Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Gender On Students’ Learning, Savannah Mansfield

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

There are many struggles students face when pursuing an education. These barriers often leave students weary and disheartened, dreading the seven hours a day they are forced to spend at an institution that does not value their needs or identity. This paper will focus on how gender affects students’ learning in schools. In particular, it will discuss the sexualization of feminine-presenting students, the assumption of violence in masculine-presenting students, and the failure to provide safe and inclusive environments for gender-nonconforming students. All of this will be examined through the lens of gender’s effect on relationships within the education system, as …

Increasing Awareness Of Ocean And Beach Pollution For Elementary School Students, Hana Terfai

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Applied science education is often missing in elementary school curriculum. When children get exposed to applied science early on then they would get more access to education about how to care for and conserve ocean and environmental life. The consequences if the problem is not resolved is that the group of children at Frank Ledesma would not be aware or educated on this important issue that exists right now. Therefore, I created a two-day lesson for the elementary school students in grade 4 at Frank Ledesma Elementary School in Soledad, California.

Informing Low-Income Parents About Financial Aid, Jennifer Lopez-Rubio

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many parents of low-income families have little or no access to information about how to pay for college for their children. When parents are unaware of how to pay for college, their children may be less encouraged to attend college and may see college as an unnecessary luxury. Informed parents may provide better support for getting monetary aid and, in turn, encourage them to attend college. To address the lack of access to financial resource information, I have created a one-day workshop for low-income parents and adults of the San Andreas housing community in Watsonville, California.

Supporting English Language Learners In California K-12 Classrooms, Emma Borrelli

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

English Language Learners face struggles in the classroom that students who only speak English do not encounter. First I will highlight the problems and difficulties English Language students encounter in all aspects of their learning environment, using Ajay Srikanth’s essays on the equity of funding for English Learners. Then, I will propose solutions and strategies to help them based on thorough research and studies by Roselle Chartock in “Strategies and Lessons for Culturally Responsive Teaching : a Primer for k-12.” Chartock also talks about culturally responsive teaching in “Strategies and Lessons for Culturally Responsive Teaching : a Primer for k-12” …

From Awareness To Action: Addressing Intimate Partner Violence, Samantha Fischer

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many college students may experience intimate partner violence (IPV), which is a public health concern for the community. Recent data has shown, 14 percent of women and nine percent of men aged 18-to-24 years old experienced intimate partner violence victimization, including physical violence, rape, and stalking, in the prior 12-month period (Seon, 2021). Without intervention, IPV during college can lead to depression, low academic performance, substance abuse, higher risk of dropping out, and, potentially, death (Seon, 2021). Learning the warning signs of IPV victimization, ways to combat toxic masculinity, and identifying one way to support a victim of IPV one …

Stories Of A Queer Femme, Parker Jones

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

“Stories of a Queer Femme” is a collection of poems about my experience being queer and non-binary while still presenting very feminine. The poems explore growing up, experiencing love, and accepting my life while outside of the gender binary. This collections reveals the course theme of hidden histories: We have always been here. We will always be here. Our lives and our stories matter.

Breaking The Silence: What Isn't Being Said About Grieving Students, Robin Farian

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is how well teachers are trained to support a student who is grieving. This is an important issue for teachers because a student who is grieving is in a very vulnerable place, and the way a teacher responds can be very beneficial or detrimental to the student. An argument is made that teachers should be better prepared for a situation where a student is struggling with grief. Considerations of the issue should include the perspectives of teachers who have experience teaching grieving students. Three action options emerged from an analysis of the …

Super Stem Women: Empowering Women To Seek Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem) Fields, Camille Prendergast

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is improving women in STEMs experience in higher education. This is important because improving women in STEMs experience will lead to more women in the male dominated STEM fields. An argument is made that it is important to provide more women in STEM fields for better representation in order to encourage young girls to pursue higher education in STEM. The primary stakeholder perspectives chosen were women who are currently majoring in STEM at a four year University because they have direct experience being in STEM classes. Three action options emerged from an …

The Colors Around Us: Stories Of The Love Of Family, Alanah Hunsdorfer

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Western culture holds many preconceived notions of what a so-called “perfect” family looks like. Usually presented as a married couple, consisting of one man and one woman, and their subsequent children, the nuclear family has had a significant influence over traditional family values in the United States in the past several decades. While our society encourages the preservation of these ideals, it has become increasingly apparent that these traditional concepts of family are unrealistic for many people.

