Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Experiences Of Hispanic/Latine Graduate Students In Unco’S Audiology And Speech-Language Pathology Programs Within A Hispanic-Serving Institution Context: Qualitative Thematic Analysis From A Moderated Focus Group, Ashley Fuhrman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Existing literature has examined workforce diversity in healthcare as a factor that may shape patient rapport and the delivery of culturally responsive, patient-centered care. Given the increasing demand for audiologists (AuDs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with diverse and multilingual backgrounds, it is important to understand how graduate programs prepare students to serve linguistically and culturally diverse populations. This qualitative study examines the experiences of Hispanic/Latine graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), a recently designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). The study explores students’ perceptions of training, support, and experiences in serving diverse populations. …

"Some Women Make It Look So Easy": An Analysis Of Jenny Offill's Fragmentary Novels And Their Critique Of Postfeminist Sensibility, Kimberly Crooks

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Jenny Offill’s novels Dept. of Speculation and Weather are each narrated by a woman who exists in a postfeminist era that insists upon the achievability of a happy work-life balance. Despite the lofty career aspirations now afforded to women, the protagonists find themselves burdened by the gendered responsibilities that disproportionately hold them responsible for domestic duties, childcare, and emotional labor. Both protagonists use a fragmented narrative style to convey their consciousness, and the texts are composed of hundreds of short fragments that include memories, self-reflections, philosophical musings, lines of poetry, fun facts, questions, and more. While the narratives do not …

Conversation Made 'Easy' In The Classroom: The Problem With Women's Education In Nineteenth Century New Jersey, Rebecca Bienskie Jackson

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Born in 1877, Rose McDonough grew up in Montclair, New Jersey. She learned French in a local school inside a Congregational Church, and by 1920 was a private teacher. This thesis recovers information about Rose McDonough’s life through a single archival object: Easy Conversations In French, by Gustave Choquet and published by New York’s George R. Lockwood & Son, in 1854. Housed in the Montclair History Center, Rose’s penciled marginalia is scattered throughout. Using book history as the primary methodology, this thesis reads the material object of the schoolbook, marks left by its reader, along with Census records, historic maps, …

"I Exist In Triple": Parisian Influence, And The Three-Way Split In James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room (1956), Paloma Lupino

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

James Baldwin's novel Giovanni's Room was received as a rebellion against his cohort of ex-patriate Black writers due to its entirely white cast. This thesis investigates how the Parisian influence of the Black writers in Paris served as inspiration for the creation of Baldwin’s second publication. The use of racial frameworks progresses the discussion of a different topic: queerness. Giovanni’s Room will be explored in the following ways: Paris as the internal environment of the novel and Baldwin's backdrop in the novel's creation, the conversation of ex-patriate Black writers, feminism, intersectionality, hygiene as queerness, and a three-way split of consciousness. …

In Praise Of Antony's Folly: The Triumph Of Foolishness In Shakespeare's Antony And Cleopatra, Michael Anthony Rombola

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Antony and Cleopatra has long been regarded as a play about shame. Underlying this reading there have been several assumptions, namely that Antony's shame is justified and that Cleopatra's influence is destructive. These beliefs are rooted largely in the historical treatment of Cleopatra, particularly that of Plutarch, who advanced the view that the Queen of Egypt destroyed a formerly great man. In this paper, I argue that the opposite is true: that Shakespeare's Cleopatra, far from destroying Antony, actually helps to liberate him from the tyranny of Roman expectation. In the course of my analysis, I examine two competing sets …

The Tones And Frequencies Of A Glockenspiel, Edward Czudak

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In this thesis, I will analyze the tones and frequencies of a glockenspiel based on the results of Warburton’s 1954 article, “The Vibration Of Rectangular Plates,” [12]. I will be measuring and modeling the frequencies of a glockenspiel and connect them with the analytical and expected numerical solutions. The solutions will be based on the plate equation along with the boundary conditions of a rectangle free on all edges. I will look at the high modes of vibration for the bars and their corresponding overtones in the acoustic spectrum.

An Invasion Of The Intimate Sphere: The Manipulation Of Libido Under Totalitarian Regimes, Elyssa Lucero

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This paper examines the temporal nature of libidinal control in the totalitarian systems represented in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Arguing that the most enduring forms of domination operate through the reorganization of desire, the essay explores how regimes intervene in familial, romantic, and social attachments to redirect affective energy towards the state. Orwell depicts a primitive, reactive phase of control in which attachments are violently ruptured, whereas Huxley imagines an advanced system that operates through preemption, never allowing attachments to form. Drawing on Freud’s theory of redirected libido, Berlant’s theory of Cruel Optimism, Marxist …

Navigating Faith And Sexuality: Christian Pastors' Experiences In Providing Pastoral Care For Lgbtq+ Youth, Keith I. Raymond

