Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Madonna - Whore Complex, Rhiya S. Ashman

Persimmon Creek

In this work, I wanted to explore the literature/media trope of the Madonna/Whore complex, specifically when it comes to Black women in media. The Madonna Whore complexes illustrate how women are often written into one of two extremes - they are either extremely pure, innocent, and childlike (The Madonna), or they are sexual, rebellious, and seductive (The Whore). The piece is full of symbolism, including the materials used to make it. I wanted to illustrate these extreme yet two dimensional ways these women were portrayed by creating them in flat paper, with no faces, to show how they are still …

Wulver In Appalachia, Wylan Blair

Persimmon Creek

A poem about a mysterious figure who comes to the aid of a mountain community.

Glimpses Of Myself In The Underground, Madelynn H. Morgan

Persimmon Creek

Through poetry, a older teenager reflects on a place that has made her who she is. She sees ghosts of her past self in every wall of this place, and it makes her feel oddly sentimental. She realizes how far she has come and how much has changed, and begins to understand how ever fleeting any given moment in time is.

Dodo, Lyxia C. Vue

Persimmon Creek

A short poem about the extinct animal known as the Dodo Bird.

The Stereo Skips, Maryssa H. Mckinney

Persimmon Creek

"The Stereo Skips" is a reflective poem that captures the chaotic and emotional experiences of a child navigating family struggles and religious expectations on a typical Sunday morning growing up in their household. Through the recurring image of a skipping stereo, the poem emphasizes the dissonance between external appearances and internal turmoil, as the child reflects on their relationship with God, the absence of their father, and the contradictions in their family life. The stereo's skips serve as a metaphor for the interruptions and unresolved emotions in the speaker's world.

Tsenacommacah, Wylan Blair

Persimmon Creek

This poem is about the area that was once called Tsenacommacah, the Powhatan people, and the horrors of the centuries that followed 1607.

Ode To A Carolina Cotton Mill, Joshua S. Lanier

Persimmon Creek

Ode to a Carolina Cotton Mill is a poem about the lives of generations of textile workers who left the farm in search of a better life for their families. THe poem is somewhat autobiographical, as my family had worked in the cotton mill for many generations.

Whiplash, Jillian M. Canady

Persimmon Creek

Whiplash is an abstract poem that emphasizes emotion and imagery over narrative clarity. Through the juxtaposition of a moth and a neon sign, it delves into themes of struggle and transience, blending surreal elements—sickly slouching figures, flickering candles, and woven snakes—to create a landscape of sorrow and light. With fragmented language and rhythmic shifts, the poem invites deep engagement and personal interpretation, culminating in a sensation of rapid motion and transformation, challenging readers to find meaning within its evocative chaos.

The Democratization Of Coaching And Development Through Peer Coaching In Groups, Richard E. Boyatzis

Engaged Management ReView

People want and need development at work and in life. The cost of typical development activities limits access to those in powerful or higher status positions. In addition, the efficacy of training programs in organizations and higher education as developmental activities have shown relatively poor results in terms of sustained, desired change. The effects of coaching seem more promising, but it is highly labor intensive and therefore costly. Peer coaching in groups (PCGs) offers a potentially efficacious developmental activity at no or very low cost to organizations or individuals. PCGs can be used throughout the world and invite participation regardless …

The Man In The Frame, Joshua Holt

Persimmon Creek

The Man in the Frame - Poetry by Joshua Holt

Clicky Pen, Allison E. Potter

Persimmon Creek

This is a poem about a clicky pen, an inanimate object that I gave life to. It is an original work that I submitted as homework for my Poetry Class.

Kabul, A Memory Bittersweet, Medina Z. Mayar

Persimmon Creek

A free verse poem.

Girls Are Coming Out Of The Woods (Title Taken From Tishani Doshi), Jillian Canady

Persimmon Creek

This evocative haiku, inspired by Tishani Doshi’s poem, Girls Are Coming Out of the Woods, beautifully captures the essence of resilience and emergence. It portrays women as powerful forces, symbolized by roaring fires and vibrant sunsets, evoking warmth and intensity. The detail of "pink painted toes" adds a playful yet bold touch, blending femininity with strength. This concise piece invites readers to reflect on the dynamic spirit of women stepping into their own, embodying both elegance and fierce determination.

