Digital Commons Network^™

“Enslavement By Unbridled Passions:” Catholic Magisterial Institutional Attitudes Toward Homosexuals In Poland Between 1945 And 1989, Agnieszka Laddach

Journal of Global Catholicism

During Communism, the Polish bishops presented a narrative about (homo)sexuality with in order to create the image of a righteous moral and social life that was to influence the Catholics. In my research I conduced a thematic analysis of this narrative. I highlight the doctrinal and Polish social-religious context to foreground tendencies in the formation of Church teaching about homosexuality as well as the importance of the Church in Poland to its formation. Then, I show the factors that characterize the episcopal discourse’s content and language about homosexuality, recognizing that components of episcopal discourse suggest a specificity of Church potential …

Overview & Acknowledgments, Mathew Schmalz

Journal of Global Catholicism

This Introduction overviews the work of contributors from the Graduate Symposium sponsored by the Journal of Global Catholicism and the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture.  The Introduction also highlights the independent peer reviewed submission from Dr. Agnieszka Laddach of the University of Warsaw.

Traffic Counting For Buggies, Jay Grossman, Charles Mckenzie, Jennifer Sharkey

Purdue Road School

Counties with larger Amish populations have significant volumes of buggies on some roads. Traditional traffic counting systems do not always capture these vehicles, limiting local public agencies’ abilities to prioritize maintenance and safety improvements appropriate for these users. This presentation will cover results from multiple counting systems and evaluate their performance for non-motorized vehicles.

Development Of Indiana-Specific Trip Generation Procedures, Rishika Tumula, Konstantina Gkritza, Nathan Shellhamer

Purdue Road School

This presentation explores how Indiana-specific data can reshape trip generation practices for key land uses, such as warehouses, fast-food restaurants, gas stations, and truck stops. By grounding forecasts in local conditions, the work enhances INDOT’s ability to anticipate traffic impacts and guide infrastructure investments. Attendees will see how conventional methods are being reexamined, where surprising patterns emerge, and why this shift could matter for future development decisions.

Customized Cable Barrier Solutions For Challenging Median Conditions On Us 31, Mitchell Murray, Katherine Smutzer

Purdue Road School

This study details the design and evaluation of a high-tension cable barrier system for US 31 in Hamilton and Tipton Counties. Custom layouts and multiple design iterations addressed substandard medians, underground utilities, and turn lane conflicts. Modifications were reviewed with the Standards committee to comply with safety standards and manufacturer specifications. Field checks and staking finalized the design.

Improving Chip Seal Durability, John Yzenas Jr., Aaron Fugate

Purdue Road School

In Northeastern Indiana, secondary roads can be severely abused due to heavy traffic from farm implements, trucks, and horse-drawn buggies. This presentation details how LaGrange County improved the performance of these roads and developed a successful chip seal program by implementing suggestions from a recent synthesis out of the Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering.

Focus On Lane Shift Tapers, Mischa Kachler

Purdue Road School

While lane shift tapers appear to be simple type of transition area in a work zone, they are often are designed or implemented incorrectly. This session will review lane shift taper basics, delve into various applications and scenarios, and provide guidance to improve lane shift taper implementation in work zones.

How Transportation Impacts Have Been Mitigated By The Indiana Stream And Wetland Mitigation Program, Summer Elmore, Brad Baldwin, Jeff Spicer

Purdue Road School

The Indiana Stream and Wetland Mitigation Program (IN SWMP) has been selling mitigation credits since 2018. In this presentation, we will discuss the success and challenges of the program. We will also review the total funds collected by the program, the resulting impacts from transportation projects, and project partners and opportunities.

Recalibrating Library Research Support Workshops For Graduate Students: Addressing Skill-Gaps Through Targeted, Collaborative Workshop Design, Ekaterini Papadopoulou, Jason B. Hall

Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students

Creating library support for graduate services can and should take many forms to meet the specific and varied needs of the student populations and graduate programs at any given institution. However, there are often common threads and needs that can be met through some carefully targeted centralized library services. We will present our approach to providing a suite of workshops that provide skills and transferable knowledge across multiple graduate student needs at our institution, where the majority of graduate students are pursuing professional graduate degrees.

