Digital Commons Network^™

Kenyon Collegiate - February 20, 2026

Kenyon Collegiate

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Impact Of Team Culture In High-Pressure Jobs, Such As Investment Banking And Consulting, And How Project Management Can Be Applied, Mayavathi Lal

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Toxic team cultures remain a pressing issue in high-pressure environments such as investment banking and consulting, where long hours, and hierarchical norms often undermine employee well-being and compromise project delivery. Previous studies have documented how workplace stress, exclusionary leadership, and cultural rigidity fuel burnout and turnover. However, limited research has explicitly examined these cultural dynamics through the lens of project management frameworks such as resource management, stakeholder engagement, and agile practices. This study employs a qualitative research approach by leveraging semi-structured interviews with analysts and associates, to capture the lived experiences of culture and its impact on team coordination and …

What Matters Most? Novel Findings From An Innovative Measure Of Coworker Interrelations On Nursing Units, Lynn Varagona, Nancy Ballard

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Coworker support improves trust¹ and decreases or prevents nurses’ stress,² anxiety, or burnout.^3,4 Lack of teamwork and cohesion among coworkers can lead to nurses’ stress, burnout, disengagement, and turnover.⁵ The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index, a widely used measure, does not capture coworker interrelations. Team virtuousness, a work environment in which virtues and character strengths (routes to displaying virtues) are practiced, supported, and encouraged⁵ improves coworker interrelations. People on virtuous teams feel safe, grateful, positive, and supported by one another;^6,7 view work as more meaningful; are more engaged; and are …

Quality Improvement Project: Effectiveness Of Staff Education On Fall Prevention, Theresa Oahre Okoyomo

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Falls increase injury and mortality rates and decrease patients' quality of life. Hospital falls also incur enormous financial burdens on hospitals. In 2008, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) stopped reimbursing hospitals for fall-related injuries. The problem addressed in this quality improvement project was staff confidence in fall prevention and hospital fall rates. The purpose is to improve staff confidence and reduce fall rates by 95 % within six weeks. The 2025 CDC/STEADI Algorithm for Fall Risk Screening, Assessment, and Intervention was the program of choice because it aligns with the hospital's fall-prevention policy. This project design is …

The Ballot Question: Citizen Initiatives, Institutions, And The Policy Process, Ty Rhoads

Dissertations

State-level policymaking remains undertheorized relative to its federal counterpart, particularly in states where institutionalized direct democracy creates a parallel channel for policy change outside the legislature. This dissertation develops a novel theoretical framework for the state policy process by adapting punctuated equilibrium theory to American state politics, integrating it with party cartel theory and the concept of legislative policy monopolies. The central argument is that citizen initiatives and legislative referrals are structurally distinct policy venues whose ideological profiles, policy magnitudes, and electoral dynamics are systematically shaped by the partisan context of the legislature. Using Missouri as a case study spanning …

A Qualitative Research Study Exploring Icu Nurses' Resilience During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Teenu Xavier, Rebecca C. Lee

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

ICU nurses faced numerous demands and adversities during the COVID-19 pandemic that significantly impacted their well-being. Developing strategies to promote resilience was crucial for ICU nurses to overcome these workplace adversities. The purpose of this study was to explore the strategies used by ICU nurses to promote their resilience and cope with the additional stressors brought on by the pandemic. Two theories provided the overarching theoretical framework which guided this study. These are Polk's middle-range theory of resilience A Focused Ethnographical approach provided the overarching framework for this research project. ICU nurses working in adult ICUs who had cared for …

The Role Of Campus Symbols In College Student Belonging: A Photo-Elicitation And Photovoice Qualitative Study, Abigail W. Bradley-Tyler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the impact of campus symbols on the sense of belonging among second-year students at a public, four-year institution in Florida. This topic is relevant as there is a lack of research about positive or neutral campus symbols. Using sense of belonging and symbolic interactionism as theoretical frameworks, this study investigates how students interpret and emotionally connect with university symbols, including campus mascots, monuments, personnel, and campus traditions and rituals. Using photo-elicitation and photovoice interviews, participants engaged with photographs of official university symbols and captured images representing their campus experience. Using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis, the …

Fort Hays State University Tiger Weekly, February 20, 2026, University Relations

Tiger Weekly Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Cover

Catholic University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Improving Structured Handoff Documentation In A Pediatric Emergency Department, Deborah Hammett, Rebecca Matta, Jody Kieffer, Jillian Savage, Courtney Nelson

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: The I-PASS handoff tool guides provider handoffs and reduces adverse events in the inpatient setting. Transitions of care occur frequently in the emergency department (ED), and the unpredictable environment can lead to less structured handoffs. Our goal was to increase the percentage of handoff notes that include all 4 I-PASS components by 20% within 6 months.

