issue identified in Community Resiliency Collaborative (CRC) meetings, where Stockton and nearby residents voiced their concern for the lack of …

Strengthening Mentorship Through Structure: Developing An Iyt Mentor Handbook, Annika K. Gumm

Service Learning Showcase

Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) is a non-profit mentorship program that supports young men of color by providing academic guidance, college and career preparation, and social emotional support across both middle and high school settings. While middle school programming often focuses on relationship building and early academic engagement, high school mentoring places a great emphasis on college readiness and long-term goal setting. Through consistent mentorship and relationship building, the program aims to increase student engagement, confidence, and long-term academic success. By creating spaces where students feel supported both academically and personally, IYT plays a critical role in shaping positive educational and …

Bridging The Gap: Impacting Student Engagement Through Stem Outreach, Ezekiel B. Morente

Service Learning Showcase

During Bridge, the after-school program provided at Ansel Adams Elementary, observations revealed a lack of student engagement despite being offered extracurricular activities such as sports, band, and art. A gap in STEM opportunities was identified as a potential reason for their disinterest. This project designed an intervention to integrate student-led STEM activities into the Bridge curriculum, designed to provide K–6 students with hands-on activities aimed towards increasing their STEM self-efficacy and future academic interest. While the project's full implementation was impacted by material acquisition delays, this focuses on the preliminary phase of the project, such as the plan for integration …

The Build-A-Together Seminar (B.A.T.S.), Faiza Abdullah, Simarveer Gill, Mia Moralez

Service Learning Showcase

The Build-A-Together Seminar (B.A.T.S.) Project for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Sacramento - Sierra Vista were workshops that grew from biweekly sessions to mutliple times per week. It encourages students to work in teams, especially with peers they do not usually interact with, in order to strengthen relationships and build a more inclusive club culture.The project focuses on developing collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills through structured activities and shared goals. These activities include creating safe spaces, organizing supply lists, and promoting anti-bullying efforts. Students are encouraged to contribute their individual strengths while also learning how to support and …

Life Beyond Highschool, Andre Aguilar, Jenifer Ortiz, Luz E. Cisneros, Nancy Sanchez Cruz, Nathalie Godoy

Service Learning Showcase

While volunteering at our community host site; Parklane Elementary, we developed a two day interactive simulation upon which students in grades 3rd through 6th experienced and learned about careers that can be pursued after high school. During our time at our site, we learned that a lot of our students were both misinformed and/or uninformed about the post-secondary options available to them, often viewing it as unattainable for their future. In response, we created a presentation that highlighted and explained multiple post-secondary options such as four year universities, trade schools, certification programs, and jobs that don’t require a four year …

Preserving Moments: Visual Storytelling In Middle School Engagement, Carlos Mosqueda, Anicia Ortiz

Service Learning Showcase

This project addresses a common gap in K–12 enrichment programs: the lack of intentional documentation and representation of students’ everyday experiences, relationships, and growth. As College Corps Fellows placed with Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) at Van Buren Elementary in Stockton, California, we worked with 7th and 8th grade students to design a digital and printed collage that captures moments of engagement, teamwork, and authentic student interaction throughout the program. The goal of this project was twofold: to create a lasting artifact that students can revisit as a reflection of their middle school experience, and to develop a visual storytelling tool …

Impact Of Stem Career Presentations On Elementary Students, Mannat K. Gill, Mathais Xiong, Elisa Ceja, Fariel Enyong

Service Learning Showcase

During our service as College Corps members in elementary school classrooms (1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th grades), our group consistently observed a lack of student engagement, particularly during science-related lessons and activities. The goal of our project was to increase student interest in science and introduce accessible pathways into STEM and healthcare careers. To achieve this, our group designed and delivered structured, age-appropriate presentations based on our own academic backgrounds, including biology on a pre-dental track, chemistry, and psychology.  The project also emphasized building students’ confidence in their ability to pursue science-related fields. By presenting ourselves as relatable role models …

Stockton Service Corps Building Block Fellowship Takes A Trip To Sacramento State Capital, Evelyn A. Martinez

Service Learning Showcase

As a College Corps fellow serving at Stockton Service Corps, most of my service has been centered on supporting community initiatives and youth leadership, including the Building Blocks program.  Building Blocks is a youth leadership initiative focused on showing youth the power of their voice and letting them lead the conversations. This semester project assignment, a trip to the State Capitol, was designed to give Stockton Service Corps Building Block fellows the opportunity to step into government spaces, see how change happens, and realize how they can engage.  This trip had a primary goal of creating a civic learning experience …

