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Allen County, Kentucky African American Wwi Soldiers, Department Of Library Special Collections

Research Collections

No abstract provided.

Toddlers, Investors, And Tax Policy, Lauren Shores Pelikan

Faculty Publications

There is a continuing childcare crisis that worsens every year. Congress has historically used tax incentives aimed at parents and employers to try to alleviate the lack of affordable childcare. However, with private equity's increasing investment in the childcare sector, this Article advocates for an entirely new approach: Congress should encourage more people to work in the childcare sector by enacting a tax benefit for the individual childcare service provider.

Childcare is a broken market. The labor-intensive nature of the industry results in razor thin profit margins, and wages remain low due to entrenched racial and gender norms. There is …

Turning Risks Of Cheating With Ai Into Opportunities For Better Teaching, John M. Lande

Faculty Publications

Many law school faculty are concerned that students may misuse artificial intelligence (AI) tools to undermine their learning and violate academic integrity policies.  Although some students will inevitably cheat, faculty can reduce the risk – and improve student learning – by rethinking assignment design and classroom communication.

This article frames the risk of AI-related cheating as an opportunity for pedagogical improvement.  It offers practical strategies to help faculty design assignments that enhance student learning, promote good decision-making, discourage inappropriate AI use, and foster responsible AI literacy.  It outlines approaches consistent with the ABA’s new requirement for formative assessment throughout the …

The Bankruptcy Judge And The Generalist Tradition, Alexander Gouzoules

Faculty Publications

The prevailing academic consensus is that bankruptcy judges are specialists presiding over specialized courts. This Article contends that this description is incomplete and, in some respects, inaccurate. Drawing on scholarly models of judicial specialization and historical surveys of the field, this Article contends that bankruptcy judges reflect a hybrid design choice: procedural specialization combined with substantive generalism. This model delivers many of the observed benefits of judicial specialization (including efficiency and technical competence) while preserving the cross-pollination of ideas and other benefits associated with the generalist tradition of American judging.

This Article also reflects on contemporary developments—most notably the rise …

Anticancer Efficacy Of Methyl-Cantharidimide (Mca) In Liver Cancer, Yidong Li

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is still one of the major public health challenges worldwide to the present day. Multi-drug resistance (MDR) that occurs in cancer chemotherapies is a non-negligible cause of cancer treatment failure and tumor recurrence. Overexpression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters is one of the most frequent mechanisms of MDR occurrence. Therefore, the establishment of a chemotherapy agent whose anticancer efficacy would not be affected by the overexpression of ABC transporters is in demand. Methyl-cantharidimide (MCA), a cantharidin (CTD) analog, has been approved in China for clinical liver cancer treatment. This study revealed that MCA was efficacious in the ABCB1-, ABCG2-mediated …

Evaluation Of Pulmonary Toxicity To Inhaled Erbium Oxide Nanoparticles In Golden Syrian Hamsters, Randy Liang

Theses and Dissertations

Erbium oxide nanoparticles (Er2O3 NPs) are used in various products from simple pottery to semiconductors and such usage leads to an elevated risk of accidental occupational exposure. In the present study, the pulmonary toxicity of Er2O3 NPs was assessed by examining tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from the lungs of Golden Syrian Hamsters following inhalation exposure. The study’s goal was to determine the severity and mechanism of toxicity upon exposure to inhaled Er2O3 NPs. Animals were divided into 4 groups all being exposed for 4 hours a day for 8 days: Group-1: room air, Group-2: vehicle control (water), Group-3: …

Evaluation Of The Mechanism Of Cell Death After Exposure To Amorphous Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles In Rat Pleural Mesothelial Cells And Golden Syrian Hamsters, Rachel P. Renda

Theses and Dissertations

Amorphous Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) are widely used in the industrial processes, chemical, and cosmetics industries. Amorphous SiO2 NPs are abundant in the earth’s crust and can be released into the air through industrial and manufacturing activities. Such particles are overlooked and not as commonly studied when compared to their crystalline counterpart. Amorphous SiO2 NPs are pulmonary toxicants; however, the mechanism of toxicity is uncertain. In the current study, toxicity was assessed using both in vitro and in vivo systems to understand a possible mechanism of cell death. Rat Pleural Mesothelial Cells (RPMCs) were exposed to 50-800 μg/ml SiO2 …

The Impact Of Social Media On The Occurrence And Prevalence Of Stress And Anxiety On College Students, Pushpita Paul

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the ways that social media affects stress and anxiety levels within college students. A self-administered, anonymous survey was used to assess college students’ perceptions of social media’s impact on mental health. The 14- item survey included questions on social media use, stress, anxiety, social interaction, and demographics. Data were collected both online and in person at St. John’s University. Online surveys were shared through student groups using Google Forms. In-person surveys were conducted at campus locations such as the cafeteria, student lounge, library, and events. Each survey took about 5–10 minutes to …

