Digital Commons Network^™

Quoting The Silver Screen: The Communication Influence Of Film Dialogue, Albert Clayton Vandiver Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative thematic analysis study researched the topic of film dialogue elements used in common interpersonal discourse. These elements, or movie quotes, were observed to manifest as meaning-filled symbols in communication throughout American culture. This phenomenon, and the gap in scholarly literature or lack of research on movie quotes within the field of communication, underscored the significance and need for investigation. This study employed a qualitative methodology using the thematic analysis approach in evaluating data. Research questions were designed to focus the study on internal motivation for, and external influence on, movie quote usage. 17 screened adult participants provided valid …

Implementation Of Staff Education To Reduce Or Prevent Pressure Injury, Beverley A. Moses

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pressure injuries (PIs) present a significant clinical challenge in healthcare settings, particularly among patients with limited mobility, comorbidities, and complex musculoskeletal injuries. These injuries lead to adverse patient outcomes, such as increased morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and an increase in healthcare costs. Despite advancements in clinical practice, PI prevention remains a critical area for quality improvement, necessitating a standardized, patient-centered approach to care. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to improve patient outcomes by implementing a standardized educational initiative for nursing staff in a bone and joint unit at a private hospital in Upstate New York. The project …

Leadership Changes And Employee Performance Impact In Higher Education Institutions, Timothy Mimbs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study addressed the limited understanding of how leadership transitions disrupt the people and systems that sustain a public higher education institution's ongoing operation. The purpose was to generate a grounded, comparative account of how a change in senior leadership transmits downward through an institution and of the conditions under which institutions mitigate or worsen its effects. A flexible multiple case study design within the post-positivist paradigm examined three pseudonymized Florida College System institutions that experienced structurally different transitions: an unplanned presidential departure filled externally, a planned provost retirement filled externally, and a planned presidential retirement filled through internal promotion. …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of The Effect Of Developmental Education Courses On College Persistence In Higher Education Among First-Year College Students, Tosha J. Mobley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine differences in institutional integration scores among first-year college students based on enrollment status and gender assigned at birth at a public southern university. This study was important because previous reform efforts intended to improve college persistence and graduation rates have not eliminated the need for developmental education or learning support courses within higher education. The independent variables included enrollment status and gender assigned at birth. Institutional integration was measured using the Institutional Integration Scale–Revised (IIS-R). The sample was composed of 107 first-year college students enrolled in developmental (support) and traditional …

Restoring Trust And Relational Depth In The Philadelphia Seventh-Day Adventist Church Through Structural Family Therapy Interventions, Laundale Leopold Munroe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry action research project addressed the challenge of unclear relational and leadership boundaries associated with reduced trust, emotional comfort, and healthy communication within the Philadelphia Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bronx, New York. The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate an eight-week Structural Family Therapy-informed intervention designed to strengthen trust, emotional comfort, leadership clarity, relational boundaries, and healthy communication among church members. The goals were to increase participants’ awareness of congregational relational patterns, encourage healthier interpersonal interactions, and cultivate practices that support sustained relational health. A mixed-methods action research design was employed with eighteen adult …

The Incarnational And Christological Link Of The Servant In Isaiah 52:13–53:12 And Philippians 2:5–11, Heather Green

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is much written about the Suffering Servant passage in Isaiah and the Christ Hymn in Philippians. This dissertation examines the incarnational and Christological relationship between the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 52:13–53:12 and the Christ Hymn of Philippians 2:5–11. The common themes in both passages are incarnation, humiliation, obedient suffering, substitutionary atonement, exaltation, and divine vindication. This study also evaluates major scholarly interpretations regarding the identity of the Servant in Isaiah and the extent to which Paul intentionally appropriates Isaianic servant imagery in Philippians 2. While acknowledging the influence of Isaiah 45:23 on Philippians 2:9–11, this dissertation argues that Isaiah …