In the following collection of short stories, I discover and explore various identities, cultures, and dynamics that are involved in the existence of …

Parental Involvement: Breaking Barriers For Immigrants In (K-12) Education, Maribel Cruz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue of this Capstone Project is on parental involvement among non-English speaking parents and the roadblocks they face. This is important because teachers/schools and non-English speaking parents lack communication regarding their child’s education, events, or resources that may be available. It is argued parental involvement is significant in fostering academic success for students. The primary stakeholder perspectives chosen were non-English speaking parents, teachers, and former students of immigrant parents. These stakeholder perspectives were chosen given the demographic location of the schools and population. Having a predominantly immigrant and Hispanic population paved the way for collecting data and understanding …

Academy-Based Learning: The High School Education You Wish You Had, Marion Ramos

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on the impact of high school academies on student success. This is important because high school academies provide students with cross-curricular experiences related to a specific pathway or field they are interested in. An evidence-based argument is offered that high school academies provide specialized programs catering to students' interests and career aspirations. These academies provide students with a comprehensive and challenging curriculum that enhances their academic performance and prepares them for college and career readiness. By focusing on a particular subject or field, students receive a high-quality education that fosters their skills and knowledge in a …

Attending Excellence: Supporting Elite Athletes In Elementary School, Jazmin Arellano

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This Capstone Project aimed to investigate the school-related challenges and benefits of having a K-6th grade child who participates in travel or club level sports during the school year as an elite athlete. There was little to no relevant research literature on this topic, but I was able to navigate and build off of other formative research surrounding the main idea; excessive absences related to sports and extracurricular activities, and truancy. Based on the analysis of the data collected, I used what I had learned to formulate an action plan that responds to the challenges parents experience raising an elite …

When Fish Climb Trees: Discovering Resources For Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Mary Black

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is determining what resources are available to college students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This is an important issue for colleges because the right resources can make all the difference regarding the academic success of students with ADHD. An evidence based argument is offered on the necessity of appropriate resources for college students with ADHD. The primary stakeholder perspectives chosen were those of college students with ADHD, and staff members of the Counseling and Disability centers on campus because of their relevant experience and insight regarding ADHD. Three action options …

The Pinocchio Boy: A Collection Of Queer Creative Written Work, Lucas Olvera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Pinocchio Boy is a series of short stories/memoirs and poems about my experiences as a Transgender and Gay man. Structured in five parts, I explore my childhood, young adulthood, and adulthood. My collection offers me an insight into what made me who I am today. There are drastic tonal shifts between the poem segments and the memoirs, I intended to act as the narrator of my story in which the poems and dialogue act as the characters in motion and the memoirs as my direct narration. A tongue-in-cheek fairy tale tone, but coming from a sincere place. My intent …

Bringing The Outdoors In: Creating Classroom Environments With Plants And Animals, Ethan Conti

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus addressed in this Capstone Project is the benefits of live plants and animals within the classroom. This is an important issue for both students and teachers because live organisms within the classroom aids mental health, physical health, strengthens morals, and broadens horizons. An evidence based argument is offered that these issues are growing within the schools and need to be addressed with all tools available. The primary stakeholder perspectives chosen were teachers, because they are affected and can see the benefits of the topic at hand. Three themes/action options emerged from an analysis of the data and explored …

The Peninsula Influence: Monterey’S Musical Legacy And Its Effects On The Current Music Scene, Reace Niles

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper looks at a small handful of key events in Monterey’s history related to music and juxtaposes that with interviews from a selection of artists operating in the area today.

