Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Simply Butter (One Pat At A Time), Maddie Mcsweeney

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Simply Butter (one pat at a time) is an investigation of food and intimacy through sculpture, installation, performance, printmaking, and recordkeeping. In this series of Happenings, I explore themes of love, loss, and empathy while dealing with emotions related to grief and mental health issues. I look to cultural phenomena and art history figures who are concerned with similar sentiments to make conceptual connections and inform my choices when creating this project. Drawn to silliness and the absurd, I use the rudimentary yet familiar form of a stick of butter to act as a monolithic stand-in for the emotionally, mentally, …

(Un)Successful Use Of Apologia: A Case Study Of Mayor Shubert's Resignation, Alexis Raineri

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With the growing tension in the political climate of the United States, political figures often use apologia in their attempt to repair a damaged image due to their mistakes or wrongdoings. This project reviews several scholars’ image repair typologies and strategies, applying them to the case of Craig Shubert, former mayor of Hudson, Ohio. While the specific image repair strategies employed can vary from one case to another, Shubert’s use of evasion of responsibility and reducing offensiveness proved to be ineffective and resulted in his resignation before completing his term at the end of 2023. Although it is recommended to …

The Impact Of Remote Learning In The Wake Of Covid19, Dominique Richards

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With COVID19, the University of Akron and many other universities had to adjust how they taught students. They went from primarily in-person classes to primarily remote classes as well as hybrid classes. This project is meant to determine how students at the university were affected by this change regarding their overall satisfaction with remote learning. Students at the University of Akron were surveyed in September 2023. The questions regarded demographics, location during the semesters (from spring 2020 to current), impact on study habits, impact on grades, impact on social life, satisfaction with courses, and general thoughts on online learning. Questions …

The Queer Performance, Owen Coldsnow

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For my project, I decided to make a documentary focusing on the experiences of queer, University of Akron students appropriately called, “The Queer Performance.” As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, it was particularly important to me to document the unique challenges that queer students have to face. One specific challenge that rings true for me is putting on many different personas in different situations, and I wanted to see how this compared and contrasted with other members of the community. According to Goffman’s Dramaturgical Theory, everyone puts on an act when they are around people, but each of …

The Impact Of Social Media On The Participant Turnout Of An Event, Leah Gombosch

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For my Honors Research project, I will be creating and implementing a social media plan to promote a charity 5k that will benefit Akron Children's Hospital. This social media plan will identify a target audience and key publics and use research on these publics to identify the best platforms to utilize in order to reach them. I will create content that will engage my audience and encourage them to participate in the 5k race. After developing and utilizing this social media plan and after the conclusion of the event, I will compare the participant turn out from the current event …

A Swipe To The Right: Exploring Tinder Use In College Students, Madisyn Smith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

A Swipe to the Right: Exploring Tinder Use in College students set out to explore different ways in which college students used the dating application Tinder . More specifically, the study focused on what kind of relationships college-aged users were hoping to form on Tinder (i.e. committed, casual, or neither) and what factors determined whether these users swiped right versus left on other Tinder users. This study was conducted by way of five qualitative, semi-structured, one-on-one interviews between participant and researcher. While Tinder is commonly thought of as a "hookup app", the results of the interviews proved otherwise; college students …

Guided Toolkit For Virtual Programming, Sienna Mcarthur

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Coronavirus pandemic that has occurred over the last year was a major detriment to the entire world. COVID-19 caused businesses to shut down, people to shelter in place, and restricted in-person gatherings. Specifically, in the event coordinating profession, planners had to pivot their thought process and change how they saw their careers. Virtual events became a reality for most, but some were unsure of where to start the transition.