The Effect Of Covid-19 On Maryland Community College Students: Mental Health, Learning, And Environmental Challenges, Vickie R. Braxton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study will be to describe the lived experiences of minority students attending a community college in the state of Maryland during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theories guiding this study were Hobfoll’s Conservation Resources Theory as it focuses on the impact of a lack of external and internal resources on mental health when recovering from a prolonged disaster; the Theory of Transformative Learning as it focuses on how new learning processes affect cognitive abilities in different study environments; and The Theory of Connectivism as it focuses on how individuals learn digitally through experiences outside their control …

The Intersectionality Of Juvenile Justice And Education: A Comparative Study Of Educational Governance Typologies Within The Juvenile Justice System, Domonique Mckenzie-Charles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Each year, a number of youths find themselves at an intersection between the school-to-prison pipeline (SPP) and the criminal justice system. This research study examined the relationship between educational governance typologies of juvenile justice systems and juvenile recidivism in 10 U.S. states, with a centralized focus on the model of internalized governance. The purpose of this research study was to develop a comparative typology of educational governance through the evaluation of leadership structures, to assess the association between educational governance typologies and rehabilitative outcomes. The following comparative study discovered how educational governance typologies differ across states and whether these differences …

Improvisation, Ear Training, And Sight-Reading Ability In Class Piano Students, Kimberly Witt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Sight-reading is considered an essential functional piano skill for music majors and a component of keyboard proficiency exams in the university setting. While many studies have been completed on sight-reading over the years, research on developing sight-reading as a skill is lacking or incomplete. Additionally, conflicting results among studies have created uncertainty about how to develop sight-reading as a skill. Developing sight-reading skills is crucial for class piano students who need functional piano skills relevant to their future profession. Studying the correlation between improvisation, aural skills, and sight-reading development may show how sight-reading can be built as a skill and …

Keepers, Surfmen, Wives, And Daughters: A Gender And Kinship Study Of The United States Life-Saving Service In North Carolina, 1874-1915, Tammy M. Woodward

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Outer Banks of North Carolina is both a beautiful and dangerous place. Its region is filled with descendants of the Keepers and Surfmen who once manned the lifesaving stations that the federal government built along America’s coastlines. It is also home to one of the most dangerous stretches of American coastline known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The United States Life-Saving Service, established in 1871, was a government solution to the growing public outcry over the staggering number of deaths by shipwreck during the nineteenth century. While the Life-Saving Service has fostered a small but detailed historiography, its …

The Practical Application Of The Greatest Commandments In Mark 12:28–34: A Holistic Framework For Spiritual Formation, Mark R. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian spiritual formation is a field abundant in materials, resources, and programs to help people become fully devoted followers of God. Yet a disconnect appears to exist between the biblical concept of discipleship, which encompasses both a process and an event, and the lived reality of Christians in the United States today. A new model that lays the foundation for a new spiritual formation framework grounded in the practical application of the Greatest Commandments may be of benefit. This dissertation develops a model that includes orthodoxy and orthopraxy to apply the Greatest Commandments in an easy-to-understand framework in a practical, …

Building And Sustaining Foundations That Ground The Faithful: Helping Young Adults Stay Connected To Faith And The Church, Abe Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Today’s prevailing cultural philosophy is lost in a malaise of confusion and deception. Children and young adults from Christian homes and churches are being lured by these deceptions. Even churched students and graduates from Christian schools (like Colorado Springs Christian School) are hemorrhaging from the body of Christ at unacceptable levels. This DMin thesis project report demonstrates that, on a continuum of touchpoints in the spiritual formation journey, Camp Elim staff and Gap Year programs are an effective model for those seeking to restore young adults, ages eighteen to twenty-nine, to fulfilling, rich, and committed involvement in the body of …

An Examination And Demonstration Of Bildungsroman As A Plot Type, Eric Holmes

Masters Theses

This thesis focuses on plot types for Bildungsromane, commonly called a coming-of-age novels. This story theme was first described two hundred years ago, and since, the definition has transformed, broadened and segmentized. However, making a specific plot type for a Bildungsroman, is not commonly discussed. This thesis identifies two distinct plot types which have been used multiple times in Bildungsromane. The first plot type is based on a protagonist who has not fully matured and suffers through a lack or flaw in maturity. The second plot type has the protagonist embark in a journey and matures and gains wisdom on …

20260820: Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity, 1948-1950, Student Organizations

Guides to University Archives

These items include materials from the office of Student Organizations at Marshall University from 1948-1950. Items were received at an unknown date and include notable materials from or about Greek organization Alpha Sigma Phi. Items include a publication "The Sigs Phinal, Beta-Delta Chapter." This is not an exhaustive list. Please download the finding aid for a full list of contents.

