Digital Commons Network^™

Human Interactions With Artificial Intelligence: A Pilot Study, Kjersten Heinlein

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Emerging research shows that college students increasingly use artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic and personal contexts; however, little is known about how factors such as computer literacy and digital comfort influence their communication with AI. This pilot study seeks to establish a protocol to investigate the influence that undergraduate students’ digital comfort and computer literacy has on the style, tone, and effectiveness of interactions with AI during socially-oriented tasks. Grounded in Margaret Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness, this work views students’ digital comfort and literacy as evolving factors that expand their awareness and enable more effective interactions …

The “How Many” Routine As A Catalyst For Computational Fluency And Student Participation, Lillian Iden, Ella Williams, Jen Munson, Sarah Larison, Leslie Yuqui

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

It is not uncommon to hear adults claim they are bad at math or always disliked the subject. This negativity often stems from early mathematical experiences which ranged from boring to highly discouraging and embarrassing. Thus a new emphasis in mathematics education recommendations is to change the narrative and help students develop joy, wonder, and curiosity about mathematics (MAISA & GELN, 2023). This is reflected in defining computational fluency (skill in carrying out arithmetic procedures like addition or multiplication) as comprised of flexibility, accuracy, efficiency, and appropriate strategy use (NRC, 2001). The “How Many” Routine, in which a carefully-designed image …

Divergent Paths Towards Belonging: A Comparative Analysis Of Latina/O/E Domestic And International Student Experiences At A Pwi, Sebastian Lema, Rita Kagaju

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

In this study, we examine how undergraduate international students from Latin America and domestic Latina/o/e students experience belonging and inclusion at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). While existing research highlights systemic barriers and microaggressions faced by domestic Latina/o/e students, we address a critical gap by exploring the distinct challenges faced by international Latin American students. We ask how these groups’ experiences of inclusion, microaggressions, and support systems differ within a PWI context. Using qualitative interviews with 55 students (40 domestic, 15 international), we employed grounded theory to analyze themes such as classroom dynamics, feelings of inclusion/belonging, and institutional support. Our …

Carbohydrate And Caffeine Mouth Rinsing: Effects On Cognitive And Physical Performance In Fatigued Division Iii Women’S Lacrosse Players, Alexa Burgess, Katie Hermann, Lina Rea, Olivia Dieppa

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

BACKGROUND: Carbohydrate mouth rinsing may enhance performance via central nervous system mechanisms; however, the effects of caffeine mouth rinsing on high-intensity intermittent exercise and reaction time remain understudied in female lacrosse athletes, despite the sport’s repeated high-intensity demands and the practical benefits of mouth rinsing to minimize gastrointestinal discomfort. PURPOSE: To examine the effects of carbohydrate and carbohydrate plus caffeine mouth rinsing on repeated sprint and reaction-time performance in female lacrosse players following high-intensity exercise. METHODS: Fourteen collegiate female lacrosse players (age: 19 ± 1.28 yr; height: 167.8 ± 5.6 cm; body mass: 102.9 ± 43.1 kg) completed three randomized, …

Investigations In Bertrand’S Paradox, Mary Moore, Hope Weeda, Annika Cunill Krones

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Bertrand’s paradox is a classic problem that highlights how different notions of randomness can lead to different outcomes, even in a simple geometric setting. It concerns the lengths of chords chosen “at random” in a circle. In this talk, we begin by reviewing the three original methods Bertrand proposed for generating random chords, along with several related distributions that have been studied since. We then turn to a geometric application, examining triangles formed by two random chords that share a common endpoint. By joining the remaining endpoints, we obtain a random triangle and compute the probability that it is acute. …

Correcting Faraday Cup Measurements Using Rutherford Backscattering, Spencer Hughes, A. Bunnell, J. Kim

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Faraday cup is a conductive cup that measures the current of an incident beam of charged particles. Faraday cups are frequently used in particle accelerator-based studies where the beam intensity must be measured. A previous study determined the systematic error in Faraday cup measurements for a 3.4 MeV proton beam using Rutherford scattering at large angles. Our study builds upon this previous work to include six different beam energies ranging from 3.0 MeV to 0.6 MeV and two different incident masses (H and He). A silicon surface barrier detector measured the energy of back-scattered ions from a copper target. The …

Dialects In Narration, Olivia Dunphy, Madeline Ellingson, Alexandra Kroger, Elise Ferguson, Annie Lou Howell, Claire Doty

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

This study examines differences in Spanish dialects among native speakers from various countries, while focusing on pronunciation and the use of local slang. Fifteen native Spanish speakers participated in the study, which was divided into two parts. In the first part, participants told a free-form story to elicit and observe their natural speech. In the second part, they completed two more activities that were structured with specific prompts. All the responses were recorded and then later analyzed to identify dialectal features. The analysis was completed by the researchers, with the help of artificial intelligence, specifically ChatGPT. By comparing linguistics in …

Hope College Abstracts: 25th Annual Celebration Of Undergraduate Research And Creative Activity, Hope College

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

The 25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity was held on April 17, 2026 in the Richard and Helen DeVos Fieldhouse at Hope College and featured student-faculty collaborative research projects. This program is a record reflective of those projects between the 2025-2026 academic year.