Theodore B. Taverner, Joshua Holt

Persimmon Creek

A war veteran with PTSD wakes on abandoned train tracks, a gun in hand, blood on his clothes, and a body by his feet. Disoriented and haunted by fragmented memories, he struggles to piece together the truth as sirens close in.

Warmth, Brandi E. Shuler

Persimmon Creek

The short story Warmth is about an unnamed character who encounters a violent fire elemental. It is an experimental piece about what it feels like to experience a traumatic burn and what the character went through afterward.

Father's Circle, Samuel Bass

Persimmon Creek

An abusive Father and musically-inclined son go on a roadtrip through time and discover their universal connection.

The Work Of Persimmons, Aaliyah D. Wilkes

Persimmon Creek

I wanted to create a persimmon cover that was very light and abstract. I used illustrator to create a wallpaper of persimmons.

‘Casar Public Lecture: 100 Days Of Trump: America, The Middle East, And Beyond’, The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

The entire world is literally getting new updates about Trump's internal & external policies almost everyday now....can you imagine that we are still yet to reach 100 days?? USAID cuts, Chinese and Canadian Tariffs, DEI revokes, Gaza War, Ukraine War, the case of Iran, National Economic Emergency in the US, ICE arrests in the US & so much more to discuss.....Trump's policies impact the US as well as everywhere in the world, but what are the repercussions so far?

Speakers: From AUC: Dr. Sean Lee, Assistant Professor, Political Science Department - Amb. Dr.Alaa El-Hadidi , CASAR Adjunct Professor.

The panel …

Lindenwood Digest, May 7, 2025, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

Death, Violence, And Condemnation: The News Media Coverage Of The 1981 Prisoners’ Hunger Strike In Northern Ireland In The United Kingdom And Ireland, Tyler Coker

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

During the Troubles, the ethno-political conflict between the majority Catholics and minority ruling Protestants in Northern Ireland that lasted from 1968 to 1998, the 1981 prisoners’ hunger strike in Belfast’s HM Prison Maze was a key turning point. The starvation death of 10 striking prisoners gained the world’s attention, as one by one Irish prisoners died in British custody. This tragedy helped push the Irish nationalist movement toward a diplomatic means of negotiation. As one of the most influential events during the conflict, the news media covered the strike extensively, shaping the narrative of the strike to largely uninformed audiences. …

Cultural Self-Harm Differences, Erin E. Simmons

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This study is based on the evident cultural differences in self-harm behaviors and what those behaviors look like specifically for individuals that identify as Black or African American. Previous literature suggests that cultural differences in self-harm exist but very little research centers Black experiences and their connection to self-harm. Self-harm is considered a broad term, and it encompasses a variety of behaviors, some more common than others, but these common behaviors are typically exclusively explored within only a few demographics with a low Black participant pool. This contributes to the assumed lack of self-harm among the Black community but through …

Analyzing The Impact That Partisan Media Had On Vote Choice In The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, Hannah E. Fox

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This study examines whether the partisan media that voters consume significantly influenced their vote in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. The study tests the hypothesis that individuals who frequently engaged with left-leaning media such as CNN were more likely to vote for Joe Biden, while voters consuming right-leaning media like FOX were more likely to vote for Donald Trump. This research contributes to a broader discussion of how different political, social, and economic factors influence voters' choices. Understanding the intersections between these ideas can provide deeper insights into some influencers in the outcomes of major elections as well as broader …

Flourish And Student Loneliness: A Digital Positive Psychology Intervention, Jess M. Savela-Gomez, Alex Kraft, Julie Cachia, Xuan Zhao, John F. Hunter

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Objective: The Flourish app is an AI-powered proactive approach to mental health, using positive psychology interventions. This study investigates the role of Flourish in impacting loneliness in college students. We hypothesize that there will be a significant difference in loneliness between conditions, where those who use Flourish will report greater decreases in loneliness than those who are in the control condition. Furthermore, we hypothesize that gender will moderate this difference, where women experience a greater decrease in loneliness in comparison to other genders. Methods: We conducted a randomized control trial (RCT) with 486 college students. In this 6-week longitudinal study, …

Connection Beyond Coupledom: Do Single Men With Experience In Consensual Non-Monogamy Report Less Loneliness Than Those Without Experience?, Bryan R. Jorden

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Background: While loneliness is a common experience, research suggests that men may be uniquely affected because of masculine ideals (Berke, Reidy, & Zeichner, 2018). People in consensually non-monogamous (CNM) relationships commonly highlight relationship benefits like shared experiences and social connection (Moors et al., 2017). To better understand how relationship structure shapes men’s connection and loneliness, we examined the experiences of men with and without prior engagement in CNM.