2026-08-20 Pac-26 Revision Draft, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

A revision draft of PAc-26 submitted for review by the Faculty Senate on August 20, 2026.

2026-08-20 Faculty Regent's Report, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

A report submitted by the Faculty Senate Regent to the Faculty Senate on August 20, 2026.

2026-08-20 Faculty Senate Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate meeting minutes from April 26, 2026.

The Lived Work Experiences Of Doctorally Prepared Nurse Educators, Misty Dawn Smith

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The nursing profession faces a complex workforce crisis marked by a persistent nursing shortage, early career attrition, and a growing number of nurses nearing retirement (Auerbach et al., 2022). This is compounded by a shortage of nurse educators, which limits the ability to train future nurses (Fang et al., 2020). With fewer nurse educators available, replenishing the nursing workforce becomes increasingly difficult.

From 2020-2024, the top issues affecting academic nurse educator vacancies included noncompetitive salaries, difficulty finding educators with the right specialty mix, and a limited pool of doctorally prepared nurse educators (Harvey et al., 2025). Doctoral degrees are highly …

Draft Final 2023 Reclamation Improvement Sites Sampling: Bres No. 17 – Paymaster Dump Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

This Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) Reclamation Improvement (RI) Site Evaluation Summary Report (SESR) presents results of soil sampling conducted on October 11, 2023, at the Butte Reclamation Evaluation System (BRES) No. 17 – Paymaster Dump Site and adjacent areas (referred to herein as Site) within the BPSOU. The BPSOU Consent Decree (CD) (referred to herein as BPSOU CD; EPA, 2020) Appendix D, Attachment C Further Remedial Elements Scope of Work (FRESOW) prescribed further evaluation of sites reclaimed prior to establishment of the Butte Hill Revegetation Specifications (BHRS) (Appendix A to the BPSOU CD), which were initially established in …

Final 2022 Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Sampling: Bres No. 16 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

This Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) Insufficiently Reclaimed (IR) Site Evaluation Summary Report (SESR) presents results of soil sampling conducted on August 12, 2022, at the IR source area Butte Reclamation Evaluation System (BRES) No. 16 – Curry Site and adjacent areas (referred to herein as Site) within the BPSOU. The BPSOU Consent Decree (CD) required further evaluation of this IR Site since reclamation was conducted in 1991, prior to establishment of the Butte Hill Revegetation Specifications (BHRS) (EPA, 2020) and because the Site did not meet BRES requirements during the 2017 assessment performed by the Clark Fork Watershed …

Castillo V. Atkinson, Watkins & Hoffmann, Llp, 142 Nev. Adv. Op. 54 (Aug. 20, 2026), Shannon Chapman

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

Attorney fees are capped under NRS 7.095 when the substance of the claim sounds in professional negligence under Limprasert, regardless of claim title.

8933 Square Knot Trust, A Nevada Trust, Appellant V. The Bank Of New York Mellon, 142 Nev. Adv. Op. 56 (Aug. 20, 2026), William Fischer

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

Under NRCP 12(g)(2), additional motions for dismissal may not be filed unless for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction or the arguments were preserved at initial filing. Subject-matter jurisdiction is determined at the onset of a proceeding.

Legislature Of The State Of Nevada V. Elko County, 142 Nev. Adv. Op. 57 (Aug. 20, 2026), Lillian Fitzpatrick

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

In Legislature of the State of Nevada v. Elko County, the Nevada Supreme Court struck down a school-funding tax mandate whose population range fit exactly one county—holding that a statute need not name Elko County to target it.