Temporal Interference Stimulation Effectively Reduces Parkinsonian Beta Band Activity In A Computational Model Of The Basal Ganglia Network, Anna Stolle

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, leading to impaired motor function and disrupted basal ganglia activity. One of the most effective treatments is deep brain stimulation (DBS), which targets deep brain regions to restore abnormal firing patterns. However, DBS requires invasive surgery to implant electrodes, posing surgical risks and limiting accessibility. This has driven interest in non-invasive alternatives that achieve similar therapeutic outcomes. Transcranial temporal interference stimulation (tTIS) is a non-invasive technique delivering two high-frequency currents through scalp electrodes. These currents overlap to produce a low-frequency "beat" capable of reaching deep structures …

Plastic Purgatory: Investigating The Effects Of Plastic Litter On Water And Organic Content In Topsoil In Holland, Michigan, Kamryn Bice, Annis Cairns, Maddie Devries, Sebastian Lema

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Plastic accumulation in soils can offer important insights into how human activity affects terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, we examined the relationship between plastic litter and soil quality at several sites across Holland, Michigan to determine whether plastic abundance was associated with changes in soil properties. Soil samples from five different site types – construction, residential, commercial, nature, and a control – were collected over a threeweek period, then analyzed for pH, water contents, total organic carbon (TOC), and plastic abundance through field testing and laboratory methods. The number of plastic pieces ranged from 0 to 27 with the largest …

Transcranial Temporal Interference Stimulation Modulates Spike Timing Of Subthalamic Nucleus Neurons In A Computational Neuron Model, Kimberly Maldonado

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

The established treatment for Parkinson’s disease is deep brain stimulation (DBS), an effective but invasive procedure requiring surgical implantation of electrodes. Transcranial temporal interference stimulation (tTIS) is a novel, noninvasive technique with potential to target deep brain regions. It applies two high-frequency currents with a slight offset through scalp electrodes, producing a low-frequency envelope that may modulate neuronal activity where the fields overlap. The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is the favored DBS target in advanced Parkinson’s disease. While tTIS has been studied in humans, animals, and generic neuron models, no work has examined tTIS on optimized models of STN neurons. We …

Writing Algorithm Demonstrations Using Ai, Caiden Sunlin, Connor Vachon

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

We describe the design and development of interactive algorithm demonstrations for an online undergraduate algorithms textbook, created with the assistance of large language models, specifically ChatGPT. The work focused on browser-based, step-bystep visualizations that highlight algorithm behavior and intermediate states. We discuss how ChatGPT was used during ideation, implementation, and debugging, along with the limits of its usefulness and the kinds of human guidance that remained essential. Using concrete examples, we reflect on how AI tools can support student-centered educational software development without replacing domain expertise or instructional judgment.

Human Interactions With Artificial Intelligence: A Pilot Study, Miracle Yunana, Kjersten Heinlein

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, understanding AI’s impact on human communication is essential for nursing education where both effective socialization and digital literacy are key components of professional development. This pilot study seeks to establish a protocol to explore the relationship between undergraduate students’ socialization and their communication styles when interacting with AI tools. Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Theory serves as the foundation for this study, emphasizing the importance of social connectedness and communication, highlighting how interpersonal dynamics may extend to AI-mediated interactions. A mixed methods pilot study was conducted, consisting of structured sessions with seven …

Effect Of Peppermint Oil Inhalation On Swim Performance In D3 Swimmers, Brynn Conklin, Ashlea Swingewood, Brianna Johnson, Katie Eggleston, Miriam Czaja

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Peppermint essential oil has long been a topic of research for its effects on exercise performance. Although there are mixed results within the current body of literature, some studies propose that it allows for bronchodilation and increased alertness which lead to performance improvements. The purpose of this research was to determine if peppermint oil inhalation has an effect on time to completion, heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory reserve volume in one second (FEV1) during a 100-yd swim in D3 swimmers. A group of twenty D3 swimmers (M=12, F=8) volunteered to …

Eigenmode Decomposition Analysis Of Resistive Magnetic Reconnection, Isaac Q. Evans

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Recent work demonstrates that specific aspects of nonlinear magnetic reconnection in a collisionless regime are directly attributable to linearly damped eigenmodes. In this work, we apply similar eigenmode analysis tools to characterize nonlinear magnetic reconnection driven by resistivity. In contrast to the collisionless case which contains a single unstable/stable eigenmode pair, the resistive case contains an unstable eigenmode and a wide spectrum of stable modes. Calculating eigenmode amplitudes allows for a determination of the significance of each eigenmode in the nonlinearly-evolved resistive reconnection. Linearly stable modes are found to be important in determining properties of nonlinear systems. We discuss how …

