Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Beasts Of Burden: Human Dignity And Roman Slavery In The Silver Age Latin Literature, William Deloach

Ex Sapientia Loqui

This article evaluates rhetoric used to describe enslaved persons in Petronius's Satyricon and Statius's Silvae through the lens of human dignity. Human dignity is evaluated through ancient and modern lenses, drawing upon Cicero's conception of civilitas and contemporary views by luminaries such as George Kateb and Michael Rosen. Silvae and Satyricon utilize conceptions of dignity to uplift the value of slaves, though in some cases the opposite is also observable. Overwhelmingly, the two works lean towards recognizing enslaved persons' dignity rather than rejecting it.

Galen Of Pergamum: Life, Literature, And Legacy, Elyse Rogers

Ex Sapientia Loqui

Galen of Pergamum was a second-century physician whose work had an enduring impact on the field of medicine. His extensive writings were the primary reference and teaching materials for the medical community for over a millennium. While his ideas were revolutionary for his time, they were eventually outdated. Nevertheless, there was a continued reliance on his authority, which hindered scientific advancement. Galen both advanced the world of medicine with his emphasis on observational analysis and constrained its progress through the profound dominance of his theories.

This paper aims to understand the life of Galen and the significance of his work …

Sacramental Intimations, Clara Kernodle

Ex Sapientia Loqui

No abstract provided.

Solitude And Busyness, Eliza Kuhlmann

Ex Sapientia Loqui

This essay addresses a prevalent problem in modern society: excessive and out-of-control busyness. It outlines some of the problems of busyness and then offers a solution---namely, solitude. Along with defining the phenomena, the benefits and practical applications of solitude are shared in an attempt to counteract some of the harms of busyness.

Christian Barbie: Exploring Biblical Themes In Greta Gerwig's "Barbie", Julia Howell

Ex Sapientia Loqui

The record-breaking and highly successful hit movie, Barbie, may have more depth than a simple film concerning a plastic doll. After carefully watching and studying, I have reached the firm conclusion that there are clear Biblical allusions throughout the Barbie movie. While one can ascertain these allusions using a Christian lens, it is important to highlight that the director of the film, Greta Gerwig, has confirmed her movie to be Biblically inspired due to her religious background. I believe it is important to seek how Christ is being reflected in film whether His reflection is intended by the creator or …

In The Shadow Of Justice: How The Mythos Of The Batman Balances Major Ethical Theories In His Pursuit Of Ideal Justice, Camille Bewley

Ex Sapientia Loqui

For more than eighty years, the Batman character has exhibited a unique synthesis of major theories of Justice, and through his experiences as a vigilante, exemplified the pursuit of the ideal virtue of Justice. Because virtue requires a lived example to be understood, Batman is one of the foundational stories fulfilling this need for one of collective society’s prominent pillars. Within the horror of Gotham City–a hyperbolic, fictional representation of urban corruption–Batman’s actions as a vigilante, walking a tightrope to maintain morality even above the law might not only be justified, but necessary. The Batman’s nature, balancing ethical theories and …

Hyssop, Joshua Williams

Ex Sapientia Loqui

No abstract provided.

Tactical Seagulls: A Multimedia Children's Story, Clara Showalter

Celebration of Research

This story is true. Well, sort of...

Tactical Seagulls is an in-process children's book that imaginatively and humorously (and yes, a tad chaotically) retells a true story about seagulls trying to steal food from beachgoers. But it's more than just a quirky story. Tactical Seagulls began its life as a means to help teach new vocabulary to children in a non-obvious and enjoyable way. Throughout the process, the vision for this book expanded into something more: it is intended to help revive the practice of the family read-aloud through the intentional incorporation of distinct character voices and personalities, expressive illustrations, …

The Intentional Soundtrack: Using Specific Music To Proactively Manage The Elementary Classroom, Meredith Sundberg, Angela Carlson, Carrie Thonstad

Celebration of Research

This research investigates how educators can intentionally use specific musical genres and tempos as reliable environmental cues to enhance student attention, engagement, and classroom management. While the general benefits of music in education are well-documented, this study seeks to identify which genres are most effective for specific instructional outcomes. While conducting a four-week comparative study across four second-grade classrooms, I evaluated the impact of upbeat and slow music during transitions, classical and pop music during independent spelling work, and classical, pop, and curriculum related music math brain breaks. Data was collected through observational rubrics, student surveys, and academic test scores. …

Ritual, Economy, And Social-Relational Impacts In The Church, Alexia M. Hanson, Dr. Jeremy Williams

Celebration of Research

Using ritual theory, understanding of economics in the Bible, and social-relational frameworks, this research explores the connections between ritual and economy in the Church. We ask: how does economy affect ritual and how does ritual affect economy? Biblical exegesis and an original survey are incorporated to get a real-world, practical sense of the impact of these questions, and their answers, have for the Church as a whole. The ritual focus of the research is on the practices of baptism and communion in the Church today. The social and relational aspects of these practices are also explored. How does the method, …

Water Feature Design For An Enemy Of The People, Rae Outland

Celebration of Research

The hot springs in the show An Enemy of the People is a crucial piece that is the main focus of the issue for the duration of the show. As the hot springs are never actually seen in the play, it was brought up in a design meeting that a water feature of sorts be made to show what the springs would look like, incorporate the audience, and invite them into the space we are creating.