This research focuses on the importance of continued programming, even virtually, in order to keep positive relationships alive and encourage participants to be engaged from their homes. It also creates …

The Dangers Of Free Speech In The Modern World, Katie Yoak

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In our modern day individuals often feel safe being able to say whatever they want from behind a computer. The ability to say whatever we want online has both positive and negative effects. This digital form of communication can bring out both the best and worst in us. Many people in our modern age take this technology and use it to engage in aggressive behavior that may not normally occur or be seen by as many people. In this modern day of internet aggression I wish to explore how the ability to speak freely online and through social media services …

The Occurrence Of Fluency Disorders In Individuals With Down Syndrome And Autism Spectrum Disorders, Julia Thomas

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Including a comprehensive literature review of research studies in fluency disorders, this project will aim to observe how stuttering and fluency disorders affects individuals with Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorders. The literature reviews will include case studies where the goal was to add techniques to everyday speech which reduced the overall occurrence of stuttering behavior and the negative psychosocial impacts on the individuals in the case studies. After thorough review of the case studies and other related literature, two surveys will be developed for possible administration to caretakers for people with Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorders who stutter …

The Effect Of Nutrition Education On Nutrition Knowledge In Low-Income Minority Adults, Samantha Lindsay, Isabella Dillon

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The availability of health and nutrition knowledge is disproportionately lower in minority populations compared to their majority counterparts despite minority populations at higher risk for health problems related to poor dietary habits from cultural and social influences. The purpose of this project was to determine if a weekly, culturally competent, group-delivered, nutrition education intervention affected nutrition knowledge in minority adults. The project was a smaller arm of the FABU study, which provided the education intervention. This study was guided by Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and used a quantitative non-experimental design with a convenience sample of adults living in lower-income, minority …

Creating An Accessible Campus Environment, Megan Parker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project consists of a series of journalistic articles pertaining to the level of accessibility for current students, faculty, and/or visitors with physical disabilities and/or impairments at The University of Akron. Journalistic articles were selected as a method of investigating and increasing awareness of accessibility in the given situation. Interviews were conducted with members of the campus and those, in addition to press releases, were used as the basis of the content within each article. The conclusion drawn from this journalistic inquiry is that while the level of accessibility at The University of Akron is not optimal for current students, …

Legacy Traditions, Abigail Schreiner

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper discusses and examines how I planned and executed a new fall program for Girl Scouts of North East Ohio entitled, “Legacy Traditions.” This program took place in October 2019 at Camp Timberlane in Wakeman, Ohio. The attendance of the camp consisted of girls between the ages of 6 to 11 years old. After seeing there was a need for a program that discussed Girl Scout Traditions while teaching leadership and other core values of Girl Scouts, the program was created in partnership with Girl Scouts of North East Ohio. Girl Scouts is an organization where girls of all …

Volunteer Tool Kit, Lydia Brooks

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Williams Syndrome Association is a nonprofit organization that helps raise funds and awareness about Williams syndrome. Williams syndrome is a disorder that is not very well known and has a lot of unique challenges associated with it. Individuals with Williams syndrome have serious health concerns and tend to be extremely friendly, outgoing, and empathetic. The Williams Syndrome Association is dedicated to raising funds to aid research, creating awareness for the disorder, and providing support to families that are affected by the disorder. The association recruits volunteers to put on an annual Walk for Williams Syndrome in their area. These …

Exploring Diversity In The Workplace, Benjamin Olewiler

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

From its inception, the United States has been a country of immigrants. However, the recent trends of both legal and illegal immigration when combined with longevity have created a uniquely diverse population. This population diversity has introduced a dynamic human behavior challenge for supervisors and managers at workplaces across the nation. As larger percentages of minorities and women are entering the labor force and older generations stay at work longer, it is vital to be inclusive to all cultural backgrounds and generations within an organization. With the growth of women and minorities in the work force there is evidence that …

'Stand Up To Suicide', Katherine Hickman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper reviews the planning and implementation of a suicide prevention event titled ‘Stand Up to Suicide’ held at The University of Akron in September 2018. This project was designed in response to the rising suicide crisis. After reviewing various peer-reviewed articles, communication methods, and interviewing mental-health professionals, an event was created and implemented to empower students to speak up about suicide awareness and get connected to suicide prevention resources. While an average of 123 individuals die by suicide in the United States every day, suicide is preventable. With a space to enter into the tough conversation of suicide, this …