Las Vegas Police Protective Association V. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Citizen Review Board, 142 Nev. Adv. Op. 55 (Aug. 20, 2026), Enya Dinca

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

Under Las Vegas Police Protective Association v. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Citizen Review Board, the CRB must identify officers under review on public meeting agendas, and officers lack a nontrivial privacy interest in names and badge numbers that are already publicly disclosed.

Deamicis V. State Of Nevada, 142 Nev. Adv. Op. 53 (August 20, 2026), Khadija Bhatti

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

Under NRS 200.471(1)(a)(2), a defendant may be convicted of assault for each person the defendant intentionally places in reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm.

Near-Field Acoustic Microscope With Normal Force Metrology Capability, Kacharat Supichayanggoon

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation introduces quartz tuning fork (QTF) based Shear-force Near-field Acoustic Microscopy (SANM) and Whispering Gallery Acoustic Microscopy (WGAS) systems, upgraded this time with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) capability to also monitor the vertical force component involved in shear force interactions. This enhanced system aims at studying nano-sized confined fluids under shear, with an emphasis on finding correlations between the fluid's a) viscoelastic properties and b) near-field acoustic wave emission capability. In the current SANM/WGAS/AFM system addressed here, the confined fluid is constituted by the water meniscus that bridges the gap between the apex of a laterally …

Developing Field And Spaceflight Microscopy, Nikki Johnston

Dissertations and Theses

Designing for spaceflight favors the reduction of unnecessary features and cost-cutting, whether thisbe computation, hardware, or procedure. Resources are spent toward fortification and mission success over convenience. Such design goals paired with the relatively smaller budgets of academia lead us to do as much as we can in-house and use open-source as much as we can without compromising mission success. We also believe that thoroughly testing technology in extreme environments on earth is necessary for the success of a flight instrument. We focus on microscopy for life detection. I have spent my time here learning methods of hand-building microscopes to …

Toward Design-To-Fabrication Continuum For Open-Source Computational Robotic Ecologies In The Post-Anthropogenic Era, Celso Urroz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computational design and robotic fabrication have expanded architecture’s capacity to coordinate geometry, material behavior, machine operation, and environmental performance. Yet many design-to-fabrication workflows remain structured by industrial logics of separation, standardization, and control. Design is often abstracted from material execution, fabrication is treated as a downstream phase, and robotic systems remain concentrated within specialized or proprietary infrastructures. This dissertation addresses this problem by proposing the design-to-fabrication continuum as an open, transferable, and ecologically situated framework in which computation mediates among design intent, matter, machine, environment, and shared technical knowledge.

The research uses a practice-based methodology combining computational workflow development, material …

Effects Of A Standardized Anesthesia Nursing Curriculum On Training Outcomes, Pin-Hsuan Chen, Hsueh-Hsing Pan

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: Following the integration of anesthesia nursing into Taiwan’s national nurse practitioner system in 2020, a standardized and outcome-oriented training curriculum has become essential. Historically, anesthesia nursing education varied across institutions, resulting in inconsistencies in training quality. This study examined how training duration and instructional hours influence academic, technical, and competency-based outcomes among anesthesia nursing trainees.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 30 anesthesia nursing trainees from three training groups between 2022 and 2025. Group A (n = 17) and Group C (n = 8) completed a 12-month curriculum with 266–288 instructional hours, whereas Group B (n = 5) completed a …

The Nurses’ Perceptions Of Shared Governance, Psychological Empowerment, And Turnover Intention, Emma Maniago Aquino-Maneja, Linda Searle Leach, Hong Li, Juli Mcginnis

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: A major challenge in healthcare is the significant shortage of experienced nurses. Although evidence shows that shared governance (SG) is a key strategy for retaining nurses, gaps remain in understanding its relationship and predictive pathways to psychological empowerment (PE) and turnover intention (TI).

Purpose: The study explored the relationships and predictive pathways among nurses' perceptions of SG, PE, and TI in acute care hospitals. It also aimed to compare how nurse leaders (NLs) and clinical nurses (CNs) perceive these factors, and to examine the influence of their socio-demographic characteristics on these perceptions.

Method: The study employed a descriptive, correlational, …