Digital Commons Network^™

Disney's American Mulan, Sofia Diascro

CAFE Symposium 2026

In America, we are taught that we should live for ourselves. We are told we have personal freedom to be an individual and do what we want. Ancient China prioritized collectivism, an idea deeply rooted in Confucianism. Collectivism is about hierarchy, family, duty, and obligation. Disney’s Mulan movies differ from the Chinese legend of Mulan by emphasizing American values of individuality and self-discovery.

Beyond The Gpa: What Your Gpa Really Means, Su Nguyen, Erick Leiva, Azzurra Bitti

CAFE Symposium 2026

The project applies sociological concepts to analyze the function of the Grade Point Average (GPA) in student life. This analysis focuses on three areas: understanding why some students attribute significant meaning to GPA while others do not; investigating the broader societal implications of this metric’s existence; and examining the appropriate approach to this seemingly objective measurement.

Learning For “Serious Employment”: Reinforcing The Social Hierarchy Through Anna Barbauld And John Aikin’S “Things To Be Learned”, Grace Sewell

CAFE Symposium 2026

This poster will explore the role of class in Anna Barbauld and John Aikin’s short story “Things To Be Learned.” “Things To Be Learned” was published in the early 19th century and follows a dialogue between mother and daughter as the two discuss the importance of education. It will be argued that through their use of practical diction, lack of interesting visual components, and rigid didactic structure, Barbauld and Aikin aim to promote the maintenance of a social hierarchy based on class. Additionally, an exploration of Anna Barbauld's own thoughts on female education will be included to develop this analysis.

Trouble In Paradise: Paul And Virginia‘S Snapshot Of Limited Enlightenment Progressivism, Henna Neilson

CAFE Symposium 2026

This project analyzes the 1788 children's story "Paul and Virginia" by Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre. Written in the pastoral literary genre, it tells the star-crossed love story of Paul and Virginia, childhood friends who live on the French colony Île-de-France (present-day Mauritius). The work exemplifies many highlights of the Enlightenment progressivism, socializing its young readers to criticize the oppressive class systems in Europe. However, the work is limited by the physiocratic view of slavery, which maintained that the slave trade was justified if the enslaved humans were treated "humanely". As a result, Paul and Virginia's slavery plot line includes problematic …

A Godless Greek Mythology: The Desecration Of Greek Mythology For Children, Vanessa Russo

CAFE Symposium 2026

This project analyzes how Nathaniel Hawthorne’s A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys (1851) socialized young American readers by immersing them in a fictitious New England Utopia. While some scholars assert that Wonder Book represents a shift from the didactic nature of nineteenth century children's literature to a style that prioritized entertainment and fostered imaginative play, Hawthorne’s rewriting, or rather his desecration, of six classic Greek Myths certainly had moral undertones that reaffirmed a simplistic Puritan ideal: a pure relationship with the Christian God, women embracing the ideology of the cult of domesticity and staying out of the political sphere, …

Expedition To The Public Lands: Northeastern Us, Andrew Distasi

CAFE Symposium 2026

This project takes you to 4 types of America's Public Lands: National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Seashore, and National Forests. This trip takes place through a two-week period and three states. I will visit Cape Cod National Seashore, White Mountain National Forest, Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and it will end in Acadia National Park. At each stop on the trip, I will be looking at "What to Do", the "History", and "Logistics" of each place. There is also one data analysis, done for Acadia National Park. Lastly, I also go over a unique management issue involving White …

Waters At Risk: Preventive Methods Against Cyanobacteria Blooms In Rhode Island, Ryan Boline

CAFE Symposium 2026

This project analyzes the rise of cyanobacteria blooms in Rhode Island freshwater systems and identifies a policy gap in the state’s largely reactive management approach. Drawing on state reports and interviews with environmental experts, it highlights nutrient runoff, climate change, and limited public education as key drivers of bloom severity. To address this gap, I developed a prevention-focused public education poster designed for integration into existing state alert and outreach systems.

The Future Of West African Cacao Farming, Kathryn Lesniewski

CAFE Symposium 2026

This poster covers the detrimental impact climate change has had on the West African cacao farming industry. It also covers long and short term solutions to climate change, and how the global chocolate market has been impacted by climate change.

Mamma Mia! What Nostalgia!, Asher Leuzzi

CAFE Symposium 2026

An analysis of Phyllida Lloyd's Mamma Mia!, and how it relates to Authentic Rock Culture. Discusses the power of nostalgia, demonstrating that it can be either a positive or negative force. Generally, sound used within this film helps display energy and emotional truth, which allows for complex themes to be revealed.