Multicultural Celebration, Ash Leslie, Minerva Soto Saavedra, Glennmarie Louise Arnold, Marilyn Estrada, Sarah Jeon

Service Learning Showcase

Unbound Stockton Community School is a new charter school that has a diverse fourth through eighth grade community. Currently, the community has issues with students engaging in cultural micro-aggressions and racism. To address this issue Unbound staff and the Fellows from College Corps have come together to create a reflective culture night festival, utilizing the talents of the Fellows and working together with local organizations, such as the Stockton Mexican Heritage Society to make dance performance and craft accessible to all students and family members. The goal is to raise awareness and cultural sensitivity not to only the students but …

Voices In Action, Ravleen Grewal, Alyssa Pham, Diego Castro, Robert Torres, Noah Valdez

Service Learning Showcase

Throughout our service at Colonial Heights Elementary School, we observed that many students lacked academic self-confidence, which contributed to anxiety surrounding public speaking. The purpose of this SPA project was to introduce public speaking skills early in students’ academic careers and to help build confidence in an academic setting. This project was primarily implemented through the after-school program (ASES) and served students across multiple grade levels. Because public speaking is a common fear, the project focused on guiding students through structured practice and engaging activities designed to strengthen oral communication, writing, and critical thinking skills. The project included three rounds …

Oakwood "Future Pathways" Legacy Project: Career Exploration & Curriculum Library, Adrian Rodriguez-Mandujano, Victoria Garibay, Bassam Hanania, Alana Yuzon, Paul Consuelo-Valencia

Service Learning Showcase

The main objective of our SPA project was to develop multi-subject lesson plans that better support fifth- and sixth-grade students in Oakwood Elementary’s Bridge Program as they explore future career pathways. This project included lesson plans representing a variety of academic disciplines, including Pharmacy, Engineering, Criminal Justice, and Music.

Each lesson incorporated an interactive, career-focused activity such as Mock Drug Counting (Pharmacy), a Musical Career Showcase (Music), Creating a Claw (Engineering), and Who Did It? (Criminal Justice). These activities were designed to help students gain a better understanding of different subjects and professions while actively engaging in hands-on learning.

In …

San Joaquin Emergency Foodbank College Corps Resource, Karla Ordaz, Julio Gonzalez Martinez

Service Learning Showcase

At the San Joaquin Emergency Food Bank, we gathered different resources from all across Stockton and the San Joaquin Area. These resources are often missed by our clients due to transportation, scheduling, or even awareness issues. This project addresses the issue and makes an effort to keep job security stable and reduce some of the major social and economic problems. By having a clear image and layout of all of the resources available to the residents of Stockton and San Joaquin County are able to live a bit more comfortably knowing they have something to fall back on. The first …

Tutoring And Bilingual Support Program, Amy V. Estrada, Brenda Ochoa, Mia Junez

Service Learning Showcase

Tutoring can strengthen academic skills, build confidence, and support language development for young learners. At Clairmont Elementary through the Lodi USD Bridge Program, we implemented a Tutoring and Bilingual Support Program for first- and second-grade students during enrichment hours. The program focused on improving early reading skills while providing language support for bilingual students. Sessions combined guided reading practice with engaging, hands-on activities designed to make learning enjoyable and accessible. Activities included storytelling, interactive games, and creative projects that reinforced vocabulary and comprehension. The program created a supportive and inclusive environment where students felt comfortable practicing both English and their …

Bridging The Gap: Expanding Educational Access For Male Students Of Color Through Parent Empowerment, Salwa Abdulla, Asrar Abdulla

Service Learning Showcase

Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT), a program that aims to increase the number of young men of color to attend and graduate from colleges and universities.Their vision is a nation in which young men of color are overrepresented in higher education, underrepresented in the criminal justice system, and leaders in their community. Educational equality continues to limit college access and success for many male students of color often due to limited resources, systematic barriers, and the lack of family engagement in their students' academic success. We explored how parent empowerment can help bridge this gap between parents, students, and schools. Our …

Encouraging Outdoor Education At Mable Barron Elementary School, Keira Harris, Axel Bennett, Jonathan Floresca

