Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Racial Diversity Among Juvenile Offenders, Josh Slocum

Scholars Day Conference

Through many years juvenile delinquency has been something that tends to radar and becomes less relevant in the criminal justice world. Though there has been a substantial amount of research in juvenile prevention efforts as well as locating the highest number of offenders based on racial background. My research explores the difference in characteristics among different racial offenders as well as why specific races are more present in corrections.

Learning Styles And Gender: How They Influence Academic Performance, Keilee Holcomb, Katie Cofer, Emily Adams, Graceann Covington

Scholars Day Conference

The current study examined whether biological sex and learning style had an influence on a student’s academic performance. The participants were asked to take a nineteen-question survey. This survey included sixteen questions from the VARK questionnaire. Three additional questions were added asked for the participant’s age, biological sex, and grade-point average (GPA). The answers were recorded anonymously. These answers were then entered into the VARK questionnaire to determine the participant’s learning style. The results revealed no main effects or interactions. These results are important to studies of academic performance and what aspects can influence it.

The Link Between Intellectual Disability And Juvenile Delinquency, Scarlet Bates

Scholars Day Conference

The correlation between intellectual disability and juvenile delinquency is striking. Across the globe we see a higher number of offenders with an intellectual disability. Youths with intellectual disabilities may be more likely to engage in delinquent behavior. Early identification and intervention for intellectual disabilities, along with support for social and emotional development, could be crucial in reducing the likelihood of juvenile delinquency.

Liberating The Woman: Feminism In Korean Dramas, Emma Mackey

Scholars Day Conference

In my ventures throughout Korean dramas, or k-dramas as they are less formally known, I’ve noticed how poorly many of the female characters are treated in their romantic relationships, depictions of violence being glorified as something the male characters are doing out of love rather than selfishness. These abusive behaviors have waned out of popularity in recent years, though there are still underlying elements of patriarchal values in modern k-dramas, the female characters having to adhere to strict societal standards like chastity, modesty, beauty, and so on to be deemed worthy of a man’s love. I explored these themes in …

The History Of Dog Training And Its Importance To Modern Day Training Techniques, Marlaina Moix

Scholars Day Conference

The world of dog training is a vast community that consists of many different methodologies, trainers, and philosophies, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. It is vital for any dog trainer, whether simply training their pet dog to come and sit or training a high-performance military working dog, to have a thorough understanding of today’s training philosophies and the philosophies that came before. Dog training is a living, breathing science that must be viewed as the sum of experiences and movements.

The Importance Of Dialogue Between The United States And North Korea: How Can The United States Respond To The Nuclear Issue With North Korea?, Unbi Choi

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

The nuclear issue with North Korea could create even more danger in currently tense international relations. In reality, a long-standing economic sanction is a factor in North Korea's continued hostile attitude toward the United States. The Trump administration chose negotiation instead of economic sanctions. Negotiations succeeded in temporarily easing tensions between the United States and North Korea. However, the Biden administration put economic sanctions back on North Korea. Since then, North Korea has increasingly cultivated hostility, even more than in the last few years, and is further developing nuclearization. As this example indicates, economic sanctions would have negative consequences. The …

Rethinking Supply Chains: Mitigating The Risk Of Chinese Dependence And Protecting Us Semiconductor Intellectual Property, Jamison Finnamore

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

This paper explores the complex economic interdependence between the US, China, and Taiwan, specifically in the semiconductor industry. China’s increased aggression and intellectual property (IP) theft threatens to unbalance the iron triangle of US, China, and Taiwan trade relations. The problem overview elaborates on Taiwan’s crucial role in the semiconductor supply chain, and China’s threat against it. The argument is made that the US must take a nuanced and multifaceted approach to solving the diplomatic, economic, and military policy problem. Criteria for success are outlined, emphasizing the need to address root causes and not compromise US commitment to a free …