This project took my blood, sweat, and tears--- all literally speaking. I had the privilege of unexpectedly getting to design in my freshmen year, …

Properties Design For The Little Prince, Ruthie Zimmerman

Celebration of Research

In designing properties for Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince, I aligned with the director's vision of lush minimalism by using clear silhouettes with rich color and texture. Props design is the thread holding together the work of the scenic designer, costume designer, and for this show, the puppet designer, so I followed their aesthetic choices and repeated colors, textures, and materials in order to build a tactile, believable world.

Projection Design For The Little Prince, Melissa Thompson

Celebration of Research

As the projections and scenic designer for Northwestern's February 2025 production of The Little Prince, I encountered many challenges and much unfamiliar territory. This project taught me complex projection mapping, digital media design principles, and communication in a team setting.

German Language And Dialects In The Bavarian-Swabian Region, Gabriel Sullivan

KU Inspires! Undergraduate Research Day

No abstract provided.

The Lives Of Others, An Art Installation, Gabriel Sullivan

KU Inspires! Undergraduate Research Day

No abstract provided.

"A Pre-Eminently Christian Life": The Seventh Earl Of Shaftesbury As A Guide For Modern Political Engagement, Clara Kernodle

Harding Undergraduate Research Conference

Society has suffered in the absence of Christian courage. Today, an antagonistic culture is feeding an increasingly antagonistic government. Christians do not know how to “win” – we do not even know how to engage. Rod Dreher's "The Benedict Option" encourages us to give up and retreat. Andrew Isker's "The Boniface Option" encourages warfare-style aggression. But Dreher’s and Isker’s approaches each take an aspect of the solution and expand it out of proportion. The proper solution is found in the historic Christian tradition. The Church has always understood her role within culture as one not of fear and loathing, but …

Beyond A Shadow Of A Doubt: Examining The Female Gothic In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein And Bram Stoker's Dracula, Delaney Harrington

Harding Undergraduate Research Conference

My paper explores the ideals of the Female Gothic subgenre present in Frankenstein and Dracula. Both are feminist works, though they go about this in unconventional ways. I analyze the characters as well as the narrative and context of these stories to prove that they espouse feminist ideals. These novels are perhaps two of the most famous in the gothic genre, and they have the potential to be mislabeled. My paper warns about the dangers of mislabeling these stories and argues for their feminist interpretations.

The Red Bag Of Distance: A Scene Analysis Of Anna Karenina’S Suicide, Camille Bewley

Harding Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

The Transformation Of Physical Archives In A Digital Age, Gabriel A. Stadler Mr.

Theses

Scholars involved in archival studies have increasingly examined how digitization has transformed the accessibility of archive collections. For example, Clifford Lynch, a leader in digital libraries and a computer scientist, argues that the development of institutional repositories emerged as a new strategy that allows universities to apply what he calls “serious, systematic leverage to accelerate changes taking place in scholarship and scholarly communication” (1). He later clarifies that he defines these institutional repositories as places that hold digital materials and are created by the institution. Similarly, archival theorists such as T.R. Schellenberg emphasize the research value of records and the …

Code-Switching Practices In The Nile Delta: A Comparative Study Of Linguistic Fluidity Among Gen Z And Gen X Efl Learners, Wesam Khairy Morsi

English Language and Literature

This study investigates code-switching as a form of linguistic fluidity among Egyptian EFL learners, focusing on how language practices are shaped by proficiency level, socio-cultural background, and generational positioning. Drawing on a convergent mixed-methods design, the research combines survey data from 154 participants with semi-structured interviews conducted with speakers from Generation Z and Generation X. Rather than treating code-switching as a random or deficient practice, the study situates it within established sociolinguistic theories that view language choice as socially meaningful, ideologically loaded, and deeply connected to identity construction. The findings reveal that advanced learners, particularly younger urban speakers, tend to …

Crossing The Border: A Participatory Action Research Project For The Brentwood Oaks Church Of Christ To Engage With Spanish-Speaking Neighbors Through Missional Hospitality, Charles Johanson