METHODS: We developed a handoff note template for the pediatric ED that included 4 key I-PASS elements: illness severity, patient care summary, action list, and situational awareness/contingency planning. Our primary outcome measure was the percentage of handoff notes that contained all 4 I-PASS …

Agenda (2-20-2026), California State University, San Bernardino - Associated Students, Incorporated

Associated Students, Incorporated records

No abstract provided.

Minutes (2-20-2026), California State University, San Bernardino - Associated Students, Incorporated

Associated Students, Incorporated records

No abstract provided.

The Drosophila Him Gene Is Essential For Adult Muscle Function And Muscle Stem Cell Maintenance, Robert Mitchell-Gee, Robert Hoff, Kumar Vishal, Daniel Hancock, Sam Mckitrick, Cristina V. Newnes-Querejeta, Antonio Aguayo, David Liotta, Jennifer A. Waters, Ty Anna L. Lovato, Richard M. Cripps, Michael V. Taylor

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Muscle stem cells (MuSCs), or “satellite cells,” are vital for vertebrate muscle growth, homeostasis, and repair. The discovery of analogous cells in Drosophila opens experimental opportunities in this genetically tractable model. Here, we show that the myogenic inhibitor gene Him, as well as being expressed in the myoblasts that form the flight and jump muscles, is expressed in flight muscle MuSCs. This makes Him only the second marker of these insect adult MuSCs. Furthermore, Him mutants exhibit disrupted jump muscle organization, impaired jumping ability, and a reduced pool of flight muscle myoblasts. In the flight muscles themselves, Him mutants show …

Depressive Symptoms Predict Cannabis Initiation Among Mexican American Young Adults, Srishty Arora, Caroline North, C. Nathan Marti, Seth J. Schwartz, Bara S. Bataineh, Liza Talavera-Garza, Alexandra Loukas, Anna Wilkinson

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Background: Factors contributing to cannabis initiation among Hispanic young adults remain understudied. Methods: We examined the independent and interactive roles of depressive symptoms, family cohesion, and family conflict on cannabis initiation one year later among 616 18-29-year-old cannabis-naïve Mexican American college students in Texas. Results: Mixed-effects logistic regressions indicated that greater depressive symptoms predicted cannabis initiation one year later. Neither family cohesion nor family conflict moderated the depressive symptoms-cannabis initiation association. Conclusion: Mexican American young adults experiencing depressive symptoms may initiate cannabis use to cope with emotional distress. Additional research should examine the factors that drive cannabis initiation in this …

Uranium Chemical Compound Classification Using Sub-Images And Statistical Machine Learning For Nuclear Forensics, Lee C. Lambert, Brett J. Borghetti, Abigail A. Bickley

Faculty Publications

Uranium particle analysis from Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) imagery is a crucial tool in nuclear forensics. The particle morphology lexicon proposed by Tamasi et al. in J Radioanal Nucl Chem 307, 1611–1619 (2016) follows a standardized, manual identification process to identify particle morphology features. The present work seeks to mirror this methodology using computer feature selection from the scikit-image Python library rather than human classification. Using a random forest classifier, a 56% overall uranium true positive classification accuracy (a 39.6% balanced classification accuracy) was achieved on a test set outperforming a naïve (chance) model by 48%. The methodology introduced splits …

Convocation Recital: February 20, 2026, Illinois State University School Of Music

School of Music Programs

This is the ninety-ninth program of the 2025-2026 season.

Kemp Recital Hall

February 20, 2026

Friday Afternoon

1:00 p.m.

A Holistic Modelling Framework For Functionally Safe Software Architectures In Embedded Control Systems, Thomas Barth

Doctoral

Embedded control systems are integral to most modern electrified products and an essential backbone of ongoing digitalisation [1]. In this context, these systems increasingly perform safety-critical functions where failures can lead to severe personal injury, environmental damage, or significant economic loss [2]. Consequently, they fall more often within the scope of regulation such as IEC 61508 and its derivatives [3]. At the same time, driven by hardware evolution and market demands, embedded control systems continue to grow in both integration density and functional complexity [4]. These demands necessitate structured development methods that balance compliance with cost-efficiency and development agility. A …

Nahuatl Club | Classical Nahuatl Workshop, Language Learning Center

LAII Events

Join the Nahuatl Club for a classical Nahuatl workshop at the Language Learning Center.