Criminal Justice: Racial Equity In United States Of America, Glenn Bass

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with a spiritual sense of awakening as it pertains to a revelation of the human spirit. A revival, or improvement in the condition of any individual or social infrastructure will re-establish citizenship and further restore virtue within the United States of America. Researchers have articulated that our criminal justice system is broken through police retention/recruitment, lack of resources, ineffective prosecution and public defenders, sentencing disparities, and lack of understanding of the socioeconomic status of the criminal or violent offender. These issues are subtopics underneath the umbrella of racial equity. The …

The Moral Evils Of Open Borders, Carl D. Rehberg

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Since January 2021, the U.S. federal government, through the executive branch, started supporting de facto open borders with its stated and unstated policies by illegally and systematically ignoring and not enforcing numerous laws, rules, and regulations regarding the border and immigration enforcement writ large. In the last three years, the open borders have gotten worse, and now many describe the open borders crisis as an invasion. By all appearances, these open borders were intentionally planned, funded, and executed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations (UN) through our government. Ironically, the Christian community (including Evangelicals) has been divided on …

Witches On The Wind: Weather Magic In New England Folktales, Zephyros Quinn Craven

Thinking Matters Symposium

The English language folktales collected from coastal New England in the 19^th and 20^th centuries display a prominence of weather magic motifs compared with folktales from other regions of the United States. This paper aims to explain the success of the weather magic theme in New England folklore collections and to serve as a starting point for scholarly discourse on the subject, which has hitherto been sparse. This study utilizes climate research, both scholarly and popular collections of folktales, local travel guides, and colonial and labor histories. Through a combination of historical analysis, comparative study, and textual analysis, …

Teaching And Practicing Goal Setting In A Course Onboarding Module, Jedediah E. Blanton, Rachel E. Williams

Educational Practices in Kinesiology

Teaching about the empirical evidence and basic tenets of setting and pursuing goals is a common topic in undergraduate kinesiology courses, especially in sport and exercise psychology. Yet, many textbooks and materials include goal setting as an applied skill or behavior change process buried in the middle of the term. In this article, we will define types of goals and share a goal setting activity that may be scaled for a variety of courses and class sizes. The purpose of this article is to share a proposal for opening the course by first covering the topic of goal setting. The …

"What Are You?": Multiracial Library Workers' Experiences In Libraries, Diana Wakimoto

Urban Library Journal

While increasing attention, research, and writing have elevated issues faced by library workers who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), multiracial library workers are often, if not always, left out of the conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The work around DEI in the library profession often erases the lived experiences of multiracial library workers. In turn, this erasure silences our experiences of racism and microaggressions, as well as our unique views and experiences.

This paper shares the findings of an exploratory mixed methods study, consisting of an online survey of and interviews with multiracial library workers …

Changes In Chili Value Chain In Gunungkidul Regency Due To Covid-19 Pandemic, Muhammad Vitra Ramadhan, Widyawati Sumadio

Jurnal Geografi Lingkungan Tropik (Journal of Geography of Tropical Environments)

This study explored the changes in the chili value chain in Gunungkidul Regency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a qualitative approach by conducting in-depth interviews with chili farmers, collectors, traders, and buyers in Gunungkidul Regency. The research results show that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected all stages of the chili value chain in Gunungkidul Regency. The actors in the chili value chain in Gunungkidul Regency have successfully adapted to face disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic by using information technology to communicate between actors and obtain market price information. Before the pandemic, Gunungkidul Regency was one of …

Lindenwood Digest, April 24, 2024, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

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

Unsung Hero: Cedarville Alumnus Shaping Christian Movie Industry, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

“Unsung Hero” could be the next blockbuster Christian movie of our time. The movie releases in theaters nationwide on Friday, April 26, and is the story of the Smallbone family, which gave rise to Christian recording artists Rebecca St. James and For King and Country.

Reaching New Depths With Cutting-Edge Underwater Robotics, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

Every year, senior mechanical engineering students at Cedarville University complete a capstone project, a requirement before graduating. These projects allow the students to combine their book knowledge with practical skills they will use in their professional careers.

Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: April 24, 2024, Eric Thompson

Leading Economic Indicator Reports

The Leading Economic Indicator-Nebraska fell by 1.31% in March 2024. The increase in the leading indicator, which is designed to predict economic growth six months into the future, followed a very rapid 3.97% increase in February. Taken together, the February and March values continue to imply strong growth in the Nebraska economy in mid-2024. A decline in building permits for single-family homes contributed to the drop in the LEI-N during March. There also was a decline in manufacturing hours worked after a sharp February increase. On the positive side, business expectations remained strong in March. Respondents to the March Survey …

A Trump-Shaped Shadow: Demonstrating Competing Republican Identities To Gain Party Support, Amede Karina-Plun

Student Research Submissions

How do Republican candidates demonstrate their conservative identity to appeal to Republican primary voters? Recent scholarship finds that ascendant groups within the Republican Party have changed the party’s platform, moved to the extreme right, and redefined the American conservative identity. This paper hypothesizes that former President Donald Trump is advantaged in the 2024 Republican primary as the party’s standard bearer. Additionally, I hypothesize that former Governor Nikki Haley and Governor Ron DeSantis try to gain support from Republican voters by redefining what it means to be a Republican, and they use their appeal to Republican voters as alternatives to Trump …

Electing Generational Immigrants: Campaign Messaging Strategies Of Asian American Candidates In Virginia, Jane Michael

Student Research Submissions

Asian Americans are one of the fastest growing minority groups in the U.S. due to immigration – so why don’t we hear more of their stories in electoral politics? Ninety percent of Asian Americans are immigrants or children of immigrants, which is an identity that can and often does influence political participation and motivation for both voters and candidates. Recent theories look directly at linked fate, which posits that individuals who share a group identity, usually a racial or ethnic minority identity, also share a sense that anything that affects another member of the group, impacts them all. This research …

Virtual Reality As An Adjunct To Behavior Therapy: A Systematic Literature Review, Alya Alharrasi

Honors Theses

The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that by 2030, mental disorders will become the primary source of global disease burden [1]. Anxiety-related disorders, including specific phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and various forms of general or specific anxiety, are the most rapidly growing mental health disorders worldwide [2]. In the United States (US), over 1 in 10 American youths are experiencing depression, resulting in a severe impact on their personal, academic, or professional encounters and social engagements [3]. Similarly, anxiety disorders affect up to one-third of the US population during their lifetime [4].

Due to the growth of mental health …

Impact Of Parental Spirituality On Child Depression, Anxiety, And Ptsd After A Surgical Procedure, Ashlee M. Schendel

Honors Thesis

Higher levels of religiosity and spirituality (R/S) have been associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms (Lucchetti, Koenig, & Lucchetti, 2021; Braam & Koenig, 2019). While it is unknown why the relationship exists, it may be a result of the social support obtained from attending a place of worship (Gwin et al., 2020). The relationship between anxiety and R/S is far more mixed, with studies having found both positive and negative correlations (Lucchetti, Koenig, & Lucchetti, 2021). It is theorized spirituality may be used to cope with anxiety both negatively (e.g., God hates me) and positively (e.g., God wants to …

Beyond Birth: Nurturing Careers, Elevating Women In Southern Europe, Avery Samer

International Relations Honors Papers

The expansion of female labor force participation has a strong, positive effect on economic growth. Maternity leave policies aim to support women’s employment continuity through a reduction of labor tradeoffs. Variation in maternity leave policies between countries spotlights the effect of maternity leave on female labor force participation, as shown in a comparison of countries in Southern Europe. This thesis provides an empirical analysis of maternity leave policy and female labor force participation rates in Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Greece. After the empirical study, the thesis analyzes changes in gender equality policies and women’s labor force participation in Spain, beginning …

Increasing Social Inclusion And Engagement Of Exercise For Individuals With Spinal Cord Injuries: A Universal Resource Development For Wellness Facilities, Alexa Hall