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Within the Christian context, religion and sexuality are often cultural factors that shape the identity development of LGBTQ+ youth, with congregational stance (affirming, tolerant, non–affirming) and individual religiosity/spirituality serving as protective or risk factors (Crockett et al., 2018; Raedel et al., 2020; Yarhouse & Sadusky, 2021). Christian pastors’ theology, relational ministry approach, and pastoral skills influence how they engage with and care for queer youth, yet the professional ties between pastors and LGBTQ+ youth remain underrepresented in counseling literature. Guided by queer theory, this qualitative case study examined how Christian pastors understand and navigate pastoral care for LGBTQ+ youth within …

Is Design A Form Of Caregiving?, Sidney Jordan

Interior Design Capstones

This thesis challenges the traditional hierarchy of clinical architecture, which historically prioritizes patient outcomes while overlooking the practitioner’s human experience. By investigating whether environmental design can act as a form of caregiving, this research addresses the critical gap between the physiological demands of healthcare labor and the holistic needs of the people performing it. The project argues that burnout is not just a result of high-stakes medicine, but is actively produced by physical layouts and a workplace culture that treats providers as parts of a machine rather than valued individuals. The methodological framework utilizes a tri-layered approach to bridge the …

Designing For Emotion: Reframing The Design Of Cancer Care Environments Through A Cinematic Lens, Alexis Booher

Interior Design Capstones

This capstone explores how cinematic design principles and techniques can inform interior design to shape spaces that support emotional well-being and human connection. Focusing on cancer care spaces, the project addresses the inherently emotional nature of these environments, where emotional impact is often underemphasized in traditional healthcare design, highlighting a critical gap this project aims to address. Drawing from cinema and environmental psychology, this project analyzes how film constructs emotional experiences through visual techniques and translates these principles into the built environment in order to prioritize emotionally supportive design within cancer care spaces. The outcome demonstrates the potential of reframing …

Design For Death, Serena Domsic

Interior Design Capstones

Although cemeteries are the eternal final resting places for countless souls, the design and purpose of burial grounds are often rudimentary and their impact has turned obsolete throughout the years. Cemeteries have become forgotten in the community landscape and are perceived as sinister and morbid through the eyes of modern American culture. Because encounters with death have dwindled for most of the population, many people ignore developing their beliefs about death and how to cope with loss until they are in the midst of emotional distress. This capstone project proposes an enhanced cemetery design that engages the community so individuals …

Unity In Design: Life As An Immigrant In The Built Environment, Julia Sainz

Interior Design Capstones

In the United States, Latinx immigrant communities often face social and systemic challenges that contribute to heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and displacement. While the built environment plays a critical role in shaping emotional and social well-being, architectural and interior design practices frequently overlook the lived experiences and cultural identities of these populations. This study explores how culturally responsive and participatory design strategies can foster safety, access, and empowerment for Latinx immigrants. By examining the intersection of migration, identity, and the built environment, this project proposes design as a tool for community resilience, cultural expression, and holistic well-being.

Where Do We Go: Rethinking Public Libraries, Emma Jouppi

Interior Design Capstones

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors contributing to the decline in public library visits and to identify practical strategies for increasing community engagement with library spaces. Public libraries have long served as accessible, inclusive environments for learning, technology access, and social connection. However, recent years have shown a decline in visitation, raising important questions about public perception, awareness, and accessibility. This research seeks to better understand how these factors intersect and what can be done to strengthen the role of libraries as vital third spaces within their communities.

This study aims to bridge the gap between …

Spring 2026 Title Of Blueprints For The Mind: How The Design Of Public Built Environment Impacts The Mental Health Of Youth, Faith Holton

Interior Design Capstones

Blueprints for the Mind investigates how public built environments influence the mental health of youth, with attention to rising rates of anxiety, depression. Through a multidisciplinary approach bridging environmental psychology, public health, interior architecture, and usercentered design, this project identifies the environmental factors shaping young people’s emotional well-being. Findings reveal that sensory conditions such as lighting, acoustics, layout, materiality, and predictability directly affect youth comfort, focus, and emotional regulation. Field research with students (ages 13–15) and an expert interview with licensed social worker Carmen Ortega-Cline further demonstrate that overstimulating, crowded, or unclear environments heighten stress, while semi-private, naturally lit, and …

Through The Lens Of Zoology, Madalyn Haun

Interior Design Capstones

Current zoo and sanctuary models often fail to meet the complex psychological, behavioral, and spatial needs of endangered and rehabilitated wildlife, resulting in chronic stress and welfare compromises. Beyond the Cage presents a transformation approach to zoological design, shifting the paradigm from entertainment-based displays to a “welfare-first” philosophy. This book argues that effective captive care requires expansive, species-appropriate habitats that facilitate natural behaviors, rather than merely simulating natural aesthetics. Through the lens of modern zoology, this work explores the implementation of groundbreaking exhibit re-creation, focusing on habitat enlargement, precise climate change control, and innovative environmental enrichment. A central pillar of …