Utilizing A Genetically Diverse Species To Investigate Gene-Drug Interactions And Drug Efficacy, Jerry Nawongbay Gbarlea

Theses and Dissertations

Gene-drug interactions are fundamental to understanding variability in drug response and therapeutic efficacy. In this project, we leverage the natural genetic divergence between ecotype morphs of the blind Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus) to investigate differential responses to neuroactive compounds—specifically, the convulsant pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) and the anxiolytic Buspirone Hydrochloride. Astyanax Mexicanus is a tetra species consisting of both surface-dwelling (ancestral) and cave-dwelling (mutant) populations that have highly variable genetic backgrounds. Independently evolved populations of cavefish exhibit a suite of convergent traits that can be functionally interrogated to discover new genetic functions and interactions. These attributes make A. mexicanus an ideal model …

Mass Tourism And Sustainability Discourses: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Stakeholder Communication Across The Canary Islands, Iceland, And Puerto Rico, Carmen Collins

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes 123 websites from the Canary Islands, Iceland, and Puerto Rico, each including an equal number of tourism businesses, environmental organizations, and governments from each region, to examine the rhetorical digital communication strategies used and the textual differences between these websites. Thematic analysis was the methodology employed in this study. Ten themes were found inductively from the data, which are: 1) economic value framing, 2) cultural identity and heritage, 3) technological mediation, 4) inspiring guilt, awe, and urgency, 5) sustainability as an instrument, 6) intergenerational responsibility, 7) global versus local contestations, 8) accessibility and inclusion, 9) transparency and …

Advising With Heart: How Institutional Selectivity And Size Shape Emotional Labor In Higher Education Academic Advising, Dallas W. Maddox

Theses and Dissertations

Academic advising serves as a vital bridge between students and their educational experiences and success, yet the emotional complexities of this meaningful work remain underexplored. This mixed-methods study examined how institutional selectivity and size influence emotional labor awareness and application among academic advisors, addressing a critical gap in understanding the human dimensions of advising relationships. The research explored whether advisors at smaller, selective institutions demonstrate enhanced emotional labor competencies compared to colleagues at larger, more inclusive institutions. Eleven dedicated academic advisors participated in this study, representing experienced professionals with 5-17 years of advising experience across four institutional categories defined by …

Deconstructing Shifting Narratives: Critical Discourse Analysis Of Terminology Trends In Unfpa’S State Of World Population Reports (1978-2024), Naqib A. Noory

Theses and Dissertations

Rooted in both scholarly inquiry and lived experience in global development, this study explored how language shapes power, inclusion, and representation. It analyzed the evolution of population and development discourse in UNFPA’s State of World Population reports (1978–2024) using Fairclough’s Level 1 Critical Discourse Analysis framework. Giddens’ Structuration Theory provided a broader lens linking linguistic change to the interaction between institutional structures and human agency. A theory-based coding framework, drawing on Malthusian, Senian, Spivakian, and MDG/SDG paradigms, guided the analysis of evolving discourse. Findings revealed a layered narrative: earlier scarcity framings persisted beneath newer development language; rights and empowerment rhetoric …

Peeking Behind The Veil Of The District-Level Literacy Leader: Does Research Match Reality?, Kristel R. Collins

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate district-level literacy leadership (DLLL), focusing on the leadership behaviors enacted by district-level literacy leaders, their alignment with the International Literacy Association Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals (2017), and their use of systems thinking principles to influence literacy improvement in K–12 settings. The study addressed a critical gap in the literature regarding how DLLLs function at the district level to mediate between policy and classroom practice. Participants included six DLLLs from Central Texas public school districts. All participants held advanced degrees, had at least two years of district-level literacy leadership experience, …

Exploring The Leadership Qualities Of Lgbtq+ School Administrators Through The Prism Of The Developmental Model Of The Closet, Andrew Mcintosh

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how LGBTQ+ school administrators perceive the influence of their lived experiences on their leadership qualities. Additionally, this study examined post-closet growth, closet adaptations, and how legal protections influence LGBTQ+ school administrators. A narrative methodology was employed to shed light on the lived experiences of participants. A mix of purposive, convenience, and snowball sampling was used for this study. The researcher recruited school administrators from public school districts and private schools located in the Northeastern United States. School administrators include positions such as assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, director, superintendent, and head of school. Eight participants took …

Investigating The Practicality Of Parent-Implemented Intervention In Literacy For Children With Autism Residing In Under-Resourced Communities, Chasidy P. Kennedy