Service Learning Showcase

Our goal with this project was to encourage students in the ASES (After School Education and Safety) program at Mable Barron Elementary School to learn in a fun and engaging way. After doing research on the benefits of outdoor learning, we decided to fulfill our goal by utilizing the garden at Mable Barron. For our project, we restored the garden with new plants and created a scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt was designed to push students to learn about plants and gardening in a fun way with the activity still being educational. We began our process by creating labels for …

Brainteaser Club, Destiny Vasquez

Service Learning Showcase

The main objective of this SPA project is to create a club that increases middle school students’ (grades 6–8) interest in academic subjects such as mathematics, science, and history. At Aspire Benjamin Holt Middle School, the after-school program currently offers a rotating set of clubs on Fridays. Students typically choose between two activities, such as a cooking club or a game club. However, many students show limited interest in mathematics and often struggle with their math homework.

To address this need, a new club called Brainteaser Club will be added to the Friday rotation. This club will focus primarily on …

Game-Based Learning And Behavior At Westwood, Tristan Tang, Quincy Vo

Service Learning Showcase

Behavior challenges in elementary classrooms can often take up valuable learning time, leaving teachers trying to balance keeping students on task with making lessons engaging and thorough. At Westwood Elementary, we saw this firsthand while working with around 100 students from prekindergarten to sixth grade through the University of the Pacific’s College Corps program. We wanted to observe and change, combining a behavior system with educational games to address both problems simultaneously rather than handling them separately.

One of our first projects is using Class Dojo as a behavior management tool, where students earn points for following directions such as …

Calm Corner, Jaylene S. Campos, Laly Quen

Service Learning Showcase

This project addresses behavioral dysregulation among students in the After School Bridge Program at Wagner-Holt Elementary School by creating a dedicated “Calm Corner” space to support emotional regulation. Many students in this setting experience overstimulation, frustration, and feelings of being misunderstood, which can lead to yelling, classroom disruption, and difficulty managing emotions—especially among students with learning disabilities. The Calm Corner was designed as a structured, supportive environment where students can step away, reflect, and practice self-regulation strategies before reacting. By providing tools and space for students to recognize and process their emotions, the intervention encourages healthier responses to stress and …

From Vision To Progress: Bridging Reflection Into Growth, Naomi Nguyen, Cindy Reyes

Service Learning Showcase

In our project, we worked closely with students from Stagg High School, who are part of the Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) program. The goal of our work was to support student growth, reflection, and engagement by creating interactive and meaningful tools within their everyday school environment .We created two interactive tools for the IYT office: a Vision Board, where students respond to prompts about their goals and aspirations using sticky notes, and a Progression Board, where students rate how they're feeling on a scale of 0–100% and identify ways to improve. Both boards are designed to build self-awareness, accountability, and …

Impact Of Human Disturbance On Moth Populations In Ecuador, Gianna Jones, Abbie Miller, Esther Frederickson, Grace Glerum

Science Seminar

Habitat disturbance in the temperate zone has been shown to negatively impact moth biodiversity and population size through a reduction in moth food resources and light pollution. Our study sought to understand how human activity impacts moth population numbers and diversity (# unique taxa) in the tropics. Specifically, we sampled moth population and diversity using light traps on two different nights in a disturbed habitat (Mera township, Ecuador) and on two nights at a nearby ecolodge situated in dense tropical forest. Significantly fewer moths were observed during trapping sessions in the township, and many fewer distinct taxa were noted when …

Patterns Of Moth Diversity In Relationship To Human Disturbance And Forest Type, Gianna Jones, Abbie Miller, Esther Frederickson, Grace Glerum

Science Seminar

Moths play a vital role in the health of tropical ecosystems, acting as important pollinators and food resources for a variety of species. Unfortunately, human habitat disturbance has been associated with declines in moth populations and diversity. To explore the impacts of habitat disturbance on taxonomic diversity in the tropics, we sampled moth populations at two different locations in the Pastaza Province (Mera township and an undisturbed forest at Tamandua Ecolodge). Though small in population (

The Impacts Of Wing-Flashing By Northern Mockingbirds On Foraging, Parental Care, And Reproductive Success, Anna Starman, Hayley Ponn