Designing Across Generations: Bridging The Gap Through Ecclesiastical Architecture, Aurora Thompson

Interior Design Capstones

The purpose of this capstone project is to develop an intergenerational worship environment that reinforces a sense of unity and harmony among the generations through intentional design strategies. This work addresses the widening generational gap within religious communities and responds to the growing departure of younger generations who often feel unseen or disconnected within traditional church settings. By integrating generational preferences into the architectural and experiential components of the worship space, the project seeks to create an environment where all age groups feel represented, valued, and spiritually engaged. Situated within the context of increasing religious disaffiliation, this project highlights the …

A Gift For The Emperor DawāʾIr Al-ʿUlūm Wa-Jadāwil Al-Ruqūm, A Mediaeval Graphic Encyclopaedia Of The 19th Century, Juan Acevedo, Inês Bénard Da Costa

Abdou Filali-Ansary Occasional Paper Series

The recent discovery of a 19th-century Arabic manuscript in the Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon, initiated a period of intense collaboration between the Museum and the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, culminating in the 2023–24 exhibition ‘Power of the Word V: Circles of Knowledge.’ The first part of this article describes the manuscript, while the second part looks at its contents, a striking visual encyclopaedia, mostly from Safavid sources, entitled Tuḥfat al-Khāqān: Dawāʾir al-ʿUlūm wa-Jadāwil al-Ruqūm (A Gift for the Emperor: Circles of Sciences and Tables of Numerals). Its sections range from cosmogony and alphanumeric cosmology to geography, geomancy and the …

The Bridge, Bridgewater State University

the bridge

No abstract provided.

(De)Composing Transhumanisms: Fungal And Trans Ecologies In Jeff Vandermeer's Annihilation, Miles Nives Qapevewni Enriquez-Morales

English (MA) Theses

This thesis project analyzes the novel Annihilation (2014) by Jeff VanderMeer and situates the biologist’s transformation and transition in the book in a trans ecological framework. By expanding on foundational texts such as Jackson Jesse Nash’s “‘I Am Not Returning Home’: A Transgender Reading of Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation”, this paper argues that representations of fungus in Annihilation present a possibility for trans futurity rooted in transformation, ecological entanglement, and a rejection of binary thought. Additional articles from Transgender Studies Quarterly and A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies orient this fungal transformation in the larger framework of rejecting normative …

The Rise Of Romantasy: Female Desire, Monstrous Feminists, Fairy Tale Ideology, And Societal Panic, Rachel Stucki

English (MA) Theses

This thesis argues that the contemporary rise of Romantasy is not merely a publishing trend but a significant literary and cultural development through which female desire, agency, and subjectivity are being renegotiated. Tracing a historical continuum across Gothic horror, fairy tale discourse, and contemporary fantasy romance, I contend that patriarchal ideology has long constructed women according to a restrictive binary: either silent and compliant, or monstrous and punishable. Drawing on theorists including Jack Zipes, Barbara Creed, Cristina Santos, Maria Tatar, Louis Althusser, and Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock, this project examines how literary forms have both reflected and reinforced cultural anxieties surrounding …

Quality Control: A Process For Vendor Digitized Av Assets, Kathryn Reagan

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This poster delineates the process of quality control for vendor digitized audio-visual assets from congressional collections and examines the significance of this practice for archives more broadly. The steps outlined include selecting items from the collection inventory, preparing and reboxing for digitization, and rehousing the original materials when they come back from the vendor. The creation of a quality control checklist and evaluation of each item is examined more closely.     Likewise, the poster quantifies the scale of this project; Given the size of political collections, the items were sent to a vendor to be digitized as part of an NHPRC …

The Log Cabin | Public Perception And Mediated Reality (1840 – 1980), Aspen M. Regan

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

This capstone examines the evolution of the log cabin from 1840 to 1980. At its core, the project questions the legacy of the log cabin from its origins as simply being a traditional dwelling typology to its establishment as a cultural icon or rather, an enduring vessel that established the American Dream and ideals of self-reliance, freedom, and individualism deep within the heart of American culture.