Theses and Dissertations

The opportunity to learn how to read is a human right that should be available to all students. Developing strong reading skills significantly impacts a student’s quality of life, societal integration, and establishes the foundation for future academic success. Unfortunately, this belief is not always equally prioritized when it comes to educating students with developmental delays, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Students with ASD often face unfair assumptions about their abilities, leading to delays in exposure to literacy instruction. Additionally, students with ASD from under-resourced communities face increased challenges, as access to timely diagnosis, high-quality educational facilities, and supportive …

A Case Study On Implementing Culturally Responsive Sustaining Education: Tesol Teachers’ Perspectives On Supporting Caribbean Immigrant Ell Students, Barbara Delaleu

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) teachers implemented Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education (CRSE) practices to support Caribbean immigrant English Language Learners (ELLs) in suburban schools. Grounded in Ogbu’s cultural ecological theory and the CRSE framework, the study examined teachers’ beliefs, instructional practices, and professional experiences to understand how culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) influenced student engagement and academic growth. Eight middle school TESOL teachers who worked with Caribbean immigrant ELLs—speakers of Haitian Creole, Spanish, and English-based Creoles participated in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, …

An Exploration Of The Perceptions Of Black Women Leading Interscholastic Sports Programs, Leslie Zeelika Pieters-Klatsky

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the perceptions of Black women leading interscholastic sports programs. Prior research examined the underrepresentation of women in sports leadership, but no study has examined prejudice toward the Black woman in an interscholastic sports leadership role. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with Black women leading interscholastic athletics, using Kimberlé Crenshaw's intersectionality as a theoretical framework. This study sought to give voice to a select group of women who perceived being barred entry into the white-male-dominated field of interscholastic sports leadership by the Good Old Boys’ Network and the Good Old Girls’ …

Reading Between The Lines: Exploring How Technical High School Teachers Navigate Race And Neurodiversity Through Literacy Practices, Genesis A. Ryant

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study employed a hybrid hermeneutic phenomenological design to explore how technical high school teachers experienced and interpreted literacy instruction for Black and Brown neurodivergent students. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit), the research examined how educators’ perceptions, instructional practices, and collaborative relationships shaped access, equity, and empowerment in career and technical education contexts. Data was collected from seven academic and trade teachers through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, lesson artifacts, and reflective journals. Analysis followed Peoples’ (2020) hermeneutic explication process and Saldaña’s (2021) multi-cycle coding methods, integrating in vivo, process, and axial coding …

Servant Leadership And Student Achievement In High Schools: Graduation Rate And Regents Performance In Mathematics And English, Saida Rodriguez-Tabone

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative, correlational study examined how teachers’ and families’ perceptions of principals’ servant-leadership behaviors relate to student outcomes in New York City (NYC) public high schools. Guided by Greenleaf’s (1977) servant leadership theory, the study examined whether leadership grounded in purpose, empathy, and collaboration is associated with improved academic outcomes. Data were drawn from the 2022 NYC School Survey Reports for 122 schools across the five boroughs of NYC school district. Composite indices representing teacher- and family-perceived servant leadership served as predictors of three school level outcomes: 4-year graduation rate, Algebra I Regents proficiency, and English Language Arts (ELA) Regents …

Police Supervisor Selection Process And The Need For Uniformity In Practices To Improve Police Leadership In The Usa, Catrina M. Rhatigan

Theses and Dissertations

Effective police leadership is crucial to sustaining the culture shift in law enforcement. Leaders need to lead, and how the executive staff assess their leadership capabilities will determine whether they are up to the task. Police executives need to determine first what their motives are: to fill open supervisory spots? Promote the best leaders? This study and the results highlight the need to focus on the latter, identify the leadership qualities that best fit your department's needs, and work from there. A lack of oversight and inconsistent standards for police supervisors leads to poor policing and inadequate responses to significant …

First, But Not Alone: A Phenomenological Study Of Sibling Dynamics In First-Generation College Student Success, Alison Celaya

Theses and Dissertations

First-generation college students represent a significant and growing demographic within higher education, facing unique challenges in navigating their educational path. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of first-generation college students (FGCS) by focusing on their relationships with siblings and their influence on academic success. Prior research has primarily focused on the disadvantages faced by FGCS compared to their counterparts in continuing-generation college students. At the same time, little attention has been given to the differences among FGCS between the first sibling to attend college and those who follow older siblings into higher education. This study aimed to address that …

Initial Phonemic Awareness Instruction With Printed Words Compared To Oral-Only Instruction: Segmenting, Blending, And Letter–Sound Learning, Jill R. Zablocki

Theses and Dissertations

Two methods of instruction for blending and segmenting eight vowel-consonant words were compared to examine whether instruction that referenced printed words was beneficial during the initial stages of phonemic awareness instruction. Preschool children included in the study (N = 30, M = 4.4 years) could not fully segment any of the words and did not know the sounds of more than four of the nine included letters (M = 1.0 letter sound). Children were randomly assigned to either instruction that mapped the segmented and blended sounds in spoken words to the letters in printed words or similar oral-only instruction that …