Sustaining A Healthy Work Environment With Leadership Staff Rounds, Sarojini V. Seemungal

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Globally, HCWs have reported worsened mental health since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the well-being of 51% of healthcare workers (HCWs). In 2020, Mental Health America reported that 93% of HCWs experienced stress, 86% experienced anxiety, 76% reported feeling burned out, and 75% felt overwhelmed.

Problem: A 2023 employee engagement survey, conducted at a Certified Home Health Agency, revealed 72% overall favorability among HCWs. The lowest favorability rating was related to managing work and personal life (52.3%), feeling supported to do the job (60%), and receiving recognition from one’s manager at (61.2%).

Methods: …

Really Thrilling Location System (Rtls Real-Time Location System) Adds Value To Hospital Nurses, Linda R. Dicarlo, Deirdre O'Flaherty, Gregg Husk, Tammy Ng, Maureen Dennis, Royce Varghese

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Learning Outcomes: The learner will be able to: understand the usage of an RTLS system in asset management, and how nursing engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration drive value, increase satisfaction and safety, save time and money.

Identify the Pertinent Desired Outcome/Objectives: The learner will be able to understand the functions of RTLS.

While this application may not be feasible for all organizations, empowering nurses to engage with other disciplines, focus on identifying issues, propose workflows, implement, and evaluate solutions to make the best use of their valued time.is.

Methods: Literature review. RTLS pilot at a 450-bed hospital, created a training …

The Important Context Of The Nurse Manager Practice Environment And The Link To Outcomes, Martha L. Grubaugh

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

PURPOSE/AIM: The purpose of this research study was to test the relationships between the Nurse Manager Practice Environment (NMPE) and Nurse Manager (NM) outcomes such as job satisfaction (JS), reason for leaving (RFL), and career recommendation (CR).

BACKGROUND: The NM is in a pivotal role and their leadership helps cultivate a positive practice environment that ultimately impacts patient safety and quality patient outcomes. The healthcare system has become increasingly complex, and consequently the role of the NM has become more stressful and demanding; only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many NMs will leave or have left their positions because …

Exploring Moral Distress In Icu Nurse Practitioners: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study, Steven L. Bocchese

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Nurse Practitioners (NPs) working in the intensive care environment experience clinical and operational anxiety, such as moral distress. Moral distress occurs when an individual knows the ethically correct action but cannot take it due to internal or external constraints or violation of their professional core values. Causal factors of moral distress in nursing include inadequate staffing, prolonged patient pain and suffering, ethical conflicts in end-of-life care, lack of transparency and false hope, disruptive or aggressive family, and ineffective leadership. Historically, nurses have experienced moral distress at higher levels than other healthcare professionals, especially those in intensive care units (ICU). Because …

Journey To A Heart Safe Community, Mary Mccormack, Carole Zarcone, Kendra Hoepper, Dorothy Veron

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

The sudden loss of life is a traumatic event inflicting devastating and lasting impacts on families and communities. It has been estimated that more than 350,000 episodes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) occur annually in the United States (Virani et al., 2021); however, being that there is no nationwide mandatory reporting system, this number may be a gross underrepresentation of reality. The majority of OHCA occur residential homes and in the community setting. Survival rates are heavily dependent upon provision of immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation with neurologic damage occurring within 5 minutes (Brooks et al., 2022).

Unfortunately, the …

The Beacon, February 20, 2026, Beacon Staff

The Beacon, 2025-2026

Local musicians put stamp on valentine’s day; Perspectives through the decades: 1960s; Joint flute and vocal student recital; Sony continues run of great animation with “GOAT”; “Wuthering Heights” soundtrack more faithful than film; Godzilla concert theme is more than it seems; Senior practicum: social work majors; Club Spotlight: Swing Dance Line Dance; OC sightseeing: Dutch Heritage Museum; Reaching new heights at NW; Why you should play “Dwarf Fortress; Overwatch dominates in 2026 games; Raiders win again as postseason approaches; Raiders finish strong in final indoor meets; The Winter Olympic’s scandals; Apocalypse now: upcoming chapel series on Revelation

Human Microglia In Brain Assembloids Display Region-Specific Diversity And Respond To Hyperexcitable Neurons Carrying Scn2a Mutation, Jiaxiang Wu, Xiaoling Chen, Jingliang Zhang, Kyle Wettschurack, Morgan Robinson, Weihao Li, Yuanrui Zhao, Ye-Eun Yoo, Brody A Deming, Yue Shu, Akila D Abeyaratna, Zhefu Que, Dongshu Du, Matthew Tegtmeyer, Chongli Yuan, William C Skarnes, Zhong-Yin Zhang, Jean-Christophe Rochet, Long-Jun Wu, Yang Yang