Chapter One situates the log cabin historically and architecturally, defining the popular frontier dwelling as being a single-pen horizontal log constructed cabin. It then explores the cabin’s emergence as a cultural image through political …

Exploring Social Emotional Learning Competencies In Middle School Theatre Education, Katherine J. Mullins

Honors Theses

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a method of education in which students are taught to grow in multifaceted ways. Students learn and grow as more than just students in their respective subjects, they grow in emotional intelligence, empathy, and interpersonal skills as well. SEL is not always easy to incorporate into teaching practices, but it tends to lend itself well to a theatre education setting. In a middle school specific setting, SEL and theatre-based activities yield positive results in student competencies both in and out of the classroom. In this research, through comparative analysis and reflective inquiry, I aim to …

Expanding The Vocabulary Of Staff Notation By Notating The Vocal Instrument, Ryan J. Berry

Honors Theses

The aspects of vocal music performance that are often the most engaging, expressive, and creative cannot be conveyed with the established vocabulary of staff notation. Consequently, discussion of artistic choices is limited to oral or written-word formats that are neither internationally interpretable or widely shared. This research proposes a remedy by creating notation symbols for the larynx, tongue, and formants so the movements of a singer's instrument can be described in staff notation. These symbols, along with the International Phonetic Alphabet, were applied to four performances to highlight specific artistic choices. Additionally, this paper discusses the history of vocal sheet …

Romantasy's Inevitable Lasting Legacy, Devon T. Gibson

Honors Theses

The “romantasy” subgenre of YA literature has become influential for its novel combination of romance and fantasy as well as its popularity on Booktok, the book-based subsection of the popular social media app, Tiktok. This connection has become somewhat infamous in popular culture and has been underresearched due to how recently both concepts became significant forces within the publishing industry. This thesis argues that romantasy is a novel and lasting YA subgenre that is not dependent on Booktok to maintain it. The analysis of Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015) and Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing (2023) …

The Culture Of The Convent: How Recruitment Shapes Success In Religious Life, Elizabeth A. Minneci

Honors Theses

Catholic nuns in the United States have experienced a substantial decline in membership, with an 80% decrease in new members from 1965 to 2023 (CARA, 2023). Sisters impact their communities in a multitude of ways, often through education or volunteerism efforts (CCUSA, 2026; Levin, 2011; Sisters of Mercy, 2025). Previous research on Catholic nuns has not qualitatively explored Catholic nuns’ recruitment efforts, with most research providing quantitative data insights (CARA). Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify the recruitment methods convents utilize to identify pain points and avenues for improvement. Seven religious sisters were recruited for this study. …

The Ethical Imperative To Shift Toward A More Equitable Literary Education, Eleanor L. Bryant

Honors Theses

Choices governing canon formation have material, emotional, and intellectual consequences. Within canon formation, authors of different social identities, consistent with macrosocial power differentials, are unequally valued and shape cultural consciousness about which texts are aesthetically and intellectually valuable. It’s important to recognize canon formation as a process of unequally distributing cultural capital and knowledge production. The strategies and imperatives outlined here are basic first steps toward utilizing the classroom as a site to counter misogyny, racism, classism, colonialism, and homophobia. This project aims not only to deepen understanding of the sociological conditions of canon formation but also to impose an …

Proud To Be Lao: Examining Lao American Identity Through Transnational Music And Performance, Zechary Phouthavong

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For some time, Lao popular music has not received the same global recognition as other genres emerging out of Asia, such as K-Pop and Bollywood. In recent years, however, Lao-pop artists like Thinlamphone and Zamio P have broken onto the global stage, with music that showcases a unique blend of traditional Lao instrumentation with hip-hop, pop, and R&B styles. This emerging trend is particularly poignant for Lao Americans, as Lao-pop allows for Lao Americans to negotiate their experiences of being both Lao and American, further signifying its importance to constructing identity. This thesis explores the unique process of Lao Americans …

Here’S To Screaming And Healing: An Exploration Of Women’S Intergenerational Experienced Trauma Through Performance, Bellah Noelle Crawford

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis contains a glimpse into the inner workings of my process as an actor in approaching the role of Hecuba in The Trojan Women, the application of process in performance, script analysis, and the relevancy of the play’s thematic content as it relates to my artistry, womanhood, and our modern world. Additionally, I will offer insight into the creation of my one person show – Mr. Sandman. I will discuss the inspiration that curated the play, how it finds societal relevancy, and the performative aspect of cultivating a solo theatrical piece. It includes the lineage between both productions and …

Perseus Interim Evaluation Report, Data Innovation Project, University Of Southern Maine

Publications

The Data Innovation Project (DIP) from the University of Southern Maine’s Catherine Cutler Institute serves as the external evaluator for the USDA NIFA SAS-funded Promoting Economic Resilience and Sustainability of the Eastern U.S. Forests (PERSEUS) project. This project is a joint effort between Purdue University, the University of Georgia, and the University of Maine. The DIP supports the project in assessing its progress, implementation, and emerging impacts through data collection from project participants and systematic document review (i.e. annual USDA reports, personnel lists, and meeting notes). This includes synthesizing quantitative and qualitative data and incorporating these metrics into independent evaluation …