Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Undocumented Experience: Best Practices Tool For Community Advocacy And Support From Nonprofits, Olivia Rosa

Community Engagement Student Work

Unauthorized immigration has been at the forefront of national socio-political debates over the past decade. The prevailing approach to immigrant integration in the United States is for individuals to use their own networks, and community resources to assimilate in their new communities. Yet a framework of support for newcomer immigrant integration does not exist, which promotes vastly different experiences depending on the state individuals migrate to where differing local, state, and federal sociopolitical contexts that define these experiences, particularly for undocumented individuals. The lack of an intentional support for this population furthers the experience of discrimination, racial profiling, fear of …

Combating White Saviorism In Community-Engaged Learning, Eva Harrell

Community Engagement Student Work

The white savior narrative can be seen in a number of different places, including community- engaged learning courses at higher education institutions. We must address this issue because it prevents students and communities from attaining mutual benefits within these relationships, and the student’s perpetuation of saviorism can cause harm in the communities in which they work. In this study, a workshop titled “Interrupting White Saviorism in Community-Engaged Learning” was held for community engaged learning (CEL) instructors and associated faculty in collaboration with the Center for Community-Engaged Learning at the University of Minnesota. Participants were presented with information on white saviorism …

Redefining “Comprehensive” Sexual Education: A Pedagogy Of Empowerment And Social Justice For K-12 Sex Education, Nina June Lee

Community Engagement Student Work

In the United States currently, there are significant gaps in sex education. Youth in the United States today are identifying more diversely in the past and many are not receiving the comprehensive sex education they deserve, creating negative sexual and social outcomes. Through examining the legacy of religiosity, white supremacy, power, and privilege in the United States, one can pinpoint how historical legacies still influence the sex education youth receive today. In conversations with research and theory, a solution to this issue may lie in creating applicable tools that allow educators to better accommodate the needs of youth they are …

The Barriers To Family Engagement In Educational Settings, Julielys Ortiz-Leger

Community Engagement Student Work

We assume that educators are being professionally trained to handle distinct situations, especially pretraining to families. Most specifically, training on family engagement and ways to engage hard-to-reach families. Family engagement is defined as teachers and parents sharing the responsibility to nurture and help the students learn and meet their unique educational goals. Family engagement encompasses so many different factors and through this research and project, we will be exploring the barriers that families experience when it comes to engaging effectively in educational settings. Educators, administrators, social workers, community leaders, school psychologists, and other education-system-affiliated persons were invited to participate in …

Engaging The Heart And The Mind: Mindfulness In Service-Learning, Tevin Monroe

Community Engagement Student Work

Service-learning is a pedagogy which allows students to test their classroom knowledge in real- world scenarios, while also serving a greater good. Students may find that guided reflection of service-learning provides additional context to their classroom knowledge. Without proper guided reflection, students may not experience deep learning, or may not be critical of the role they play in communities. Mindfulness is one suggested practice to guide students’ reflection, and to promote the more equitable practice of critical service-learning. Through an interactive virtual workshop, students in a civic engagement fellowship program were taught principles of mindfulness and how they may be …

Power To The People: Libraries As Third Spaces For Civic Dialogue And Collaborative Empowerment, Laura Bishop

Community Engagement Student Work

The United States is experiencing deep divisions and lack of political will to address inequities impacting people’s lives. Pathways to convergence are needed to build bridges amongst community members for solidarity and community action to address these. Civic dialogue in Third Spaces is a method for cultivating understanding across differences to make change possible. Public libraries possess democratic missions committed to equitable access to resources, open exchange of ideas, and self-empowerment. Public librarians facilitate civic dialogue and engagement; little scholarly attention is given to their efforts. This project brought together public librarians interested in civic dialogue to explore understandings of …

Creating Capital: A Case For Municipal Arts Support In Lawrence, Ma, Felisa Kerr

Community Engagement Student Work

Lawrence, Massachusetts is home to a vibrant creative community. The work of artists and art- based organizations has a positive impact within the city. Municipal support in the form of a City Arts Planner or Arts and Culture Department can deepen the reach and impact of the work of these creatives, establish sustainable systems of support, and yield both social and economic benefits. This project is a case for municipal support of the arts in Lawrence. The case for municipal support was presented as a proof of concept to three interviewees, all of whom have ties to Lawrence, and experience …

Childhood Food Insecurity In The United States, Bethany Tsiaras

Community Engagement Student Work

Childhood food insecurity in the United States is caused by a variety of barriers that lead to negative health outcomes for children. The COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted food insecurity for children. Policies and programs aimed at combating food insecurity have the potential to better serve the community with updates and changes.