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are 1.5 times more likely to disengage in exercise one-year post-injury despite 80% of these individuals agreeing that exercise is critical to their overall health and quality of life (Baehr. Et al., 2022). A needs assessment was conducted on why the lack of engagement in exercise exists for individuals with SCIs within fitness facilities to identify barriers preventing participation. A quality improvement program called the Spinal Cord Injury Wellness Toolkit was created based off these findings and implemented at the MUSC Wellness Center. 14 individuals with SCIs participated at wellness center; REDCap surveys were …

World’S Coolest Dictator: Nayib Bukele’S Populist Authoritarian Digital Footprint, Kaitlin Mcquade

Political Science Senior Theses

Across the globe, country after country is seeing populist movements gain power and even win office. When these populist ideas are adopted and utilized by authoritarian-leaning leaders, democratic erosion and the disrespect of human rights become a real threat. For my thesis, I will be looking to the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, as an example of this dangerous combination of populism and authoritarianism. Under his leadership, the country has achieved the highest rate of incarceration per capita in the world at 1.7%, he stacked the courts with loyalists that allowed him to run for a previously unconstitutional second …

Educational Attainment In The Mountain West, 2021, Isabelle G. Graham, Jesse M. Fager-Larsen, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Higher Education

This fact sheet examines data on educational attainment rates for five states in the Mountain West: Arizona, Colorado,Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The original report from the Lumina Foundation explores education attainment data for those aged 25 to 64 years in all U.S. states.

An Investigation Of Alternative Strike Policies For Railroad Workers, Evan Morrisey

Honors Theses

In principle, railroad workers have a legal right to engage in strikes in the United States, just like a majority of other workers. In practice, however, they are ostensibly forced into compulsory arbitration where Congress legislates their contract even if they vote to strike. The government’s justification for overriding the workers’ right to strike in this way is that a full-scale strike could have serious economic impacts to the national economy. Overriding railroad workers’ right to strike still raises ethical concerns, because the right to strike is crucial for workers to protect their interests. While unrestricted, indefinite, large-scale strikes may …

How Witnessing Domestic Violence Affects The Future Of Children: An Exploratory Study, Victoria Cleckler

Honors Theses

Domestic violence (DV), also known as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), is a widespread issue that affects many people, families, and communities, with one in four women and one in nine men falling victim to domestic violence each year in the United States. However, these statistics only consider what has actually been reported. More than 44% of domestic violence cases go unreported each year. It can be inferred that a drastic number of children are also affected. Children who witness domestic violence are indirect victims of DV, as they experience psychological and emotional turmoil simply by witnessing the abuse. However, there …

Scholars Day 2024 Program Of Events, Carl Goodson Honors Program

Scholars Day

This is the program of events for the 2023 Scholars Day Conference, where undergraduates across disciplines present their scholarly and creative works.

Finding Community In A Women’S Shelter Open Studio: Implementation Of An Art Therapy Method, Hannah Bucciferro

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

People facing housing insecurity and homelessness are at a greater risk of loneliness than the average American. In the current decade, the number of unaccompanied women who face housing insecurity has grown. Organizations like day shelters and community resource centers can be places where this population can engage in socialization and lay down the foundation for communities within a larger systematic framework. Literature has identified the open studio method of art therapy in community centers as an effective method for participants to freely create art. In this intervention, the open studio was explored as a method of cultivating community and …

Decistifying Trans And Gender Diverse Inclusion In Library Work: A Literature Review, Stephen G. Krueger, Keahi Adolpho

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

This comprehensive review illuminates the current state of scholarly literature on trans and gender diverse inclusion in libraries, with the intention to provide a foundation and identify gaps for further research. Covering 50 works published between 2002 and 2023 in the areas of general inclusion, public libraries, academic libraries, experiences of library workers, archives, information behavior, and cataloging, we found that, with the exception of works on archives and cataloging, little scholarly literature goes beyond introductory talking points on basic information about trans and gender diverse people. We conclude with a call for much more in-depth research on this essential …