Method: Survey data were drawn from a U.S. Census-based quota sample of 747 men with experience in polyamorous, swinging, or open relationships, and 1,431 men with no such experience (total N = …

Dark Echoes Of The Repressed In Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2, Itzel G. Corona

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Horror films fulfill a unique psychological need in contemporary society, allowing viewers to confront and release repressed impulses. Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Part Two (1986) exemplifies how the genre explores deeper themes, particularly through phallic symbolism and the unconscious mind. Using the chainsaw as a phallic symbol, the film delves into power dynamics, sexuality, and societal norms, reflecting Freud’s theory of the return of the repressed. This paper applies Freudian psychoanalysis, drawing on works by Murray Leader and Linda Williams, to explore how repressed desires manifest in the film. The chainsaw represents twisted masculinity, with Leatherface embodying repressed …

As Above, So Below: The Cognitive Impact Of Found Footage Horror, Josephine Railston

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

What makes a horror movie good? Why do we like horror movies? Using the 2014 movie As Above, So Below my poster presentation explores the cognitive impact of found footage horror on its viewers. Employing the use of a handheld camera and first person perspective, the film is able to immerse its audience in a supernatural version of the Paris Catacombs. I discuss found footage as a narrative tool, particularly focusing on how it amplifies psychological and physical responses like fear and anxiety.

Exploring Smoking Habits, Neighborhood Characteristics, And Polygenic Risk: Data Analysis Using The Health And Retirement Study, Morgan E. Albert

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Smoking is among the leading causes of death, necessitating the identification of individual and environmental risk factors. The study tested the hypotheses that both genetic risk and perceiving one’s neighborhood as undesirable (i.e., that the neighborhood was less cohesive and more disordered) would increase smoking risk. An additional hypothesis was that these individual and neighborhood-level risk factors may synergistically increase smoking risk. Data from the Health Retirement Study, a racially/ethnically diverse sample of older U.S. adults, was utilized for this study. All but one hypothesis was supported within this study. Non-Hispanic White participants who perceived their neighborhoods as more cohesive …

Dual Perspectives: Exploring Self-Identity Development In Twins, Sophia V. Lucas

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

While psychological research often uses twins to compare genetic and environmental influences on development, little attention has been given to the lived experience of twins themselves. This study aimed to target this issue by investigating the developmental implications of being a twin, with a particular focus on the formation of self-identity and individuality. Participants were asked to complete a survey that explored topics such as their self-concept, attachment style, and perceived level of experienced social comparison with their sibling. Results found a statistically significant difference between twins and non-twin siblings on a measure of self-concept, in that twins scored higher …

Leading And Following: Exploring The Impact Of Mentorship On Collegiate Dancers, Peyton Winsett

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Mentorship plays a pivotal role in student development across various disciplines, yet its specific impact on dancers within collegiate programs remains underexplored. This literature review and small pilot study investigates the hypothesis that mentorship in university dance programs positively influences students’ artistic identity, academic achievement, and career readiness. Drawing from six empirical studies, including research in arts education, peer mentorship, and emotional development, the paper analyzes how mentorship structures shape dancers’ holistic growth. While mentorship is generally associated with beneficial outcomes, findings also reveal critical nuances regarding mentorship quality, accessibility, and the risks of informal or biased systems. Through a …

Misplaced Fear? Assessing The Impact Of Demographics And Media Consumption On American’S Fear Of Violent Crime, Uche Nwadiashi

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In a nation with ideals grounded in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, having a large portion of the population disproportionately living in fear would challenge such ideologies. I will be examining how race, gender, and media consumption are critical factors that play into an individual's level of fear regarding violent crimes. Relying on The Chapman Survey of American Fears, a comprehensive data source that surveys and catalogs the fears of American adults, I analyzed how these varying factors interact with one another. Through careful analysis, I found that despite women's, particularly women of color, elevated fear of violent …