The Long Term Effects Of Sexual Assault On People Of Color Through Cultural And Societal Factors, Tia Franklin-Garrett

Community Engagement Student Work

Sexual assault is still, to this day, a problem that many groups face, particularly People of Color (POC). Although there has been notable progress made in regard to laws, policies, and societal exceptions, there are barriers in achieving sexual assault reform. The progress that has been made up to date has benefited the majority, but the progress has inequitably addressed sexual assault for POC. The history of the United States’ treatment of People of Color has hindered effective reforms for POC survivors. Expectations of sexual assault survivors and outdated misinformation and stereotypes further damage any progress made in regard to …

Bees And Feminism, Bruno Barbuto

Community Engagement Student Work

The topics of bees and feminism engage community members in thinking of how and what ecology and community look like. The project workshop will cater to the ways in which people think and speak about their very own thoughts. As well, this workshop seeks to focus on bees and feminism as a means to engage the community in cogenerated dialogue about bee- preservation and women’s issues. The desired outcomes produced from this topic delivers insight about community, sustainability, and the terms of participation for engagement purposes. This workshop is the reason bees and feminism are being talked about as a …

A More Equitable World: The Social And Economic Benefits Of Investing In Girls’ Education, Norway Dolan

Community Engagement Student Work

Education is a human right, although many children are not afforded this opportunity. Across the world, there are millions of children who are not in school and may not ever be able to complete their education. Specifically in the region of Sub-Saharan Africa, innumerable children are unable to go to school due to many barriers that prevent educational access; girls are especially impacted by these barriers, some of which include poverty, menstruation, and conflict. The rate of children who are displaced from school increases with age, encountering more challenges to educational attainment as they move through the levels in school. …

Modernization, Inclusion, And Intersectionality: Affordable Housing Policy And Discriminatory Characteristics Of The Fair Housing Act Of 1968, Heath Pitt

Community Engagement Student Work

Housing discrimination and affordability are ongoing issues in the United States; especially for marginalized populations like cisgender women, low-income families and individuals, and the transgender community. These three groups lack adequate protection and acknowledgment under the 1968 Fair Housing Act (FHA). In order to provide them with sufficient protection, the FHA must improve its level of inclusion and be updated and modernized to adapt to today’s society. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of enhancing the FHA, while discovering discriminatory practices under the FHA and the causes and solutions of affordable housing issues. With the use …

Culturally Inclusive Curriculum: Policy Recommendations To Address Racial Academic Achievement Gaps In Secondary Education, Brian Holihan

Community Engagement Student Work

The educational system in the United States is a profoundly difficult structure to navigate, adjust, and comprehend. The system, comprised of nearly 100,000 public schools, interacts with millions of students each school year. For the 2021 – 2022 school year, the estimated total of students is 56.4 million. Each student brings individualized experiences and backgrounds to school that play an integral role in helping them form their identity. The 56.4 million students also create a plethora of diverse cultures and beliefs. The nation’s public school system becoming increasingly more racially diverse is exemplifying how minority populations are trending away from …

Applied Behavior Analysis Services In Public Schools, Bridget Soraghan

Community Engagement Student Work

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have a very different educational experience than their peers. The process of providing more resources can be beneficial if insurance plans can help families with the cost and coverage. Research findings explain how more resources can help lower socioeconomic families with earlier diagnoses of ASD in their children. Insurance plans and different policies can provide more educational opportunities for those children. Having more coverage on insurance plans will allow more families to seek Applied Behavior Analysis therapy to work with Behavior Technicians. Public school districts can make opportunities available for non-neurotypical students by providing …

Substance Use Awareness: A Unique Look At Social Policy For Children And Families, Malik Hamm

Community Engagement Student Work

This work is a collection of substance use and addiction research gathered in order to assess substance abuse treatment and services in regard to equity and inclusion. The history of the U.S. government’s approach to substance use policy has led to stigma, criminality, and marginalization between groups in our community. Youth and families of all demographics are looking for ethical, informed mental health and substance use services to provide the best outcomes. Stigmatizing language, overly marketed tobacco and alcohol products, restrictive policy, and rigid law-enforcement tactics promoting the criminality of both adults and juveniles for possession, trafficking, and operating under …