Three challenges that we aimed to address with our workshop series:

A perception that library …

It's A Stretch: De-Customizing To Provide Better Support To All, Jean Cook

Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students

The University of X's graduate programs are its fastest growing sector. The College of Education is the third largest public university in the county, due largely to its graduate programs and partnerships with local school districts. Many programs across the disciplines have a heavy research aspect, with a focus on evidence-based practice. To meet the needs of these programs, the library has taken the counter-intuitive approach of widening the focus on its instruction and liaison programs. Previously, each program had specific librarians assigned to that program’s needs. Tools like videos, research guides, and workshops were tailored to each individual class …

Hancock County’S Journey From Planning To Execution, Gary Pool, Ann Sheidler

Purdue Road School

Over the past decade, Hancock County has seen both successes and challenges in funding public projects, including roads, bridges, utilities, a technical school, healthcare, and retail development. Using a variety of capital sources, the county turned plans into real construction efforts that served the public good. This presentation will explore real projects with real financing—highlighting lessons learned, unexpected outcomes, and strategies that can inform and benefit similar efforts in other counties.

Traffic Studies 101, Laura Slusher

Purdue Road School

This presentation will introduce how to conduct your own traffic studies to save your agency money. We will cover how to collect and use data for volume counts, speed limit studies, sight distance studies, and more.

From Planning To Reality: Designing Clarksville’S Riverside Drive Project, Nick Batta, Kevin Baity

Purdue Road School

This presentation will highlight key infrastructure improvements along the Ohio River in Clarksville, Indiana. We will discuss projects including the reconstruction of Riverside Drive and the completion of the Ohio River Greenway trail. Attendees will learn about the complex project designs that necessitated the relocating a fabrication facility, working in close proximity to the flood control district’s levee wall, and minimizing impacts to the river’s floodway.

Pavement Marking Types And Best Choices For Designers, Rick Smith, Brad Henry

Purdue Road School

This presentation will discuss the topics of types of pavement markings, bonding characteristics, long-term investments, and best applications.

Smarter Projects With Microsoft 365 And Ai, William Fort, Warren Brown

Purdue Road School

This presentation explores how Microsoft 365 apps—SharePoint, Teams, Planner, and AI—can transform project management and collaboration. Learn how to centralize project information in SharePoint, streamline communication with Teams, and organize tasks through Planner. Discover how AI enhances insights, automates workflows, and supports smarter decision-making. Attendees will gain practical strategies for improving efficiency, accountability, and teamwork across projects, becoming more effective project managers and collaborators in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven environment.

Beyond The Tour: Designing Graduate Library Orientations That Build Research Confidence And Belonging, Megan York

Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students

Graduate student orientations often lean heavily on logistics: where to find resources, how to log in, and which services the library offers. While this information is important, it rarely addresses the deeper needs of graduate learners. Many of the students I work with arrive on campus already balancing careers, families, and demanding academic programs. At the University of Arkansas, graduate orientations in the College of Education and Health Professions frequently take place on weekends, serving students who travel from out of state and receive an overwhelming amount of information in a short time. For them, orientation is not simply a …

Literacy And Equity: Exploring Teachers’ Lived Experiences Of Georgia Black Boys’ Difficulties With Reading Comprehension And Word Recognition, Roselle M. Caruth

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data shows that since 1992, Black male students in Georgia’s fourth through eighth grades have consistently scored low on reading assessments (The Nation’s Report Card, 2022c). Low reading achievement contributes to a persistent underachievement gap for Black boys, leading to unfavorable academic outcomes such as difficulty in phonological processing, limited fluency and comprehension, slow development of linguistic skills, lower proficiency in basic reading, and higher rates of high school dropout (Russell & Drake Shiffler, 2019; Tatum, 2024a; Washington et al., 2019). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how teachers …

Day 1 Login And Welcome, Wendy Doucette

Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students

History and highlights of the TLGS (Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students) Conference

Classroom To Corridor: Partnerships Driving Civil Engineering Education, Charlie Kacmar, Victoria Farkas, Benjamin Moster, Reis Walker

Purdue Road School

This presentation will include a discussion panel with Marian University senior civil engineering students, Avenew, and Indianapolis DPW. The discussion will highlight a Marian University senior capstone project partnership that conceptualizes and studies a new gateway corridor for the City of Indianapolis and Marian University. Attendees will learn how this collaborative approach helped students gain hands-on experience and mentorship while delivering momentum towards an impactful community infrastructure project.