Fighting Cancer With Purpose: Best Practices For Charity Event Planning, Emily Bower

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The 2017-2018 school year was the first year The University of Akron competed in the Bateman competition, a national public relations competition. The Bateman competition challenges students to research, execute, and evaluate a public relations plan within their college campus and the surrounding community. Two teams at The University of Akron successfully created and implemented a plan that benefitted the non-profit With Purpose, an organization dedicated to increasing funding and research efforts allocated toward pediatric cancer. As a member of one of those teams, the author was responsible for planning the Bateman team’s large event during the implementation period. This …

Uncork Your Creativity, Kayla Pretzer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Architectural Justice Gallery and Cafe is a unique, redefined space in Strongsville that strives to create an artisan living experience by encouraging customers to shop, dine and be inspired. The cafe is a flagship location of Architectural Justice, an interior design shop in Medina. In order to showcase the diverse aspects of this new location and attract more customers to the business, the owners wanted to host another pop-up event in their space. Due to the fact that Architectural Justice Gallery and Cafe is already known for their culinary and crafting classes, the owners requested that ‘Uncork Your Creativity’ be …

Communication Apprehension, Self-Efficacy, And Their Effects On The Utilization Of On-Campus Services, Ashley Mikolay

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

College is a vital time in a person's life and the quality of their experiences usually go beyond just the academic and for this reason it is important that we study these experiences too.

This study looked to gain knowledge about why some students choose to be involved on campus and utilize services provided by their universities and others do not. To do this we gathered data from students about their perceived self-efficacy and communication apprehension in addition to their level of involvement while in college in the hopes to either find support, or rule these traits out as factors …

Ethical Issues And Consequences As Portrayed By Medical Dramas: An Analysis Of The Effect Of Cultivation Theory, Molly Johnson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Television medical dramas, like American Broadcasting Company’s Grey’s Anatomy, strive to make the program as accurate as possible while creating a dramatic and entertaining program. Grey’s Anatomy, since the first episode in 2005, has employed medical consultants to help write episodes in order to make the television program as realistic as possible (Otto, 2014). Although there are some realistic aspects of Grey’s Anatomy, as a whole it is a fictional medical drama with plotlines and characters used for entertainment purposes only. However, previous research shows that fictional programs can still have an effect on its viewers. Cultivation Theory states that …

I Guess We Are All Different After All: A Children's Book, Angelica Renee Owen

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The project begins with the introduction and the intent of the project and of the children's book itself, and the literature supporting children's cognitive development and the steps required to write a children's book. The book is a story with the purpose of normalizing differences and diversity at an early age. Part D of the project is a companion to the book directed towards parents and teachers in order to continue the conversation with their children discussing diversity and normalizing them.

Smart-Teleprompter: An Online Teleprompter With Text Editing, Mikyla Wilfred

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Mikyla Wilfred

Major: Computer Science

Project Sponsor: Dr. Collard

Number of Project Credits: 3

Smart-Teleprompter

The smart-teleprompter is a website that allows a logged in user to edit text files as well as teleprompt them straight to the screen. A teleprompter is used by newscasters and other media professionals to read scripts while still looking at or near the camera. My project uses this concept creating a page that defaults to white font on a black background that can scroll through the script. The website allows the logged in user to save defaults of font color, background color, font style …

Blogging As Marketing: From Writing To Revenue, Matthew Headland

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research paper explores the evolution of writing from a form of self-expression into a tactic to build community and to earn revenue in the form of web logs, or blogs. A history tracing blogging back to personal diaries and journals operates to set the context for the methods by which current day blogs create persona, community, and revenue. Through research conducted utilizing industry reports, academic texts, and professional blog articles, a thorough examination of 3 types of blogs outlines the methods of creating a successful blog and how each type of blog is monetized. Current trends in personal blogging, …