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Microglia critically shape neuronal circuit development and function, yet their region-specific properties and roles in distinct circuits of the human brain remain poorly understood. In this study, we generated region-specific brain organoids (cortical, striatal, and midbrain), each integrated with human microglia, to fill this critical gap. Single-cell RNA sequencing uncovered six distinct microglial subtypes exhibiting unique regional signatures, including a subtype highly enriched for the GABAB receptor gene within striatal organoids. To investigate the contributions of microglia to neural circuitry, we created microglia-incorporated midbrain-striatal assembloids, modeling a core circuit node for many neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism. Using chemogenetics to activate …

From Waitlist To Activation: Exploring Patient Barriers And Team Interactions In Kidney Transplant Readiness, Judith I. Eguzoikpe

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Kidney transplant candidates frequently experience prolonged inactive waitlist status due to incomplete readiness requirements, yet limited understanding exists regarding how patient barriers and team interactions intersect to influence activation timelines. This transcendental-phenomenological study explored how patient barriers and team dynamics contribute to delays in kidney transplant readiness, guided by Team Theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 participants (8 patients, 8 healthcare professionals) between December 2025 and February 2026. Data were analyzed using systematic phenomenological methods to identify patterns that address patient barriers, team interaction effects, and the teamwork improvements needed for earlier activation. Five interconnected themes emerged: Navigating a …

Modulation Of Α-Synuclein Oligomer And Aggregate Populations By Ph And Metal Ions, Josephine C Ferreon, Allan Chris M Ferreon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

α-Synuclein (α-syn) aggregation underlies synucleinopathies, yet the physicochemical determinants that govern which assembly states form under defined solution conditions remain incompletely resolved. Here, we examine how pH and metal ions reshape α-syn self-assembly. Across acidic and physiological pH conditions, α-syn populates monomeric, nanoscale oligomeric, and mesoscale aggregate states whose relative abundances evolve over time. Fluorescence microscopy reveals robust mesoscale assembly at pH 5, minimal aggregation at pH 7, and transient assemblies at pH 3, highlighting the limitations of imaging-based detection alone. Therefore, we use dynamic light scattering (DLS) to resolve oligomeric populations and quantify pH-dependent redistribution of assembly mass. Toxicity-mitigating …

Improving Stakeholder Communications Practices: A Quantitative Study On The Relational Communication Between Clinical Research Coordinators And Research, Oreofeoluwa F. Adeniji

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Communication plays an essential part in the responsibilities of the clinical research coordinator’s position. Challenges in communicating with stakeholders during clinical trials can disrupt the study timeline, its outcomes, and the success of the trial. Clinical research coordinators often experience these challenges when interacting with internal stakeholders, such as principal investigators, and external stakeholders, including sponsors. This quantitative correlational study will examine whether clinical research coordinators can utilize project management communication practices to improve their stakeholder interactions. Data from 32 clinical research coordinators will be collected using SurveyMonkey and analyzed. The study results will fill gaps in the literature on …

Enhancing Risk Governance In Agile Settings: Toward An Integrated Agile Framework For Strategic Risk Alignment, Mohammed Shaik

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Agile project management is widely used in dynamic and regulated environments because of its adaptability and iterative delivery (Beck et al., 2001). However, Agile teams often rely on informal risk practices that may limit visibility into enterprise-level risks (Stare, 2014). In contrast, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) frameworks provide structured oversight aligned with strategic objectives (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission [COSO], 2017), yet they are frequently viewed as fast-paced project settings. This misalignment creates governance challenges for organizations operating in complex environments.

This study examined how Agile practices can be integrated with ERM frameworks to strengthen strategic risk …

The Role Of Stakeholder Management In The Adaptive Reuse Of Historic Buildings: Balancing Social, Economic, And Community Interests, Karina G. Iavarone

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

The adaptive reuse of historic buildings has emerged as a vital strategy for sustainable urban development. While such projects can preserve cultural heritage, revitalize communities, and stimulate economic growth, they often face significant challenges due to competing stakeholder priorities. The central problem addressed in this study is the lack of effective stakeholder management in adaptive reuse initiatives, which can result in project delays, inflated costs, and outcomes that overlook social sustainability.

The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive study was to explore how stakeholder management practices influence the success of adaptive reuse projects by balancing social, economic, and community interests. Three …