An Exploration Of The Public Lands: Kaibab National Forest, Glen Canyon Nra, Zion National Park, And Desert Nwr, Patrick Tobin

CAFE Symposium 2026

An exploration of a few of America's public lands shows how our views on nature can shape how and why we protect lands. In the Southwest, we see the ideas of "nature as commodity" and "nature as pristine and unchanging" pop up time and again. These main ideas are necessary in how we view the public lands, and how we enjoy them.

Paternalism Vs. Progress: Chile Under Michelle Bachelet, Sasha Ilchenko

CAFE Symposium 2026

Following the end of Pinochet's dictatorial rule of Chile, the country became a presidential system in which voters could elect their representatives. Michelle Bachelet was elected as Chile's first female president in 2006, and, in 2014, she was reelected for a second term. I aim to compare how her gender influenced her policymaking decisions and the public's reaction to her presidency as well as how those two themes differed between Bachelet's two terms.

Post-Traumatic Stress And Post-Traumatic Growth: A Literary Lens On Trauma, Meaning, And Survival, Audrey Gruben

CAFE Symposium 2026

This project examines how literature provides insight into these differing trauma responses by comparing Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl and Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Drawing on contemporary psychological frameworks of PTSD and PTG, this analysis argues that psychological distress and growth are not mutually exclusive responses to trauma. Instead, they can coexist along a spectrum shaped by meaning-making, responsibility, avoidance, and engagement with suffering.

Faster Than Light, Slower Than Morality, Celena Glaghassi

CAFE Symposium 2026

A philosophical analysis of how Necropolitics by Achille Mbembe and Black Reconstruction in America by W.E.B. DuBois relate to the Reverse Flash and his overall message.

Hercules In Myth And Animation: Masculinity And Heroism, Noah Bautista

CAFE Symposium 2026

Disney's Hercules is a model man in today's society who combines the best aspects of both masculinity and femininity. In the myths, however, Hercules was much different and did not act as such a bridge between femininity and masculinity at the time. Through other scholarly works, the way that masculinity, heroism, and instrumentalization are presented and used is examined. Mythological Herakles is found to be a much more aggressive archetype of a man rather than Hercules, who is based upon strength in moderation and a more social society. Each fit into the ideals of the society they come from, perpetuating …

Longest Marriage In The World: Is Chocolate The Secret To Love?, Simon Brown

CAFE Symposium 2026

Although chocolate has always represented love in some facets, its expression has manifested into something poetic since its founding over 50 centuries ago. This poeticizing of chocolate's relationship with love was formed through the transportation of chocolate from Mesoamerica to Europe, and Europe to America. Whether it’s through Valentines Day, forgiveness gifts, or just a sweet treat added to a nice card, chocolate has become a token of appreciation usable for almost every occasion. Examining the timeline of affection created through both cacao and chocolate, this paper will explore chocolates’ transition from a food of lust to a gift of …

The Need For Accessible Cpr Training, Madilyn Cataloni

CAFE Symposium 2026

For my project, I researched how CPR certification can affect an emergency response. From this, I researched Gettysburg College's CPR certification requirements for different departments. I then brainstormed different plans to make CPR certification more accessible to students and employees.

Beyond The Chessboard: How Chess Participation Can Improve Cognitive Performance, Siddiquee Siyam

CAFE Symposium 2026

When I arrived at Gettysburg College, it was quite disappointing to me as a chess enthusiast that there was no platform to unite all players on campus. I took the initiative to address this issue by establishing the Gettysburg College Chess Federation (GCCF), only to realize that the GCCF’s activities could also be expanded to address a broader issue. With my first-year seminar (FYS) focusing on changemaking, I decided to turn my passion into my class project, implementing concrete work beyond the theoretical arena to not only promote chess on campus but also to start a teaching program with K-6 …

Life Beyond The Set: A Philosophical Analysis Of Existentialism In The Truman Show, Sharlene Almanzar

CAFE Symposium 2026

This paper aims to examine The Truman Show (1998) through the existentialist ideas of philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, with particular attention to his concepts of freedom, bad faith, and self-creation, while also exploring the existentialist themes previously articulated by philosophers such as Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. The Truman Show serves as an allegory of existential freedom, demonstrating throughout that individuals are not born with an innate, fixed nature, but rather continually define themselves through their choices, ultimately illustrating Sartre’s principle that “existence precedes essence”. The concluding realization of the main character, Truman Burbank, that his world is an elaborate illusion embodies that …

The Virginia Monument: Dedication, Duty, And Dispute In Gettysburg, Thomas Geuther

CAFE Symposium 2026

This project provides an overview of the Virginia Monument located on West Confederate Avenue in Gettysburg. This includes the history of the monument, the creation process, challenges, and controversies found in both the past and present. The establishment of the Virginia Monument provides context for an American nation that found itself recovering from civil war while simultaneously preparing for a new test of determination and highlights the dispute surrounding Confederate monuments in the country.