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

Throughout Scripture, hospitality occupies a central place in the mission of God. Welcoming the stranger across cultural barriers requires the church to practice missional hospitality by playing the role of host and, especially, guest in the neighborhood. Moreover, small group experimentation facilitates the innovation necessary to effectively practice missional hospitality. Through experimentation in cross-cultural situations, church members increase their awareness of cultural differences that leads to opportunities for the congregation to welcome neighbors in loving, sacrificial, and hospitable ways. Brentwood Oaks Church of Christ (BOCC) resides next to a neighborhood with a high population of Spanish-speaking immigrants. The goal of …

Conclusion: Dismantling The Doctrine Of Christian Discovery, Cultivating Right Relations, Philip P. Arnold

Religion - All Scholarship

This conclusion reaffirms the central thesis of the volume: the Doctrine of Christian Discovery (DoCD) is a persistent and pervasive system of domination, shaping legal, theological, and cultural structures that perpetuate Indigenous dispossession and white supremacy. Drawing upon scholarship and activism presented at the 2023 Syracuse University conference, the essays reveal how the DoCD is embedded in law, education, tourism, and national identity, sustaining the authority of settler colonialism. The contributors emphasize that true change requires more than legal reform; it demands metaphysical and cultural disobedience to the ideologies underpinning Christian empire and racial capitalism. Enacting justice calls for decolonial …

The Grizzly, April 16, 2026, Renee Washart, Adam Denn, Sidney Belleroche, Cassidy Denning, Dylan Mchugh, Erin Ewing, Erik Groff

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Graml Announced as President • Ursinus Dance Program Shift • Paige Dickerman '28 Receives St. Andrews Scholarship • Strusowski's Second Year Surge • From Player to Coach: Ursinus Alum Ryan DiVergilis • Opinion: The Missing LINQs • Ursinus Golf Swings for Improvement in 2026 • Ursinus Tennis Teams Tear Through Non-Conference Play

2025-2026 Faculty Masters Concert Ii, Lisa Leonard, Sheng Yuan Kuan, David Cole, Roberta Rust, Guillermo Figueroa

Faculty Recitals

No abstract provided.

Developing Text-To-Video Ai Workflows Through Creative Practice, Nathan S. Jensen

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

This creative practice project investigates the extent to which Gen-AI text-to-video tools can maintain coherence across a short multi-shot sequence rather than a single generated clip. This includes continuity in recurring characters, visual style, and simple narrative flow. Using a Creative Practice Scholarship framework and practice-based methodology, I developed Bush Friends, a proof-of-concept children’s television intro, as the artefact of experimentation. This  project combined concept development, storyboard planning, iterative prompting, AI video generation, and editorial assembly using ChatGPT (OpenAI, n.d.) for ideation and prompt development, Kling 3.0 Omni (KlingAI, n.d.) for video generation, and DaVinci Resolve 20 (Blackmagic Design, n.d.) …

Centering Christ In Classical Schools, Paul Griffioen

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Reviewed Title: Gospel Education: Jesus as Lord of the Classical Christian School by Nate Walker. BakerBooks, 2026. pp 208. ISBN: 978-1540906007

Women In The Workplace: Changing Pressures Of Appearance And Behavior, Riley E. Bubacz

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

Since 1870, when women were first allowed in the London workforce, there has been discrimination between men and women, even with efforts to achieve equality. Today, women are still expected to do a disproportionate amount of the household labor in addition to maintaining a full-time job while dealing with the gender pay gap and the glass ceiling. This study seeks to understand the pressures that women still face in the workforce regarding appearance and behavior, and how this may contribute to experiences of burnout. In previous studies, women have expressed fears of being assertive or not wearing makeup due to …

Jazz Combos I And Ii: April 16, 2026, Illinois State University School Of Music

School of Music Programs

This is the one hundred and sixtieth program of the 2025-2026 season.

Kemp Recital Hall

April 16, 2026

Thursday Evening

7:30 p.m.

An Analysis Of Katsinam Figurines In The University's Gendler Collection, Sam Rekstad

Undergraduate Research Symposium (2026- )

After a cultural shift in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Euro-American collectors and ethnologists took a significant interest in sacred indigenous objects such as the Hopi Katsinam figurines, which spurred transformations in the ways the figurines tended to be stylized, as well as in how they were circulated. Such figures were initially created solely for ritual and communal purposes, but in modern and contemporary times, they are often created by makers who identify themselves as artists. In this project, I study the history surrounding the creation and distribution of Katsina figurines and also examine selected Katsina figurines in …

Flowers Of Fire Review: A Patriarchal Petri Dish, Alexa Mayerhofer

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.