The Effect Of Passive Heating On Sprint Performance In Division Iii Track And Field Athletes, Lauren Adamski, Nile Devers, Sara Schermerhorn, Sophia Raymond

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Purpose This study evaluated the effects of passive heating on sprint performance in Division III Track and Field athletes. Methods Sixteen participants (n=16; F=8) were recruited from a Division III Track and Field program. Participants completed three visits: one familiarization visit, and two experimental visits, during which they sprinted under different temperature conditions. A standard sprinting warm up was completed at the beginning of each experimental session. After warming up, heating pads were wrapped around participants’ thighs during a 30-minute simulated pre-race period. Pads were set to 166℉ or turned off. Sprint performance was measured using a 40 meter dash …

The Storied Life: Biblical Metanarrative And The Human Experience, Samantha Jones

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

The storytelling animal. This eclectic title was coined by Alasdair MacIntyre in his famous philosophical work After Virtue. Notice MacIntyre does not call man “the working animal who also tells stories,” nor the “rule following animal who enjoys the trivial pursuit of narrative.” He calls man the storytelling animal because he has discovered that stories are not the just one characteristic of the human experience, they are so much more. To be a human is to be a storyteller, and to be a storyteller is to be human. This claim is not specific to philosophers like MacIntyre, but is an …

Green Revolving Fund, Jordan Craft, Kate Mahoney, Brennan Wittler, Hui Min Mak, Logan Vowell

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Caring for the Earth is an integral part of the Christian calling, encompassing various aspects, one of which is the stewardship of financial and natural resources. One way Hope College embodies this mission is through its buildings and operations. The Hope College Green Revolving Fund (GRF) is a financial mechanism to support sustainability initiatives on our campus. Through the GRF, student interns work alongside college staff and faculty mentors to understand the energy and cost impacts of college operations. The GRF then funds campus investments, which lead to sustainability impacts (such as reduced energy use, lower/less hazardous waste, and more). …

A New Website For Aminoacids.Com, Camila Medrano, Gillian Donley

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Our client, AminoAcids.com, faced major issues with its previous website, including outdated design, poor accessibility, and unreliable order processing that often required manual intervention. Using the wireframes and content structure provided by the Center for Leadership, our team built a new website using WordPress as the content management system and WooCommerce to support e-commerce functionality. The new website provides a more stable infrastructure, minimizes order processing errors, and ensures a smoother user experience across all devices.

Eudaimonia In Democracy: Finding The Soul In No-Excuse High School English Classrooms, Anna Snader

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

This paper explores Alexis de Tocqueville’s observations of American equality in No-excuse high school English classrooms and analyzes how these equality-driven tendencies transform a once liberal study into a servile one. I argue that these practical pedagogies, especially in stringent school models, reverse equality into a cycle of inequity. Through the removal of liberal-based learning, No-excuse schools fail to emphasize purpose and flourishing as an end for their diverse students, and as a result, oppose the primary goal of racial and economic equity. In my research, I propose that No-excuse high schools ought to return English to its liberality through …

Layers And Ambiance: Latin American Female Perspectives In The Early 21st Century, Layla Rumble

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Female Latin American authors have been studied from various perspectives, mainly based on their roles in society and their representation in literature. This project had two major goals: to produce an academic paper on Chilean film 1976 and to create a database of fiction — written and filmic— produced in the 21st century. The research paper The Dictatorship Aura: Layers and Soundscapes in Chile 1976 (2022) is in the process of incorporating reviewers’ feedback and it has pointed to various relevant hypotheses. Notably, Chilean cinema seems to be going through a paradigm shift. Whereas film directors used to overemphasize the …

A Backend Database Architecture For Persistent Epilepsy Classification Records, Attiksh A. Panda, Deep Desai, Artem Zabarov, Katrina D. Prantzalos, Satya S. Sahoo, Shuai Xu

Student Scholarship

Epilepsy affects over five million people globally each year, yet consistent clinical diagnosis remains a persistent challenge due to the lack of standardized classification workflows across medical institutions. The Four-Dimensional Epilepsy Classification (4D-EC) framework, developed by Lüders et al., provides a comprehensive structure for characterizing paroxysmal events across four dimensions: seizure semiology, epileptogenic zone, etiology, and comorbidities. Despite its clinical and educational value, no dedicated informatics platform existed to support its routine use until recently, limiting widespread adoption among clinicians and trainees. This project addresses that gap by implementing a full-stack web application that operationalizes the 4D-EC framework for clinical …