The Secret Struggles Of Law Enforcement: Ending The Stigma Through Counseling, Kelsey Daly

Criminology Student Work

Law enforcement are on the frontlines everyday and see the best and worst society has to offer. They encounter scenes of violence and tragedy and have to learn how to compartmentalize what they see and feel. But what if they struggle to deal with those emotions? Suicide is the second leading cause of death among law enforcement, following behind Covid-19. While there are many reasons including both personal and professional factors that influence suicide ideation in police officers, there are also protective factors that can limit these ideations. Counseling is found to be a protective factor against suicide ideation in …

To Certify Or Not To Certify? A Proposed Graduate Course And Universal Certification For Forensic Expert Witnesses, Charolette Caron

Criminology Student Work

During a court proceeding, attorneys will oftentimes bring up evidence related to their case. Since attorneys are usually not an expert in the field of evidence that they are discussing, they will bring in an expert witness. Expert witnesses are asked “. . . to testify in court when complex or specialized knowledge, beyond that of the lay person, is needed to interpret the evidence” (Wilcox & NicDaeid, 2018, p. 100). Forensic expert witnesses and their testimony, especially, are becoming increasingly important regarding accuracy and delivery. It’s been found that juries tend to rely heavily on forensic evidence when reaching …

Lights, (Body) Camera, Action!: Reviewing Empirical Research On Body-Worn Cameras, Richard Glynn

Criminology Student Work

There has been an ongoing uproar for police accountability in America throughout history. Tensions between citizens and police have worsened over the last few years. Many citizens have pushed to reform the police through the use of body-worn cameras. Departments began to implement body-worn cameras on their officers to document their day to day encounters. After discussing the policing profession and steps to become a police officer, this paper examines empirical research that shows the different impacts body-worn cameras have made. Studies suggest there are significant benefits to using body cameras, including less complaints against officers and less cases of …

Community Policing: The Foundation Of Trust Between Police And Society, Thomas Crowley

Criminology Student Work

Police officers wear many hats such as protecting people, preventing crimes, and responding to other calls for help. Policing is under a microscope in the current climate of the country with debates about police brutality, body-worn cameras, and the overall trust between police and the public. The most universally accepted way to improve trust between the police and public is through community policing. Studies show the community policing policies have improved community-police relations in the United States. I plan to use this knowledge in my career as a police officer by making sure that every interaction I have with the …

Career Path Of A Police Officer, Alex Gildea

Criminology Student Work

According to recent studies, the effectiveness of higher education on police officer performance and salary benefits has been evident. Researchers have concluded that police departments that encourage police officers to receive their college education, or pursue a higher degree than an associates degree, have a higher chance at performing their duties to a higher standard in addition to receiving a higher salary. The purpose of this research is to identify the importance of college education on police officers, and how the additional education is significant to their presence in the community they protect. Police officers can benefit from the research …

Handler And Canine: Exploring The Career Path Of A K-9 Officer, Krystle Thomaszewski

Criminology Student Work

The K-9 Unit is a special unit within police departments where an officer may have a canine as their partner. They are designed to assist law enforcement in their duties making it easier to keep cities and towns safe. Within this unit, it is required that both handler and canine undergo intensive training. This paper reviews the steps a person may take to join a K-9 Unit and how to excel with their canine partner on the force. After discussing the history of using canines to serve and protect, this paper explores the difficulties of being a K-9 Handler such …

Steering Committee Notes [April 4th, 2022 Through September 7th, 2022], Axelle Rivot

Vision, Mission, & Funding

Contains all of the notes taken during the Integration & Belonging Hub Steering Committee meetings from April 14th through September 7th 2022. In this time, they held seven meetings total. Committee members during this time included Anita Fabos (Clark University), Jude Fernando (Clark University), Adam Saltsman (Worcester State University), Amer Macedonci (community member), Sarah Ihmoud (College of the Holy Cross), Noa Shaindlinger (Worcester State University and College of the Holy Cross), Axelle Rivot (intern), and Jozefina Lantz (Clark University).

Steering Committee notes were taken by Axelle Rivot, Clark University student and intern for the Integration and Belonging Hub.