Taxonomic Analysis Of Video Game Instrument Usages, Jack Madison

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper seeks to break down into categories the various ways in which video games utilize instruments and to determine the musicality of these interactions.

Globalize Me: Regulating Distributed Ledger Technology, Roee Sarel, Hadar Y. Jabotinsky, Israel Klein

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)—the technology underlying cryptocurrencies—has been identified by many as a game-changer for data storage. Although DLT can solve acute problems of trust and coor- dination whenever entities (e.g., firms, traders, or even countries) rely on a shared database, it has mostly failed to reach mass adoption out- side the context of cryptocurrencies.

A prime reason for this failure is the extreme state of regulation, which was largely absent for many years but is now pouring down via uncoordinated regulatory initiatives by different countries. Both of these extremes—under-regulation and over-regulation—are consistent with traditional concepts from law and economics. …

The Chicken’S Too Fat To Cross The Road: Ethical Issues And Dangers Pertaining To Factory Farms, Michael J. Martinus

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In the mid-20th century, the meat industry implemented a method of rearing livestock called factory farming, which confined animals in close quarters until it was time for slaughter and allowed for more output with cheaper production methods. In modern-day unfortunately, factory farming is still used and treats their animals even worse; genetically modifying chickens until they can’t walk, the unrelenting impregnation of dairy cows, and forcing pigs to live in their own feces. Companies such as Tyson and JBS control about 85% of the meat industry and since their goal is to make the most profit with the least effort, …

A Research Data Services Fairytale, Kathleen H. Flynn, Emily Kilcer

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

Whether for assignments or research, the faculty, staff, and students at all academic institutions will work with data. Some patrons seek assistance finding open data for their projects, while others would like lessons in data analysis or visualization. Data sharing is increasingly required by journals or funding agencies, and researchers may find this challenging while also navigating Data Use Agreements, confidentiality concerns, data documentation, locating a suitable repository, and more.

Furthermore, most funding agencies require a data management plan be included in grant proposals to ensure that researchers are prepared to follow best practices regarding the collection, storage, security, and …

Effects Of Functional Network Model Definition On Biomarker Outcome Prediction, Xinyang Feng

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning (ML) models are widely used to investigate the human connectome and to predict and understand behavior, emotion, and cognition. Prior research has organized pediatric connectome data using adult functional network models. However, this assumes that adult functional network models are appropriate and useful for prediction developmental outcomes from pediatric connectome data. We hypothesize that the application of adult brain network models could result in poor model fit, limiting the generalizability of results. Here, we test whether prediction of biological age is improved by concordant brain network models matching underlying functional connectome data. To quantify the difference in age …

Decolonizing Chinese Literary And Cultural Studies In “World Literature”: Decolonial Translation And Magical-Traumatic Realism In Can Xue, Deanna Ren

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This study takes a genealogical and historicized approach to Mandarin-to-English translations, including my own, of Can Xue through neoliberal discourses of “world literature.” I ground these Anglophone discourses in the legacies of Sinology, area studies and post-Cold War historiography. Arguing for the necessity of a decolonial translation practice in Mandarin-to-English translation, I propose magical-traumatic realism (an intersection of magical realism and traumatic realism) as an alternative lens with which to contextualize, decolonize and re-embody Can Xue’s works in both source and “world” contexts.