The Role A Teacher’S Level Of Phonemic Awareness And Phonics Knowledge Plays In The Implementation Of Sound Wall Instruction In Early Childhood Classrooms, Molly Murtagh

Theses and Dissertations

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined the relationship between early elementary teachers’ knowledge of phonemic awareness and phonics and their implementation of sound wall instruction. Although sound walls are increasingly used to support systematic and explicit phonics instruction, little is known about how teachers’ linguistic knowledge influences the fidelity and quality of their implementation. Grounded in Adult Learning Theory and the Simple View of Reading, this study explored how teacher knowledge translates into classroom practice. The quantitative portion of the study required teachers to complete a knowledge survey to assess phonemic awareness and phonics knowledge to identify participants at various …

Perception Of Adoption Of Artificial Intelligence In Beginning Teachers’ Literacy Practices, Logan Krisl

Theses and Dissertations

The use of Artificial Intelligence, commonly known as AI, is becoming a common practice in the everyday lives and workplaces of many people around the world. This is true in the realm of education and schooling as well. With rapidly advancing technology, it is important to understand how first-year teachers are entering the workforce, including their abilities and understanding of AI's impact on their teaching practices. Using teacher interviews before and after the implementation of a professional development program around the Khanmigo AI system for educators, along with observations of professional development sessions, teacher reflection sheets, artifact analysis, and observations …

Rooted In Education: Defining And Exploring Characteristics Of School Learning Gardens And Their Influence On Student Development In Urban Settings, Jason Samuel Fuller

Theses and Dissertations

This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design, grounded in a constructionist framework, to investigate the educational significance and perceived impact of school learning gardens in urban settings. It examined the intended outcomes of various school garden models, including their contributions to academic achievement, health, community engagement, and social-emotional well-being. The study explored similarities and differences among school gardens and the perceptions of school administrators and garden facilitators regarding their value, as well as how garden design and characteristics relate to student experiences and educational goals. Quantitative data were drawn from publicly available sources, including the NYC DOE’s Sustainability …

A Qualitative Study On Teaching Strategies For Comprehension Of Ambiguous Language Among Adolescent English Language Learners, Gonzalo Grant Castro

Theses and Dissertations

Ambiguous language—words, phrases, or sentences with multiple meanings—often creates significant instructional challenges in English Language Development (ELD) classrooms. This qualitative case study, grounded in Vygotsky’s sociocognitive theory, investigates how four high school ELD teachers strategically employ scaffolding and social interactions to clarify such ambiguities. In this study, classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and detailed analyses of instructional artifacts served as key data sources. These methods provide a comprehensive picture of the classroom dynamics that shape teacher and student interactions, allowing for greater insight into the relationship between instructional strategies and the social context of learning. This study identifies critical elements that …

Exploring Elementary Students’ Perceptions Of Community-School Partnerships: Effect On Academic Motivation, Tolisa Khelawan

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study aims to explore the perceptions and experiences of elementary-aged students when participating in community-school partnerships to provide educators with strong methods of supporting students’ academic, social, and emotional development. The study is conducted in an elementary school in proximity to New York City that includes a diverse racial and ethnic demographic student body. The elementary school’s commitment to participating in community-school partnerships has prompted efforts to incorporate service-learning projects for the students. Through interviews, observations, and analysis of school documents, this study examines the experiences of students, teachers, parents, and the school leader during community service …

Digitization Project Guide For Local Institutions, Archives Development Program

Tennessee Archives Management Advisories

No abstract provided.

Examining First-Generation College Students’ Academic, Social, Emotional, And Financial Experiences During The Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) Pandemic, Anika Dorsey Good

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study investigates the experiences of Black first-generation college students enrolled at a two-year college in the Northeast region of the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study examines the narratives of a historically marginalized population in order to uncover the academic, social, and personal challenges they experienced due to the global health crisis. It also aims to explore the impacts, barriers, and resilience strategies of students through semi-structured interviews, reflective journal writing, and related artifacts. Research has shown that Black college students remain a historically underserved group enrolled in higher education. The Department of Education's National …

Exploring Academic Librarians Self-Perceived Teaching Attitudes And Practical Culturally Responsive Teaching (Crt) Strategies In Library Instruction, Jocelyn Castillo

Theses and Dissertations

As campuses continue to see an increase in students from various backgrounds, there is an interest in academic librarianship to explore the use of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) strategies in library instruction. Guided by self-perception theory, this quantitative study examined the relationship between the teaching attitudes of academic librarians and the years of teaching experience, and identified practical CRT strategies in library instruction particularly in undergraduate minority serving institutions in the United States. The teaching attitudes of academic librarians were measured using a modified version of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) capturing specific teaching tasks relevant to teaching …