Toward A Horizonal "I": The Infinite Subject In William Wordsworth's The Prelude, Gabriella Lee Schwartz

Theses and Dissertations

In an 1805 letter to Sir George Beaumont describing his autobiographical poem The Prelude, William Wordsworth remarked that it was "a thing unprecedented in literary history that a man should talk so much about himself." Since then, critics have only affirmed Wordsworth's reputation as a poet, if not the poet, of selfhood and consciousness. Perhaps the most renowned scholarship on Wordsworthian subjectivity was produced by the so-called "Yale School" of the late twentieth century, as J. Hillis Miller, Harold Bloom, Geoffrey Hartman, and Paul de Man all published influential works on the topic. The latter two staked out stances on …

Evaluating Measurement Invariance Frameworks: A Comparison Of Mg-Cfa, Alignment Optimization, & Bayesian Approximate Measurement Invariance Using The Brigham Young University Counseling And Psychological Services Client Satisfaction Survey, Heidi Lula Lindsey

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers must establish measurement invariance (MI) before comparing latent constructs across groups to ensure construct validity. However, traditional multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) may impose overly strict equality constraints in applied settings. Alternative MI frameworks are less familiar to researchers, which limits their use. This study compares MG-CFA, alignment optimization (AO), and Bayesian approximate measurement invariance (BAMI) using archival data from the Brigham Young University Counseling and Psychological Services Client Satisfaction Survey (N = 1,278). Participants completed an exit survey after receiving individual (n = 1,063), couple (n = 83), or group (n = 132) therapy, answering 16 five-point Likert …

Predicting Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer With Or Without Digital Rectal Exam And Mri Data Using Claritydx Prostate Models, Robert J Paproski, Adam Kinnaird, M Eric Hyndman, Adrian Fairey, Leonard Marks, Christian P Pavlovich, Sean A Fletcher, Roman Zachoval, Vanda Adamcova, Jiri Stejskal, Armen Aprikian, Christopher J D Wallis, Desmond Pink, Catalina Vasquez, Perrin H Beatty, John D Lewis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This prognostic study created optimized ensembles of calibrated random forest models to predict clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa, grade group ≥2 PCa) using total prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free PSA, negative biopsy status, and age, with or without DRE and MRI data. Observational data were aggregated from cohorts in six organizations in Canada, the USA, and Czechia. Prostate biopsies were performed between 2009 and 2024. Risk models (ClarityDX Prostate + DRE, ClarityDX Prostate + MRI, and ClarityDX Prostate + MRI + DRE) were derived (training cohorts n = 1626 to 2191) and validated (validation cohorts n = 378 to 1318) from …

Senior Recital: Brown-Givens, Cello; April 17, 2026, Kahauri Brown-Givens

School of Music Programs

This is the one hundred and sixty-second program of the 2025-2026 season.

Kemp Recital Hall

April 17, 2026

Friday Evening

6:00 p.m.

Convocation Recital: April 17, 2026, Illinois State University School Of Music

School of Music Programs

This is the one hundred and sixty-first program of the 2025-2026 season.

Kemp Recital Hall

April 17, 2026

Friday Afternoon

1:00 p.m.

Unseen, Unheard, Uninvited: Black Fathers And School Access In Redeveloped Spaces, James Dejong Alexander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Abstract This qualitative study examined how three Black fathers in South Memphis's Foote Park/Foote Homes redevelopment area navigated school access for their children amid community displacement. Rooted in Community Cultural Wealth Theory (Yosso, 2005), which highlights the diverse forms of capital—aspirational, navigational, social, linguistic, familial, and resistant—that communities of color possess but are often overlooked by mainstream institutions, the research focused on three individuals: Mister Miles, Mister Otis, and Mister Langston. These pseudonyms honor Miles Davis, Otis Kaye, and Langston Hughes and position the fathers as holders of valuable community wealth whose educational navigation experiences constitute legitimate knowledge. Documentary sources …

Enhancing The Well-Being Of Refugees With Disabilities Through Equitable Access To Essential Services: A Participatory Qualitative Study In The United States, Mustafa Rfat

Brown School Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Access to services for refugees with disabilities (RwDs) is critically important for improving their well-being and enhancing their integration. This population often faces prolonged exclusion that begins in their country of origin and often continues to worsen during displacement, leading to accumulated disparities. Because the United States (U.S.) refugee program is structured around rapid employment, refugees who do not fit the fast-track employment criteria are often left behind. RwDs are often considered unemployable, which automatically shifts resources and services away from them. Abandoning RwDs during the critical period of resettlement puts them at heightened risk of increased and long-term exclusion. …

Interview No. 1819, Mark Teran

Combined Interviews

Mark Teran reflects on growing up south central EL Paso and his journey from high school dropout to assistant principal at Bowie High School. The interview documents personal memory, educational reform and neighborhood transformation.