Camp Wanake Information Dissemination: Retreatant Literature And Materials, Erica Rymer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Retreat groups are an integral part of nonprofit camp communities. Their attendance and volunteer efforts directly correlate with the success of the organization. Therefore it is necessary to understand why retreat groups visit camp environments and volunteer their time, as well as how they prefer to receive information in order for them to be best supported throughout their experience. It is key, as a nonprofit, to understand the best and most efficient methods of presenting retreatants with information, so that retention is increased and communication uncertainty is decreased. In addition, it is essential to understand the communication processes within the …

Conversation Station Digital Media Style Guide, Ciara Davis

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This style guide serves as training material for online communication strategies at the Conversation Station, an afterschool nonprofit organization for students in rural Ashtabula County (Orwell). By utilizing this guide, board members of the Conversation Station will be able to understand the importance of online engagement with the community to accomplish goals, hire communication liaisons based on the skills and knowledge necessary to perform tasks in the guide, and hold the liaison accountable by the fulfillment of tasks detailed. The style guide will also insure that despite communication liaisons coming and going, the Conversation Station’s online character remains consistent. By …

Statistics-Bierce Library Study, Tyler J. Hushour

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This is a report from two surveys that I created and administered to students and faculty at Bierce library who came to the Circulation Desk or the Tech Desk, as well as some of my other findings when periodically looking around the library to see where students like to study or hang-out. There was a written survey given at the Circulation Desk, and a different survey given at the Tech Check-Out Desk. The project is for Melanie Smith-Farrell, the head of Access Services, and is based on a similar study Ian McCullough did in the science library. While this is …

Brunswick Educational Access Television Social Media Campaign, Nicole Rhoades

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This social media campaign is to be executed by student managers within the Brunswick Schools Video Program. The Video Program provides journalistic experience to young students by immersing them in print and broadcast journalism that is provided to the Brunswick-area through Brunswick Educational Access Television.

Work It: A Study In Fashion Photography Portraiture, Dominic J. Iudiciani

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Fashion is a device with which the perception of one’s appearance is manipulated. It is a device that is used across all cultures to identify, symbolize, isolate, and appropriate. It is figuratively and literally woven into the fabric of humankind as a whole. Fashion has the ability to reinforce gender or create dissonance within it through androgynous silhouettes. It can express strength and confidence or emphasize vulnerability.

Through this study, the use of specific studio lighting techniques accentuates design elements of a highly curated collection of avant-garde, 21^st century garments. Drape, texture, form, and luster are but a few …

Social Media Management For Non-Profits And Churches, Paige K. Purtz 6896893

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project was created as a result of a need to for social media guidance and best practices for churches and nonprofits. Research was conducted on current social media trends, statistics, and strategy. Five medium-to-large nondenominational churches made their analytics available. Data was taken from their analytics to discover what kinds of posts received the most engagement. The result of the research is a reader-friendly, best practices social media guide for churches.

What Makes A Man?: An Alpha Male’S Fight For Masculinity Against The Media’S Muscular Ideals, Julie A. Yockey

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Previous studies have focused heavily on media effects on women however growing trends in male ideals are finding that men are no longer static observers. The media constructs the ideal male body as lean, strong and muscular and men exposed to these idealized images may experience body dissatisfaction. Therefore, this project explores the effects of media ideals on men and the possible relationship between the media depictions of the muscular ideals and masculinity. Current research analysis shows that exposure to media ideals not only causes body dissatisfaction among men; trying to achieve the perfect body may result in unhealthy behaviors. …

Newsrooms And Social Media, Hanna E. Steinker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this research is to identify how local newspapers and newsrooms are converging to social media. An Ohio newspaper, The Post volunteered to have its Facebook Pages analytics studied over the course of two months, August through September. A constructed week was formed and four of the company’s Facebook Pages were analyzed. The study intends to examine the current social media position of The Post, assess the potential or areas of growth, and create a best practices manual to propel the selected newspaper’s social media accounts forward. Unlike traditional newspaper consumers, social media users tend to gather their …