La Capital Marica De Chile: Un Mapa Queer/Kuir/Marica De Valparaíso Y Una Investigación Sobre La Construcción Publica De Una Comunidad Visible En Valparaíso, Steven Powell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In Valparaíso, Chile, there is a teeming queer presence in the streets and public spaces. Expressions of queerness can be seen in Plaza Anabel Pinto in the way in which people dress or style their hair, can be heard from the small plaza in front of the Severin Library with the voguing/kiki music blasting at nights, and is grafittied on the walls all around the city. This presence and visibility is met with violence and accompanied by precarious life situations. It was my goal through this investigation to explore this relationship between violence and visibility as it is contradicted and …

Murals & Mother Nature: Urban Environmental Art In Lisbon Reveals Great Concern And Appreciation For The Environment, Ana Gunther

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Urban art is a novel dimension of the environmental movement. Utilizing highly trafficked areas, urban art has the potential to spread environmental messages both because of the size of the audience and because of the contrast between nature-centered art and the urban context. The paper discusses 15 environmental urban artworks in Lisbon and conducts a visual and thematic analysis. The analysis revealed five themes present in Lisbon: the power and beauty of nature, connection with nature, environmental loss and degradation, waste management, and climate change. The most prevalent theme in Lisbon was the connection with nature, followed by a tie …

Energy Literacy In Portugal: A System Map And Framework To Increase Energy Literacy Through The Renewable Energy Transition, Molly S. Fox

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Western society lives with a great dependence and an almost simultaneous ignorance of energy consumption (van den Broek, 2019). The systemic landscape of energy knowledge and dissemination is more critical than ever as Portugal races to meet decarbonization goals. This paper fills a knowledge gap by updating the current social landscape of energy literacy in Portugal through a comprehensive system map and framework to increase energy literacy levels through the renewable energy transition. By conducting a semi-systematic literature review, meta-narratives and themes were identified and used to create theoretical concepts, a framework, and a system map. This research found that …

Tiktok And The Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, And Two-Spirit People Movement, Meghan Leinhauser

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to analyze the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirited People (MMIWG2S) social movement via content analysis and interviews. The study includes analyzing a sample of 50 videos posted to the social media platform TikTok, and an interview with a user who posts videos about MMIWG2S. TikTok uses a unique algorithm to tailor users’ feeds based on the types of videos with which they watch and interact. This allows for the creation of an online community that shares common interests with one another, especially in a time where communication methods have changed significantly. …

“Who Runs The World? Girls!” A Case Study On The Role That Stacey Abrams Has Played In Changing The African American Political Voice And American Political Realm As A Whole, Kyler Wiltz

2022 Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Activity - Documents

Stacey Abrams is one of the most prominent up-and-coming politicians in America. From her controversial gubernatorial race in 2018 to her post-election voting rights efforts, she is consistently at the forefront of many political discussions and debates. Nonetheless, with all this notoriety, there has not been much research on her life and impact relative to her peers or predecessors. What makes Stacey Abrams as popular and accepted as she is to the public? How is she the same as other American politicians, both male, and female? Who is Stacey Abrams? This study focuses on answering these questions through a case …

Service-Learning: A Homeless Outreach Initiative, Eduardo A. De La Torre

IPS/BAS 495 Undergraduate Capstone Projects

A capstone project focused at providing resources and assistance to a growing homeless community living at Sunset Park and surrounding areas. Our mission was aimed at providing the homeless immediate access to a pop-up event that hosts numerous onsite resources from a wide range of services. Which included, but not limited to physical and mental health services, information on how to enter substance abuse rehabilitation programs, assistance with both temporary and permanent housing options. Created by joint partnerships between the Nevada Homeless Alliance, affiliated organizations and volunteers who are all committed and dedicated to advocating for the elimination of homelessness …

Encouraging Healthier Habits In Children, Krysta Hughes

IPS/BAS 495 Undergraduate Capstone Projects

Childhood obesity rates in America are the highest they've ever been. In this research we are focused on encouraging healthier habits in children. The method used was an observational, cross-sectional online survey of 5 children and 4 parents. All of the children and parents wanted to pick healthier behaviors after reading my book. A Qualtrics survey was used to record each surveyor's response. Further research on this topic should include researching how many children have began to implement healthier habits and measure if the rate of obesity in children has been affected through yearly health visits.

Owyhee Canyon Trail Clean-Up And Restoration, Douglas A. Simpson

IPS/BAS 495 Undergraduate Capstone Projects

• This was a project that was done to help keep the BLM from shutting down an amazing trail due to lack of maintenance and riders leaving trash behind.
• A group of volunteers, myself and my family performed maintenance on the trail and we cleaned up all of the loose trash that had been left behind.