100 Years Since “The Great Renumbering”, Crystal Weaver

Purdue Road School

On October 1, 1926, all Indiana State Routes were renumbered to today’s naming convention. To note the centennial of our modern highway numbering system, this presentation will cover the Good Roads movement; the how, what, and why of the standards set by AASHO and the Feds; the logistics of renumbering all of the roads in the state (including cardboard temporary signs); and details about the State Highway budget at the time.

Geosynthetics And The Indot Approval Process, Sam Clawson, Lucas Monroe

Purdue Road School

This presentation will introduce the different kinds of Geosynthetics, INDOT’s Standards for them, and the approval process for getting onto the Qualified Product List (QPL).

The Level Of Physical Activity And The Feeling Of Stress In Difficult Life Situations Among Refugees From Ukraine, Bartosz Gondek, Iwona Bonisławska, Milena Lachowicz

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Russia's attack on Ukraine in February 2022 started the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II. In the face of danger, crowds of civilians decided to leave their homes and escape, among others, to Poland in search of shelter. Materials and methods: The research was conducted on groups of refugees from Ukraine who registered in the first days of the war in Sopot and Pruszcz Gdanski. The refugees came from Kharkov, Mariupol, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and western Ukraine (not involved in hostilities). People from the war zone areas mostly came with only hand luggage. The respondents were divided …

The Ai Litmus Test: Humanize, Deepen, And Delight K12 Learning, Scott H. Sorvaag

Essays in Education

This article introduces the AI Litmus Test, a practical framework designed to help educators evaluate when artificial intelligence meaningfully enhances K–12 learning. Grounded in a human-centered leadership stance, the framework asserts that effective AI use in schools must humanize learning, deepen student thinking, and reduce unnecessary burdens. Through conceptual framing, implementation guidance, and classroom snapshots, the article shows how AI can support connection, cognitive rigor, and joy when used with intentional pedagogical and ethical design. It also highlights risks such as dehumanization, cognitive offloading, and over‑automation, offering safeguards including verification routines, human‑authored feedback, and transparent ethics notes. The article concludes …

Lauren Rogers' Library, Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A black and white photograph of the Lauren Rogers' Library in Laurel, Mississippi is pictured on this postcard. Street lights and tres are spaced on the green space between the sidewalk and the street in front of the two story, brick library. Six sets of double columns are at the front porch. The title of the card is written in white in the lower right of the image. An inscription is written on the back of the card.

The Underpass, U. S. 11, At Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A color illustration of cars driving U.S. Highway 11 beneath the Southern Railway System overpass in Laurel, Mississippi is depicted on this postcard. The name of the railway system is lettered on the side of the overpass. Green spaces with flowers are on either side of the highway and people or depicted walking on the sidewalks beyound the green by the highway. The title of the card is printed on the upper right of the card.

Aeroplane View Of Masonite Plant, Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A color illustration of an aerial view of the Masonite Plant in Laurel, Mississippi is depicted on this postcard. Buildings, trees, a water tower, and several rows of materials are depicted. The title of the card is printed along the upper edge of the card.

Eastman Gardiner Lumber Mills, Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A color illustration of the Eastman Gardiner Lumber Mills in Laurel, Mississippi is depicted on this postcard. Two buildings with smoke stacks beside them and a grain elevator beside a smoke stack are depicted behind several logs that appear to be floating in water. The title of the card is printed along the upper left of the image.

Episcopal Church, Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A black and white image of the Episcopal Church in Laurel, Mississippi is pictured on this postcard. The church, a brick building with an arched porch entrance, a small steeple on the right, and arched windows is situated behind some trees, hedges, and bushes. The title of the card is written in white in the lower left corner of the image. An inscription is written on the back of the card.

Waynesboro High School, Waynesboro, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A black and white photograph of four groups of children and their teachers standing in front of the Waynesboro High School is pictured in this postcard. The school building is a one story, dark, clapboard structure and there are trees on the school yard where the groups are gathered. The title of the card is printed beneath the image.

A Man On A Horse In Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

This black and white photograph of a man riding a horse on a residential street is mounted on a two toned matte with "Laurel, Miss." written on the bottom of the matte. The man is wearing a three piece suit and bolwer hat. A white house behind a white picket fence is pictured to the right of the man and horse.