Analytical And Experimental Investigation Of Interphase And Dispersion Effects On The Mechanical Stiffness Of Cellulose Nanocomposites, Will Goldberg

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The effect of dispersion and interphase properties on the elastic behavior of cellulose nanocomposites was investigated using a number of composite models, experimental data and a thorough literature review. Cellulose nanocomposites consisting of soy protein isolate (SPI) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) or polydopamine coated cellulose nanocrystals (PD-CNC) were prepared via solution casting method and tested for mechanical stiffness. These outcomes were compared to standard composite models as well as novel methods adapted from the literature that incorporate data regarding dispersion quality and interphase properties. The literature review verified that both dispersion and interphase properties are highly dependent on interfacial chemistry …

Firm Capabilities, Great Power Competition, And The Structural Reshaping Of Globalization, Samuel Wilson

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

The changing nature of modern globalization has given rise to strategic competition between great power states, who utilize global firms and policy interventions in commercial markets to pursue state-level objectives. Multinational executives operating in global markets must contend with the consequences of great power competition between countries like the US and China, developing novel strategies and capabilities to defend firm performance in the face of trade wars and geopolitical confrontation. Through the analysis of risk factor disclosures of foreign multinational firms operating in China, as well as cases of Chinese economic and industrial espionage against US firms, this study utilizes …

"They Can Murder Us Today And It Wouldn’T Be A Novelty” U.S. Expulsion Policies And The Violent Structure Of The U.S. Enforcement Matrix, Cinthia Romo Alba

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the United States implemented two migrant expulsion policies: The Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), a policy which forces migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. to remain in Mexico for the duration of their immigration proceedings, and Title 42, a policy that expelled migrants back to Mexico under the guise that it was a preventative measure for spreading COVID-19. I ask: What are the experiences of asylum seekers subjected to expulsion policies, and what do their experiences tell us about the structure of the U.S. Border Enforcement System? Relying on six months of ethnographic fieldwork at the Matamoros camp …

Cultivating Wellness Through Peer Education [Poster], Liz Wilgenbusch

Graduation with Distinction Posters

Discusses the various dimensions that make up a person's health and how the they impact overall wellness with emphasis on sleep.

Peer-To-Peer International Support Programs [Poster], Ava Deitrich

Graduation with Distinction Posters

The intent of this project is to create and form a peer led initiative group that supports international students throughout their post secondary journey. Capitalizing on both social and academic integration and support.

Manual Vacuum Aspiration: Attitudes, Familiarity, And Comfort Among Obgyn Physicians At Louisiana State University New Orleans And Baton Rouge Programs, Alexis Hernandez, Stacey Scheib

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

Background: Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) uses a hand-held aspirator to generate a vacuum to aspirate uterine contents for management of early pregnancy loss (EPL) or elective abortion prior to 12-weeks gestation. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, MVA is a safe, cost-saving procedure that promotes patient comfort, convenience, and privacy. Despite the advantages of this procedure, it is often overlooked in favor of electric suction or dilation and curettage, more extensive procedures that are associated with increased cost and post-procedural pain and bleeding. The goal of this study is to assess the attitudes, familiarity, and comfort towards …

Hybrid Group Mentorship For Youth Impacted By Familial Substance Use Disorder, Stephen Phillippi, Helen Lindau, Casey L. Thomas, Kaylin Beiter, Ashley Fenton, Michelle Lawrence Bidwell, Claudia Leonardi, Edmond Bowers

Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association

Background: Children under the care of individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) are themselves at risk for developing SUDs and delinquent behavior. Mentorship can be protective for these youth. This preliminary program evaluation study, following a descriptive cross-sectional design, describes Camp Mariposa, a novel peer and group mentoring program for youth affected by familial substance use. Methods: Data were collected from participants across 13 mentoring sites nationwide, with one site in Louisiana. These data include demographics and self-reported information about substance use, juvenile judicial system involvement, and experiences in the mentoring program. Results: Data on 570 youth participants (52% male …

The Emerging Jurisprudence Of The African Human Rights Court And The Protection Of Human Rights In Africa, John M. Mbaku

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

During most of the post-independence period, many African countries have either been unwilling or unable to protect human rights or relegated this important function to a small group of poorly funded but brave and courageous non-state actors. Most importantly, some African governments have either actively engaged in human rights violations or failed to bring to justice those who have committed atrocities against their fellow citizens. In the 1970s and 1980s, many African heads of state were more concerned with national sovereignty in an effort to hide the violation of human rights committed within their jurisdictions than participating in the building, …