Hydrangeas And Its Cultural Significance At Gettysburg College, Lyz An

CAFE Symposium 2026

Hydrangeas, along with many other botanical plants, are often taken for granted. While originally used for landscaping methods, they also teach us the importance of warmth and influence the way we feel about certain environments in which they grow in. At Gettysburg College, these hydrangeas may not be intentionally grown at specific locations but play a dominant role in the way we connect with it.

Comparing Sociological Suicide Studies In The 1800s To Psychological Suicide Studies Now, Amanda Mic

CAFE Symposium 2026

Sociology can look at the numbers and explain to us the physical, concrete facts about when, where, and how suicides happen, but psychology gives us an explanation as to why it happens. This project looks into the ways that 19th century societal stigmas around suicide caused inaccuracies in the statistics that sociologists studied, and therefore their findings, as well as the abundance of discoveries on suicide and mental conditions by psychologists in more recent times.

South Carolina Monument At Gettysburg, Brayden Danbury

CAFE Symposium 2026

This poster details the context, inscription, and dedication surrounding the South Carolina monument at Gettysburg, and its ties to the memory of the Civil War.

Hillary Rodham Clinton's Roadblocks To Political Power, Molly Hayter

CAFE Symposium 2026

My research delves into how Hillary Rodham Clinton's political career was impacted by misogyny and gendered backlash. She was represented unequally in the media in comparison to male politicians and faced criticism for displaying both male and female characteristics, yet she did not let her focus on gendered policy decisions fade as she tackled foreign policy in her role as Secretary of State.

Music As Memory And Narrative In American Graffiti And Dazed And Confused, Jacob Tone

CAFE Symposium 2026

This poster explores how George Lucas’s American Graffiti (1973) and Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused (1993) utilize popular music as a narrative tool to define the evolution of American youth culture. By examining the shift from the unified, diegetic radio culture of 1962 to the fragmented, ironic rock pastiche of 1976, the research highlights how Lucas creates a "communal identity" rooted in sincerity while Linklater captures the "disillusionment" of a generation adrift. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that these soundtracks are not mere background elements but serve as vital cultural archives that mediate between history and cinematic memory, shaping the way …

Instilling Patriotism And Prejudice Through Game Of Battles Or Fun For Boys, Gabby Gavaghan

CAFE Symposium 2026

For my Poster Project, I dove into the underlying socialization and indoctrination embedded within a board game from 1899 called "Game of Battles or Fun For Boys." I explored the overwhelming messages of toxic masculinity, the encouragement of enlisting in the military, and the lack of representation of women and African Americans.

In Memoriam: Michael Barnes, Professor Emeritus Of Religious Studies, Dave Larsen

College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom

Michael “Mike” Barnes joined the UD faculty in 1968 and taught for 50 years as a professor in the Department of Religious Studies and Honors program.

Marianist Three O'Clock Prayer Cards, University Of Dayton. Marian Library

Reports and Promotional Materials

Printable prayer cards (English and Spanish) with Marianist Three O'Clock Prayer on verso; printed with the permission of the Marianist Province of the United States. Front of card has a photo of the Crucifixion detail in the “Mirror of Hope,” by Kevin Hanna, 2000.

2025 State Of Nonprofits And Philanthropy Annual Report, Tessa Tinkler, Cristina Sanchez-Kerr, Laura Deitrick, Eo Hanabusa, Bryan Cardenas, Timothy Nelson, William Piper

State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy in San Diego

The 2025 State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy in San Diego examines how federal policy changes, funding volatility, and rising community needs are reshaping the region’s nonprofit sector. Drawing on survey data from nonprofit leaders and employees, public opinion polling, and financial and employment analysis, the report provides an early assessment of the sector’s financial health, workforce capacity, and its role as a primary access point for services such as housing, food, education, healthcare, and the arts. It highlights mounting pressures on nonprofit infrastructure alongside the sector’s enduring strengths in public trust, collaboration, advocacy, and shared investment strategies that will shape …

In Memory Of Mr. Ed Kelly, Office Of The President, East Tennessee State University

ETSU Obituaries

Dear ETSU Community,

With great appreciation for a life of service, I share the sad news of the passing of Ed Kelly, a longtime colleague and friend to many on our campus.

A native of Western New York, Ed called East Tennessee home, as he served for 22 years as the General Counsel at ETSU. From 1997 to 2019, Ed handled some of the most difficult and sensitive issues on our campus in his role as University Counsel. He mediated and resolved disputes involving employment matters, negotiated leases and contracts, and, drawing on his own background in law enforcement, worked …

2026 February 11 - Undergraduate Curriculum Council Minutes, Undergraduate Curriculum Council, East Tennessee State University

Undergraduate Curriculum Council Minutes

No abstract provided.