Science Seminar

Foraging efficiency may be enhanced by flashing patches of white wing and tail feathers and has been documented in several avian species. Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos, NOMO) exhibit this "wing-flashing" (WF) behavior while foraging, during displays, and in response to predators. In NOMOs, WF has been hypothesized to increase foraging success, but previous findings are inconclusive. To further investigate the biological role(s) of WF behavior in NOMOs, the ventral surface of white primary feathers of male NOMOs were artificially darkened and the foraging and provisioning rates of undarkened (control) males and their mates were compared. While foraging, undarkened males performed …

Foraging Load Size And Activity In Leaf-Cutter Ants In Rural And Urban Ecuador, Natalie Tollison, Anna Starman

Science Seminar

Leaf cutter ants are important ecosystem engineers in Neotropical forests, moving a significant amount of nutrients from the forest canopy to the soil. We were interested in understanding how time (day vs. night), weather, and level of human disturbance would impact foraging activity in leaf-cutter ants (Atta spp.). To investigate, we sampled activity levels and leaf size along leaf-cutter ant trails in Mera (urban, N=17) and Tamandua (forest, N=27). During the daytime, ants in Mera carried significantly more leaves that were larger in size as well as more total items than did ants in Tamandua. Factors such as the level …

Biodiversity And Diet Patterns: Environmental Impacts On Ecuadorian Birds, Holly Hylton, Fin Bolt, Gracyn Herbst

Science Seminar

The current biodiversity crisis is of great concern, particularly to bird species in temperate and tropical areas. We examined avian biodiversity patterns in Ecuador, one of the most bird-biodiverse countries in the world (1650+ species). In January 2026, birds were surveyed (visual and auditory) for 30 minutes on consecutive days in 4 different locations that differed in the degree of human development. As expected, species richness was much higher in undisturbed locations than disturbed locations. In addition, our comparison of dietary patterns between sites showed a much higher proportion of frugivorous and insectivorous species in areas with less human disturbance …

A Right With No Standard: The Crisis Of Adequate Counsel In Capital Cases, Luz M. Payán

Criminal Law Society Blog

“A Right With No Standard: The Crisis of Adequate Counsel in Capital Cases,” criticizes the persistent lack of uniform standards governing legal representation in capital cases and argues that these disparities undermine the criminal legal system as a whole. It highlights the various differences in state qualification standard which allow attorneys to represent a defendant in a capital case. Even further, this Article points to the lack of mitigation specialist requirements in a majority of states. To effectively safeguard a defendant’s constitutional rights, this Article urges that the American Bar Association revise its Guidelines for the Appointment and Performance of …

Using Action Research To Inform Graduate Research Theories, Methods, And Praxis Among Master’S And Phd Multilingual And International Students, Thomas Maldonado

Frontera Retórica Symposium

In an attempt to provide multilingual and international graduate students food for thought, this work-in-progress presentation examines a day in the life of a multilingual PhD student’s use of action research during the teaching of RWS 1301 in both Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 to better inform his data collection via student questionnaires.   Action research, “generally involves inquiring into one’s own practice through a process of self-monitoring that […] includes entering a cycle of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting on an issue or problem in order to improve practice” (Farrell, 2007, p.94).   My research question answers how using action research …

Silent Persuasion In The Classroom: Rethinking Student Silence As Rhetorical Agency, Deepa Silwal

Frontera Retórica Symposium

In most educational settings, rhetorical participation refers to the recognized ways people communicate and persuade. It is measured almost exclusively through verbal contribution, a norm that frames silence as disengagement or deficit. This assumption overlooks the communicative work performed through the body itself, particularly among students navigating linguistic, cultural, or institutional constraints. I ask: how might embodied silence be theorized as a form of rhetorical agency among students positioned at the margins of institutional power? I propose the concept of silent persuasion, which refers to rhetoric enacted not through speech but through the body's presence, posture, stillness, and restraint. Drawing …

From Dilemma To Decision: Rhetorical Positionality As A Framework For Designing A Doctoral Dissertation Topic, Purna Bhusal

Frontera Retórica Symposium

Finding a dissertation topic for doctoral students in liberal arts education is one of the most difficult and defining moments of their academic journey. In my experience and observation, most graduate students struggle to identify a research topic that is both intellectually meaningful and aligns with their personal and scholarly commitments. To address this challenge, in this presentation, I propose rhetorical positionality as a framework for designing and formulating a doctoral research topic. To develop this framework, I draw on theoretical and methodological insights of the rhetorical situation as discussed by Scott Consigny, Richard Vaz, and Lloyd Bitzer, as well …